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"# What Is Energy? » * Energy Basics * Forms of Energy o Laws of Energy o Sources of Energy * Energy Units Basics * Energy Calculators * Periodic Table # Energy Sources » * Nonrenewable o Oil (petroleum) o Natural Gas o Coal o Uranium (nuclear) * Renewable o Biomass o Geothermal o Hydropower o Solar o Wind * Electricity o Science of Electricity o Electricity in the U.S. * Hydrogen * Recent Statistics # Using & Saving Energy » * Energy Use Basics * Energy and the Environment o Greenhouse Gases * In Homes * In Commercial Buildings * In Industry * For Transportation * Saving Energy * Recycling # History of Energy » * Energy Timelines o Coal o Electricity o Ethanol o Geothermal o Hydropower o Municipal Solid Waste o Natural Gas o Nuclear o Oil (petroleum) o Photovoltaic o Solar Thermal o Transportation o Wind o Wood * Famous People o Alcorn (1940) o Celsius (1701) o Crosthwait (1898) o Curie (1867) o Dalton (1766) o Diesel (1858) o Drake (1819) o Edison (1847) o Einstein (1879) o Faraday (1791) o Ford (1863) o Franklin (1706) o Goddard (1882) o Goeppert-Mayer (1906) o Gourdine (1929) o Jones (1892) o Joule (1818) o Koontz (1922) o Latimer (1848) o Marconi (1874) o Maxwell (1831) o Meitner (1878) o Newton (1642) o Ohm (1787) o Oppenheimer (1908) o Otto (1832) o Pupin (1858) o Roberts (1913) o Stanley (1858) o Sto

While early adopters were quick to jump on the renewable energy bandwagon for sustainability reasons, the rising cost of traditional energy has spurred growth in wind and solar.

"Energy is the ability to do work. It is one of the basic human needs and is an essential component in any development programme. In this lesson, we are going to look at the forms that energy exists, namely: heat, light, sound, electrical, chemical, nuclear and mechanical. These forms of energy may be transformed from one form to the other, usually with losses. "

"Photosynthesis: The Beginning of Life Photosynthesis is arguably the most important process on planet Earth. Without photosynthesis life as we know it would not exist. Many people do not realize that photosynthesis is a two-part reaction, the first capturing light and converting it to chemical energy, and the other reaction, which takes the captured chemical energy and converts it to energy in the form of glucose."

Wind is one important source of alternative energy. In this activity, kids create their own wind turbine and attach it to a Hot Wheels Car. Then they can use a fan to power the turbines so their cars can move! Wind is a great alternate to fuel since fuel pollutes the air and is nonrenewable. Because wind is a renewable energy source, we will never run out! However, as the girls at Girlstart discovered from testing their own cars, there are some cons to powering a car with wind.

"You aren't being propelled around the track by a motor or pulled by a hitch. The conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy is what drives the roller coaster, and all of the kinetic energy you need for the ride is present once the coaster descends the first hill.. "

"My human body is acting as a wireless energy receiver which can supply enough electricity to light up this "White Led". The maximum energy transfer distance to the led is about 20" ( 50cm) and the total current generated is about 650 micro-amps...This experiment proves that the human body does pick up residual energy from our environment, just like a solar cell that coverts sunlight into electricity... "

"Bring wind energy into the classroom with our wind energy curriculum."

The Vibro-Wind Research Group, led by Frank Moon, the Joseph Ford Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is working on an efficient, low-cost method of converting vibrations from wind energy to electricity. Much the way solar panels now grace many rooftops, the researchers envision buildings outfitted with vibro-wind panels, which would store the energy they convert from even the gentlest of breezes.

"The gigantic dimensions of this ultra-lightweight revolutionary airplane - capable of flying day and night without fuel - are its trademark feature. To build it, the whole team had to push back the frontiers of knowledge in materials science, energy management and the man-machine interface. Every one of its take-offs, propelled silently by its four electric motors, inspires us to consider using clean, new technologies to free our society, little by little, from dependence on fossil energy. "

"I also chose mechanical engineering because it is a very broad major. Graduating with a MechE degree opens a variety of career paths. Relevant post-grad job topics include cars, airplanes, heating and cooling systems, manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery, robots, medical devices and much more. I like the idea that I was leaving my options open by being a MechE. Last, it seems to me that with the technology advancements and global problems of today, mechanical engineers will be at the forefront of these solutions. I am not positive what I want to do when I graduate, but I am interested in alternative energy, especially wind technology. I like to think I am going to solve the world's energy problems."

A set of US department of energy lesson plans about energy, and many science topics. (72 lesson plans). There are many activities you can use organized by age.

"With each of their great achievements, the adventurers of the last century constantly pushed back the limits of the impossible. Today, the drive to make new discoveries must go on, not to conquer new territories but with the aim of improving the quality of life on our planet. In building the first solar aircraft able to fly day and night, and piloting it right round the world without fuel or pollution, Solar Impulse's ambition is for the world of exploration and innovation to contribute to the cause of renewable energies, to demonstrate the importance of clean technologies for sustainable development; to save natural resources and reduce our dependency on fossil energy; and to place dreams and emotions back at the heart of scientific adventure."

Energy's education programs help ensure an adequate supply of scientists, engineers and technicians for energy-related research, production activities, and the transfer of technology. The advancement of science, mathematics and technology education is an essential part of DOE's mission.

"NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which is carrying a suite of instruments including a $32 million University of Colorado Boulder package, has provided scientists with new information that energy from some solar flares is stronger and lasts longer than previously thought. See Also: Space & Time * Solar Flare * Sun * Northern Lights Earth & Climate * Geomagnetic Storms * Atmosphere * Energy and the Environment Reference * Solar flare * Solar radiation * Corona * Geomagnetic storm Using SDO's Extreme ultraviolet Variability Experiment, or EVE instrument designed and built at CU-Boulder, scientists have observed that radiation from solar flares sometimes continues for up to five hours beyond the initial minutes of the main phase of a solar flare occurrence."

Technologies to harness solar power as a path to low-carbon energy are developing at breakneck speed. This Spotlight looks at how developing countries can best make use of them to benefit the millions of rural poor who still live without electricity?"

"The Earth's climate is a solar powered system. Globally, over the course of the year, the Earth system-land surfaces, oceans, and atmosphere-absorbs an average of about 240 watts of solar power per square meter (one watt is one joule of energy every second). The absorbed sunlight drives photosynthesis, fuels evaporation, melts snow and ice, and warms the Earth system."

"But as energy demand climbs, so have efforts to turn wind into a viable option for producing electricity on a large scale. Wind turbines in particular are what people think of when discussing wind power. These turbines can measure more than 400 feet (122 meters) tall and weigh in at close to 400 tons."

"With only one operating plant globally, Rance River (as in picture), in France. The barrage method of extracting tidal energy involves building a barrage as in the case of the Rance River. The barrage turbines generate as water flows in and out the estuary bay or river. The Rance tidal power plant and the largest such installation has been working on the Rance River since 1966 with an installed (peak) power of 240 MW, and an annual production of 600 GWh. "

"Lesson plans by a team of educators & renewable energy experts. Includes teacher resource guides, reading passages for students, student worksheets Lesson plans are grouped into three age levels designed for elementary school (grades 4 & 5), middle school (grades 6, 7 & 8) & high school."