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Tidal power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

en.wikipedia.org/...Tidal_power
shared by dpurdy on 03 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • Tidal stream generators (or TSGs) make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, in a similar way to wind turbines that use wind to power turbines. Some tidal generators can be built into the structures of existing bridges, involving virtually no aesthetic problems. Likewise, “tidal bridging” is a relatively new advancement that is gaining recognition as a more practical and beneficial way to generate tidal power.
    • dpurdy
      dpurdy on 03 Nov 12
       
      Good pic of tidal stream generator working
  • dpurdy on 03 Nov 12
     
    "Tidal stream generators (or TSGs) make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, in a similar way to wind turbines that use wind to power turbines. Some tidal generators can be built into the structures of existing bridges, involving virtually no aesthetic problems. Likewise, "tidal bridging" is a relatively new advancement that is gaining recognition as a more practical and beneficial way to generate tidal power."
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Uses of Wind Energy | eHow.com - 2 views

www.ehow.com/_4911458_uses-wind-energy.html use
shared by bannonmel99 on 22 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • For hundreds of years mankind has been making use of the energy and power generated by wind. Whether it has been to travel the world, manufacture products, or in the modern age to generate electricity, wind has provided the means. And while there have been dozens of different methods over the years, new technology is still being invented to make even further use of this ancient power source.
  • Windmills were one of the second most widespread uses of wind energy. The variety of uses that windmills were put to included grinding grain, as well as pumping water, up until the industrial revolution where the windmill was mostly replaced by the steam engine.
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Haldor Topsoe - Fuel cells for sustainable energy - 0 views

www.topsoe.com/...fuel_cells.aspx hydrogen what convert use
shared by slentzkel99 on 23 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • What is a fuel cell?A fuel cell produces electricity from fuel and air. The simplest fuel cell produces electricity from hydrogen and air with water as the only by-product.
  • Where can fuel cells be used?Fuel cells in general can be used in many different circumstances, depending on the type of fuel cell. Topsoe Fuel Cell focuses on SOFC fuel cells, which can be used in:Auxiliary power units (APUs) provide electricity where there is no access to grid power. Fuel cell based APUs can be used on, for instance, long-haul trucks to generate power during breaks.Micro combined heat and power units may be scaled to meet the electricity demand in single family households. Combined heat and power generation for households is one of the most efficient ways to meet residential energy requirements.Distributed generation using SOFC technology offers efficient power generation, for example hospitals, shopping malls, in apartment buildings and in areas with low power capacity.
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http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/pdf/hlg_vision_report_en.pdf - 1 views

ec.europa.eu/...hlg_vision_report_en.pdf hydrogen uses future co2
shared by dpurdy on 26 Oct 12 - No Cached
    • slentzkel99
      slentzkel99 on 26 Oct 12
       
      Report on hydrogen economy potential 
  • dpurdy on 26 Oct 12
     
    Challenges Producing hydrogen in the large quantities necessary for the transport and stationary power markets could become a barrier to progress beyond the initial demonstration phase.  Uses: Fuel cells will be used in a wide range of products, ranging from very small fuel cells in portable devices such as mobile phones and laptops, through mobile applications like cars, delivery vehicles, buses and ships, to heat and power generators in stationary applications in the domestic and industrial sector. Future energy systems will also include improved conventional energy converters running on hydrogen (e.g. internal combustion engines, Stirling engines, and turbines) as well as other energy carriers (e.g. direct heat and electricity from renewable energy, and bio-fuels for transport). 
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US.energy.consumption.pie.chart.jpg (762×497) - 2 views

www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/...ergy.consumption.pie.chart.jpg wave
shared by gerardijos98 on 26 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • gerardijos98 on 26 Oct 12
     
    image of US energy source use ;wave energy is others bc it is experimental 
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Solar panel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

en.wikipedia.org/Solar_panel solar
shared by marloweth98 on 15 Mar 12 - Cached
  • so solar module, photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel
  • photovoltaic cells
  • arger photovoltaic system to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential applications. Because a single solar panel can produce only a limited amount of power, many installations contain several panels.
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  • Third generation solar cells are advanced thin-film cells. They produce high-efficiency conversion at low cost.
  • includes an array of solar panels, an inverter, and sometimes a battery and interconnection wiring.
  • photovoltaic system typically
  • lexible thin film cells and modules are created on the same production line by depositing the photoactive layer and other necessary layers on a flexible substrate. If the substrate is an insulator (e.g. polyester or polyimide film) then monolithic integration can be used. If it is a conductor then another technique for electrical connection must be used. The cells are assembled into modules by laminating them to a transparent colourless fluoropolymer on the front side (typically ETFE or FEP) and a polymer suitable for bonding to the final substrate on the other side. The only commercially available (in MW quantities) flexible module uses amorphous silicon triple junction (from Unisolar). So-called inverted metamorphic (IMM) multijunction solar cells made on compound-semiconductor technology are just becoming commercialized in July 2008. The University of Michigan's solar car that won the North American Solar Challenge in July 2008 used IMM thin-film flexible solar cells. The requirements for residential and commercial are different in that the residential needs are simple and can be packaged so that as solar cell technology progresses, the other base line equipment such as the battery, inverter and voltage sensing transfer switch still need to be compacted and unitized for residential use. Commercial use, depending on the size of the service will be limited in the photovoltaic cell arena, and more complex parabolic reflectors and solar concentrators are becoming the dominant technology. The global flexible and thin-film photovoltaic (PV) market, despite caution in the overall PV industry, is expected to experience a CAGR of over 35% to 2019, surpassing 32 GW according to a major new study by IntertechPira.[4]
  • t $4.50, which was 33 times lower than the cost in 1970 of $150.[8][9]
  • marloweth98 on 15 Mar 12
     
    facts
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Energy Report - Hydrogen - 1 views

www.window.state.tx.us/...h2.php Fuel Cell history
shared by dpurdy on 15 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Hydrogen is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-toxic. It is a gas at temperatures above -423° F and is highly diffuse, having a density approximately 14 times less than that of air. Because it is buoyant and diffusive, hydrogen dissipates quickly in open areas and can move through small spaces, which makes it difficult to store. Hydrogen is flammable over a broad range of gas concentration (from 4 to 74 percent), although its lower flammability limit – that is, the lowest temperature and pressure at which it will combust – is higher than those for some common fuels such as gasoline, propane or diesel.1 Hydrogen has been described as “the fuel of the future.” On Earth, hydrogen is found in combination with other elements such as carbon (hydrocarbons), oxygen (water) and nitrogen (ammonia). Although hydrogen may sometimes be used as a fuel, it is most often used as an energy carrier, such as electricity, and not an energy source. To make hydrogen a usable, stand-alone fuel, it must be separated from these other elements by chemical, thermal or electrochemical processes.
  • History British scientist Henry Cavendish identified hydrogen as a distinct element in 1766. Subsequent experiments by British and French scientists resulted in the first flight of a hydrogen balloon and the discovery that applying electricity to water can produce hydrogen and oxygen.
  • In the 1960s, NASA space capsules used hydrogen fuel cells for onboard electric power, heat and water.
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  • The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) does not maintain comprehensive statistics in this area, but the various demonstration projects suggest that there are some hundreds of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road in the U.S.
  • dpurdy on 15 Mar 12
     
    On Earth, hydrogen is found in combination with other elements such as carbon (hydrocarbons), oxygen (water) and nitrogen (ammonia). Although hydrogen may sometimes be used as a fuel, it is most often used as an energy carrier, such as electricity, and not an energy source. To make hydrogen a usable, stand-alone fuel, it must be separated from these other elements by chemical, thermal or electrochemical processes.
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Winds, Waves, Tides - Ocean Energy | Environmental News, Articles & Information | Globa... - 2 views

www.ecoworld.com/...-waves-tides-ocean-energy.html cost how what sustainable future
shared by dpurdy on 03 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • Can Already Cost Under $.06 per Kilowatt Hour * Pneumatic devices, such as the oscillating water column (OWC), use wave motion to compress and decompress air, and drive a turbine. * Float-based devices utilise a buoyant float moving with the waves, reacting against a sea bed anchor in order to harness energy. * Spillover devices utilise wave height to replenish a reservoir of seawater, which runs a turbine. * Raft-type devices use the relative motion of adjacent rafts or pontoons to harness wave energy. * Moving-body devices articulate in the water, inducing motion, which may be used to drive a hydraulic motor.
  • Tidal stream devices extract energy from the diurnal flow of tidal currents (caused by the gravitational pull of the moon). Unlike wind and wave power, tidal streams offer entirely predictable output. However, as the lunar cycle is of around 25 hours’ duration, the timing of peak outputs differs by around an hour each day and tidal energy cannot be guaranteed at times of peak demand.
  • However, several large grid-connected demonstration projects are expected to enter the water in the near future. Tidal stream is thus a few years behind wave energy.
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  • Marine Current Turbines is about to field test a submerged 300 kW tidal turbine off Devon in the United Kingdom
  • The manufacturers of all these devices expect to deliver energy at a cost of 10-14 US cents per kWh, falling to below 6 US cents as experience grows and technologies mature
  • Power generation using wave energy is at a much earlier stage of development. Wave energy offers more predictable outputs than wind, but in early 2003 there was only around one megawatt of generating capacity installed worldwide, all of it essentially with demonstration prototypes. Proposed projects are likely to take this to about 6 MW over the next few years. The wave industry is characterised by a wide variety of novel devices
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Energy Resources: Biofuels - 2 views

home.clara.net/...biofuels.htm pollution cost biofuels
shared by dpurdy on 03 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • By "biofuels" on this page, I mean fuels for vehicles, such as "biodiesel" and "bioethanol" - although you can also use the term "biofuel" to cover any kind of fuel made from living materials or their waste.
  • How it works Biofuels are made from two main sources: Growing crops such as corn, sugar cane, soya or rapeseed; or from palm oil Growing algae
  • Biofuels are made from two main sources: Growing crops such as corn, sugar cane, soya or rapeseed; or from palm oil Growing algae
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  • iofuels are potentially carbon-neutral, because although carbon dioxide is released when we burn them, carbon dioxide is taken in by the plants as they grow. However, energy is needed to grow the crops, harvest them, and to process the results into usable products - and most of this energy will be from fossil fuels for farm machinery and power stations.
  • Biofuels are potentially carbon-neutral, because although carbon dioxide is released when we burn them, carbon dioxide is taken in by the plants as they grow. However, energy is needed to grow the crops, harvest them, and to process the results into usable products - and most of this energy will be from fossil fuels for farm machinery and power stations.
  • Producing biofuels from crops means using large amounts of land to grow those crops - that means less land for food production. We must be careful to strike a balance between crops ofr fuel and crops for food.
  • Producing biofuels from crops means using large amounts of land to grow those crops - that means less land for food production. We must be careful to strike a balance between crops ofr fuel and crops for food.
  • Algae - that's pond scum - are microscopic water plants. They reproduce and photosynthesise fast, and the algae are then filtered out of the water and the lipids (oils) are used to make biodiesel.
  • It is claimed that growing plants to make biofuels will take in that carbon dioxide again. But biologists tell us that forests are not 'the lungs of the planet' after all - they give out as much CO2 as they absorb as the plants respire. It seems that it's plant plankton in the oceans that takes in most CO2 and gives out most oxygen.
  • It takes huge areas of land in order to grow crops for biofuels, although making biofuels from algae does not have this problem
  • Biofuel production is closer to being carbon-neutral than using fossil fuels.
  • Is it renewable? Biofuels are renewable, we can plant more of the crops or grow more of the algae.
  • anonymous on 02 Oct 13
     
    Most quality online stores. Know whether you are a trusted online retailer in the world. Whatever we can buy very good quality. and do not hesitate. Everything is very high quality. Including clothes, accessories, bags, cups. Highly recommended. This is one of the trusted online store in the world. View now www.retrostyler.com
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EIA Energy Kids - Biomass - 1 views

www.eia.gov/...energy.cfm biofuels pollution sustainable co2
shared by dpurdy on 03 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • Biomass is organic material made from plants and animals (microorganisms). Biomass contains stored energy from the sun. Plants absorb the sun's energy in a process called photosynthesis. The chemical energy in plants gets passed on to animals and people that eat them. Biomass is a renewable energy source because we can always grow more trees and crops, and waste will always exist. Some examples of biomass fuels are wood, crops, manure, and some garbage. When burned, the chemical energy in biomass is released as heat. If you have a fireplace, the wood you burn in it is a biomass fuel. Wood waste or garbage can be burned to produce steam for making electricity, or to provide heat to industries and homes.
  • Crops like corn and sugar cane can be fermented to produce ethanol. Biodiesel, another transportation fuel, can be produced from left-over food products like vegetable oils and animal fats.
  • Ethanol and biodiesel were the fuels used in the first automobile and diesel engines, but lower cost gasoline and diesel fuel made from crude oil became the dominant vehicle fuels. The Federal government has promoted ethanol use in vehicles to help reduce oil imports since the mid-1970s.
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  • Compared to petroleum diesel, biodiesel combustion produces less sulfur oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and unburned and other hydrocarbons, but more nitrogen oxide.
  • Biofuels may be considered to be carbon-neutral because the plants that are used to make biofuels (such as corn and sugarcane for ethanol, and soy beans and palm oil trees for biodiesel) absorb CO2 as they grow and may offset the CO2 produced when biofuels are made and burned.
  • Growing plants for biofuels is controversial however, as the land, fertilizers, and energy used to grow biofuel crops could be used to grow food crops instead. Also, in some parts of the world, large areas of natural vegetation and forests have been cut down to grow sugar cane for ethanol and soybeans and palm-oil trees to make biodiesel.
  • Biomass — Renewable Energy from Plants and Animals Source: The National Energy Education Project (Public Domain) Source: The National Energy Education Project (Public Domain) Biomass is organic material made from plants
  • Biomass fuels provided about 4% of the energy used in the United States in 2010. Of this, about 46% was from wood and wood-derived biomass, 43% from biofuels (mainly ethanol),
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Wind Power - 0 views

www.renewableenergyworld.com/...wind-power wind sustainable current convert
shared by olsentri00 on 23 Sep 13 - Cached
  • We have been harnessing the wind's energy for hundreds of years. From old Holland to farms in the United States, windmills have been used for pumping water or grinding grain. Today, the windmill's modern equivalent - a wind turbine - can use the wind's energy to generate electricity.
  • Wind turbines, like windmills, are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy. At 100 feet (30 meters) or more aboveground, they can take advantage of the faster and less turbulent wind. Turbines catch the wind's energy with their propeller-like blades. Usually, two or three blades are mounted on a shaft to form a rotor.
  • A blade acts much like an airplane wing. When the wind blows, a pocket of low-pressure air forms on the downwind side of the blade. The low-pressure air pocket then pulls the blade toward it, causing the rotor to turn. This is called lift. The force of the lift is actually much stronger than the wind's force against the front side of the blade, which is called drag. The combination of lift and drag causes the rotor to spin like a propeller, and the turning shaft spins a generator to make electricity.
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  • Wind turbines can be used as stand-alone applications, or they can be connected to a utility power grid or even combined with a photovoltaic (solar cell) system. For utility-scale sources of wind energy, a large number of wind turbines are usually built close together to form awind plant. Several electricity providers today use wind plants to supply power to their customers.
  • kurishkri00 on 23 Sep 13
     
    Today, the windmill's modern equivalent - a wind turbine - can use the wind's energy to generate electricity.
  • olsentri00 on 24 Sep 13
     
    Today, the windmill's modern equivalent - a wind turbine - can use the wind's energy to generate electricity.
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Despite bright potential, solar power struggles to stay 'clean' | Global Ideas | DW.DE ... - 0 views

www.dw.de/...a-16858170 solar pollution
shared by sokolkyl00 on 04 Oct 13 - No Cached
  • If solar panels are manufactured using electricity from coal-burning plants, they indirectly emit greenhouse gas emissions. That makes them less clean than a panel that’s manufactured using renewable energy.
  • hexafluoride
  • sokolkyl00 on 04 Oct 13
     
    What's worse, harmful chemicals are increasingly used to manufacture solar cells in certain panels. Previously, one such chemical widely used was sulfurhexafluoride (SF6), a substance 22,800 times more dangerous to the environment than CO2
  • anonymous on 05 Oct 13
     
    today hindi news,today news talmi,hindi news www.killdo.de.gg
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Geothermal energy facts - Interesting energy facts - 0 views

interestingenergyfacts.blogspot.com/...geothermal-energy-facts.html geothermal history
shared by deepat00 on 12 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Geothermal energy supplies less than 10 % of the world's energy.
  • Geothermal energy is clean and safe for the surrounding environment.
  • Geothermal energy is sustainable because hot water can be re-injected into the ground.
  • ...11 more annotations...
  • Geothermal energy can be found in the form of volcanoes, hot springs and geysers.
  • Geothermal energy's advantage is also the fact that geothermal power stations are relatively small, and have a lesser impact on the environment than for instance hydroelectric plants.
  • Geothermal energy use has very low emissions of greenhouse gases to about three percent of the carbon dioxide emissions of a fossil power station.
  • Geothermal energy is extremely efficient (almost 100 %) energy source where only real source of losing energy is from turbine friction.
  • Geothermal energy has three main uses: Heating, Electricity generation and Geothermal heat pumps.
  • Geothermal energy's amount of electricity is less than 1 percent of total electricity produced in the USA.
  • Geothermal energy is giving 18 % of Iceland's total electricity.
  • Geothermal energy could produce 10 percent of US electricity by the year 2050.
  • Geothermal energy is used since ancient times in form of hot water.
  • Geothermal energy could supply US with more than 30,000 MW of power by 2025.
  • Geothermal energy has minimum negative environmental impact.
  • anonymous on 03 Oct 13
     
    Comprehensive up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over theworld by Google News.‎Finance - ‎About Google News - ‎Languages and regions - ‎Editors' Pickswww.killdo.de.ggNews Online from Australia and the World ...News headlines from Australia and the world. The latest national, world, business, sport, entertainment and technology news from News Limited news papers.www.killdo.de.ggBreaking News Updates | Latest News Headlines ...Breaking News, Latest News and Current News from FOXNews.com. Breakingnews and video. Latest Current News: U.S., World, Entertainment, Health, ...www.killdo.de.gg
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Ancient Egyptians built places to live that allowed stored energy from the sun during t... - 0 views

www.diigo.com/...g solar history roman ancient energy sun heat heated convert
shared by hayespay99 on 12 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Ancient Egyptians built places to live that allowed stored energy from the sun during the day, and a heat release during the night. This kind of architecture heated homes at night while keeping the temperature low during the day. Egyptians also used the sun as part of their mummification process, using the sun to dry dead bodies. The Egyptians used a form of passive solar power. 3rd Century B.C., Greek soldiers with the help of Archimedes, focused light on a Roman fleet by using mirrors,
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AgBioForum 11(1): Biofuels in the US: Today and in the Future - 0 views

www.agbioforum.org/...v11n1a01-schlicher.htm biofuel history
shared by greenhan99 on 12 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • 15 billion gallons of ethanol by 2015, leaving a net of 12.3 billion bushels of corn available for feed, food, and export markets. This is up 3.0 billion bushels from 2006 and 0.9 billion bushels from 2007.
  • Net corn available for other uses (Mbu)
  • In 2006, US dry-grind ethanol plants produced 4.9B gallons of ethanol, 72% of overall US ethanol production. Correspondingly, 14.6 mmt of DDGS were produced. USDA FAS records suggest 9% of this was exported. Within the domestic market, 45% of this product was utilized by dairy cattle, 37% by beef cattle, 13% by swine, and 5% by poultry (Markham, 2005). The production of 15B gallons of ethanol from corn grain would result in 37 mmt of DDGS and 50 mmt at 20B gallons.4
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • than 20B gallons of ethanol from corn grain by 2020 with an incremental 3.5B bu of corn available for food, feed, and export use relative to 2006 production—a 2020 “potential case.
  • xpected to support 15B gallons o
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How Geothermal Energy Works | Union of Concerned Scientists - 1 views

www.ucsusa.org/...w-geothermal-energy-works.html geothermal sustainable
shared by knightoli99 on 11 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use. For example, more than 8,900 megawatts (MW) of large, utility-scale geothermal capacity in 24 countries now produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of nearly 12 million typical U.S. households (GEA 2008a). Geothermal plants produce 25 percent or more of electricity in the Philippines, Iceland, and El Salvador.
  • parkergar99 on 11 Mar 13
     
    "The U.S. Department of Energy found that heat pumps can save a typical home hundreds of dollars in energy costs each year, with the system typically paying for itself in 8 to 12 years. Tax credits and other incentives can reduce the payback period to 5 years or less.10                                                  "
  • knightoli99 on 11 Mar 13
     
    "Heat from the earth can be used as an energy source in many ways, from large and complex power stations to small and relatively simple pumping systems. This heat energy, known as geothermal energy, can be found almost anywhere-as far away as remote deep wells in Indonesia and as close as the dirt in our backyards. FROM OUR BLOG The Latest on Renewable Energy from Our Experts and Analysts Will Clean Energy Research and Development Be Sequestered? Laura Wisland PTC Extension Already Making a Big Difference for Wind Steve Clemmer The Local Energy Movement: Coming to a Town Near You Laura Wisland Subscribe to the Energy blog feed Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use. For example, more than 8,900 megawatts (MW) of large, utility-scale geothermal capacity in 24 countries now produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of nearly 12 million typical U.S. households (GEA 2008a). Geothermal plants produce 25 percent or more of electricity in the Philippines, Iceland, and El Salvador."
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Energy Source: Tidal Power | Renewable Energy & Efficiency | Pembina Institute - 0 views

www.pembina.org/tidal tidal energy
shared by kramerjac99 on 11 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • idal power can be harnessed using a barrage (dam) built across an estuary that captures the potential energy generated by the change in height (or head) between high and low tides. As the tide goes in and out, the water flows through tunnels in the dam. The ebb and flow are used to either turn a water turbine or compress air through a pipe that then turns a turbine, which generates electricity. Tidal Fences and Turbines Tidal fences and turbines can also be used to capture tidal power. Tidal fences are turbines that operate like giant turnstiles, while tidal turbines are similar to wind turbines. In both cases, electricity is generated when the turbines are turned by the tidal currents that occur in coastal waters. Ocean currents generate relatively more energy than wind (air currents) because ocean water has a higher density than air and therefore applies greater force on the turbines.
  • kramerjac99 on 11 Mar 13
     
    how we use it.
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Solar Power Energy Information, Solar Power Energy Facts - National Geographic - 0 views

environment.nationalgeographic.com/...solar-power-profile solar co2
shared by sokolkyl00 on 29 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Every hour the sun beams onto Earth more than enough energy to satisfy global energy needs for an entire year. Solar energy is the technology used to harness the sun's energy and make it useable. Today, the technology produces less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demand.
  • In one technique, long troughs of U-shaped mirrors focus sunlight on a pipe of oil that runs through the middle. The hot oil then boils water for electricity generation. Another technique uses moveable mirrors to focus the sun's rays on a collector tower, where a receiver sits. Molten salt flowing through the receiver is heated to run a generator.
  • Despite the drawbacks, solar energy use has surged at about 20 percent a year over the past 15 years, thanks to rapidly falling prices and gains in efficiency. Japan, Germany, and the United States are major markets for solar cells. With tax incentives, solar electricity can often pay for itself in five to ten years.
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  • Solar energy is lauded as an inexhaustible fuel source that is pollution and often noise free. The technology is also versatile.
  • valentivin99 on 29 Oct 12
     
    " Today, the technology produces less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demand."
  • kennedyeri98 on 11 Mar 13
     
    Intriguing facts about the suns energy on how they use it on oil and the drawback 
  • bondycal00 on 26 Sep 13
     
    Every hour the sun beams onto Earth more than enough energy to satisfy global energy needs for an entire year. Solar energy is the technology used to harness the sun's energy and make it useable. Today, the technology produces less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demand.
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HowStuffWorks "How Fuel Cells Work" - 0 views

auto.howstuffworks.com/...fuel-cell.htm fuel cell sustainable
shared by Connor Wiggins on 15 Mar 12 - Cached
  • This initiative, supported by legislation in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) and the Advanced Energy Initiative of 2006, aims to develop hydrogen, fuel cell and infrastructure technologies to make fuel-cell vehicles practical and cost-effective by 2020
  • Why are governments, private businesses and academic institutions collaborating to develop and produce them? Fuel cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently, without pollution. Unlike power
  • that use fossil fuels, the by-products from an operating fuel cell are heat and water
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  • With a fuel cell, chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead -- as long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity flows out of the cell. Most fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.
  • If you want to be technical about it, a fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. A fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity.
  • polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC)
  • United States has dedicated more than one billion dollars to fuel cell research and development so far.So what exactly is a fuel cell,
  • With a fuel cell, chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead -- as long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity flows out of the cell. Most fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.
  • ricciardellinick on 08 Mar 13
     
    "In 2003, President Bush announced a program called the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative (HFI) during his State of the Union Address."
  • Connor Wiggins on 11 Mar 13
     
    It shows how its sustainable 
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TLC Home "How many solar cells would I need in order to provide all of the electricity ... - 0 views

tlc.howstuffworks.com/...question418.htm
shared by gillinghammic98 on 15 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Because solar electricity is so expensive, you would normally go to great lengths to reduce your electricity consumption. Instead of a desktop computer and a monitor you would use a laptop computer. You would use fluorescent lights instead of incandescent. You would use a small B&W TV instead of a large color set. You would get a small, extremely efficient refrigerator­. By doing these things you might be able to reduce your average power consumption to 100 watts. This would cut the size of your solar panel and its cost by a factor of 6, and this might bring it into the realm of possibility.
  • From our calculations and assumptions abo­ve, we know that a solar panel can generate 70 milliwatts per square inch * 5 hours = 350 milliwatt hours per day. Therefore you need about 41,000 square inches of solar panel for the house. That's a solar panel that measures about 285 square feet (about 26 square meters). That would cost around $16,000 right now. Then, because the sun only shines part of the time, you would need to purchase a battery bank, an inverter, etc., and that often doubles the cost of the installation.If you want to have a small room air conditioner in your bedroom, double everything.
  • A "typical home" in America can use either electricity or gas to provide heat -- heat for the house, the hot water, the clothes dryer and the stove/oven. If you were to power a house with solar electricity, you would certainly use gas appliances because solar electricity is so expensive. This means that what you would be powering with solar electricity are things like the refrigerator, the lights, the compute­r, the TV, stereo equipment, motors in things like furnace fans and the washer, etc. Let's say that all of those things average out to 600 watts on average. Over the course of 24 hours, you need 600 watts * 24 hours = 14,400 watt-hours per day.
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  • The thing to remember, however, is that 100 watts per hour purchased from the power grid would only cost about 24 cents a day right now, or $91 a year. That's why you don't see many solar houses unless they are in very remote locations. When it only costs about $100 a year to purchase power from the grid, it is hard to justify spending thousands of dollars on a solar system.
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