Skip to main content

Home/ qmstech2/ Group items tagged to

Rss Feed Group items tagged

Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
knightoli99

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."
dpurdy

Solar Electricity and how it works - Photovoltaic Systems and Components, Grid-Connecte... - 0 views

www.solardirect.com/...pvbasics.htm

grid solar transported works how converted

shared by dpurdy on 26 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • A valuable feature of photovoltaic systems is the ability to connect with the existing power grid which allows owners to sell excessive electricity back to the utility with a plan known as (5) Net Metering. At times when you are not using all of the electricity produced by your system, your meter will spin backwards selling the electricity back to the (6) utility power grid at retail rate.
  • (1) Solar Electric or PV modules convert sunlight to electricity. The PV modules generate DC electricity - or direct current - sending it to the inverter. (2) The inverter transforms the DC power into AC electricity for ordinary household needs. (3) Existing electrical panel distributes solar electricity and utility power to (4) loads (appliances). For systems with a battery backup (optional), the inverter also regulates the charge of batteries. The electricity stored in the batteries can be used at night or during blackouts.
    • dpurdy
      dpurdy on 26 Oct 12
       
      Great video showing solar cell (photovoltaic) in action.
  • dpurdy on 26 Oct 12
     
    Solar is not always connected to grid. Sometimes there are batteries, otherwise your system is connected to grid to share excess electricity.
dpurdy

Wind Energy Basics - 1 views

windeis.anl.gov/basics

wind how what location cost pollution infrastructure

shared by dpurdy on 15 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • The major challenge to using wind as a source of power is that it is intermittent and does not always blow when electricity is needed. Wind cannot be stored (although wind-generated electricity can be stored, if batteries are used), and not all winds can be harnessed to meet the timing of electricity demands. Further, good wind sites are often located in remote locations far from areas of electric power demand (such as cities).
  • Although wind power plants have relatively little impact on the environment compared to fossil fuel power plants, there is some concern over the noise produced by the rotor blades, aesthetic (visual) impacts, and birds and bats having been killed (avian/bat mortality) by flying into the rotors. Most of these problems have been resolved or greatly reduced through technological development or by properly siting wind plants.
  • A Renewable Non-Polluting Resource Wind energy is a free, renewable resource, so no matter how much is used today, there will still be the same supply in the future. Wind energy is also a source of clean, non-polluting, electricity. Unlike conventional power plants, wind plants emit no air pollutants or greenhouse gases. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in 1990, California's wind power plants offset the emission of more than 2.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, and 15 million pounds of other pollutants that would have otherwise been produced. It would take a forest of 90 million to 175 million trees to provide the same air quality.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Cost Issues Even though the cost of wind power has decreased dramatically in the past 10 years, the technology requires a higher initial investment than fossil-fueled generators. Roughly 80% of the cost is the machinery, with the balance being site preparation and installation. If wind generating systems are compared with fossil-fueled systems on a "life-cycle" cost basis (counting fuel and operating expenses for the life of the generator), however, wind costs are much more competitive with other generating technologies because there is no fuel to purchase and minimal operating expenses.
    • dpurdy
      dpurdy on 03 Nov 12
       
      Good point for how we will need to change in future! To get more wind energy.
  • Wind energy is very abundant in many parts of the United States. Wind resources are characterized by wind-power density classes, ranging from class 1 (the lowest) to class 7 (the highest). Good wind resources (e.g., class 3 and above, which have an average annual wind speed of at least 13 miles per hour) are found in many locations
  • Wind speed is a critical feature of wind resources,
  • In other words, a stronger wind means a lot more power.
  • Horizontal turbine components include: blade or rotor, which converts the energy in the wind to rotational shaft energy; a drive train, usually including a gearbox and a generator; a tower that supports the rotor and drive train; and other equipment, including controls, electrical cables, ground support equipment, and interconnection equipment. Wind turbine diagram - click for enlarged image.
  • Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth's terrain, bodies of water, and vegetative cover.
  • How Wind Power Is Generated The terms "wind energy" or "wind power" describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power.
blackmerbru98

Wind Energy - 1 views

Nationally, renewable electricity generation in the US doubled from 2006 to 2011 and prices for wind, solar, and other clean energy technologies decreased, while employment in cleantech industry se...

http:__energyfellows.com_2012-clean-energy-generation-_ wind

started by blackmerbru98 on 03 Oct 13 no follow-up yet
tavarreskat99

What are the advantages and disadvantages of alternative tidal power as an energy source - 1 views

wiki.answers.com/...idal_power_as_an_energy_source

tidal energy

shared by tavarreskat99 on 12 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Advantages: Tidal energy is an alternative energy. The energy produced is clean and non polluting. There is no carbon dioxide or any other by-products released. It produces no greenhouse gases or other waste.It is a renewable energy that will help reduce our reliance on the burning of fossil fuels. There are two tides every day and they can be relied on. The energy is there for the taking.So the electricity supply is constant and efficient.Once you've built it, the energy is free because it comes from the ocean's powerIt needs no fuel.It produces electricity reliably.Not expensive to maintain.Tides are definitely predictable. There are two tides every day and they can be relied on. So the electricity supply is constant. Offshore turbines and vertical-axis turbines are not ruinously expensive to build and do not have a large environmental impact.A plant is expected to be in production for 75 to 100 yearsUses an abundant, inexpensive fuel source (water) to generate powerMay protect coastline against damage from high storm tides and provide a ready-made road bridge
  • Holding back the tide allows silt to build up on the river bed.The dams and barrages sometimes interfere with shipping. You will need to find a way to connect the electricity to the grid.Pose same threats as large dams, altering the flow of saltwater in and out of estuaries, which changes the hydrology and salinity and possibly negatively affects the marine mammals that use the estuaries as their habitatTurbidity decreases as a result of smaller volume of water being exchanged between the basin and the sea.The average salinity inside the basin decreases, also affecting the ecosystemA barrage across an estuary is very expensive to build, and affects a very wide area - the environment is changed for many miles upstream and downstream. Many birds rely on the tide uncovering the mud flats so that they can feed.There are few suitable sites for tidal barrages.Only provides power for around 10 hours each day, when the tide is actually moving in or out.
  • It only provides about 7% of the power needed for England and Wales that means that some people get their energy close to free and some pay a lot of moneyWater is not replenished, it cannot flow away so any dirt or pollution lingers around the coast much longerNeeds a very big piece of sea to be cost effectiveCannot be used inlandBarrage systems require salt resistant parts and lots of maintenanceAffects the lives of the people who rely on fishing for a means of livingLimited because the tide never speeds up or slows down, and occurs on 6 hour cycles. It is also dependent on the fetch distance. The fetch is the distance the tide rises and falls, so some beaches have a very small fetch, and others have a big fetch but hardly any have a large enough fetch to support tidal energy
kramerjac99

Lockheed Martin · Wave and Tidal Energy - 0 views

www.lockheedmartin.com/...wave-tidal-energy.html

tidal energy

shared by kramerjac99 on 11 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Tremendous potential exists for clean energy in waves and tides. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors (MS2) is leveraging decades of experience in designing and developing maritime systems into wave and tidal power systems. To do that, we have strategic relationships with key wave and tidal power technology providers. They will provide the technology to convert waves and tides into energy, and MS2 will provide the expertise to help make the systems work in harsh ocean environments and scalable for large-scale production. Wave power generates electricity using special buoys that use the rising and falling of ocean waves to generate electricity. MS2 is partnering with Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (OPT) and WaveBob LLC to develop their respective wave energy systems for use in future utility-scale power generation projects. MS2 provides its expertise in systems integration, lean manufacturing, and test and optimization analysis to enhance OPT's and Wavebob’s wave power generation technology to utility-scale. Tidal power generating systems use underwater turbines designed to capture the kinetic motion of ebbing and surging ocean tides to produce power. MS2 provides design and manufacturing support to Singapore-based Atlantic Resources Corporation (ARC), which is testing its tidal turbines at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, Scotland. MS2 is also exploring related technologies that can be adapted to shallow and low-rate tidal flows.
  • kramerjac99 on 11 Mar 13
     
    what is used to make it work
lemairenat98

Tidal Power | BC Sustainable Energy Association - 1 views

www.bcsea.org/...tidal-power

tide cost

shared by lemairenat98 on 11 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • However, estuaries are among the world’s most productive and sensitive ecosystems, and barrages cause large disruptions to their natural processes. We will therefore not further consider barrage based tidal power as a truly sustainable energy resource.
  • While there are non-tidal based ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream, those are usually too diffuse to be a practical energy source. The tides cause water to flow inwards from the ocean twice a day during flood tides, and outwards during ebb tides. Additional monthly and annual cycles vary the strength of this current on a monthly and annual basis. Narrow and shallow constrictions produce the fastest and most powerful movements, whose energy can be captured using submerged turbines.
  • BC Hydro’s 2002 Green Energy Study for BC estimated the realistic energy potential for tidal current energy generation in BC to be 20 TWhrs/year. The estimated cost was 11 cents/kWhr for a large (800 MW) site, and 25 cents/kWhr for a small (43 MW) site. The best sites are in the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait, which are both relatively close to the main centers of consumption.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The second type is based on utilizing the fast-flowing marine currents caused by tidal action. While there are non-tidal based ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream, those are usually too diffuse to be a practical energy source. The tides cause water to flow inwards from the ocean twice a day during flood tides, and outwards during ebb tides.
  • Nevertheless, it is a truly sustainable energy source which is also very predictable. It is not subject to the vagaries of weather or climate change, and while the energy varies, it follows a predictable pattern that is known many years in advance.
  • mchughkon99 on 11 Mar 13
     
    oceanic tides 
  • murphymat98 on 11 Mar 13
     
    The second type is based on utilizing the fast-flowing marine currents caused by tidal action....it is a truly sustainable energy source which is also very predictable. It is not subject to the vagaries of weather or climate change, and while the energy varies, it follows a predictable pattern that is known many years in advance.
  • lemairenat98 on 15 Mar 13
     
    " costs are expected to fall to between 5 and 7 cents/kWhr."
rodriguezjos99

Five Reasons Why Tidal Energy is the Wave of the Future - Green Living Ideas - 3 views

greenlivingideas.com/...ergy-is-the-wave-of-the-future

tide future co2 pollution

shared by rodriguezjos99 on 11 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Green energy has never been more important than it is today with the looming threat of global warming. Every possible effort must be made to reverse the worldwide threat of climate change by subsidizing and switching to green energy. One often-overlooked source of clean, renewable energy comes not from solar, wind or geothermal power, but from the tides.
  • Tidal Energy is valuable to environmentalists because unlike fossil fuels the source of energy will not be depleted in the foreseeable future no matter how much energy is collected.
  • The collection of tidal energy is clean because it involves very little emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • The pattern of tides is extremely stable and not strongly affected by weather conditions which suggests that it would be a very stable source of green energy.
  • Moving water can exert a much greater force on a turbine than wind which means the turbine can turn slowly and still produce a great deal of electricity. The slow and stable tidal forces are ideal parameters for engineering energy solutions. The fact that the turbines can be slow-moving makes it easier to avoid interfering with local ecosystems
  • While the initial cost of building tidal energy plants is high, the plants are expected to run for a very long time which will make them more cost-effective in the long run
  • rodriguezjos99 on 13 Mar 13
     
    "Five Reasons Why Tidal Energy is the Wave of the Future JANUARY 4, 2013 BY GUEST CONTRIBUTOR LEAVE A COMMENT Join GLI's 10,000 other followers on Twitter! Green energy has never been more important than it is today with the looming threat of global warming. Every possible effort must be made to reverse the worldwide threat of climate change by subsidizing and switching to green energy. One often-overlooked source of clean, renewable energy comes not from solar, wind or geothermal power, but from the tides. 1. Tidal Energy is Renewable Tidal Energy is valuable to environmentalists because unlike fossil fuels the source of energy will not be depleted in the foreseeable future no matter how much energy is collected. The gravitational relationship between the Earth and the moon is extremely stable in the long term just like solar, wind and geothermal energy. 2. Tidal Energy is Green The collection of tidal energy is clean because it involves very little emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. However, the marine ecosystem is fragile and great care must be taken to avoid interfering with the lives of organisms that depend on the tide."
pettitmat99

Biofuels - 0 views

www.voxsolaris.com/biofuels.html

cost

shared by pettitmat99 on 22 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Biofuels are basically any fuel that can be burned in air to produce heat that is produced by biological means, normally by plant growth. Currently the most prominant biofuels are ethanol and bio-deisel because these can be burned in existing internal combustion engines and are thus a direct replacement for oil. The most important biofuel historically is wood with oth
  • Biofuels are currently cheaper than oil although this is only because we are seeing very high oil prices at the moment. Under what might be termed more 'normal' market conditions, biofuels lack any meaningful price advantage. Biofuel production is very labor intensive and very land intensive. Production of ethanol from sugar cane was pioneered by the Brazilians in the 1970's as a solution to an oil import bill they could ill afford. It worked for them as they have plenty of land they can convert to growing sugar cane and at the time, plenty of cheap labor with which to harvest it.
  • he simple truth is the world does not have enough land to produce anywhere near the quantity of biofuels we need to make any dent in our oil consumption. They are only in fashion now oil prices are high and it is cost effective to produce them. Sooner or later food prices will rise to such a point that biofuel production will cease to be economic.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • In any case the current price of oil is unlikely to be sustained. Much of today's oil prices can be attributed to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and the hording of oil both for security of supply and more recently as a hedge against the falling dollar.
  • e they cheaper than oil? That depends how you calculate the cost!
  • pettitmat99 on 22 Oct 12
     
    "But herein lies the first problem with biofuels. They may be carbon nuetral but they are certainly not as green as they might be. Not if the land to grow sugar is coming from cutting down the Amazon jungle and not if vast quantities o"
gillinghammic98

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.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • 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.
dpurdy

Wave power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 2 views

en.wikipedia.org/...Wave_power

wave sustainable history location what grid

shared by dpurdy on 03 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • Waves are generated by wind passing over the surface of the sea. As long as the waves propagate slower than the wind speed just above the waves, there is an energy transfer from the wind to the waves.
  • The first known patent to utilize energy from ocean waves dates back to 1799 and was filed in Paris by Girard and his son.[12] An early application of wave power was a device constructed around 1910 by Bochaux-Praceique to light and power his house at Royan, near Bordeaux in France
  • Once the wave energy is captured at a wave source, power must be carried to the point of use or to a connection to the electrical grid by transmission power cables.[2
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The realistically usable worldwide resource has been estimated to be greater than 2 TW.[49][50] Locations with the most potential for wave power include the western seaboard of Europe, the northern coast of the UK, and the Pacific coastlines of North and South America, Southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The north and south temperate zones have the best sites for capturing wave power. The prevailing westerlies in these zones blow strongest in winter. Waves are very predictable; waves that are caused by winds can be predicted five days in advance.[citation needed]
  • There is a potential impact on the marine environment. Noise pollution, for example, could have negative impact if not monitored, although the noise and visible impact of each design varies greatly.[5]. Other biophysical impacts (flora and fauna, sediment regimes and water column structure and flows) of scaling up the technology is being studied.[51] In terms of socio-economic challenges, wave farms can result in the displacement of commercial and recreational fishermen from productive fishing grounds, can change the pattern of beach sand nourishment, and may represent hazards to safe navigation.[52] Waves generate about 2,700 gigawatts of power
  • anonymous on 28 Sep 13
     
    Stay Online on the worldwide web on the worldwide web on the world wide web online on the world wide web online roulette from Modern contemporary modern sydney, Fun and Free! Now you is able of doing Real "www.funlivecasino.com.au" Stay Online on the worldwide web on the worldwide web on the world wide web online on the world wide web online roulette for Fun in Modern contemporary modern sydney on a product new web page, FunLiveCasino.com.au. Using the newest on the worldwide web working technology, Fun Stay Gambling house allows you be a factor of a genuine action occurring on a genuine desk in a genuine betting house, all approved on Live! You can see other real gamers in the betting house betting on the same outcomes you do providing you greatest believe in in the outcomes as they are not designed 'just for you a, like other action being affected by products such as 'live studios' or pc designed actions. Its awesome to think when your really in the betting house that you might be on digicam, and individuals on the worldwide web might be watching! The long run is scary! Believe one day soon this will be the only way individuals would bet on the worldwide web because the worldwide web is complete of fraudsters, you have to be extremely cautious, and why would you perform Online Online on the worldwide web on the worldwide web on the world wide web online on the world wide web online roulette any other way except from a Real Gambling house you can assess out, see, pay interest to and trust! Amazingly this web page is definitely 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % free and has no determining upon up process, no junk, no pc bunny rabbit bunny rabbit rabbit mouse mouse clicks and no stress. Just Immediate Fun "www.funlivecasino.com.au" 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % 100 % free Stay Roulette! Give it a try, its value verifying out! "www.funlivecasino.com.au" Australia's Online Fun Stay Casino! Backlink designed from http://fiverr.c
dpurdy

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
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • 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
dpurdy

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.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Compared to petroleum diesel, biodiesel combustion produces less sulfur oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and unburned and other hydrocarbons, but more nitrogen oxide.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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),
nassiveradom00

Geothermal Energy | A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change | US EPA - 0 views

www.epa.gov/...geothermal.html

shared by nassiveradom00 on 23 Sep 13 - No Cached
  • Geothermal power plants, which use heat from deep inside the Earth to generate steam to make electricity. Geothermal heat pumps, which tap into heat close to the Earth's surface to heat water or provide heat for buildings.
  • At a geothermal power plant, wells are drilled 1 or 2 miles deep into the Earth to pump steam or hot water to the surface.
  • hot springs, geysers, or volcanic activity, because these are places where the Earth is particularly hot just below the surface.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Hot water is pumped from deep underground through a well under high pressure. When the water reaches the surface, the pressure is dropped, which causes the water to turn into steam. The steam spins a turbine, which is connected to a generator that produces electricity. The steam cools off in a cooling tower and condenses back to water. The cooled water is pumped back into the Earth to begin the process again.
  • Geothermal heat pumps can do all sorts of things—from heating and cooling homes to warming swimming pools.
  • heat by pumping water or a refrigerant (a special type of fluid) through pipes just below the Earth's surface, where the temperature is a constant 50 to 60°F.
olsentri00

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.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • 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.
greenhan99

How is Biofuel Made - 0 views

www.agrabiofuels.com/howisbiofuelmade.html

biofuel convert

shared by greenhan99 on 08 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Where does the first phase for biofuel production begin? The sun takes credit for the very first step in this process. The sun helps to grow crops and plants, which are then eventually used to produce biofuel. Biofuel is actually derived from biomass, which can come from gas, solid and liquid states.
  • These crops that are specifically grown to be used to produce biofuels are referred to as feedstocks. These feedstocks are the raw and unprocessed form that the bio fuel is derived from. Among the more common types of feedstocks and crops that are used for the production of biofuels are corn, sugar crops, and forests. In addition, even some of the byproducts of materials such as those that come from wood can be used in this process. These special byproducts are often converted to the liquid forms of biofuels, which include methanol and ethanol. With the ability to use these byproducts, production methods have gotten a lot less expensive since there is much less waste involved.
  • In addition, there are also certain natural oils that are also used to help produce this special type of fuel. For example, oil palm, soybean and algae are surprisingly capable of being burned directly in certain types of furnaces and engines and can also be blended with certain types of fuels or petroleum based fuels for a more powerful blended mixture.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Where does the first phase for biofuel production begin? The sun takes credit for the very first step in this process. The sun helps to grow crops and plants, which are then eventually used to produce biofuel. Biofuel is actually derived from biomass, which can come from gas, solid and liquid states.
  • Another means of producing biofuel that has proven to be especially efficient and cost effective is the conversion of vegetable oil to a burnable fuel that can be used with most types of engines.
deepat00

HowStuffWorks "How Does Geothermal Compare to Other Energy Sources? " - 0 views

science.howstuffworks.com/...geothermal-energy2.htm

geothermal fossil fuels

shared by deepat00 on 11 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • Because the energy is generated right near the plant, it saves on processing and transportation costs compared to other types of fuel.
  • The initial costs of geothermal energy are high -- wells can cost $1 to $4 million each to drill, and installation of a home geothermal pump system can run as much as $30,000
  • However, a home geothermal energy pump can cut energy bills by 30 to 40 percent and will pay for itself within 5 to 10 years
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Geothermal energy is considered renewable because the heat is continually replaced. The water that is removed is put right back into the ground after its heat is used.
  • The initial costs of geothermal energy are high -- wells can cost $1 to $4 million each to drill, and installation of a home geothermal pump system can run as much as $30,000 [sources: REPP, Consumer Energy Center]. However, a home geothermal energy pump can cut energy bills by 30 to 40 percent and will pay for itself within 5 to 10 years [source: Consumer Energy Center].
  • about 2,700 megawatts of which is produced in the United States (the equivalent of burning 60 million barrels of oil each year)
  • vanierfel98 on 11 Mar 13
     
    Not having to pay for transportation can lower the overall cost of geothermal energy.
  • 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
dpurdy

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."
stanglebre99

Wind Development - 0 views

www.citizensenergy.com/...wind-development

transported wind

shared by stanglebre99 on 22 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Negotiating power purchase agreements
  • In some states, where the electricity market has been deregulated, it is possible for the owner of a wind project to sell electricity directly to customers.  However, wind developers usually sell their electricity to electric utilities, which sell the electricity to customers. T his is usually done by negotiating a power purchase agreement, which is a contract requiring a utility to buy the electricity from a wind farm at a certain price over a certain period of time.  In some cases, an alternative arrangement is reached, in which the developer owns a share of the project long enough to mak
  • In some states, where the electricity market has been deregulated, it is possible for the owner of a wind project to sell electricity directly to customers.  However, wind developers usually sell their electricity to electric utilities, which sell the electricity to customers. T his is usually done by negotiating a power purchase agreement, which is a contract requiring a utility to buy the electricity from a wind farm at a certain price over a certain period of time.  In some cases, an alternative arrangement is reached, in which the developer owns a share of the project long enough to make a specified amount of money.  After this point, the ownership in the project “flips,” and the utility ends up owning the project.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • a specified amount of mone
westkea00

Energy Resources: Wave power - 3 views

www.darvill.clara.net/...wave.htm

shared by westkea00 on 08 Mar 13 - Cached
  • Waves are a powerful source of energy.
  • The problem is that it's not easy to harness this energy and convert it into electricity in large amounts.
  • wave power stations are rare
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Once you've built a wave power station, the energy is free, needs no fuel and produces no waste or pollution
  • The energy is free - no fuel needed, no waste produced.
  • Not expensive to operate and maintain.
  • Can produce a great deal of energy.
  • Some designs are noisy. But then again, so are waves, so any noise is unlikely to be a problem.
  • Ocean waves are caused by the wind as it blows across the sea. Waves are a powerful source of energy.
  • Some designs are noisy. But then again, so are waves, so any noise is unlikely to be a problem
  • At a wave power station, the waves arriving cause the water in the chamber to rise and fall, which means that air is forced in and out of the hole in the top of the chamber. We place a turbine in this hole, which is turned by the air rushing in and out. The turbine turns a generator. A problem with this design is that the rushing air can be very noisy, unless a silencer is fitted to the turbine. The noise is not a huge problem anyway, as the waves make quite a bit of noise themselves.
  • At a wave power station, the waves arriving cause the water in the chamber to rise and fall, which means that air is forced in and out of the hole in the top of the chamber. We place a turbine in this hole, which is turned by the air rushing in and out. The turbine turns a generator. A problem with this design is that the rushing air can be very noisy, unless a silencer is fitted to the turbine. The noise is not a huge problem anyway, as the waves make quite a bit of noise themselves.
  • A company called Pelamis Wave Power are developing a method of offshore wave energy collection, using a floating tube called "Pelamis"
  • rodriguezjos99 on 08 Mar 13
     
    " Advantages   The energy is free - no fuel needed, no waste produced. Not expensive to operate and maintain. Can produce a great deal of energy. Disadvantages Depends on the waves - sometimes you'll get loads of energy, sometimes almost nothing. Needs a suitable site, where waves are consistently strong. Some designs are noisy. But then again, so are waves, so any noise is unlikely to be a problem. Must be able to withstand very rough weather."
  • gonzalezisa00 on 25 Sep 13
     
    One of them works like a swimming pool wave machine in reverse. At a swimming pool, air is blown in and out of a chamber beside the pool, which makes the water outside bob up and down, causing waves.  
‹ Previous 21 - 40 of 535 Next › Last »
Showing 20▼ items per page