Skip to main content

Home/ qmstech2/ Group items matching "impact" in title, tags, annotations or url

Group items matching
in title, tags, annotations or url

Sort By: Relevance | Date Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
glinbizzivic98

Geothermal Energy: Resource Exploration and Drilling Impacts - 1 views

  •  
    "Primary sources of noise associated with exploration include earth-moving equipment (related to road, well pad, and sump pit construction), vehicle traffic, seismic surveys, blasting, and drill rigoperations. Well drilling and testing activities are estimated to produce noise levels ranging from about 80 to 115 decibels at the site boundary. Air Quality Emissions generated during the exploration and drilling phase include exhaust from vehicular traffic and drill rigs, fugitive dust from traffic on paved and unpaved roads, and the release of geothermal fluid vapors (especially hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, mercury, arsenic, and boron, if present in the reservoir). Initial exploration activities such as surveying and sampling would have minimal air quality impacts. Activities such as site clearing and grading, road construction, well pad development, sump pit construction, and the drilling of production and injection wells would have more intense exhaust-related emissions over a period of 1 to 5 years. impacts would depend upon the amount, duration, location, and characteristics of the emissions and the meteorological conditions (e.g., wind speed and direction, precipitation, and relative humidity). Emissions during this phase would not have a measurable impact on climate change. State and local regulators may require permits and air monitoring programs. Cultural Resources Cultural resources could be impacted if additional roads or routes are developed across or within the historic landscape of a cultural resource. Additional roads could lead to increased surface and subsurface disturbance that could increase illegal collection and vandalism. The magnitude and extent of impacts would depend on the current state of the resources and their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. Drilling activities could result in long-term impacts on archeological artifacts and historic buildings or structures, if present. Surveys conducted during this phase
mcgarrdan98

Geothermal Energy: Construction Impacts - 0 views

  • Emissions generated during the construction phase include exhaust from vehicular traffic and construction equipment, fugitive dust from traffic on paved and unpaved roads, and the release of geothermal fluid vapors (especially hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, mercury, arsenic, and boron, if present in the reservoir). Activities such as site clearing and grading, power plant and pipeline system construction, and transmission line construction would have more intense exhaust-related emissions over a period of 2 to 10 years. Impacts would depend upon the amount, duration, location, and characteristics of the emissions and the meteorological conditions (e.g., wind speed and direction, precipitation, and relative humidity).
  • Most impacts to ecological resources (vegetation, wildlife, aquatic biota, special status species, and their habitats) would be low to moderate and localized during the construction phase (although impacts due to noise could be high). Activities such as site clearing and grading, road construction, power plant construction, ancillary facility construction, and vehicle traffic have the potential to affect ecological resources by disturbing habitat, increasing erosion and runoff, and creating noise at the project site. impacts to vegetation include loss of native species and species diversity; increased risk of invasive species; increased risk of topsoil erosion and seed bank depletion; increased risk of fire; and alteration of water and seed dispersal.
  • Solid and industrial waste would be generated during construction activities. Much of the solid waste would be nonhazardous, consisting of containers and packaging materials, miscellaneous wastes from equipment assembly and presence of construction crews (food wrappers and scraps), and woody vegetation. Industrial wastes would include minor amounts of paints, coatings, and spent solvents. Most of these materials would likely be transported off-site for disposal.
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
mcgarrdan98

Geothermal energy environmental impact | Earth's Heat - 0 views

  • First of all, harnessing geothermal energy does not have the devastating impact on climate change like burning of the fossil fuels does. It is true that fluids drawn from the earth's core include greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, but the amount of released greenhouse gas emissions is negligible compared to those from fossil fuel fired power plants.
  • One of the reasons for this is the fact that geothermal power plants are equipped with emission-control systems that reduce the exhaust.
  • geothermal power plants are connected with minimal freshwater and land requirements. This means that geothermal energy commonly has minimal impact on nearby ecosystems.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Geothermal fluids contain elevated levels of certain toxic elements such as arsenic, mercury, lithium and boron, which means that geothermal plants need to be equipped with proper waste disposal units in order to ensure that the waste is disposed back into geothermal fields
    • dpurdy
       
      pollution from geothermal
  • constructing geothermal plant (which includes deep drilling) can affect land stability, and in some cases even trigger earthquakes (especially enhanced geothermal systems).
  • Geothermal power plants operate quietly meaning that they do not cause noise pollution.
  • It is often relatively easy to incorporate them into the existing environment without the obvious visual pollution because of their modest land requirements.
  • This natural source of energy provides efficient way to harness energy from with minimal impact on its surrounding environment.
jack wells

Wind Program: Frequently Asked Questions about Wind Energy - 2 views

  • What is wind energy? Wind energy (or wind power) refers to the process by which wind turbines convert the movement of wind into electricity. 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. Humans use this wind flow for many purposes: sailing boats, pumping water, and also generating electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of the moving wind into electricity.
  • Birds and bats are occasionally killed in collisions with wind turbines. Like any form of development, wind projects can also negatively impact wildlife by altering habitat. Over the past two decades, the impact of wind development on birds has been greatly reduced by improvements in turbine design and particularly through improved project and turbine siting.
  •  
    How do wind turbines work? A wind turbine works like a fan, but in reverse: instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the turbine's blades, which spin a shaft connected to a generator to make electricity.
  •  
    wind energy facts.
labrumbra99

Sierra Club Green Home » Blog Archive Fuel Cells: Environmental Benefits » Sierra Club Green Home - 0 views

  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • fuel cells
  • metimes produce a by-product of water or heat, though hydrogen fuel cells are considered more difficult to work with because of transportation and storage. More user friendly fuel cells which use natural gas with emissions that are much lower than those produced by conventional engines or energy sources and can reduce your carbon footprint by around 40%. Additionally, there are only negligible levels of NOx, SOx, Volatile organic compounds and particulates, which is a drastic improvement over traditional means of grid power production. Besides the decreased CO2 emissions and high efficiency rates, fuel c
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  •  
    " The environmental impact of fuel cells depends on the type of cell and the fuel being used. Fuel cells can run on a variety of sources, from natural gas to hydrogen to ethanol to biogas. Those that run on hydrogen can sometimes produce a by-product of water or heat, though hydrogen fuel cells are considered more difficult to work with because of transportation and storage. More user friendly fuel cells which use natural gas with emissions that are much lower than those produced by conventional engines or energy sources and can reduce your carbon footprint by around 40%. Additionally, there are only negligible levels of NOx, SOx, Volatile organic compounds and particulates, which is a drastic improvement over traditional means of grid power production. Besides the decreased CO2 emissions and high efficiency rates, fuel cells offer plenty of positive environmental impacts that should be considered by investors and consumers as solutions for cleaner energy are being further researched. 1. Fuel Conservation The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country! 2. Combined Heat and Power The greatest benefit from high powered, well designed fuel cells is the heat and power produced. This means that a property can reduce additional investments to heat their indoor areas or water. In this case, less is more. Since the heat can be redirected to heat water, the environmental benefit from this is the ability to heat the hot water supply without a need for a separate system as is the case with home solar."
jack wells

Environmental impact of wind power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

  • Compared to the environmental impact of traditional energy sources, the environmental impact of wind power is relatively minor, slightly higher than the environmental impact of hydro power on a life-cycle basis. Unlike electricity derived from fossil fuel-powered generating plants, wind power consumes no fuel and emits no air pollution in operation. As well, wind power consumes no fuel in operation, unlike nuclear power plants which do.
jack wells

Wind power - sustainable power generation from wind farms across the globe - 0 views

  • Wind power is safe, clean and increasingly affordable – with the potential for production on a much larger scale.Government support is crucial in ensuring the expansion of wind power. We believe such support should be transitional and limited. In the US, there is continuing uncertainty over the renewal of the production tax credit, which provides incentives to invest in wind energy. We are working with other wind energy suppliers to make an effective case for wind energy generation and the renewal of the production tax credit.Wind farms can provide large volumes of electricity (sometimes at a lower cost than conventional power generation)
  • Wind power is safe, clean and increasingly affordable – with the potential for production on a much larger scale.Government support is crucial in ensuring the expansion of wind power. We believe such support should be transitional and limited. In the US, there is continuing uncertainty over the renewal of the production tax credit, which provides incentives to invest in wind energy. We are working with other wind energy suppliers to make an effective case for wind energy generation and the renewal of the production tax credit.Wind farms can provide large volumes of electricity (sometimes at a lower cost than conventional power generation) Wind energy and the environment While wind farms can be an attractive alternative energy offering, they can also stir debate. During the planning stage for each new wind farm we assess the potential social and environmental impacts.The impact on wildlife and habitat The impact of wind farms on local residentsNoise from wind turbinesShadow flicker Interference with communications signalsWe then take steps to manage any negative impacts through engineering design changes, technology and other elements.
  • Wind power is safe, clean and increasingly affordable – with the potential for production on a much larger scale.Government support is crucial in ensuring the expansion of wind power. We believe such support should be transitional and limited. In the US, there is continuing uncertainty over the renewal of the production tax credit, which provides incentives to invest in wind energy. We are working with other wind energy suppliers to make an effective case for wind energy generation and the renewal of the production tax credit.
stewartlia99

Wind Turbines Impact - 2 views

  • The most noticeable impact a wind turbine places upon the environment is noise pollution.
  • This is down to the noise, and many people compare the sound output of a wind turbine to a small jet engine.
  • Another disadvantage regarding a wind turbine and it's impact on the surrounding environment can be expressed with the term "visual impact" or "visual pollution".
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Some people believe wind turbines actually look quite nice, yet many people disagree.
rutalil00

Wind power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 1 views

  • Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships
  • Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships.
  • The total amount of available power from the wind is considerably more than present human power use from all sources.[3] At the end of 2011, worldwide nameplate capacity of wind-powered generators was 238 gigawatts (GW), growing by 41 GW over the preceding year.[4] Wind power now (2010 data) has the capacity to generate 430 TWh annually, which is about 2.5% of worldwide electricity usage.[5][6] Over the past five years (2010 data) the average annual growth in new installations has been 27.6 percent. Wind power market penetration is expected to reach 3.35 percent by 2013 and 8 percent by 2018.[7][8] Several countries have already achieved relatively high levels of wind power penetration, such as 21% of stationary electricity production in Denmark,[5] 18% in Portugal,[5] 16% in Spain,[5] 14% in Ireland[9] and 9% in Germany in 2010.[5][10] As of 2011, 83 countries around the world are using wind power on a commercial basis
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines which are connected to the electric power transmission network. Offshore wind power can harness the better wind speeds that are available offshore compared to on land, so offshore wind power’s contribution in terms of electricity supplied is higher.[11] Small onshore wind facilities are used to provide electricity to isolated locations and utility companies increasingly buy back surplus electricity produced by small domestic wind turbines. Although a variable source of power, the intermittency of wind seldom creates problems when using wind power to supply up to 20% of total electricity demand, but as the proportion rises, increased costs, a need to use storage such as pumped-storage hydroelectricity, upgrade the grid, or a lowered ability to supplant conventional production may occur.[12][13][14] Power management techniques such as excess capacity, storage, dispatchable backing supply (usually natural gas), exporting and importing power to neighboring areas or reducing demand when wind production is low, can mitigate these problems.
  • Wind power, as an alternative to fossil fuels, is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation, and uses little land. In operation, the overall cost per unit of energy produced is similar to the cost for new coal and natural gas installations.[15] The construction of wind farms is not universally welcomed, but any effects on the environment from wind power are generally much less problematic than those of any other power source
  • Wind is the movement of air across the surface of the Earth, affected by areas of high pressure and of low pressure.[35] The surface of the Earth is heated unevenly by the Sun, depending on factors such as the angle of incidence of the sun's rays at the surface (which differs with latitude and time of day) and whether the land is open or covered with vegetation. Also, large bodies of water, such as the oceans, heat up and cool down slower than the land. The heat energy absorbed at the Earth's surface is transferred to the air directly above it and, as warmer air is less dense than cooler air, it rises above the cool air to form areas of high pressure and thus pressure differentials. The rotation of the Earth drags the atmosphere around with it causing turbulence. These effects combine to cause a constantly varying pattern of winds across the surface of the Earth.[35]
  • Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electrical power, windmills for mechanical power, wind pumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships.
  • Compared to the environmental impact of traditional energy sources, the environmental impact of wind power is relatively minor in terms of pollution
  • Wind energy is the kinetic energy of air in motion, also called wind
  • ind power, as an alternative to fossil fuels, is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation and uses little land.[2] The effects on the environment are generally less problematic than those from other powe
  • Wind power is very consistent from year to year but has significant variation over shorter time scales. The intermittency of wind seldom creates problems when used to supply up to 20% of total electricity demand,[5] but as the proportion increases, a need to upgrade the grid, and a lowered ability to supplant conventional production can occur.
  •  
    wind turbine stuff
  •  
    "Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electrical power, windmills for mechanical power, wind pumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships."
  •  
    Wind power, as an alternative to fossil fuels, is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation and uses little land.[2] The effects on the environment are generally less problematic than those from other power sources. As of 2011, Denmark is generating more than a quarter of its electricity from wind and 83 countries around the world are using wind power on a commercial basis.[3] In 2010 wind energy production was over 2.5% of total worldwide electricity usage, and growing rapidly at more than 25% per annum. The monetary cost per unit of energy produced is similar to the cost for new coal and natural gas installations.[4]
dpurdy

Wave power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 2 views

  • 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
  •  
    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

EIA Energy Kids - Wind - 1 views

  • Wind is simply air in motion. It is caused by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun. Because the Earth's surface is made of very different types of land and water, it absorbs the sun's heat at different rates. One example of this uneven heating can be found in the daily wind cycle.
  • The Daily Wind Cycle During the day, the air above the land heats up more quickly than the air over water. The warm air over the land expands and rises, and the heavier, cooler air rushes in to take its place, creating wind. At night, the winds are reversed because the air cools more rapidly over land than over water. In the same way, the atmospheric winds that circle the earth are created because the land near the Earth's equator is heated more by the sun than the land near the North and South Poles. Wind Energy for Electricity Generation Today, wind energy is mainly used to generate electricity. Wind is a renewable energy source because the wind will blow as long as the sun shines
  • Like old fashioned windmills, today’s wind machines (also called wind turbines) use blades to collect the wind’s kinetic energy. The wind flows over the blades creating lift, like the effect on airplane wings, which causes them to turn. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce electricity. With the new wind machines, there is still the problem of what to do when the wind isn't blowing. At those times, other types of power plants must be used to make electricity.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • Wind Production In 2010, wind turbines in the United States generated about 2% of total U.S. electricity generation. Although this is a small fraction of the Nation's total electricity production, it was equal to the annual electricity use of about 8.7 million households.
  • Operating a wind power plant is not as simple as just building a windmill in a windy place. Wind plant owners must carefully plan where to locate their machines. It is important to consider how fast and how much the wind blows at the site
  • As a rule, wind speed increases with altitude and over open areas that have no windbreaks. Good sites for wind plants are the tops of smooth, rounded hills, open plains or shorelines, and mountain gaps that produce wind funneling.
  • Conditions are well suited along much of the coasts of the United States to use wind energy. However, there are people who oppose putting turbines just offshore, near the coastlines, because they think the wind turbines will spoil the view of the ocean. There is a plan to build an offshore wind plant off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
  • Wind is a renewable energy source that does not pollute, so some people see it as a good alternative to fossil fuels.
  • Since early recorded history, people have been harnessing the energy of the wind. Wind energy propelled boats along the Nile River as early as 5000 B.C.
  • As late as the 1920s, Americans used small windmills to generate electricity in rural areas without electric service. When power lines began to transport electricity to rural areas in the 1930s, local windmills were used less and less,
  • In the early 1980s, wind energy really took off in California, partly because of State policies that encouraged renewable energy sources.
  • Wind is a clean source of energy, and overall, the use of wind for energy has fewer environmental impacts than using many other energy sources. Wind turbines (often called windmills) do not release emissions that pollute the air or water (with rare exceptions), and they do not require water for cooling. They may also reduce the amount of electricity generated from fossil fuels and therefore reduce the amount of air pollution, carbon dioxide emissions, and water use of fossil fuel power plants.
  • Modern wind turbines are very large machines, and some people do not like their visual impact on the landscape.
  • Some people do not like the sound that wind turbine blades make. Some types of wind turbines and wind projects cause bird and bat deaths. These deaths may contribute to declines in species that are also being affected by other human-related impacts.
  • Most wind power projects on land also require service roads that add to their physical impact on the environment.
  •  
    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
mcdermottaar99

Wind Turbine Syndrome | Wind energy: The "least sustainable energy option" - 0 views

  • Wind turbine installations impact vast amounts of land, far more than traditional power plants.
  • Raptors, bats and other beautiful flying creatures continue to be sliced and diced by wind turbines.
  • Principal health issues are associated with noise – not just annoying audible noise, but inaudible, low-frequency “infrasound” that causes headache, dizziness, “deep nervous fatigue” and symptoms akin to seasickness. “Wind turbine syndrome” also includes irritability, depression, and concentration and sleep problems. Others include “shadow flicker” or “strobe effect” from whirling blades, which can trigger seizures in epileptics, “vibroacoustic” effects on the heart and lungs, and non-lethal harm to animals. Serious lung, heart, cancer and other problems have been documented from rare earth mining, smelting and manufacturing in China, under its less rigorous health, workplace and environmental regulations.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • Wind turbine installations require vast amounts of steel, copper, rare earth metals, fiberglass, concrete, rebar and other materials for the turbines, towers and bases.
  • Wind turbines are supposed to reduce pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. But because backup generators must repeatedly surge to full power and back to standby, as wind speed rises and falls, they operate inefficiently, use more fuel and emit more – much like cars forced to stop repeatedly on freeways.
  • Even huge subsidies cannot cure wind power’s biggest defects: its electricity costs far more than coal, gas or nuclear alternatives – and its intermittent nature wreaks havoc on power grids and consumers.
    • dpurdy
       
      Be cautious as this site is obviously anti wind power. The points might be valid though.
  •  
    wind turbine impact
tuckeremi99

Is Current Wind Growth Sustainable? | Renewable Energy World Magazine Article - 0 views

  • wind farms are not only capital intensive but also have a long gestation period – could prove to be prohibitive for many potential investors.
  • terms of global policy, governments need to boost investments in onshore and offshore wind generation through the right mix of supportive policies and incentives.
  • wind energy will become even more attractive as it serves as an insurance against future increases in fuel and carbon prices, while reducing our dependency on fossil fuels imported from volatile regions.
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • Both in Europe and in the US, some 40% of all new power generating capacity installed in the past two years was wind energy. If the economic crisis continues, however, the reduction in power demand will start to impact wind energy, simply because of lower demand for new power plants. Nevertheless, the medium and long-term outlook remains very healthy, as political momentum is building towards a low carbon economy, without which humankind will not overcome three of the biggest concerns of our time – climate protection, energy security and the provision of jobs.
  • Wind power’s credentials as a rapidly deployable clean technology have put it at the forefront in the fight against climate change. Neither new nuclear capacity or carbon capture and storage (CCS) will contribute to CO2 reductions within the timeframe that the climate scientists give us. As a no-fuel, no-carbon emissions source of electricity, wind energy will play a big part in reducing carbon emissions before 2020.
  • A key element for policy makers is to dramatically improve competition in power markets, to ensure that investors, rather than consumers, are exposed to
  • The growth in wind power capacity has shown no signs of slowing, even in these tough economic times. For two years running there has been more new wind power capacity installed than any other power generating technology in Europe – including coal, gas and nuclear. In 2009 the European market for wind turbines experienced a 23% growth rate, the same as the average growth rate over the last 15 years.
  • future carbon and fuel price risk.
  • Wind power is a leader now, and will remain so in the future, attracting big investments and creating jobs. There is a boom waiting to happen in offshore wind energy. But, Europe’s ageing electricity grids must be upgraded and extended, and the EU must also pursue a drive to build an offshore grid in the North and Baltic seas that will connect offshore wind farms to the shore, piping vast amounts of CO2-free energy to consumers at affordable prices.
  • cleaner energy
  • he fact that wind is the most cost effective and scalable renewable source of energy.
  • past several years.
  • dynamic growth rate of the
  • Because of the small size of the existing installed base, the offshore wind sector will see higher growth percentages while the number of onshore turbines will continue to outpace those installed offshore.
  • Continued investment in grid infrastructure is critical for growth as well as wind turbine technology investments that improve efficiency and reliability while driving down emissions. Countries with the most efficient and flexible permitting processes will benefit by realizing the installation of the most advanced technology.
  • but renewable sources, and in large part, wind energy, have an extremely important role to play.
  • A fundamental value of wind is that it lowers risk in the overall generation mix by bringing in a fixed electricity cost. You don’t have any fuel risk, so you don’t have these big price spikes that you see when you generate electricity from gas or oil.
  • The wind power market is still intact. Demand for ‘green’ power stations remains unabated and nearly all governments have adopted policies aimed at environmental sustainability.
  • As our industry is still very young, wind power currently contributes only around 1.5% to global electricity supplies.
  • this merely serves to highlight the enormous potential for the future, especially as wind power is not only clean but also inexpensive. This is something that more and more governments and energy companies are realizing.
  •  
    "The growth in wind power capacity has shown no signs of slowing, even in these tough economic times. For two years running there has been more new wind power capacity installed than any other power generating technology in Europe - including coal, gas and nuclear. In 2009 the European market for wind turbines experienced a 23% growth rate, the same as the average growth rate over the last 15 years."Both in Europe and in the US, some 40% of all new power generating capacity installed in the past two years was wind energy. If the economic crisis continues, however, the reduction in power demand will start to impact wind energy, simply because of lower demand for new power plants. Nevertheless, the medium and long-term outlook remains very healthy, as political momentum is building towards a low carbon economy, without which humankind will not overcome three of the biggest concerns of our time - climate protection, energy security and the provision of jobs." "Wind power is a leader now, and will remain so in the future, attracting big investments and creating jobs. There is a boom waiting to happen in offshore wind energy. But, Europe's ageing electricity grids must be upgraded and extended, and the EU must also pursue a drive to build an offshore grid in the North and Baltic seas that will connect offshore wind farms to the shore, piping vast amounts of CO2-free energy to consumers at affordable prices."
dpurdy

Wind Energy and the Environment - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy - Energy Information Administration - 0 views

  • They may also reduce the amount of electricity generated from fossil fuels and therefore reduce the amount of air pollution, carbon dioxide emissions, and water use of fossil fuel power plants.
  • Modern wind turbines are very large machines, and some people do not like their visual impact on the landscape. A few wind turbines have caught on fire, and some have leaked lubricating fluids, though this is relatively rare. Some people do not like the sound that wind turbine blades make. Some types of wind turbines and wind projects cause bird and bat deaths. These deaths may contribute to declines in species that are also being affected by other human-related impacts. Many birds are killed from collisions with vehicles and buildings, by house cats and hunters, and by pesticides. Their natural habitats may be altered or destroyed by human development and by the changes in the climate that most scientists believe are caused by greenhouse gases emissions from human activities (which wind energy use can help reduce).
  • Making the metals and other materials in wind turbines and the concrete for their foundations requires the use of energy, which may be from fossil fuels.
wrighteri99

Energy - Student Resources: Impacts of Energy Sources - 0 views

  •  
    Tidal Energy 
tushabeper99

What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy - 0 views

  •  
    "Advantages: Solar power gives you a return on your investment, while paying your utility for electricity gives you 0% return. Solar energy is renewable unlike the conventional resources (coal, oil) which will inevitably run out. Non-polluting, no carbon dioxide like fossil fuels Free except for capital expenses. Longevity - solar panels can last over twenty years Low maintenance - solar panels require very little upkeep Independence - an off-grid system allows you to break free from the electrical grid Environmentally friendly because the conversion of energy doesn't produce any carbon dioxide. It comes from the sun, which, unless you are in The South or North pole, comes out almost everyday Solar power is better for the environment, compared to burning fossil fuels and other electrical power. sun is renewable You get clean energy without harming the environment [in term of carbon emissions] , in certain countries, excessive power generated can be sold back to local electricity provider reduces pollution helps create jobs - shores up economy - to build -> you hire - innovate-maintain - basically economic activities reduced dependence on fossil fuels Once installed, the power is free It is environmentally friendly and no pollution is associated with solar power You can sell your excess power back to the power companies It can be installed anywhere You can use batteries to store power for use at night Energy from the sun is renewable, that is, it keeps on coming It is free It does no damage to the earth or its atmosphere It produces no carbon dioxide It doesn't have to be dug up from the ground like coal, oil, natural gas, or uranium It doesn't have to be cut down, like wood from forests. It produces clean, green power in the form of electricity and can be used to power just about everything we need. There is more solar energy landing on the earth every day than it would take to supply the world for a year. Solar energy can heat swimming pools, power calcul
deepat00

Geothermal energy facts - Interesting energy facts - 0 views

  • 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.
  •  
    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
fieldingbry99

Ocean Wave Energy - Pros and Cons - 1 views

  • But, on shore ocean wave energy generators will occupy extended lengths of coastline. And most of the coastlines of the world that have significant wave activity are either highly desired residential areas, or they are pristine wilderness.
  • Ocean wave energy is still in the development stages but it is already apparent that its impact on the environment could be relatively high compared to other renewable energies.
  • It is noteworthy that even these environmental impacts are far less than those of most fossil fuel plants.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • electrical charges of less than $.05 per KWh; which makes it competitive with fossil fuel generators.
  •  
    " wave energy is very close to being competitive with installed costs that suggest electrical charges of less than $.05 per KWh; which makes it competitive with fossil fuel generators. But that figure doesn't take into account the fact that wave energy is intermittent and variable. Even in the most active wave areas, there are many days with little wave activity."
tavarreskat99

tidal energy - 0 views

  • Tidal energy is the utilization of the variations in sea level caused primarily by the gravitational effects of the moon, combined with the rotation of the Earth.
  • Tidal energy is a clean, renewable energy resource, but its environmental impacts and accessibility, limit its potential to become a major provider of electricity. Where tidal energy is a viable resource, it may prove to be expensive at first, but economical in the long run if the technology improves.
1 - 20 of 57 Next › Last »
Showing 20 items per page