Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Renewable Energy/Answer Key"

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[[pl:Odnawialne %BCr%F3d%B3a energii]] [[es:energía renovable]][[nl:Duurzame energie]][[de:Regenerative Energie]]
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'''Renewable energy''' is energy from a source which is not subject to [[depletion]] in a [[human timescale]] such as the [[Sun]]'s rays, wind, waves, rivers, tides and the heat from radioactive decay in the Earth's core as well as biomass. Renewable energy does not include energy sources which are dependent upon [[limited resource]]s, such as [[fossil fuels]] and [[nuclear power|nuclear fission power]] (collectively known as ''[[nuclear-fossil fuels]]'').
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<!-- 1. What is renewable energy? -->
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Renewable energy is energy whose origins are continually and naturally replenished without human intervention. Examples of renewable energy sources include sunlight, wind, and waves.
  
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Renewable energy may be used directly (as in [[solar oven]]s, geothermal [[heat pump]]s, and [[windmill]]s) or be used to [[electricity generation|generate electricity]] or create fuels such as [[ethanol]]. Throughout human existence, wood has been critically important as a thermal energy source.  Historically, only the power of falling water in rivers ([[hydroelectricity]]) has been significantly tapped for the generation of electricity. However, recent years have seen the rapid development of wind generation farms by mainstream power companies.  [[solar power | Solar energy]]'s main human application has been in agriculture and forestry, via photosynthesis, but increasingly it is harnessed for heat and electricity. [[Geothermal power]] can be used to generate electricity near hot spots in the Earth's crust. Agriculturally produced [[biomass]] fuels, such as [[biodiesel]], [[ethanol]] and [[bagasse]] (a byproduct of [[sugar cane]] cultivation) are burned in [[internal combustion engine]]s or [[boiler]]s.
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<!-- 2. Why is renewable energy important? -->
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As the demand for energy resources continues to climb, mankind is faced with the dilemma of depleting the earth's resources to meet the demand. With the discovery of processes designed to harness clean and renewable energy, depletion of such resources will not be an issue, since they are naturally replenished. In addition, these processes have much less of an environmental impact than conventional methods used to harness resources such as oil.
  
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Around 80% of our energy requirements are focused around heating or cooling our buildings and powering the vehicles that ensure our mobility (cars, trains, airplanes). This is the core of our energy problem and the domain where solar architecture, high energy productivity and a new way of energy awareness is required.
 
  
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Still most technical discussions will focus on the remaining 20% - renewable energy sources for electricity production, because it is the area with one the biggest pending economic conflicts.
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<!-- 3. Describe how each of the following sources is used as a renewable source of energy. Draw an illustration depicting the usage of at least 3 of these renewable sources of energy. -->
  
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The first politician with a "solar vision" was [[Jimmy Carter]]. He understood the long term consequences of the [[1973 energy crisis]] and it was [[the Pentagon]] that evaluated the potential scenarios for him and concluded that a shift towards renewable energy sources is the only long term option. However, the politicians that followed him dumped these plans and continued the established fossil-nuclear route.
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Wind Power is energy that has been converted from the natural movement of wind by the use of devices such as wind turbines. It is clean, largely available, and produces no greenhouse gas emissions.
  
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==Pros and cons==
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Bioenergy is biomass energy, which is energy from organic matter. Wood, plants, even the fumes from landfills can be used as a biomass energy source.
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Ethanol is a fuel made from corn, sugar cane and other sources used in auto and jet fuel.
  
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Renewable energy sources are fundamentally different from fossil fuel or nuclear power plants because of their widespread occurrence and abundance - the [[sun]] will 'power' these 'powerplants' for the next 4 billion years. Some renewable sources do not emit any additional [[carbon dioxide]] and do not introduce any new risks - like [[nuclear waste]].
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Geothermal energy is energy that is created and stored in the earth. It can be used for heating for large areas, mineral recovery, and industrial process heating.
  
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Since they are harnessing relatively low-intensity energy this new kind of power plant needs to be distributed over a large area. To put the phrases 'low-intensity' and 'large area' easier to understand one should image that in order to produce 1000 kWh of electricity - a typical per-year-per-capita consumption of electricity in Western countries - a house owner in cloudy Europe needs to cover 10 square meters of his roof with solar panels.
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Hydropower is energy that is comes from falling water. Most commonly electricity from dams or run of the river generation turbines is created. Other uses are irrigation and (in pioneer times) falling water was directly harnessed with water wheels for the operation of gristmills and sawmills.
  
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However, 'distributed over a large area' means they can no longer be controlled by centralized structures and production monopolies. This is a tremendous cultural and economic opportunity but at the same time the biggest threat to the establish energy industry and many long term international and geostrategic decissions.
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Ocean Energy is energy that is comes from the ocean, which can be responsible for two types of energy: mechanical energy from the tides and waves, and thermal energy from the heat of the sun. It can be used for generating electricity.
  
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The advantage of being local is also one of the problems with renewables: their impact is local and therefore visible to everybody. Some people dislike the aesthetics of wind turbines or bring up nature conservation
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issues when it comes to large solar-electric installations outside of cities. However, it is up to the imagination of the people to utilize these renewable technologies in an efficient and aesthetically pleasing way: fixed solar collectors can double as noise barriers along
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Solar Power is light and heat that is derived from the sun and collected through solar panels. It can be used to generate electricity for a variety of useful applications.
  
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More over it is important to realize that any environmental impact (space consumption, noise emmission, etc) can be solved by the local people who are affected. However, we should not forget that - even when we can not see, hear or taste it -  the current nuclear and fossil energy system with its emissions is affecting every square meter of our planet for many generations to come without an easy way to address these problems ([[nuclear waste]], [[global warming]]).
 
  
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The second difficulty is the variable and diffuse nature of renewable energies (with the exception being geothermal energy, which is however only accessible where the earth's crust is thin, such as near [[hot spring]]s and natural [[geyser]]s). Especially for electricity this means that either there must be reliable overlapping sources or some means of storage on a reasonable scale ([[pumped-storage hydro system]]s, batteries, future hydrogen [[fuel cell]]s, etc.). So because of the currently too expensive energy storage a stand-alone system is only desirable in rare cases.
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<!-- 4. Individually or as a group, discuss some of the earliest forms of renewable energy. Are there energy forms that might have been used before sin? By Noah? By the patriarchs? -->
  
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When it comes to the grid renewables require a radically different paradigm. The grid is no longer the main source of energy but it the place where one will buy missing and sell excess electric energy.
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The earliest form of renewable energy was probably the burning of biomass in the form of wood and dried animal dung. The fuel could be stored, and energy was available for immediate use, but the energy could not be kept in storage for afterwards.
  
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==Sources of renewable energy==
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There are several types of renewable energy, most are mentioned
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Some people believe that the pre-flood culture had advanced technologies. Out of place artifacts like machined balls and gold chains inside coal suggest this. Consider how much knowledge a person living hundreds of years and so close to God's perfect creation of Adam and Eve could amass and what they could create with that knowledge. The world had one language as well, and many overlapping generations, facilitating communication.
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below:  
 
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* Solar energy.
 
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* Wind energy.
 
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* Geothermal energy.
 
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* Electrokinetic energy.
 
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* Hydroelectric energy.
 
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* [[Biomatter]], including Biogas Energy.
 
  
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Of course there are some small scale applications as well.
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* [[piezoelectricity|Piezo electric]] crystals embedded in the sole of a shoe can yield a small amount of energy with each step. Vibration from [[internal combustion engine|engines]] can stimulate piezo electric crystals.
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Additional references are available from the Bible which can provide further insight into this. For example, the sun, the movement of water through rivers, etc.
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* Some watches are already powered by movement of the arm.
 
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* Special [[antenna (electronics)|antennae]] can collect energy from stray radiowaves or even light ([[Electromagnetic radiation|EM radiation]]).
 
  
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Most renewable energy sources can trace their roots to solar energy, with the exception of [[geothermal energy|geothermal]] and [[tidal wave power]]. For example, wind is caused by the sun heating the earth unevenly. Hot air is less dense, so it rises, causing cooler air to move in to replace it.  Hydroelectric power can be ultimately traced to the sun too.  When the [[sun]] evaporates water in the ocean, the vapor forms clouds which later fall on mountains as rain which is routed through turbines to generate electrity.  The transformation goes from solar energy to potential energy to kinetic energy to electric energy.
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<!-- 5. Individually or as a group, show at least five important events in the history of renewable energy through:<br>a. Presentation<br>b. Video<br>c. Interactive game<br>d. Speech<br>e. Display -->
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For this requirement, you will need to research the history of renewable energy, and then present your findings using one of the techniques listed in the requirement.
  
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Due to political and business interests certain parties want to push [[Nuclear energy]] into the renewable category - in order to give it a green touch - by stressing that it is not contributing to global warming. However, neither common sense nor common usage of the phrase "renewable energy" justify such a classification. The Nuclear energy is fossil in its structure (large scale, centralized, limited resources) and its side effects (waste production, war potential) and therefor not renewable.
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Prior to the development of coal in the mid 19th century, nearly all energy used was renewable. Almost without a doubt the oldest known use of renewable energy, in the form of traditional biomass to fuel fires, dates from the beginning of history.
  
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==Solar Energy==
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Probably the second oldest usage of renewable energy is harnessing the wind in order to drive ships over water. This practice can be traced back to ships on the Nile.
  
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Since most renewable energy is "Solar Energy" this term is sligtly confusing and used in two different ways: firstly as a synonym for "renewable energies" as a whole (like in the slogan "Solar not nuclear") and secondly for the energy that is directly collected from solar radiation. In this paragraph we refering to it in its second meaning.
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The primary sources of traditional renewable energy were human labor, animal power, water power, wind, in grain crushing windmills, and firewood, a traditional biomass. A graph of energy use in the United States up until 1900 shows oil and natural gas with about the same importance in 1900 as wind and solar played in 2010.
  
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There are actually two separate approaches to solar energy, termed [[active solar]] and [[passive solar]]. The elements outlined below are included in active solar.
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By 1873, concerns of running out of coal prompted experiments with using solar energy. Development of solar engines continued until the outbreak of World War I. The importance of solar energy was recognized in a 1911 Scientific American article: "in the far distant future, natural fuels having been exhausted [solar power] will remain as the only means of existence of the human race".
  
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===Electrical energy===
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The theory of peak oil was published in 1956. In the 1970s environmentalists promoted the development of renewable energy both as a replacement for the eventual depletion of oil, as well as for an escape from dependence on oil, and the first electricity generating wind turbines appeared. Solar had long been used for heating and cooling, but solar panels were too costly to build solar farms until 1980.
  
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However, for electricity generation ground based solar power has limited potential, as it is too diffuse and too intermittent. First, ground based solar input is interrupted by night and by cloud cover, which means that solar electric generation inevitably has a low capacity factor, typically less than 20%. Also, there is a low intensity of incoming radiation, and converting this to high grade electricity is still relatively inefficient (14% - 18%), though increased efficiency or lower production costs have been the subject of much research over several decades.  
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<!-- 6. Discover the source of most reusable energy. -->
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The source of most renewable energy comes from the sun.
  
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Two methods of converting the Sun's radiant energy to electricity are the focus of attention. The better known method uses sunlight acting on [[photovoltaic]] (PV) cells to produce electricity. This has many applications in [[satellite]]s, small devices and lights, grid-free applications, earthbound signalling and communication equipment, such as remote area [[telecommunications]] equipment. Sales of solar PV modules are increasing strongly as their efficiency increases and price diminishes. But the high cost per unit of electricity still rules out most uses.  
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<!-- 7. What are some commercial and industrial uses of renewable energy? -->
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Renewable energy such as solar energy can be used to supply power larger communities through a solar power station. Tanks of molten salt can be used to store the energy harnessed from the sun for the purpose of generating electricity during cloud cover, or through the night. Renewable energy can also be used for agricultural purposes, providing social services, education, and health care.
  
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Several experimental PV power plants mostly of 300 - 500 kW capacity are connected to electricity grids in [[Europe]] and the [[USA]]. [[Japan]] has 150 MWe installed. A large solar PV plant was planned for [[Crete]]. In 2001 the world total for PV electricity was less than 1000 MWe with Japan as the world's leading producer. Research continues into ways to make the actual solar collecting cells less expensive and more efficient. Other major research is investigating economic ways to store the energy which is collected from the Sun's rays during the day.  
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Fuel made from bio sources like corn is now a common ingredient in automotive fuel.  
  
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The second method for utilizing solar energy is solar thermal. A solar thermal power plant has a system of mirrors to concentrate the sunlight on to an absorber, the resulting heat then being used to drive turbines. The concentrator is usually a long parabolic mirror trough oriented north-south, which tilts, tracking the Sun's path through the day. A black absorber tube is located at the focal point and converts the solar radiation to heat (about 400&deg;C) which is transferred into a fluid such as synthetic oil. The oil can be used to heat buildings or water, or it can be used to drive a conventional turbine and generator. Several such installations in modules of 80 MW are now operating. Each module requires about 50 hectares of land and needs very precise engineering and control. These plants are supplemented by a gas-fired boiler which ensures full-time energy output. The gas generates about a quarter of the overall power output and keeps the system warm overnight. Over 800 MWe capacity worldwide has supplied about 80% of the total solar electricity to the mid-[[1990s]].  
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Hydro electric power (electricity) is a renewable energy used everywhere the grid goes.
  
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Alternatively, many individuals have installed small-scale PV arrays for domestic consumption.  Some, particularly in isolated areas, are totally disconnected from the main power grid, and rely on a surplus of generation capacity combined with [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]] and/or a fossil fuel generator to cover periods when the cells are not operating. Others in more settled areas remain connected to the grid, using the grid to obtain electricity when solar cells are not providing power, and selling their surplus back to the grid. This works reasonably well in many climates, as the peak time for energy consumption is on hot, sunny days where air conditioners are running and solar cells produce their maximum power output.  Many U.S. states have passed "net metering" laws, requiring electrical utilities to buy the locally-generated electricity for price comparable to that sold to the household.  Photovoltaic generation is still considerably more expensive for the consumer than grid electricity unless the usage site is sufficiently isolated, in which case photovoltaics become the less expensive.
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<!-- 8. Why have many governments invested in renewable energy sources? Be able to cite at least two examples. -->
  
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A simple proposal for a solar electrical plant is the [[solar tower]], in which a large area of land would be covered by a greenhouse made of something as simple as transparent foil, with a tall lightweight tower in the centre, which could also be composed largely of foil.  The heated air would rush to and up the centre tower, spinning a turbine.  A system of water pipes placed throughout the greenhouse would allow the capture of excess thermal energy, to be released throughout the night and thus providing 24-hour power production.  A 200 MWe tower is proposed near [[Mildura, Australia]].
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There are positive incentives for governments to invest in renewable energy sources.
  
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===Thermal energy===
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===The Overall Impact on the Planet=== <!--T:27-->
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Most sources of renewable energy pose no noxious by-products (the main exception being the burning of biomass). As a result, there is less pollution, waste, and less of a threat concerning extremely destructive natural disasters.
  
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The main role of solar energy in the future may be that of direct heating. Much of our energy need is for heat below 60&deg;C (140&deg;F) - e.g. in hot water systems. A lot more, particularly in industry, is for heat in the range 60 - 110&deg;C. Together these may account for a significant proportion of primary energy use in
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industrialised nations. The first need can readily be supplied by solar power much of the time in some places, and the second application commercially is probably not far off. Such uses will diminish to some extent both the demand for electricity and the consumption of fossil fuels, particularly if coupled with [[energy conservation]] measures such as [[insulation]].  
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The reality of global warming has also become a considerable factor with regard to the harmful effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the balance of the planet’s ecosystem. The less CO2, the better of our planet would be.
  
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Domestic solar hot water systems are common in the hotter areas of  
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===The Failure of its Technology More Minimized=== <!--T:29-->
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[[Australia]], and simply consist of a network of dark-coloured pipes
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The technology used to harness energy from renewable resources is essentially stable. As a result, insurance companies are more inclined to issue warranties for performance of panels and turbines for 20 years or more. Once these items are installed, they can be relied upon to start working straight away and not stop for years.
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running beneath a window of heat-trapping [[glass]].  They typically have
 
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a backup electric or gas heating unit for cloudy days. Such systems
 
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can actually be justified purely on economic grounds, particularly in
 
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some remoter areas of Australia where electricity is expensive.
 
  
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refrigeration cycle can be used to warm and cool buildings, with very
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<!-- 9. What are some of the issues facing the use of renewable energy? What are some of the advantages and potential disadvantages of moving away from fossil fuel energy sources to renewable energy? -->
  
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Large scale solar thermal powerplants, as mentioned before, can be
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used to heat buildings, but on a smaller scale [[solar oven]]s can be  
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Although renewable energy has many advantages with regard to its environmental impact, there are concerns that must be considered as well. The ability to supply energy to meet the demand may pose a problem. Providing renewable energy requires designing and building equipment that will harness and extract it once found. The entire manufacturing process must be considered as well.
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used on sunny days. Such an oven or solar furnace uses mirrors or a
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large lens to foccuss the [[Sun]]'s rays onto a baking tray or black
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The general population has grown accustomed to current resources such as oil for heating. As such, although the development of an cleaner, alternative means that present less of an environmental impact may not gain the momentum desired. Some renewable resources have not been around long and tested long enough for individuals to give up what they are comfortable with for something that may be cleaner.
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pot which heats up as it would in a standard [[oven]].
 
  
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[[Solar tower]]s would also use thermal energy.
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<!-- 10. Individually or as a group, build, not from a kit, a device to harness some form of renewable energy. These devices may include:<br>a. Potato clock<br>b. Solar or wind powered motor<br>c. Hydropower lift<br>d. Your choice. -->
  
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==Wind Energy==
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Note: Internet search engines provide tons of information when you type one of the sources of renewable power and “science experiment.” Thus for hydropower you would search for “hydropower science experiment.”
  
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[[Wind generator|Wind turbines]] have been used for household electricity generation in
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requires alternative power sources to cope with calmer periods.
 
  
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There are now many thousands of wind turbines operating in
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===Wind - to move ships through the waters.=== <!--T:34-->
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various parts of the world, with a total capacity of over 31,000 MWe of which [[Europe]] accounts for 75% (ultimo [[2002]]). Germany is the leading producer of wind generated electricity with over 8000 MWe in 2001. In 2002 the U.S.A. produced over 4,200 Mwe of wind energy, second only to Germany.
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{{Bible verse
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New (offshore) wind parks are being planned and built all over the
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world. This has been the most rapidly-growing means of electricity
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generation at the turn of the [[21st century]] and provides a valuable
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complement to large-scale base-load power stations. [[Denmark]] generates
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|version=KJV
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over 10% of its electricity with wind[[turbine]]s, whereas windturbines account for 0.4% of the total electricity production on a global scale (ultimo [[2002]]). The most
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|text=
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economical and practical size of commercial wind turbines seems to be  
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“But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.”
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around 600 kWe to 1 MWe, grouped into wind farms up to 6 MWe. Most
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}}
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turbines operate at about 25% load factor over the course of a year,
 
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but some reach 35%.
 
  
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==Geothermal Energy==
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===In Job, Satan used a wind power for evil.=== <!--T:35-->
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“And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”
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}}
  
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Where hot underground steam or water can be tapped and brought to the surface
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===Biomass - from firewood=== <!--T:36-->
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it may be used to generate electricity. Such [[geothermal power]] sources have
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{{Bible verse
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potential in certain parts of the world such as [[New Zealand]],  
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|book=Leviticus
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[[USA]], [[Philippines]] and [[Italy]]. Some 8000 MWe of capacity is
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operating. There are also prospects in certain other areas for
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pumping water underground to very hot regions of the Earth's crust
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and using the steam thus produced for electricity generation.  An Australian startup company, Geodynamics, proposes to build a commercial plant in the Cooper Basin region of [[South Australia]]  using this technology by [[2004]].
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|text=
 +
“And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar.”
 +
}}
  
−
== Electrokinetic energy ==
+
<!--T:37-->
 +
{{Bible verse
 +
|book=1 Kings
 +
|chapter=17
 +
|verse=10-12
 +
|version=KJV
 +
|text=
 +
“And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
  
−
It harnesses what happens to water when it is pumped through tiny channels.
+
<!--T:38-->
 +
So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
 +
}}
  
−
For more information see [[electrokinetics]] (water).
+
<!--T:39-->
 +
{{Bible verse
 +
|book=2 Kings
 +
|chapter=1
 +
|verse=12
 +
|version=KJV
 +
|text=
 +
“And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.”
 +
}}
  
−
==Hydroelectric Energy==
+
<!--T:75-->
−
Hydroelectric energy is cleaner than burning [[fossil fuel]]s or gas (although not coming from fossil fuels), which produces [[CO2]].
+
<noinclude></translate></noinclude>
 +
{{CloseReq}} <!-- 11 -->
 +
<noinclude><translate></noinclude>
 +
==References== <!--T:40-->
 +
<noinclude></translate></noinclude>
  
−
===Rivers===
+
[[Category:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Do at home{{GetLangSuffix}}]]
−
 
+
{{CloseHonorPage}}
−
[[Hydroelectric]] power from potential energy of rivers, now supplies about 715,000 [[MWe]] or 19% of world electricity. Apart from a few countries with an abundance of it, hydro capacity is normally applied to peak-load
 
−
demand, because it is so readily stopped and started. It is not a
 
−
major option for the future in the developed countries because most
 
−
major sites in these countries having potential for harnessing
 
−
gravity in this way are either being exploited already or are
 
−
unavailable for other reasons such as environmental considerations.
 
−
 
 
−
The chief advantage of hydrosystems is their capacity to handle
 
−
seasonal (as well as daily) high peak loads. In practice the
 
−
utilisation of stored water is sometimes complicated by demands for
 
−
irrigation which may occur out of phase with peak electrical demands.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
===Tides===
 
−
 
 
−
Harnessing the tides in a bay or estuary has been achieved in
 
−
[[France]] (since [[1966]]) and [[Russia]], and could be achieved in
 
−
certain other areas where there is a large tidal range. The trapped
 
−
water can be used to turn [[turbine]]s as it is released through the
 
−
tidal barrage in either direction. Worldwide this technology appears
 
−
to have little potential, largely due to environmental constraints.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
===Waves===
 
−
 
 
−
Harnessing power from wave motion is a possibility which might yield
 
−
much more energy than tides. The feasibility of this has been
 
−
investigated, particularly in the UK. Generators either coupled to
 
−
floating devices or turned by air displaced by waves in a hollow
 
−
concrete structure would produce electricity for delivery to shore.
 
−
Numerous practical problems have frustrated progress.
 
−
 
 
−
===Otec===
 
−
 
 
−
[[Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion]] is a relatively unproven technology, though it was first used by the French engineer [[Jacques Arsene d'Arsonval]] in [[1881]]. The difference in temperature between water near the surface and deeper water can be as much as 20&deg;C. The warm water is used to make a liquid such as [[ammonia]] evaporate, causing it to expand. The expanding gas forces its way through turbines, after which it is condensed using the colder water and the cycle can begin again.
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
==Biomatter & Biogas Energy==
 
−
 
 
−
Biomatter or [[biomass]] can be used to produce [[biofuel]] ( bioalcohols -like methanol and ethanol- and [[biodiesel]]). Biodiesel can be used in modern diesel vehicles and can be obtained from waste and crude vegetable and animal oil and fats ([[lipid]]s).
 
−
 
 
−
All sorts of biomatter can be burnt to heat water and to drive turbines. Plants partly use [[photosynthesis]] to store solar energy, water and [[CO2|CO]]<sub>2</sub>. [[Sugar cane]] residue, [[wheat]] chaff, [[maize|corn cobs]] and other plant matter can be, and is, burnt quite successfully. The process releases
 
−
no net CO<sub>2</sub>.  Of course electricity is not the only form of practical energy.  In some areas [[maize|corn]], [[sugarbeet]]s, cane and grasses are grown specifically to produce [[ethanol]] (also known as alcohol) a liquid which can be used in [[internal combustion engine]]s and [[fuel cells]].
 
−
 
 
−
Animal [[feces]] release [[methane]] under the influence of [[anaerobic bacteria]] which can also be used to generate electricity. See [[biogas]].
 
−
 
 
−
===Renewable energy needs a reliable and efficient storage system===
 
−
 
 
−
Sun, wind, tides and waves cannot be controlled to provide directly either continuous base-load power, or peak-load power when it is needed. In practical terms, without proper energy storage methods they are therefore limited to some 20% of the capacity of an electricity grid, and cannot directly be applied as economic substitutes for fossil fuels or nuclear power, however important they may become in particular areas with favourable conditions. Nevertheless, such technologies are the only choice for the world's energy future, even if they are unsuitable for carrying the main burden of supply at this time. If there were some way that large amounts of electricity from intermittent producers such as solar and wind could be stored efficiently, the contribution of these technologies to supplying base-load energy demand would be much greater. Already in some places [[pumped storage hydroelectricity|pumped storage]] is used to even out the daily generating load by pumping water to a high storage dam during off-peak hours and weekends, using the excess base-load capacity from coal or nuclear sources. During peak hours this water can be used for hydroelectric generation.
 
−
 
 
−
Relatively few places have scope for pumped storage dams close to where the power is needed, and overall efficiency is low. Means of storing large amounts of electricity as such in giant batteries or by other means have not yet been put to general use, because of the missing business case - but one possible technologies already exist: large scale flow batteries. A long term vision are hydrogen [[fuel cells]] for energy storage.
 
−
 
 
−
There is some scope for reversing the whole way we look at power supply, in its 24-hour, 7-day cycle, using peak load equipment simply to meet the daily peaks. Today's peak-load equipment could be used to some extent to provide infill capacity in a system relying heavily on renewables. The peak capacity would complement large-scale solar thermal and wind generation, providing power when they were unable to. Improved ability to predict the intermittent availability of wind enables better use of this resource. In Germany it is now possible to predict wind generation output with 90% certainty 24 hours ahead. This means that it is possible to deploy other plants more effectively so that the economic value of that wind contribution is greatly increased.
 
−
 
 
−
However, any substantial use of solar or wind for electricity in a grid means that we are facing a radical shift in the way the energy business is organized. Decentralized storage and production are not compatible with the current structure.
 
−
 
 
−
===Hydrogen fuel cells===
 
−
 
 
−
[[Hydrogen]] is widely seen as a possible fuel for [[hydrogen car]]s, if certain problems can be overcome economically. It may be used in conventional [[internal combustion engine]]s, or in [[fuel cell]]s which convert chemical energy directly to electricity without flames, in the same way the human body burns fuel. Making hydrogen requires either reforming natural gas ([[methane]]) with steam, or, for a renewable and more ecologic source,  ''the [[electrolysis]] of [[water]]'' into hydrogen and [[oxygen]]. The former process has [[carbon dioxide]] as a by-product, which exacerbates (or at least does not improve) [[greenhouse gas]] emissions relative to present technology. With electrolysis, the greenhouse burden depends on the source of the power, and both intermittent renewables and [[nuclear energy]] are considered here.
 
−
 
 
−
With intermittent renewables such as solar and wind, matching the output to grid demand is very difficult, and beyond about 20% of the total supply, apparently impossible. But if these sources are used for electricity to make hydrogen, then they can be utilised fully whenever they are available, opportunistically. Broadly speaking it does not matter when they cut in or out, the hydrogen is simply stored and used as required.
 
−
 
 
−
A quite different rationale applies to using nuclear energy for hydrogen. Here the plant would be run continuously at full capacity, with perhaps all the output being supplied to the grid in peak periods and any not needed to meet civil demand being used to make hydrogen at other times. This would mean maximum efficiency for the nuclear power plants and that hydrogen was made opportunistically when it suited the grid manager.
 
−
 
 
−
About 50 KWh (1/144,000 J) is required to produce a kilogram of hydrogen by electrolysis, so the cost of the electricity clearly is crucial.
 
−
 
 
−
==Countries that use renewable energy==
 
−
 
 
−
[[Iceland]] is a world leader in renewable energy due to its abundant hydro and geothermal energy sources. Over 99% of the country's electricity is from renewable sources and most of its urban household heating is geothermal. [[Israel]] is also notable as much of its household hot water is heated by solar means. These countries' successes are at least partly based on their geographical advantages. The United States is the leading producer of hydroelectric power and geothermal electrical energy.
 
−
 
 
−
Share of the total power consumption in [[EU]]-countries that are renewable.
 
−
 
 
−
<pre>
 
−
        1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
 
−
EUR-15         5,61  5,13  4,92  5,16  5,28  5,37
 
−
Belgium 1,04  1,01  1,01  0,96  0,84  0,80
 
−
Denmark 4,48  6,32  6,38  6,80  7,03  6,49
 
−
Germany 2,09  2,06  1,61  1,73  1,75  1,79
 
−
Greece  8,77  7,14  7,63  7,13  7,33  7,16
 
−
Spain  8,83  6,70  6,56  5,73  6,49  6,50
 
−
France  7,24  6,34  6,75  7,54  7,32  7,98
 
−
Ireland         1,75  1,65  1,68  1,59  1,59  1,63
 
−
Italy  5,60  4,64  5,16  5,19  5,34  5,50
 
−
Luxemburg 1,28  1,21  1,14  1,26  1,21  1,34
 
−
The Netherlands 1,36  1,35  1,35  1,37  1,38  1,43
 
−
Austria 24,23  22,81  20,99  23,39  24,23  23,71
 
−
Portugal 25,07  17,45  17,03  13,88  15,98  16,61
 
−
Finland 18,29  16,71  17,02  18,10  18,48  18,28
 
−
Sweden  24,36  24,86  22,98  26,53  27,31  24,04
 
−
United Kingdom  0,47  0,49  0,48  0,56  0,54  0,65
 
−
 
 
−
</pre>
 
−
 
 
−
Table from [http://europa.eu.int/abc/doc/off/bull/sv/9709/p106003.htm]
 
−
 
 
−
See also : [[green electricity]]. [[nuclear fallout]], [[global warming]], [[acid rain]], [[mercury poisoning]], [[water waste]], [[contamination]], [[public health]] problems
 
−
 
 
−
==References==
 
−
*[http://www.uic.com.au/ The Uranium Information Centre] provided much of the original material in this article.
 
−
*[http://eia.doe.gov/ U.S. Energy Information Administration] provides lots of statistics and information on the industry.
 
−
*Boyle, G (ed), '''Renewable Energy - . Power for a Sustainable Future'''. Open University, UK, 1996.
 

Latest revision as of 23:36, 3 January 2023

Other languages:
English • ‎español
Renewable Energy

Skill Level

2

Year

2014

Version

23.11.2024

Approval authority

General Conference

Renewable Energy AY Honor.png
Renewable Energy
Nature
Skill Level
123
Approval authority
General Conference
Year of Introduction
2014
See also
Conservation Master Award
Preservation of Water Resources
Climate Science - Advanced


1

What is renewable energy?


Renewable energy is energy whose origins are continually and naturally replenished without human intervention. Examples of renewable energy sources include sunlight, wind, and waves.


2

Why is renewable energy important?


As the demand for energy resources continues to climb, mankind is faced with the dilemma of depleting the earth's resources to meet the demand. With the discovery of processes designed to harness clean and renewable energy, depletion of such resources will not be an issue, since they are naturally replenished. In addition, these processes have much less of an environmental impact than conventional methods used to harness resources such as oil.



3

Describe how each of the following sources is used as a renewable source of energy. Draw an illustration depicting the usage of at least 3 of these renewable sources of energy.



3a

Wind Power


Wind Power is energy that has been converted from the natural movement of wind by the use of devices such as wind turbines. It is clean, largely available, and produces no greenhouse gas emissions.


3b

Bioenergy


Bioenergy is biomass energy, which is energy from organic matter. Wood, plants, even the fumes from landfills can be used as a biomass energy source. Ethanol is a fuel made from corn, sugar cane and other sources used in auto and jet fuel.


3c

Geothermal Energy


Geothermal energy is energy that is created and stored in the earth. It can be used for heating for large areas, mineral recovery, and industrial process heating.


3d

Hydropower


Hydropower is energy that is comes from falling water. Most commonly electricity from dams or run of the river generation turbines is created. Other uses are irrigation and (in pioneer times) falling water was directly harnessed with water wheels for the operation of gristmills and sawmills.


3e

Ocean Energy


Ocean Energy is energy that is comes from the ocean, which can be responsible for two types of energy: mechanical energy from the tides and waves, and thermal energy from the heat of the sun. It can be used for generating electricity.


3f

Solar Power


Solar Power is light and heat that is derived from the sun and collected through solar panels. It can be used to generate electricity for a variety of useful applications.




4

Individually or as a group, discuss some of the earliest forms of renewable energy. Are there energy forms that might have been used before sin? By Noah? By the patriarchs?


The earliest form of renewable energy was probably the burning of biomass in the form of wood and dried animal dung. The fuel could be stored, and energy was available for immediate use, but the energy could not be kept in storage for afterwards.

Some people believe that the pre-flood culture had advanced technologies. Out of place artifacts like machined balls and gold chains inside coal suggest this. Consider how much knowledge a person living hundreds of years and so close to God's perfect creation of Adam and Eve could amass and what they could create with that knowledge. The world had one language as well, and many overlapping generations, facilitating communication.

Additional references are available from the Bible which can provide further insight into this. For example, the sun, the movement of water through rivers, etc.


5

Individually or as a group, show at least five important events in the history of renewable energy through:
a. Presentation
b. Video
c. Interactive game
d. Speech
e. Display


For this requirement, you will need to research the history of renewable energy, and then present your findings using one of the techniques listed in the requirement.

Prior to the development of coal in the mid 19th century, nearly all energy used was renewable. Almost without a doubt the oldest known use of renewable energy, in the form of traditional biomass to fuel fires, dates from the beginning of history.

Probably the second oldest usage of renewable energy is harnessing the wind in order to drive ships over water. This practice can be traced back to ships on the Nile.

The primary sources of traditional renewable energy were human labor, animal power, water power, wind, in grain crushing windmills, and firewood, a traditional biomass. A graph of energy use in the United States up until 1900 shows oil and natural gas with about the same importance in 1900 as wind and solar played in 2010.

By 1873, concerns of running out of coal prompted experiments with using solar energy. Development of solar engines continued until the outbreak of World War I. The importance of solar energy was recognized in a 1911 Scientific American article: "in the far distant future, natural fuels having been exhausted [solar power] will remain as the only means of existence of the human race".

The theory of peak oil was published in 1956. In the 1970s environmentalists promoted the development of renewable energy both as a replacement for the eventual depletion of oil, as well as for an escape from dependence on oil, and the first electricity generating wind turbines appeared. Solar had long been used for heating and cooling, but solar panels were too costly to build solar farms until 1980.


6

Discover the source of most reusable energy.


The source of most renewable energy comes from the sun.


7

What are some commercial and industrial uses of renewable energy?


Renewable energy such as solar energy can be used to supply power larger communities through a solar power station. Tanks of molten salt can be used to store the energy harnessed from the sun for the purpose of generating electricity during cloud cover, or through the night. Renewable energy can also be used for agricultural purposes, providing social services, education, and health care.

Fuel made from bio sources like corn is now a common ingredient in automotive fuel.

Hydro electric power (electricity) is a renewable energy used everywhere the grid goes.


8

Why have many governments invested in renewable energy sources? Be able to cite at least two examples.


There are positive incentives for governments to invest in renewable energy sources.

The Overall Impact on the Planet

Most sources of renewable energy pose no noxious by-products (the main exception being the burning of biomass). As a result, there is less pollution, waste, and less of a threat concerning extremely destructive natural disasters.

The reality of global warming has also become a considerable factor with regard to the harmful effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the balance of the planet’s ecosystem. The less CO2, the better of our planet would be.

The Failure of its Technology More Minimized

The technology used to harness energy from renewable resources is essentially stable. As a result, insurance companies are more inclined to issue warranties for performance of panels and turbines for 20 years or more. Once these items are installed, they can be relied upon to start working straight away and not stop for years.


9

What are some of the issues facing the use of renewable energy? What are some of the advantages and potential disadvantages of moving away from fossil fuel energy sources to renewable energy?


Although renewable energy has many advantages with regard to its environmental impact, there are concerns that must be considered as well. The ability to supply energy to meet the demand may pose a problem. Providing renewable energy requires designing and building equipment that will harness and extract it once found. The entire manufacturing process must be considered as well.

The general population has grown accustomed to current resources such as oil for heating. As such, although the development of an cleaner, alternative means that present less of an environmental impact may not gain the momentum desired. Some renewable resources have not been around long and tested long enough for individuals to give up what they are comfortable with for something that may be cleaner.


10

Individually or as a group, build, not from a kit, a device to harness some form of renewable energy. These devices may include:
a. Potato clock
b. Solar or wind powered motor
c. Hydropower lift
d. Your choice


Note: Internet search engines provide tons of information when you type one of the sources of renewable power and “science experiment.” Thus for hydropower you would search for “hydropower science experiment.”


11

Brainstorm a list of at least four Biblical texts/stories that illustrate the use of renewable energy.


Wind - to move ships through the waters.


“But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.”
— Jonah 1:4 (KJV)

In Job, Satan used a wind power for evil.


“And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.”
— Job 1:19 (KJV)

Biomass - from firewood


“And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar.”
— Leviticus 1:6-8 (KJV)



“And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
— 1 Kings 17:10-12 (KJV)



“And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.”
— 2 Kings 1:12 (KJV)



References

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