Active Solar (think solar panels)• Production

– Use the sun’s energy to heat water or air• Either stored or used immediately

– Photovoltaic cells are used to generate electricity by taking the solar energy and converting to electricity

Active Solar Advantages

• Limitless solar energy• Once the panels are made, emission free• Store energy during the day and release at

night

Active Solar Disadvantages and Environmental Effects

• Manufacturing the photovoltaic cells requires silicon, and this produces some waste product.

• Requires backup (battery or another system) for rainy/cloudy days

• Expensive• Not very efficient• Land use/habitat loss for large panel

installation

Ethanol Production• Ex. Corn (most common)

• The fermentation process:o the corn is crushed into a powder, , mixed to

form a “mash,” enzymes and yeast are added, mixture is transferred to fermenters, where the sugar becomes ethanol and CO2

o after 40-50 hours of fermentation, the resulting product goes to distillation columns, where the ethanol is separated and blended with natural gasoline

Ethanol advantages

• Domestically produced• Lower emissions of air pollutants• Waste can be used as livestock feed

Ethanol disadvantages and environmental effects

• Releases carbon dioxide • Uses lots of land to grow crops• Higher food costs• Millions of gallons of water used in

fermentation process

Hydroelectric Production

• Water is stored behind dams, and are released to spin turbines

• Turbines stationed in rivers are spun as the water runs downstream

Hydroelectric advantages

• Cost effective• Flood control• Recreation• No pollution after it is created

Hydroelectric Disadvantages and environmental effects

• High initial costs• Air pollution in creating of dam• Destruction of habitat• Diversion of rivers • Restricts fish migrations• Siltation• Loss of nutrients downstream• Displacement of people

Wind Production

• Wind turns the turbine blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to the generator and makes electricity

Wind Advantages

• Can generate in remote locations• No waste once the turbines are constructed• Cheap source of energy once constructed

Wind disadvantages and environmental effects

• Not consistent• Noise pollution• Pollution in creating of turbines• Threats to birds and bats-may affect

migrations• Habitat fragmentation

Biomass production

• Biomass is any organic matter that can be used as an energy source

-ie. wood, crops, seaweed, animal wastes

• Burn it, heats water, creates steam, turns turbines, generates electricity

Biomass advantages

• Available throughout the world• Can be carbon neutral

Biomass disadvantages and environmental effects

• Releases carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrogen, sulfur

• Requires lots of land• Releases particulate matter

Hydrogen Fuel Cells Production

• Combines hydrogen and oxygen to create water

• This reaction causes electrons to move therefore producing energy like electricity and heat

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Advantages

• Only byproduct is water• highly efficient

Hydrogen Fuel Cells disadvantages and environmental affects

• Expensive and bulky• Hydrogen may escape and destroy ozone layer• Production causes pollution• Transportation and storage of hydrogen is

difficult

Passive Solar Production

• produced by the sun, then the solar energy is absorbed using natural materials with no moving parts or electrical devices

Passive Solar Advantages

• Requires no electricity or energy consumption• No equipment to maintain• Cost effective

Passive Solar disadvantages and environmental effects

• Not very reliable when it is not sunny• High initial costs• Geographically limited• Production of passive solar designs causes

pollution

Geothermal Production

• Using natural heat of Earths core• The heat can be used for heating or used in

the generation of electricity. • For electricity,

plants drill into ground, capture steam or hot water and use it to turn turbines

Geothermal advantages

• Doesn’t depend on weather• Doesn’t take up much space• Constant source of heat

Geothermal disadvantages and environmental effects

• High installation cost• Some areas don’t have access, not efficient or

economical to drill that deep• Emits hazardous gases (carbon dioxide,

hydrogen sulfide)• Cannot be transported

Tidal/Wave Power Production

• Tidal waves push turbines that generate electricity

Tidal/Wave Advantages

• Consistent power generation• Once built cost effective in long run• Low maintenance• Tides are predictable and steady

Tidal/wave disadvantages and environmental effects

• High initial costs• Geographically limited• Can harm marine life and affect migration

patterns• corrosion