Post on 28-Dec-2015
Objectives
In this lesson you will...1)Identify pros and cons of renewable
energy
2)Describe how energy is produced by each of the renewable methods
3)Evaluate the competing energy solutions
How It Works
Most hydroelectric power is generated by water flowing through a dam
Inside the dam, water flowsthrough a turbine, causingit to rotate
Advantages of Hydroelectric
Renewable
Very Environmentally Friendly
Reliable (doesn’t fluctuate)
Safe
Disadvantages of Hydroelectric
Expensive
Can affect ecosystems
Affected by droughts
Limited reservoirs
Hydroelectric Power
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpigNNTQix8
Future of Hydroelectricity
Currently hydroelectric energy accounts for over 20% of renewable energy used worldwide
While large dams are becoming rare, smaller, cheaper dams are beginning to be built
Geothermal Energy
Energy produced by Earth’s hot, liquid core is called geothermal energy.
This heat can be harnessed as energy.
Advantages of Geothermal
Renewable
Environmentally Friendly
Great for heating homes in cold countries
Disadvantages of Geothermal
Drilling and building is expensive
Not available in many areas
Can cause earthquakes in very rare cases
Geothermal Heating/Cooling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1r7fXO0QII
Future of Geothermal
Currently used very rarely
As technology improves, geothermal may play a bigger energy role in the future
Biofuels
Energy derived from plant materials is called biofuels.
Fuels can be manufacturedby chemically breaking downthese plants.
Using Biofuels
Biofuels can be burned in the same way as fossil fuels
Currently they are primarily used as a gasoline additive
Advantages of Biofuels
Often considered to be renewable
Environmentally friendly-80% less CO2 emitted than fossil
fuels
Can be grown locally-prevents us from depending on
foreign oil
Disadvantages of Biofuels
Less efficient than fossil fuels
Still causes some pollution
Fear of a food or water shortage
Biofuels
http://nation.time.com/2013/12/13/time-explains-biofuels/