Offsetting CO2 Emissions

Different Types of Energy

• Fossil fuels make up large amounts of our daily energy use

• However, there are energy that can take large chunks out of our fossil fuel use

• Many of these produce energy with little or no CO2

Different Types of Energy

• The following methods can produce energy with no CO2 emissions

• Nuclear Power• Solar Power• Wind Power• Hydropower

Wind Power

• The power of the wind had been harnessed throughout history

• This power has been generated by windmills

• These windmills apply physical work when the wind blows

Wind Power• The windmill still is used

in today’s world, but it has a much different function

• The windmill is actually a large turbine that generates electricity

• These turbines can generate large amounts of electricity when ever the wind is blowing

Wind Power

• Wind Power is the second fastest growing form of energy– Behind Solar

• This is because it is a cheap and renewable form of energy

• There are currently 7 different countries that are planning to have the largest wind farm in the world

Wind Power

• Wind energy does have its drawbacks

• It is a fairly intermittent source

• Energy is only produced when you have wind

• Storing energy for these farms is a large issue

Wind Power

• However, wind power has many advantages

• If wind turbines are placed in windy areas they can generate more than enough electricity to power large cities or towns

Wind Power

• There are cases when customers are paid to use electricity when it is a particularly windy time

• This is because so much electricity is being produced that there is no where to put it

Video

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llIbjC49Fjs

Why Nuclear Energy?

• Nuclear power has a very good balance of safety, reliability, environmental friendliness and cost effectiveness

• The balance is often considered one of the best ways to produce energy

Why Nuclear Energy?

• However, if nuclear power has a problem there is a much larger risk for a large amount of people

• This risk is generally small

• It makes nuclear energy overall one of the safest energy sources

Why Nuclear Energy?

• Inside the US we currently have 103 operating nuclear power plants

• These plants provide around 20% of electrical power

• This power is mostly used to power the public

How It Works

• Nuclear energy involves chances at the atomic level through one of two basic processes

• Fission – One large atom of an element is split to produce two smaller atoms

• All power plants currently use fission

How It Works

• Fission creates two completely different elements out of the original large element

• This also releases a large amount of energy and free neutrons

• This energy is the energy harnessed

Video

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBdVK4cqiFs

How It Works

• Fusion is the combination of two small elements (mostly hydrogen)

• Fusion takes two smaller elements and creates a larger element

• This is not currently used by power plants but is being researched

Nuclear Power

• The goal of nuclear power is to slowly control a nuclear reaction

• Controlling a slow nuclear reaction allows humans to use the energy that is produced

• This energy has to be transformed into a secondary source of power

Solar Energy• The energy delivered from

the sun is vast• The Sun’s rays have so

much energy we could replace fossil fuels for a year if we captured all the energy hitting the US for 40 minutes

• The sun delivers 10,000 times the energy used by humans every year

Solar Energy• Although it is an abundant

source, it is also a diffuse source

• A diffuse source of energy is a source of energy that is widely scattered and can vary

• Think about the seasons and area needed to capture the sun

• Most energy from the sun needs to be collected over time and stored before it can be used

Solar Energy

• The energy from the Sun can be captured and converted into electricity

• This is done though photovoltaic cells and solar-trough collectors

• These methods of energy clean and renewable

Solar Energy

• A photovoltaic cell is a small 4 x 4 inch piece of material that convert sunlight directly into electricity

• They are hooked together to form large panels

• 40 PV cells can power one light bulb

Video

• http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/solar-power

Hydropower• Early in history it was

learned that water was a moving force and could be used to perform mechanical actions

• Early uses of hydropower are mills and lumber mills

• These all used large paddle devices that were powered by moving water

Hydropower

• While the technology has changed, the idea has not

• Hydropower is mainly based on the predictable patterns of flowing water

• This moving water can be used to generate electricity

Hydropower

• The moving water is used to push modified turbines

• These turbines produce a flow of electrons

• The flow of electrons continues as long as the water continues to push

Video

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpigNNTQix8

More Dams?

• Many of the sites that would be suitable for dams have already been filled

• These sites already have dams that are producing electricity

• The ability for us to build new dams is not as available as in the past

More Dams?

• While hydropower is a clean, consistent and powerful source of energy it has several drawbacks

• In order to use it, dams must be built

• These dams flood areas that are often occupied by people or animals

Tidal Energy

• Since most rivers and streams have been used people have started turning to the ocean

• In the ocean you can find energy to displace water by using the tide

• The energy that is in tides can be harnessed to create energy

Tidal Energy• There are several different

ways to generate power using tidal energy

• Most of them require a turbine system to be working with sections of water that are tidal

• The larger the tidal surge, the more energy that can be created

Video

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSBACzRE3Gw