Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy

SolarSolar

HydroHydro

WindWind

HydrogenHydrogen

BiomassBiomass

GeothermalGeothermal

Energy EfficiencyEnergy Efficiency

Percentage of energy input that does useful work in an energy conversion system

Increasing energy efficiency of Increasing energy efficiency of common devices has economic common devices has economic and environmental advantagesand environmental advantagesCreating jobs, Saving moneyCreating jobs, Saving money

Reducing oil importsReducing oil imports

Prolonging fossil fuel suppliesProlonging fossil fuel supplies

Reducing pollution and Reducing pollution and environmental degradationenvironmental degradation

Flow of U.S. Commercial EnergyFlow of U.S. Commercial Energy

Ways to improve Energy efficiency Ways to improve Energy efficiency of of Existing homesExisting homes

1. adding insulation1. adding insulation

2. plugging leaks2. plugging leaks

3. installing energy-saving windows3. installing energy-saving windows

4. wrapping water heaters 4. wrapping water heaters

5. installing tankless water heaters 5. installing tankless water heaters modelsmodels

6. buying energy-efficient appliances 6. buying energy-efficient appliances and lightsand lights

Solar EnergySolar Energy

No PollutionNo PollutionLittle maintenanceLittle maintenanceOnly Only ~0.05%~0.05% of world’s of world’s

electricity.electricity.So why do we notSo why do we not

Use it more?Use it more?

NOT ENOUGH gov’t aidNOT ENOUGH gov’t aid

Solar- PV cellsSolar- PV cells Photovoltaic Cells commonly called solar Photovoltaic Cells commonly called solar

cellscells How do they work?How do they work? Sunlight energizes and causes the Sunlight energizes and causes the

electrons in the semiconductors to flow electrons in the semiconductors to flow creating an electrical currentcreating an electrical current

Solar NEW technologySolar NEW technology

1.1. Organic solar cells-Organic solar cells- carbon based carbon based polymers similar to teflon and can be polymers similar to teflon and can be applied to surfaces in layers.applied to surfaces in layers.

- converts 24-35% of suns rays into - converts 24-35% of suns rays into electricityelectricity

Can be printed on a sheet of paper, Can be printed on a sheet of paper, stuck onto your housestuck onto your house

Solar NEW technologySolar NEW technology

2. 2. Nanosolar CellsNanosolar Cells

Tiny rods of semiconductorsTiny rods of semiconductors

Much thinner than a human Much thinner than a human

hairhair

Can be placed in plasticCan be placed in plastic

materialsmaterials

Suitability of Solar UsageSuitability of Solar Usage

best when more than 60% of daylight hours are sunny

www.bio.miami.edu/beck/esc101/Chapter14&15.ppt

HydroHydro Indirect forms of REIndirect forms of RE Pg 313Pg 313

WINDWIND

Indirect form of REIndirect form of RE

Since 1990 fastest form of RESince 1990 fastest form of RE

Europe the leaderEurope the leader ¾ of World’s ¾ of World’s

wind powerwind power

Denmark has banned coal and Denmark has banned coal and 90%90% of electricity from wind of electricity from wind

WIND WIND // on page 397 on page 397

The Dept. of Energy calls the Great Plain The Dept. of Energy calls the Great Plain States: OK, SD, ND,KA,NE, TX States: OK, SD, ND,KA,NE, TX the Saudi the Saudi Arabia of windArabia of wind

Enough wind resources to meet nations Enough wind resources to meet nations needsneeds

Need more tax breaks and govt subsidiesNeed more tax breaks and govt subsidies Wind power could produce about ¼ of the Wind power could produce about ¼ of the

U.S. electricity by 2025U.S. electricity by 2025

BiomassBiomass Plant material and animal wastes that Plant material and animal wastes that

can be directly burned into biofuels.can be directly burned into biofuels.

4 big types4 big types

1.1. Direct burning of wood or manure.Direct burning of wood or manure.

Mostly used for cooking and heating Mostly used for cooking and heating homes. 30% in developing countrieshomes. 30% in developing countries

10% efficient, produces CO210% efficient, produces CO2

figure 18-25figure 18-25

BiomassBiomass2. 2. Gaseous BiofuelsGaseous Biofuels

BiogasBiogas

60% Methane, 40% CO260% Methane, 40% CO2

Comes from livestock waste and landfills Comes from livestock waste and landfills AND with the bacteria and decomposition AND with the bacteria and decomposition the Methane can used for electricitythe Methane can used for electricity

BiomassBiomass3. Ethanol-3. Ethanol- made from Sugar cane or Corn made from Sugar cane or Corn How made?How made? Fermentation and distillation Fermentation and distillation increase corn prices for farmers and lots increase corn prices for farmers and lots

of energy used to created it so a huge of energy used to created it so a huge NET loss of EnergyNET loss of Energy

BUT…BUT… Ethanol can be made from non- Ethanol can be made from non-food crops, grasses and other fast growing food crops, grasses and other fast growing trees. trees.

Ethanol production from celluloseEthanol production from cellulosehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poTGr8ONgl0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poTGr8ONgl0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_3QZzqMKIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR_3QZzqMKI

Algae...next big biofuelAlgae...next big biofuel

Algae make a lipid (oil) and the end of Algae make a lipid (oil) and the end of photosynthesisphotosynthesis

After some refining….After some refining…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxNeBQCRv1chttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxNeBQCRv1c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9_-ZguuhBw&NR=1http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9_-ZguuhBw&NR=1

GeothermalGeothermalConsists of heat stored in soil, underground Consists of heat stored in soil, underground

rocks and fluids within the Earth’s mantlerocks and fluids within the Earth’s mantle Where?Where? Throughout most of the world Throughout most of the world

except the Tundra ~3m below the surface except the Tundra ~3m below the surface 50-60 F50-60 F

Geothermal Heat PumpsGeothermal Heat Pumps

A system of pipes and ducts into ground to A system of pipes and ducts into ground to exchange hot or cold temps depending on exchange hot or cold temps depending on the season.the season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ajqiPe_9Kohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ajqiPe_9Ko

GeothermalGeothermal

What about for Electricity?What about for Electricity?

Tap deeper and more concentrated areasTap deeper and more concentrated areas

Found almost anywhere…5-6 miles belowFound almost anywhere…5-6 miles below

HOT DRY ROCK ZONESHOT DRY ROCK ZONES -magma heats up -magma heats up subsurface rock to high temps. Water is subsurface rock to high temps. Water is added onto rocks, steam produced, turn added onto rocks, steam produced, turn turbines= turbines= electricityelectricity

ALSO,ALSO, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSZ1dIBdOIs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSZ1dIBdOIs

GeothermalGeothermal

Currently 1% of world uses GeoTCurrently 1% of world uses GeoT In Iceland 85% of all bldgs use GeoTIn Iceland 85% of all bldgs use GeoT San Francisco San Francisco “the Geysers”“the Geysers” the worlds the worlds

larges GeoT systems utilizes 1.7 million larges GeoT systems utilizes 1.7 million homes. homes. In the Mayacamas Mountains, In the Mayacamas Mountains, located north of San Francisco,located north of San Francisco,

HydrogenHydrogen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yowRvfFtMgQ&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yowRvfFtMgQ&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esuAlB4NVi0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esuAlB4NVi0

Splitting water using ELECTROLYSIS under HIGH Splitting water using ELECTROLYSIS under HIGH tempstemps

ProblemsProblems

1. H locked in water and organic molecules like 1. H locked in water and organic molecules like fossil fuelsfossil fuels

2. Takes $ and energy to extract the hydrogen2. Takes $ and energy to extract the hydrogen

3. Current fuel cell models are expensive3. Current fuel cell models are expensive