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BIOL 381 > 12 - Alternative forms of energy > Flashcards

12 - Alternative forms of energy Flashcards

1
Q

Clean vs green vs renewable energy

A

Clean: energy gained from sources that do not release air pollutants

Green: energy derived from natural sources; often from renewable E sources

Renewable: energy is power generated from sources that are constantly being replenished

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2
Q

Clean vs green vs renewable energy in simplest terms

A

Renewable = recyclable/replenishing sources
Green = natural (mostly renewable) sources
Clean = clean air

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3
Q

Example of energy source being renewable but not clean?

A

Biofuels/bioenergy from burning biomass

We can regrow plants to burn for fuel, but burning plants releases CO2

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4
Q

Example of a carbon-free (clean) but not renewable source of energy?

A

Nuclear energy: nuclear power plants do not emit GHG’s, but reactors use uranium that we can’t get back

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5
Q

Types of renewable energy (5)

A
  • wind
  • solar
  • water
  • geothermal
  • biomass
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6
Q

How does wind power work? Wind speeds need to be… Lifespan of turbines

A

Using the power of the wind to turn a set of blades and generate electricity

Wind speed has to be between 13 km/h and 90 km/h

Life of a turbine is 20-25 years, operating continuously for up to 120,000 hours

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7
Q

Types of wind turbines

A

Land-based

Shallow water

Deep water (floating platform)

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8
Q

Time it takes a wind turbine to generate a months worth of electricity for the average US home? Tokyo would need how many turbines? One wind turbine requires how much space?

A

46 minutes

Tokyo would require 10,310 turbines

One wind turbine requires 3/4 of a football field

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9
Q

Problems with wind power

A
  • ideal wind sites are often in remote locations
  • installation is expensive
  • wind does not always blow
  • turbines produce noise and alter landscapes
  • wind plants can impact local wildlife
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10
Q

How is electricity generated via solar power?

A

Use solar radiation to generate electricity via photovoltaic cells; also used for heating

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11
Q

Slide 21

A

How solar works

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12
Q

What is the Brooks Project?

A

Western Canada’s first utility-scale solar project

17 Mw solar project near TransCanada Highway in Brooks, AB
Currently 48,582 panels and powering ~3,000 homes

Largest utility scale solar plant in AB

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13
Q

Problems with solar power

A
  • initial cost of installation still high
  • weather dependent (sunlight)
  • storage batteries are expensive
  • requires space
  • transportation and installation of solar systems = GHGs
  • some toxic materials used in manufacturing
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14
Q

How is power generated in hydropower? Water is captured from…

A

Using fast moving water in rivers or from waterfalls to generate electricity

Water can be captured from:
- movement of a river
- wave power
- tidal power

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15
Q

Two main types of hydroelectric plants and their characteristics

A

Run of river
- less environmental disturbances but highly dependent on flow of water (droughts)
- flow of river turns turbine generator produces electricity

Dam
- control over the amount of energy produced

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16
Q

Slides 28, 29, 30, 32

A

Pics

17
Q

Problems with water power

A
  • strong environmental impacts (habitat alteration/destruction)
  • can affect water quality and supply
  • can displace people and wildlife
  • there can be droughts or floods
  • constructions of dams can be challenging and dangerous
  • safety concerns and maintenance over time
18
Q

How does water power produce GHGs? Decrease quality of water?

A

Floods kill vegetation, decomposing plants create GHGs

Water upstream moves slower bc of dam = cannot hold as much oxygen (running water holds more)
Decreases quality of water = some organisms who need more O2 cannot survive

19
Q

What is geothermal power? How is it captured?

A

Using the heat trapped inside the Earth to bring highly heated water to the surface and generate electricity

Captured through:
- geothermal power plants, using heat from inside the Earth to generate steam= electricity
- Geothermal heat pumps, using heat close to the Earth’s surface to heat water or provide heat to buildings

20
Q

Slides 36-38

A

Geothermal power

21
Q

Direct uses of geothermal heat

A
  • hot water used for bathing and swimming
  • space and district heating
  • greenhouse heating
  • aquaculture
  • hot springs
  • de-icing roads
22
Q

Problems with geothermal power

A
  • production limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries
  • some locations may cool down over time
  • drilling and exploration for new sites is expensive and high temps make env quite aggressive
  • releasing of potentially harmful gases or other low-level toxic compounds
  • potential earthquakes due to water injections
23
Q

What is biomass power?

A

Use of organic material from plants and animals including crops, trees, and waste wood

Generated from biological or thermal conversion of biomass resource

24
Q

Other functions of biomass

A
  • can be converted into liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, used to power vehicles
  • rich in hydrogen, which can be extracted and used to generate power and fuel vehicles
25
Q

Slide 45

A

Look

26
Q

Problems with biomass power

A
  • not pollution free: there are GHG emissions
  • uncontrolled biomass production can lead to deforestation and destruction of habitats
  • less efficient than fossil fuels or other renewables
  • requires a lot of space and is expensive
  • unpleasant odors, possible pathogens
  • large amount of water
27
Q

What is hydrogen power? Where do we find hydrogen?

A

Using fossil fuels, renewable energy or nuclear power, we can produce H gas (H2), store it, transport it, and burn it to generate power

H2 rarely exists in isolation but is amassed in water, hydrocarbons and biomass

28
Q

Three ways of producing hydrogen

A
  • thermochemical processes: natural gas or coal reforming
  • biological processes: bacteria fermentation
  • H2O splitting processes (electrolytic, photolytic)
29
Q

Uses for hydrogen

A
  • fuel for transport, power production
  • heat for industry, buildings
  • feedstock for products and chemicals
30
Q

Problems with hydrogen

A
  • expensive and still inefficient
  • lack of H infrastructures (pipelines, production facilities)
  • H production can have environmental impacts
  • dependent on fossil fuels
  • H highly flammable
31
Q

What is nuclear fission? Fusion?

A

Fission = splitting apart of atomic nuclei (releases energy)

Fusion = forcing together of atomic nuclei (requires E)

32
Q

Major nuclear fuel

A

Uranium

33
Q

Slides 56-58

A

nuclear fuels

34
Q

Major problem with nuclear fuels? Example of disaster

A

Uranium tailings
- often stored in water to prevent oxidation and contain radiation
- excess water is treated as nuclear waste

E.g. drinking water contamination in Navajo Nation, USA

35
Q

Categories of waste? Based on…

A

Based on radioactivity

Low-level
Intermediate-level
High-level

36
Q

Proposed solution for nuclear wastes

A

Bury it in deep geological repositories

Find rocks that can contain radioactivity

37
Q

How common are nuclear power accidents in Canada and the US?

A

Rare, only 10 in Canadian history; no fatalities

56 in the USA, 12 fatalities (mostly non-radiation related injuries)

38
Q

Two nuclear power accidents with widespread, measurable environmental damages

A
  • Fukushima Daiichi, 2011
  • Chernobyl, 1986
39
Q

How to ensure nuclear power is safe

A

Operate and maintain it properly
- never shut off safety systems
- don’t build them in questionable locations
- find better way to reduce, reuse or store nuclear wastes

BIOL 381 (18 decks)

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