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

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
Slide 45
Look
26
Problems with biomass power
- 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
What is hydrogen power? Where do we find hydrogen?
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
Three ways of producing hydrogen
- thermochemical processes: natural gas or coal reforming - biological processes: bacteria fermentation - H2O splitting processes (electrolytic, photolytic)
29
Uses for hydrogen
- fuel for transport, power production - heat for industry, buildings - feedstock for products and chemicals
30
Problems with hydrogen
- 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
What is nuclear fission? Fusion?
Fission = splitting apart of atomic nuclei (releases energy) Fusion = forcing together of atomic nuclei (requires E)
32
Major nuclear fuel
Uranium
33
Slides 56-58
nuclear fuels
34
Major problem with nuclear fuels? Example of disaster
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
Categories of waste? Based on...
Based on radioactivity Low-level Intermediate-level High-level
36
Proposed solution for nuclear wastes
Bury it in deep geological repositories Find rocks that can contain radioactivity
37
How common are nuclear power accidents in Canada and the US?
Rare, only 10 in Canadian history; no fatalities 56 in the USA, 12 fatalities (mostly non-radiation related injuries)
38
Two nuclear power accidents with widespread, measurable environmental damages
- Fukushima Daiichi, 2011 - Chernobyl, 1986
39
How to ensure nuclear power is safe
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