Alternative energy !!!! Flashcards
to activate (sth.)
-> activation
The computer activates the turbine when wind speed reach 5m/s
etw. aktivieren
->aktivieren
to alter
->alteration
We have to alter our way of producing energy
sich ändern, umgestalten
->(Ab-/Ver)änderung, Neuerung
to alternate
→ alternation
→ an alternative
The grid uses alternating current (AC) at a
frequency of 50 Hz.
sich abwechseln, wechseln
→ Abwechslung, (Wechsel)folge
→ Ausweichmöglichkeit, Variante
anemometer
Wind speed is measured by an anemometer.
Luftgeschwindigkeitsmesser
availability
→ available
The availability of solar energy is not constant.
Verfügbarkeit
→ verfügbar, benutzbar
biomass
→ biofuel
Biomass can be used to produce alternative fuels.
Biomasse
→ Biotreibstoff
biodegradable
Biodegradable waste can be broken down
into various natural components
biologisch abbaubar
blade
The blades of a wind turbine capture the wind
energy.
(Propeller-)Blatt, -Flügel; Klinge
boiler
→ to boil
In thermal power stations steam is generated
by heating water in a boiler.
Dampfkessel
→ sieden
carbon dioxide, CO2
→ to go zero carbon
Cars release carbon dioxide (CO2)
Kohlenstoffdioxid
→ emissionsfrei werden
coal
Coal is a fossil fuel.
Kohle
coil
The coil produces an electrical field inside
the generator
Spule
to collapse
→ collapse
The power grid might collapse due to extreme
fluctuations in energy flow
einstürzen, zusammenbrechen,
kollabieren
→ Zusammenbruch
combustion
→ to combust = to burn
In an internal combustion engine, fuel is
combusted with air in a combustion chamber
Verbrennung
→ verbrennen
conductor
→ semiconductor
A conductor is a material which contains
movable electric charges. Silicon is an
important material for semiconductors.
Leiter
→ Halbleiter
commercially (un)viable
Most renewable energy sources are still
commercially unviable
(un)wirtschaftlich, (un)rentabel
competition
→ to compete
→ competitor
Competition is a rivalry between individuals,
groups, nations, or animals, for territory or
resources
Konkurrenz
→ im Wettbewerb stehen,
konkurrieren
→ Konkurrent
component
People with very specific requirements build
their own computers from scratch, i.e. they
buy the components and assemble them
Bestandteil, Bauelement
to contribute to
→ contribution
CO2 contributes to global warming
beisteuern, beitragen
→ Beitrag, Mitwirkung
consumption
→ to consume
Old technical devices consume more energy
and should be replaced by devices with less
consumption
Verbrauch
→ verbrauchen, verzehren
conventional source of energy
Coal counts among the conventional sources
of energy
herkömmliche Energiequelle
to convert sth into sth…
→ conversion
→ converter
Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of
wind into mechanical energy.
etw. umwandeln zu
→ Konvertierung, Umwandlung
→ Konverter, Umformer,
Stromrichter
current
→ AC = alternating current
→ DC = direct current
Current is the rate of flow of electric charge.
Strom
→ Wechselstrom
→ Gleichstrom
decentralized
→ decentralization
A decentralized power grid is needed to
improve the efficiency of solar energy.
dezentralisiert
→ Dezentralisierung, Verlagerung
(to be) dependent on
→ dependence on
(to be) independent of
independence of
independence from
Most Western countries are dependent on oil
imports.
Most former colonies have reached
independence from colonial power.
abhängig (sein) von
→ Abhängigkeit von
unabhängig (sein) von
Unabhängigkeit
politische Unabhängigkeit
to dig (dug, dug)
The Channel Tunnel was dug using TBM
graben
district heating
The heat for district heating often comes from
cogeneration plants
Fernwärme
to draw a conclusion from
(drew, drawn)
A clever reading strategy is to deal with a text
by drawing conclusions on the basis of
existing knowledge.
eine Schlussfolgerung ziehen
to drive (drove, driven)
→ a drive
Wind power can be used to drive wind
turbines
antreiben
→ Antrieb
efficiency
→ efficient (adj.)
inefficient
The efficiency of solar cells is reduced when
dust accumulates on the panels.
Wirkungsgrad, Nutzwert
→ leistungsfähig, produktiv,
wirtschaftlich
leistungsschwach, unpraktisch,
wirkungslos
electromagnetic induction
The efficiency of solar cells is reduced when
dust accumulates on the panels
elektromagnetische Induktion
electromagnetic induction
The generator produces electricity by
electromagnetic induction
elektromagnetische Induktion
emission
→ carbon emissions
→ to emit
CO2 emissions have increased in the last 10
years.
Ausstoß, Ausstrahlung, Emission
→ Kohlenstoffabgase, -Ausstoß
→ ausstossen, abgeben, absondern
(alternative / renewable)
energy
→ bio ~
→ geothermal ~
→ hydro ~
→ solar ~
→ tidal ~
→ wave ~
→ wind ~
Wave, solar and wind power are alternative
or renewable energy sources.
(erneuerbare) Energie
→ Bioenergie
→ Geothermie
→ Wasserkraft
→ Solarenergie
→ Gezeitenenergie
→ Wellenenergie
→ Windkraft
environment
→ environmental hazard
→ environmentally aware
→ environmentally friendly
People have become more environmentally
aware and preserve the environment, for
example by recycling their rubbish.
Umwelt
→ Umweltgefährdung
→ umweltbewusst
→ umweltfreundlich
finite (= limited) [’faɪnaɪt]
infinite [‘ɪnfɪnɪt]
Fossil fuels are finite
begrenzt, endlich
unbegrenzt, unendlich
fuel
→ fossil ~
→ conventional ~
→ bio ~
Environmentalists would like to see fossil
fuels replaced by renewable energy sources.
Treib-, Brennstoff
→ fossiler Treibstoff
→ herkömmlicher Treibstoff
→ biologischer Treibstoff
furnace
In thermal power stations gas or oil are burnt
in a furnace.
(Brenn)Ofen
to fuse
→ nuclear fusion
→ to fuse nuclei
Hydrogen fusion is another way of generating energy.
schmelzen, fusionieren
→ Kernschmelze, Kernfusion
→ Atomkerne verschmelzen
gasification
→ to gasify
Coal gas is produced from the gasification of
coal
Vergasung
→ (sich) in Gas umwandeln
gear transmission
→ gear
→ gearbox
In wind turbines, the gear transmission
increases the speed of the shaft.
(Zahnrad-) Getriebe
-> Vorrichtung, Ausrüstung
-> Getriebegehäuse
generation
→ to generate (power)
cogeneration
→ cogeneration plant
(CHP = combined heat
and power generation)
→ trigeneration plant
This wind turbine generates 600kW
Erzeugung
→ (Strom) erzeugen
Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung
→ Blockheizkraftwerk
Trigenerationsanlage (KraftWärme-Kälte-Kopplung)
global warming
The Earth’s poles are melting because of
global warming.
globale (Erd-)Erwärmung
greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gases contribute to global
warming
Treibhausgas
grid
→ national grid
Electic power is transmitted via cables to the national grid.
(Strom-)Netz
→ öffentliches Stromnetz
ground source heat pump
(A ground source heat pump is a central
heating and/or cooling system that pumps
heat to or from the ground.)
Erdwärmepumpe
to harness sth = to utilize
Wind turbines harness the wind to produce
electricity.
etw. nutzbar machen
to house
→ housing
In a wind turbine, the nacelle houses the
gearbox, low and high-speed shafts, brakes
and the generator.
anordnen, unterbringen
→ Gehäuse, Gondel
hub
The hub links the blades to the low-speed
shaft. London’s Heathrow is a hub airport.
(Rad)Nabe; Mittel-, Angelpunkt
hydraulic system
→ hydraulics(used with singular
verb)
A hydraulic system is operated by a liquid
moving under pressure through an arrangement of cylinders and pistons
Hydrauliksystem
→ Hydraulik
inference
→ to infer from
I can make inferences if I have prior
knowledge of a subject.
Schlussfolgerung
→ schlussfolgern
inflammable gas
noninflammable, nonflammable
(Inflammable gases can cause dangerous explosions.)
entflammbares Gas
nicht entflammbar
insulation
→ to insulate
→ insulator
A lot of insulation materials are available.
Electrical insulators are mostly based on
plastics
(Wärme-, Strom-)Isolierung
→ (ab-)isolieren
→ Isolator, Dämmstoff, Nichtleiter
≠ isolation
Students sometimes value to work in isolation, i.e. privacy without being disturbed
≠ Abgeschiedenheit, Vereinsamung
innovator
→ innovative [ɪnəvetɪv]
An innovator turns new ideas into practice.
Erneuerer, Erfinder
→ bahnbrechend, erfindungsreich
line loss
When electricity is transported over long
distances, line losses occur.
Leitungsverlust
nacelle
The nacelle of a wind turbine houses the main
components.
Gondel
natural gas
Oil and natural gas reserves are finite.
Erdgas
non-polluting
Wind power is a non-polluting energy form.
umweltfreundlich; ungiftig
nucleus (pl: nuclei)
→ nuclear
→ nuclear power plant
→ nuclear fission
→ to split a nucleus
The splitting of atomic nuclei is controlled by
coolants.
Generating energy by nuclear fission is
cheap but dealing with the refuse is expensive.
Kern, Atom
→ atomar, Kern-, Atom-
→ Kernkraftwerk
→ Kernspaltung, Teilung
→ einen Atomkern spalten
objective
Our objective is to waste as little energy as
possible
Ziel
offshore
onshore
A windpark is more efficient when it is built offshore
ablandig, der Küste vorgelagert
auflandig, im Küstenvorland
power plant, power station
A power plant is a factory producing power
Kraftwerk,
Energieerzeugungsanlage
to pollute
→ a pollutant
Conventional power plants pollute the environment with their emissions.
verschmutzen, verunreinigen
→ (Umwelt-)Schadstoff
rape seed
Rape seed oil can be used as a biofuel
Rapssaat
to recycle
→ recycling
→ recyclable
Paper can be recycled and used again.
wiederaufbereiten
→ Abfallverwertung
→ wiederverwertbar, recyclingfähig
to relay = to transfer
In wind turbines, power is relayed from the
hub to the gear by means of a low-speed
shaft
übertragen, weiterleiten
release
→ to release
The release of dangerous emissions must be
stopped
Abgabe, Ausgabe, Freisetzung
→ abgeben, freisetzen, ausscheiden
resistance
→ electrical resistance
The amount of current will also depend on the
electrical resistance of a wire
Widerstand
→ elektrischer Widerstand
revenue
Our company`s annual revenue rose by 30%
in one year alone.
Einkommen
rotor
→ rotary motion
A rotor is a part of a machine which turns
around and can set objects into rotary
motion.
Rotor
→ Drehbewegung;
Rotationsbewegung
shaft
A shaft transmits rotating forces
Welle; Deichsel
solar cells
→ solar panel
→ photovoltaic
Solar cells can be combined to solar panels
to convert the energy of sunlight directly into
electricity by the photovoltaic effect
Solarzellen,
→ Solarpanel, Solarzellenplatte
→ photoelektrisch, photovoltaisch
to split (split, split)
Uranium atoms are split in a nuclear power
reactor
(auf-)spalten, teilen
steam
The generated steam drives huge turbines.
Dampf, Wasserdampf
to step up / down a voltage
A transformer is used to increase or decrease
the voltage level, i.e. step it up or down.
herauf- / heruntertransformieren
store
→ thermal store
→ to store
→ storage capacity
A thermal store saves heat for later demand
Speicher
→ Wärmespeicher
→ lagern, speichern
→ Speicherkapazität
substitute
→ to substitute sth for/by sth
Biodiesel is a substitute for diesel.
Ersatz
→ etw. ersetzen
sustainability
→ to sustain
→ sustainable
These days, people care much about the
sustainability aspect in their interaction with
the environment.
Nachhaltigkeit
→ (aufrecht-)erhalten
→ nachhaltig, zukunftsfähig
to threaten
→ a threat
Our environment is threatened by the
greenhouse effect.
bedrohen
→ Bedrohung
tide
→ high/low tide
→ tidal energy
The world’s first and biggest tidal power plant is located in France
Gezeit
→ Ebbe und Flut
→ Gezeiten-Energie
to transmit
→ a transmission
A cable is needed to transmit signals from
one point to another.
aussenden, funken
→ Übertragung
transformer
→ to transform
A transformer is used to increase or decrease
the voltage level, i.e. it transforms it
Transformator, Trafo, Stromwandler
→ umwandeln
tubular
→ a tube
Tubular wind turbine towers provide safer
access because operators can climb up from
the inside.
röhrenförmig
→ Röhre
turbine [tə:bain]
A turbine is a machine for producing power:
a rotor revolves by a fast-moving flow of
water, steam, gas, or air.
Turbine
to vary
→ variation
Results may vary depending on the test setup
verändern, variieren
→ (Maß)abweichung
wind turbine
Wind turbines are mounted on towers typically 50 to 80 metres in height.
Windturbine
