Chapter 13 Vocab Flashcards
energy conservation
the implementation of methods to use less energy
tiered rate system
customers pay a low rate for the first increment of electricity they use and pay higher rates as their use goes up
peak demand
the greatest quantity of energy used at any one time
passive solar design
the technique of heating and cooling a building naturally without the use of mechanical equipment
thermal mass
A property of a building material that allows it to maintain heat or cold.
potentially renewable
can be replaced rather rapidly
nondepletable
solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, tidal energy = nondepletable in the span of human time. no matter how much you use there will always be more. tomorrow’s resource does not depend on today’s use
renewable
that can be replaced naturally
biofuel
Fuels, such as ethanol or methanol, that are created from the fermentation of plants or plant products.
modern carbon
Carbon in biomass that was recently in the atmosphere
fossil carbon
has been buried for millions of years. less neutral than modern carbon
carbon neutral
of or relating to fuels that produce an amount of CO2 when burned that is equal to or less than the amount taken up by the plants from which they are made
net removal
The process of removing more that is replace by growth, typically used when referring to carbon.
ethanol
Alcohol made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2.
biodiesel
processed fuel made from vegetable oil or animal fats which can be used in unmodified diesel engines
flex-fuel vehicle
vehicles that can burn variable mixtures of gasoline and ethanol
hydroelectricity
electricity produced by water power
run-of-the-river
Hydroelectricity generation in which water is retained behind a low dam or no dam.
water impoundment
The storage of water in a reservoir behind a dam.
tidal energy
the energy captured by transforming the wave motion of water into electrical energy using a turbine
siltation
The accumulation of sediments, primarily silt, on the bottom of a reservoir.
active solar energy
collects solar energy and converts it either to heat or to electricity
photovoltaic solar cell
capture energy from the Sun as light, not heat, and convert it directly into electricity
wind energy
the energy captured by transforming the motion of air into electrical energy using a turbine
wind turbine
a windmill connected to a generator that produces electricity
geothermal energy
energy produced by thermal energy inside of Earth
ground source heat pump
A technology that transfers heat from the ground to a building.
fuel cell
An electrical-chemical device that converts fuel, such as hydrogen, into an electrical current.
electrolysis
The application of an electric current to water molecules to split them into hydrogen and oxygen.
smart grid
An efficient, self-regulating electricity distribution network that accepts any source of electricity and distributes it effectively to end users.
oxygenated fuel
A fuel with oxygen as part of the molecule
cellulosic ethanol
An ethanol derived from cellulose, the cell wall material in plants
