Energy Flashcards
Biomass energy
uses organic material which is burned to create energy. Biomass is renewable organic matter such as wood or ethanol (derived almost exclusively from corn).
Passive Solar Design
mitigates the building’s energy needs. The goal of passive design is to maximize the amount of direct sunlight available to each building - for example, orienting streets and front lot lines along the east-west axis. In colder climates, windows facing south can capture solar energy for daytime heating.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems
se photovoltaic cell technology to capture radiant energy from the sun and create electricity. Photovoltaic cells are placed on panels that are then placed on rooftops or mounted on the ground. Cells can operate at the residential to the utility scale.
Energy Efficiency
Buildings are made more efficient by using insulation, which is rated in terms of thermal resistance, called R-value ( the resistance to heat flow). The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation.
A minimum R-value recommended for residential use.
20
62.7% of US energy is from
Fossil Fuel
17.1% of energy is from
Renewables (wind and hydro primarily)
Renewable energy
Cannot be exhausted and is constantly renewed. This includes sunlight, geothermal heat, wind, tides, water, and various forms of biomass.
Petroleum Dependence
The fluctuating petroleum prices since mid-2005 indicate instability in the industry or the market. Either way, the supply of petroleum and petroleum products has an enormous impact on our economy and society. Petroleum fuels our transportation system, is an essential ingredient in all things made of plastic, and paves many of our roads.
“Peak oil” is a term being used in the past two years to describe a situation where the petroleum output is at its maximum with a continued to increase in demand. This would create a severe shortage. With China and India now demanding a much larger share of the petroleum supply than they had at the close of the century, and the demand of the rest of us still steadily increasing, this is not an impossibility.
As planners, we need to consider the impact a severe and long-term petroleum shortage would have on the economy, society, and land use patterns. But, we should also consider how those three elements also combine to impact our demand for petroleum products (not just gasoline).
Wind
Wind energy is the harnessing of moving air currents to turn a turbine and create electric energy. It is site sensitive in that the turbines need to be located where there is sufficient wind velocity and constancy generate a constant flow of power. Most wind power is supplemented by traditional sources such as coal. Wind turbines are controversial due to the visual impact they have on the surrounding community. Because they need to “catch” the wind, they are generally located in highly visible points and can be seen for miles around.
Water
Water power is using flowing water currents to turn turbines to create power. Like wind power, it is site sensitive, generally requiring large amounts of water and large topographical differences to create a constant flow of sufficient strength to generate power. Unlike wind power, hydrologic power plants do not need to be supplemented and are not generally as controversial in terms of their impact, although controversy will arise if the power plant needs a reservoir built to supplement or sustain the flow. These reservoirs can double as recreation facilities and become focal points for the host communities.
Solar
Solar power converts the radiation from the sun into heat and electric power. Indeed, the amount of solar energy intercepted by the earth each minute exceeds the amount of fossil-fuel- produced energy consumed worldwide in an entire year. It requires panels that collect the radiation and convert it to power or distribute it as heat. If it is converted to power, it must either be consumed immediately or stored in any one of a myriad of methods of power storage.
Geothermal
Geothermal heat rises in convective waves from deep in the earth. It generally requires deep pipes or wells to harness the convective force and make it useful. It is the most efficient heating and cooling method for most buildings. For power, the heat is harnessed and is set to turn a turbine or generator to create power. Geothermal requires the presence of the heat convection phenomenon to be successful.
