Lesson 19: Renewable Energy Resources Flashcards
Where does the original energy of biomass and fossil fuels come from?
Photosynthesis
Where does the original energy from nuclear energy come from?
Nuclear fission
Where does the original energy from hydrogen fuel cells come from?
Chemical reactions
Where does the original energy from solar energy come from?
The sun
Where does the original tidal energy come from?
Gravity
Where does the original wind energy and hydro-power come from?
Both solar energy and gravity
Where does geothermal energy originally come from?
The Earth’s internal heat
How are renewable energy resources used in the US?
Only 20% used for electricity in 2021
What are the pros (1) and cons (7) of wind energy?
Pros: Renewable
Cons:
- Variability (only when wind blows)
- Aesthetics
- Shadow Flicker
- Sound
- Biological Resource Impacts
- Construction
- Disposal (landfills - will never break down)
What is the potential for wind energy in the US?
Wind energy is only possible in areas with plenty of wind resources
What are the pros (4) and cons (4) of hydropower?
Pros:
- uses water that is not reduced or used up in the process
- Clean
- Renewable
- Reservoirs can provide irrigation water, flood control, and recreation
Cons:
- Dams have finite lifetimes
- Limited sites to construct dams
- Flooding whatever is upstream (destroy ecosystems)
- Reservoirs trap sediment and nutrients
What is the potential for hydropower in the US?
Most generation capacity is in the west
What are the pros (3) and cons(3) of solar energy?
Pros:
- Clean
- Environmentally Friendly
- Abundant
Cons:
- Inefficient
- Variable amounts
- Need of a large surface area to absorb/collect a useful amount of energy
Compare passive vs active solar collectors.
Passive solar collectors: designed and oriented to collect, store, and distribute heat energy from sunlight to the occupants without the use of electronic/moving parts.
Active solar collectors: use mechanical/electrical devices that convert the Sun’s heat/light to another form of usable energy
What are the common biomasses? (4)
- Wood
- Crops
- Manure
- Garbage
What are the sources of biofuel?
- Corn
- Wheat
- Soybeans
- Sugarcane
What is the most common biofuel?
ethanol
What plate boundaries are suitable for geothermal use?
Divergent plate boundaries and subduction zones.
What is the main limitation of geothermal power globally?
Few cities lie near geothermal resources
What is the potential for geothermal energy in the US?
Only in the West near the Ring of Fire
How does tidal energy work?
By constructing a dam across the mouth of a bay or estuary in a coastal area
The narrow opening between the bay and the open ocean magnifies variations in water level that occur as the tides rise and fall.
In 2021, which renewable energy source claimed the top spot in terms of billion kWh generated?
Wind
When it comes to wind electricity generation in the US (2001-2018), which state comes out on top?
Texas
Most US hydroelectricity generation capacity is in the ___.
West
If you are building a home with a passive solar design, the aperture/collectors (the windows) should face within 30 degrees of true ____.
South
Locations in ____ latitudes and in ____ climates generally receive higher amounts of insolcation (solar energy) than any other locations.
lower; arid
Currently, ___ is the main crop used to make biofuels.
Corn
The most commonly used biofuel is ____, a type of alcohol.
Ethanol
US geothermal power plants are concentrated in the ______.
West
If you wanted to build a geothermal power plant, what type of plate boundary would you avoid?
Transform
What is the main problem with the use of geothermal energy on a global basis?
Few cities lie near geothermal resources.
