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AP Environmental Science > Renewable Energy > Flashcards

Renewable Energy Flashcards

1
Q

Potentially Renewable Energy

A

Resources that are renewable as long as it is not consumed faster than it can be replenished
Ex: Wood and Biofuels

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2
Q

Nondepletable Energy

A

Energy sources that cannot be depleted in human time

Ex: Solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric

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3
Q

Biomass

A

Organic matter burned to release heat - primarily for home and cooking

Wood, Charcoal, Animal Products, Manure, Plant Remains, Municipal Solid Waste, Biodiesel and Ethanol

  • Inexpensive and abundant and used all over the world
  • Others require technological demands

Disadvantage: MUCH more expensive to be a powerplant than a FF powerplant

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4
Q

Biofuels

A 
Liquid fuels (ethanol, biodiesel) created from biomass 
- Used as replacement fuel sources for gasoline
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5
Q

Modern Carbon

A

Burning biomass releases modern carbon (CO2 that was recently sequestered or taken out of the atmosphere)

  • Biomass burning releases CO2 but doesn’t increase atmospheric CO2 levels
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6
Q

Fossil Carbon

A

FF burning releases fossil carbon that has been stored for millions of years

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7
Q

Biomass Advantages

A
  • Potentially renewable
  • Available in most places
  • Little technology needed
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8
Q

Biomass Disadvantages

A
  • Produces Air Pollution and its Pollutants
  • Deforestation: more in developing nations
  • Erosion
  • Biomass burning leads to respiration issues
  • Smog formation
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9
Q

Ethanol

A

Alcohol - the same one found in alcoholic beverages is made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol [mostly made of corn]

US is the world’s leaders in ethanol production

Often ethanol is mixed with traditional gasoline (1:9)

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10
Q

Biodiesel

A

Produced by extracting oil from algae and plants like soybeans and palm

Palm oil biodiesel has been found to produce 98% more GHGs and FFs due to clearing of forest for palm plantations

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11
Q

Ethanol Pros

A
  • Renewable
  • Less Air Pollution
  • Supports the farming industry
  • Reduces dependence on foreign energy
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12
Q

Ethanol Cons

A
  • Lower energy content

- Growing corn requires large inputs of water fertilizer, and pesticides

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13
Q

Biodiesel Advantages

A
  • Lower emissions

- Renewable

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14
Q

Biodiesel Disadvantages

A

Fossil fuels are used to grow the plants used to make biodiesel.

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15
Q

Top Producers of Biofuel

A
  • US
  • Brazil
  • Indonesia
  • Germany, France
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16
Q

Hydroelectricity basics

A

Kinetic energy of moving water –> spins turbine –> turbine powers generator

Largest renewable source of electricity

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17
Q

3 biggest hydroelectricity producers

A

China, Brazil, US

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18
Q

Water Impoundment (Dams)

A

Dam built in a river creates a large artificial lake behind the dam [reservoir]

Damming the river enables operators to allow more or less water through the channel in the dam

Allows for control of flow downstream (prevention of seasonal flooding)

Reservoirs are also a source of recreation money (tourism)

2 big impacts: flooding of ecosystems, sedimentation

19
Q

Run of River System

A

A dam diverts the natural current of a river through a man-made channel beside the river

Less impactful to surrounding ecosystem

Doesn’t stop natural flow of sediments downstream

Doesn’t generate nearly as much power and may be unavailable in warmer seasons when river water levels are lower

20
Q

Tidal Energy

A

Tidal power: comes from tidal ocean flow turning turbine [coastal areas only]

Does not have the potential to be a major source of electric energy

21
Q

Hydroelectricity Pros

A
  • No air pollution
  • No waste products
  • No CO2 emissions
  • Recreation
  • Downstream flood control
  • Tourist Attractions
  • Jobs
  • Reliable Electricity
22
Q

Hydroelectricity Cons

A
  • Flood prevention is good, but deprives river flood plains of nutrient rich sediment that supports plant growth
  • People may need to relocate once dam is built and water reservoir builds up
  • Impedes or stops animal movement
  • Downstream ecosystems get less water
  • Sediment accumulation: changes upstream and downstream conditions [downstream loses sediment, upstream becomes warmer]
  • Fossil Fuel combustion during dam construction
  • Methane release due to anaerobic decomp
  • Human homes and businesses have to be relocated
23
Q

Fish Ladders

A

Cement steps of pools that migratory fish like salmon can use to continue migration upstream

24
Q

Geothermal Energy

A

Geothermal does not come from the sun

Heat the comes from radioactive decay of elements deep within Earth

Water can be piped down into the ground and heated by this heat from the mantle

25
Q

Ground Source Heat Pump

A

Heat absorbing fluid is pumped through a pipe into the ground where it either takes on heat from the ground, or gives off heat to the ground

26
Q

Geothermal Heating

A

Involves piping water deep into ground to be heated by magma and then transferring heat from water to the building

DIFFERENT THAN GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP

Well must go thousands of meters down to reach heated water reservoir

27
Q

Geothermal Pros

A
  • Potentially renewable: only if water is piped back into the ground
  • Much less CO2 emission than FF electricity
  • No release of pollutants as is case with FFs
28
Q

Geothermal Cons

A
  • Not everywhere on earth has access to geothermal energy reaching close enough to surface to access it
  • Hydrogen sulfide can be released, which is toxic and can be lethal
  • Cost of drilling is HUGE
29
Q

Top Geothermal Energy Producing Countries

A
  • US
  • Indonesia
  • Philippines
  • Turkey
30
Q

Wind Energy

A
  • Wind is caused by the uneven heating of Earth’s surface
  • Warm air rises, Cool air sinks: creates circulation patterns
  • US has the largest wind generating capacity in the world
  • Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of moving air into electricity
31
Q

Wind Turbine Electricity Generation

A

Kinetic energy of moving air spins a turbine

Only produces electricity in 8-55 mph winds

32
Q

Top Producers of Wind Energy

A 
China
US (Texas)
Germany
India
Spain
33
Q

Wind Turbine Location

A
  • Clustered in groups (wind projects or farms) in flat, open areas
  • Offshore wind = wind farms in oceans or lakes
34
Q

Wind Energy Pros

A
  • Non-depletable
  • No GHG
  • No CO2
  • Can share land uses
35
Q

Wind Energy Cons

A
  • Intermittency
  • Can’t replace base-load power
  • Can kill birds and bats
  • Can be considered an eyesore
36
Q

Passive Solar Energy

A

Absorbing or blocking heat from the sun without the use of mechanical or electrical equipment
ex: using sun’s heat to cook food in a solar oven, orienting building design

37
Q

Active Solar Energy

A

use of mechanical/electrical equipment to capture sun’s heat or convert light rays

38
Q

Photovoltaic Cells (PV)

A

“solar panels”: contain semiconductor (silicon) that emits low voltage electrical current when exposed to the sun

DRAWBACK: intermittency (solar energy can only be generated during the day)

39
Q

Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST)

A
  • Heliostats (mirrors) reflect sun’s rays onto a central water tower in order to heat water to produce steam to turn a turbine

DRAWBACK: habitat destruction and light beams frying birds

40
Q

Large scale solar farms

A

can generate lots of electricity, but take up land and cause habitat fragmentation

41
Q

Rooftop solar

A

doesn’t take up land, but only produces a little electricity

42
Q

Solar Energy Pros

A
  • no air pollutants
  • no co2
  • no mining
  • renewable
43
Q

Solar Energy Cons

A
  • semiconductor still need to be mined
  • can disrupt habitats and pollute water with mine tailings
  • silicon is limited
  • expensive

AP Environmental Science (6 decks)

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