Renewable Energy Flashcards
can be replaced or regenerated and will never run out (at least not for a very long time).
Renewable energy sources
Examples of renewable energy sources
hydropower (water), solar,
wind, geothermal, and biomass, tidal
energy
will eventually run out
– once used they cannot be
used again
Non-renewable sources
Development of efficient and sustainable energy technologiesis
necessary for taking the next big step in renewable energy usage.
Energy solution
Potential Sources of Energy when Fossil
Fuels Run Out
Nuclear Fusion and Renewable energies
It is a renewable energy source because the water is
replenished by rainfall and the heat is continuously
produced inside the earth.
Geothermal energy
largest users of geothermal
Japan, Iceland, New Zealand
Uses the steam and hot water produced
inside the earth to turn turbine for
heating buildings or generating electricity
Geothermal energy
Geothermal energy is generated in the _______, 4000 miles below the surface
earth’s core
surrounds the core and is about 1,800 miles thick. It is made up of
magma and rock
mantle
the outermost layer of the earth
crust
the land that forms the continents and
ocean floors
crust
The earth’s crust is broken into pieces called
Plates
Uses of geothermal energy include
Direct use and district heating systems, electricity generation, geothermal heat pumps
which use hot water from springs or reservoirs near the surface.
Direct use and District heating systems
in a power plant requires water or steam at very high temperature
(300 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit).
Electricity generation
use stable ground or water temperatures near the earth’s surface
to control building temperatures above ground.
Geothermal heat pumps
process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity.
Wind energy or wind power
Air in motion caused by _______ of the earth’s surface by the sun.
uneven heating
Wind is a renewable
energy source because the wind will blow as long as
the sun shines.
The energy of wind is harnesses with
turbines
Wind energy currently generates only ___ of all electricity on a global scale
1%
Wind energy grows rapidly in region of _______, where wind already accounts ______ of the total electricity production
Denmark, 19%
The ratio of actual annual productivity to the theoretical maximum capacity
capacity factor
Common capacity factors of wind turbines
20-40%
sun’s rays (solar radiation) that reach
the earth. Can be used to heat water and heat spaces.
Solar energy
Solar energy can be converted to electricity in two ways, namely
Photovoltaic and Solar power plants
change sunlight directly into electricity. PV components are PV cells, Modules, Arrays.
Photovoltaic or solar cells
indirectly generates electricity when the heat from solar thermal collectors is used to heat a fluid which produces steam that is used to power a generator.
Solar Power Plants
derived from the force of moving
water. Since water is much denser than air, its movement generates more energy than
wind does.
Hydropower
Electricity generated with hydropower
hydroelectricity
Hydropower was harnessed with
waterwheels
Hydropower supplies some ___ of all electricity in the world.
19%
Hydroelectricity is mostly generated in
dams
organic material made from plants and animals.
Biomass
consists of living or recently dead organisms or other biological materials
Biomass
Biomass can be converted to other usable forms of energy
methane gas or transportation fuels (ethanol and biodiesel)
Biomass is used to produce
biofuel
The most common material for biofuels
photosynthetic plants
A plant especially grown to be used for biofuel manufacturing is known as a
energy crop
cleaner burning and produce fewer air pollutants than fossil fuels.
Biofuels
