Renewable energy Flashcards
How does a wind turbine generate electricity?
Wind turns blades, spinning a generator shaft to produce electricity.
What is Betz’s law?
The maximum theoretical efficiency of wind energy capture (59.3%).
How do photovoltaic cells work?
Convert sunlight into electricity via the photovoltaic effect.
What limits solar panel efficiency?
Material properties, temperature, and reflection losses.
What is the principle behind hydropower?
Converts gravitational potential energy of water into kinetic energy to generate power.
Define capacity factor in renewables.
Actual output vs. maximum possible output over a time period.
What is a solar thermal power plant?
Uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight for heat-driven power generation.
How does geothermal energy work?
Utilizes heat from Earth’s core to produce steam and drive turbines.
How does biomass generate energy?
Organic materials are burned or converted to biofuels for energy.
What is the primary advantage of pumped hydro storage?
Long-term storage with high efficiency.
What is the main disadvantage of solar energy?
Intermittency and dependence on sunlight.
What is tidal energy?
Harnesses gravitational pull of the moon to generate power.
How does wave energy work?
Converts kinetic energy of ocean waves into electricity.
What is a microgrid?
A small, localized energy grid that can operate independently.
What is a feed-in tariff (FiT)?
Fixed payments for renewable energy generation.
