Renewable Energy Sources

Question 1

What makes geothermal and hydroelectric energy renewable?

Answer 1

It uses clean fuel sources. Heat is constantly being produced and water is constantly moving.

Question 2

Where can geothermal plants be situated?

Answer 2

They can be situated in places near volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, or fumaroles. These serve as a kind of vent that releases the heat of the core to the surface of the earth.

Question 2

What is geothermal energy?

Answer 2

It is the heat from the earth that comes as a result of the formation of the planet and the radioactive decay of materials.

Question 3

Where are these places found?

Answer 3

They are found in the most tectonically and volcanically active places in the world, such as the Philippines, USA, and Indonesia.

Question 4

What are the uses of geothermal energy?

Answer 4

Direct use & district heating, geothermal power plant (energy generation), and heat pumps.

Question 5

Elaborate on using geothermal energy for direct use & district heating.

Answer 5

It is used directly through bathing in hot springs and through the direct heating of buildings.

Question 5

Elaborate on using geothermal energy for energy generation.

Answer 5

It is used to generate electricity by utilizing heat to create steam that can spin a turbine and generate electricity.

Question 6

What are the three types of geothermal power plants?

Answer 6

Dry steam power plant, flash steam power plant, and binary cycle power plant.

Question 7

What is dry steam power plant?

Answer 7

This power plant utilizes steam directly from a geothermal reservoir.

Question 8

What is flash steam power plant?

Answer 8

This power plant utilizes steam that is converted from hot water deep inside the earth.

Question 9

What is binary cycle power plant?

Answer 9

This is utilized when the temperature is not high enough. The first cycle collects heat from a fluid, and the second cycle uses that heat to boil another liquid with a lower boiling point.

Question 10

Which is the most efficient type of geothermal power plant?

Answer 10

The binary cycle power plant.

Question 11

Elaborate on the use of geothermal energy for heat pump.

Answer 11

A heat pump works by moving heat from one place to another. A series of connected pipes are buried underground containing a refrigerant. When it is cold outside, the heat from the ground is moved into our homes. When it is warm outside, the heat from inside our
homes is put back into the ground.

Question 11

What is hydroelectric power resource?

Answer 11

It is the conversion of the mechanical energy of flowing water into electrical energy.

Question 11

What are the three types of hydroelectric power plants?

Answer 11

Impoundment facilities, pumped storage facilities, and run-of-river facilities.

Question 12

What are impoundment facilities?

Answer 12

Utilizes a dam to create a reservoir of water which they can use for electricity generation.

Question 13

What are pumped storage facilities?

Answer 13

Similar to the impoundment facilities except is has a second storage reservoir at the bottom of the well. This reservoir is used to handle situations in which the demand for electricity is low or if there is a surplus of electricity.

Question 14

What are run-of-river facilities?

Answer 14

It uses the natural flow rate of water to generate electricity.

Question 15

What is the most efficient type of hydroelectric power plant?

Answer 15

Pumped storage facility.

Question 16

Where can these hydroelectric power plants be situated?

Answer 16

It can be situated near river basins, specifically near the head of it. This is because the current is usually at its strongest and fastest near the source of the river.