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Renewable Energy

Discover various renewable energy sources such as solar, water, wind, and biomass as eco-friendly alternatives to fossil fuels and nuclear power. Learn about direct solar energy applications, passive and active solar heating, high-temperature heating methods, solar electricity generation, solar-hydrogen energy, and saltwater/freshwater solar ponds. Explore the use of biomass energy, including burning and gaseous/liquid biofuels production methods. Delve into biogas generation from landfills, gas extraction wells, and renewable ethanol/methanol fuels. Gain insights into sustainable energy practices for a greener future.

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Renewable Energy

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  1. Renewable Energy

  2. Alternatives to Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power • Alternative energy sources that are more or less continuously made available in a time framework useful to humans

  3. Nonrenewable Energy • Energy sources that are dependent upon fuels or a resource that that may be used up much faster than it is replaced by natural processes

  4. Types of Renewable Energy • Solar • Water • Wind • Biomass • burning • conversion to liquid fuels • Geothermal • Solar-Hydrogen

  5. Current Sources of Energy

  6. Direct Solar Energy • Used to • Heat houses and buildings • Heat water • Create high temperature heat • Create electricity

  7. Solar Energy Usage

  8. Passive Solar Heating • Based on Architectural Design • Considers exposure direction, windows, building materials, eaves • Requires no energy to use • Absorbs/stores/slowly released

  9. Active Solar Heating • Uses mechanical power and pumps to circulate air • A heat absorbing fluid is heated by the sun and then transported into the structure • High cost, needs maintenance, unattractive

  10. Water Heating • Flat box with glass on top, black on the bottom, water tubes in middle • Hot water coming out of tubes is placed in top of tank • Cooler water from bottom is returned to collector

  11. High Temperature Heating • Solar Towers • many solar panels are used to focus solar energy for immediate, or later use

  12. High Temperature Heating • Solar Cookers - inexpensive • metal lined box and mirrors focus solar energy to cook food

  13. Solar Electricity • Photovoltaic cells or solar cells • When photons from sunlight hit a thin wafer of metal, a small electric current is produced

  14. Solar Electricity • Many cells must be linked together to produce usable energy • Mostly used in remote areas, calculators, watches

  15. Costs of Photovoltaic Cells

  16. Solar-Hydrogen Energy- Theory • Hydrogen gas can be used for energy in two ways: • burned directly - since no carbon, it burns cleanly, producing water • combined with oxygen gas to produce water (fuel cells)

  17. Solar-Hydrogen Energy • Problem: • Hydrogen gas is very rare in the environment • H2 gas is costly to make through chemical reactions

  18. Solar-Hydrogen Energy • Solution: • H2 and O2 can be produced easily by running a current through water - electrolysis • Solar cells can be used to create electricity to fuel electrolysis H2 gas

  19. Salt Water Solar Ponds • Heat accumulates in bottom layer • Layer is pumped out and used for heating or electricity

  20. Fresh Water Solar Ponds • Holes are dug and lined with black. • Water heats up, but heat is prevented from escaping • Both methods are cheap, do not pollute • Don’t require expensive storage: Save energy.

  21. Indirect Solar Energy • Methods of creating electricity • Biomass Energy • Wind Energy • Hydropower • OTEC • Waves & Tides

  22. What is BIOMASS? • Organic matter produced by photosynthetic producers • Total dry weight of all living organisms at each trophic level in a food web • Dry weight of all organic matter in an ecosystem; plant materials and animal wastes used as fuel.

  23. METHODS OF USING BIOMASS ENERGY Method #1 Burning Biomass to create heat Method #2 Gaseous Biofuels Liquid Biofuels

  24. Method #1 - Burning • Dung, Reeds, Wood • Biomass must not be removed faster than it can be replaced

  25. Biomass - Burning • Primarily used in developing countries • Trash can also be burned • Efficient when harvested locally • Burning dung takes nutrients from fields

  26. METHOD #2 • Convert solid biomass into gas and liquid biofuels • BIOGAS (60% methane) • Ethanol • distilled and fermented grains • Methanol • high cost: produced from sewage sludge, wood, wood wastes, agricultural wastes, garbage & coal

  27. Biogas - Landfills • Puente Hills Landfill • Uses local solid waste as source

  28. Landfill Mound • “Capped” landfill mound • Methane bubble trapped beneath

  29. Gas Extraction Wells • Gas Extraction wells on top • Reclaimed as a nature center • Return of wildlife • Parks for recreation

  30. Gas Wells • Gas pressure, temp constantly monitored • Automatic shutdown if necessary

  31. Burn-Off Pipe • Burn-off for noxious materials • Goes out regularly; has to be relit or BOOM! Someone on constant duty

  32. Gas Compressor • Concentrates methane

  33. Turbine for Electricity • Gas mixture burned • Generates steam; turns turbine

  34. Ethanol and Methanol • Excess grain stocks can be fermented by bacteria to produce these fuels which can then be burned as fuel • Burning both of these fuels still produces CO2

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