Bio-Mass/Wind Energy

1. Bio-Mass/Wind Energy • What is a renewable energy? -Resource that can be replenished rapidly through natural processes as long as it is not used up faster than it is replaced. Ex. Trees, grasses, wild animals, fresh surface water, fresh air, fertile soil. If such a resource is used faster than it is replenished it can be depleted and converted into a nonrenewable resource. • What is a non-renewable energy? -Resource that exists in a fixed amount in the earth’s crust and has the potential for renewal by geological, physical, and chemical processes taking place over hundreds of million to billions of years. Ex. Copper, aluminum, coal, and oil.

2. Bio-Mass Energy • Biomass- refers to organic matter that has stored energy thought the process of photosynthesis. • Exists in only form as plants  transferred through the food chain • Can be converted for everyday human use  combustion • Many Biomass fuels today= wood products, dried vegetation, crop residues, and aquatic plants. • One of the most renewable resources in the last TWO decades.

3. Bio-Mass Energy • Low cost & indigenous nature  15% of the world’s total energy supply  35% in developing countries (cooking & heating mainly) • Most common Bio-Mass comes from wood • Low-Carbon biomass can provide a significant fraction of new renewable energy we need to reduce emissions of heat trapping gases that scientists believe will avoid the worst impacts of global warming • Can be harvested at unsustainable rates, damages the ecosystems, produces harmful air pollution, consumes large amounts of H2O, and produces net greenhouse emissions.

4. Bio-Mass Energy • Through the process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll in plants captures the sun’s energy by converting CO2 form the air & H2O from the ground into carbohydrates (complex compound composed of – carbon, hydrogen, oxygen)  when these carbons are burned they turn back into CO2 & H2O and release energy captured from the sun.

5. Types of Beneficial Bio-Mass • Energy crops that don’t compete with food crops for land • Portions of crop residue (iewheat, straw or corn stover) • Clean municipal & industrial wastes - beneficial can be considered part of terrestrial carbon cycle - developed properly, emissions of biomass carbon are taken up or recycled by subsequent plant growth. Within a relatively short time  low net carbon emissions - Generally maintain or increase stocks of carbon stored in soil or plants

6. Convert Bio-Mass into Bio-Power • Burn it • Numerous environmental & air- quality advantages over burning fossil fuels • Can be converted into liquid fuels • Future - 2030 according to the UCS’ climate analysis only 367 million tons of biomass would be available to produce both electricity & biofuels

7. Wind Energy • Conversion of wind energy into useful forms of energy • Wind turbines make electrical, windmills for mechanical power, wind pumps for water pumping or drainage, and sails to move ships • Wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind • Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity the wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity • These can be used both on shore and off • Size does determine the amount of electricity produced • http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/wind_animation.html

8. Wind Speed • When wind is picked up by the turbine the wind speed is equal to the wind power cubed. • This allows the energy to be substantially greater than originally given off by the kinetic energy received.