Alternative energy

Alternative energy

Solar Heating and cooling • Passive solar- • 1. no outside energy is used to run fans or pumps. • 2. the building itself along with landscaping help to collect store and distribute the sun’s energy • Active solar- • 1. heating system that has flat plate collectors installed on the sunny side that is covered in transparent glass or plastic • 2. Water or air is circulated through collectors to absorb captured heat and carry it to storage tanks

Active solar • 3. Heated air and water can be pumped through out the house. • 4. Initial cost to install is still quite high. Storage must be added for sunless days. These can only store enough for one or two days. A back up heating system must be used and adds to the expense.

Solar electricity • 1. concentrating solar power is a collection system that concentrates enough sunlight to generate a large amount of steam • 2. The steam is used to spin a turbine and rotates the coil of a generator to produce electricity.

Geothermal • Geothermal energy – uses the natural heat of the earth as an energy source • 1. Geothermal reservoirs provide hot water or steam that can be used for heating and cooling buildings, processing foods and other goods, and generating electricity • 2. Currently used in about 20 different countries. The Geysers geothermal instillation in San Francisco is the largest in the world

Geothermal • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbiq_yd-znM&list=UU3LlvEUT4Bc9jKG8Xrmuf_g

Wind power • 1. The winds energy originates from the uneven heating of the earth’s surface. • 2. The sun’s rays heat the poles at an angle which creates large scale currents in the atmosphere. • 3. Early wind mills were used to pump water for cattle.

Wind power • 4. Inexpensive electricity put most windmills out of business. • 5. Like solar wind as a resource is erratic. • 6. Wind generated electricity can be stored in batteries. • 7. Most effective systems have interconnected machines that averages power over a large area.

Water power • Water power- we are already using a large percent of our available hydropower. • 1. Growing interest in using the energy available from small dams and from undammed flowing water. • 2. Would use small turbo generators

Biofuels • 1. The energy released by the direct combustion or the conversion of biofuels into solid, liquid, or gas fuels. • 2. The by-products can be used for food, fertilizer, and chemicals. • 3. Biofuels can be used to produce electricity, heat, steam, and transportation fuels. • 4. Sources of biofuels include- forest products, agriculture and food processing wastes, municipal sewage and solid waste

Biofuels in our future • 1. Most biofuels are made from sugar cane and corn. • 2. The process is that sugar is converted by yeast to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide • 3. Corn is not a practical source since it competes with food crops • 4. cellulose is a good source and is found in biomass waste from forests and fields, fast growing hays like switch grass, and woody crops like poplar. • These crops can grow in areas that don’t have to be plowed and help with soil erosion • 5. Bio enzymes break these down and yield more energy then corn

Biofuels in our future

Biofuels in our future • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QegyXo5u9uI

Alternative energy