Renewable Energy

Blake Estridge and Owen Britt

What do you think of when you hear renewable energy?

Wind Farm Solar Farm Al Gore

Wikipedia.org

Agricorner.com

Wikipedia.org

What is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy sources are energy sources that are continually replenished("Renewable Energy
Sources).

Types of renewable energy include:

Wind Solar Water Biomass Geothermal

Problems With Non-Renewable Energy

There are hidden costs of burning fossil fuels.

Around 20,000 people in the U.S die

prematurely each year from the burning of coal and oil. Health damage caused by fossil fuel burning costs $120 billion annually (Fossil Fuel Burning).

Types of Renewable Energy

Most of the renewable energy used today comes from hydroelectric power plants. It is reliable and electricity can be produced efficiently. Solar does not account for much of the chart because of its price.

conservationconversations.com

Traditional Wind Farms

Wind turbines convert kinetic energy in the

wind into mechanical power. They are grouped together in wind farms. Large turbines are 20 stories tall. Blades can span the length of a football field. Produce electricity for 1,400 homes ("Wind Energy Basics.").

Renewable Energy Map http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/energymap.asp

Problems With Wind Farms

wordpress.com

Wind Turbine Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79aARWPalt4

News in Wind Energy

(Cappiello)

Solar Energy
Cleanest and most abundant source of

renewable energy. 3 types:

Photovoltaic (PV)

Converts solar radiation to electricity

Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC) Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Generates thermal energy

(Solar Technology)

Problems With Solar Energy

There is a high cost for solar panels.

Solar energy is not effective in areas that do not

receive much light. It is not always reliable:

Clouds Nighttime
(Problems With Solar Energy)

Solar Subsidy Cartoon

http://jimunro.blogspot.com

Advancements in Solar Energy

o

V3 Spinning Cone Solar Cell Generates 20 percent more electricity than a flat solar panel. Temperature never exceeds 95 degrees. Occupies smaller space.

Inhabitat.com

Costs less

Hydroelectric Energy
Hydroelectric Dam Diagram

http://www.tva.gov/power/hydro.htm

Hydroelectric Energy Facts

Hydroelectric energy is the most used

renewable energy source Ten percent of US power supply Hydropower turbines are more have a higher yield of energy than fossil fuels
(Fast Facts About Hydropower)

Advancements in Hydroelectric Energy

Most hydroelectric plants in the US use turbines

over 50 years old Advancements in efficiency and materials have been made Causes reduced energy production Will improve the turbines on existing plants
(US Oak Ridge National Laboratories)

Geothermal Energy

Heat from the Earth can be used as an energy source. The amount of heat within 10,000 meters of Earth's surface contains 50,000 times more energy than all the oil and natural gas resources in the world. Three methods: Dry Steam Flash Steam Binary Cycle

Problems With Geothermal Energy

Need hot spots for hydrothermal energy plants.

Hydrogen sulfide is emitted into the air.

Pollutants have an odor of rotten eggs. Amount of steam produced

is declining.

(How Geothermal Energy Works)

Geothermal Diagram

Epa.gov

Potential Energy Sources

Rmi.org

Economics
Renewable energy sources have high capital

cost They do however have low operating costs Sources have to be able to handle energy at peak production Costs more because energy can be unreliable The marginal cost is also low for renewable energy
(Economics of Renewable Energy Plants)

Strange Case of Renewable Energy Being Used to Launder Money

The Italian Mafia used over 43 wind and solar companies to launder 1.5 billion euros. The companies were used to launder money by hiding the profits and giving the profits back to the mafia. The process was to make the money from illegal mafia activities look like legally owned money through the renewable energy companies. It was the largest seizure ever made against the mafia. Throughout Italy, organized crime has invested heavily in renewable energies and in waste processing, laundering the profits made from drug trafficking and cashing in on generous subsidies provided by the state and the European Union.
(Dodman)

Biomass Energy
Biomass involves the burning of animal and

plant matter It is crucial to having sustainable energy There are ways to obtain biomass with little harm to the environment Choosing which materials to use as biomass is important
(How Biomass Energy Works)

Problems with Biomass Energy

Biomass energy can cause harmful effects to the

environment:

Air pollution Unsustainability Produce greenhouse gases Consume large amounts of water
(How Biomass Energy Works )

Biomass Poem
Far-reaching ideas enter the brain, enroute to a new discovery in the field of the 'power game'. We gather logs and autumn leaves never wasting what nature weaves! Expertise is welcome now... a lover of nature to show us how. So! less of the nuclear pollution, more of the wind turbine infusion. Soon, heaven will answer our prayer with power in abundance, some to spare. 'Biomass' is the modern invention. Ample electricity now and evermore... That would be a noble score. - Joyce Hemsley

Renewable Energy Usage

greenenergydevelopment.org

Geocurrents.info

References

Breen, Steve. "Solar Subsidy Cartoon." Cartoon. Http://jimunro.blogspot.com. Blogspot, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. Cappiello, Dina. "Guilty Plea in Bird Deaths at Wind Farms a First." Charlotte Observer [Charlotte] 23 Nov. 2013: n. pag. Web Dodman, Benjamin. "Police Swoop on 'Lord of the Winds' as Mafia Goes Green." FRANCE 24.com France 24, 15 Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2013 "Economics of Renewable Energy Plants." Economics of Renewable Energy Power Plants. Greenrhinoenergy.com, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. "Fossil Fuel Burning in U.S. Estimated to Cause 20,000 Early Deaths." Yale.edu. Yale, 20 Oct. 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. Geothermal Power Plant. Digital image. Epa.gov. EPA, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. Heller, Joe. "Arguments Against." Cartoon. Wordpress.com. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013 Hemsley, Joyce. "Modern Biomass." Poemhunter.com. PoemHunter, 28 Aug. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. "How Biomass Energy Works." Union of Concerned Scientists. Ucsusa.org N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. "How Geothermal Energy Works." Ucusa.org. Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. Hydroelecric Dam Diagram. Digital image. Tva.gov. TVA, n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. "Hydropower." WPUDA Washington PUD Association:. Wpuda.org, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

References

Percentage of Electricity Generation from Renewable Energy Sources. Digital image. Geocurrents. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. "Problems With Solar Energy - Why It Is Not More Widely Used." solarpoweristhefuture.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013 "Renewable Energy Sources in the United States. Nationalatlas.gov National Atlas of the United States, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. "Solar Technology." seia.org. SEIA, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. U.S. Energy Consumption By Energy Source, 2009. Digital image.Greenenergydevelopment.org. Green Energy Development, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. US. Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Hydropower Advancement Project. Hydropower.ornl.gov. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. US Renewable Energy Potential. Digital image. Rmi.org N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. "Wind Energy Basics." Anl.gov. Argonne National Laboratory, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.

Questions?