Renewable Energy: Iceland's Hydrogen Economy and Types of Renewable Energy Sources, Slides of Ecology and Environment

Download Renewable Energy: Iceland's Hydrogen Economy and Types of Renewable Energy Sources and more Slides Ecology and Environment in PDF only on Docsity! Renewable Energy Alternatives Environment & Ecology Docsity.com Central Case: Iceland moves toward a hydrogen economy Iceland aims to convert to an economy based completely on renewable energy. – Geothermal – Hydroelectric – Hydrogen fuel – Oil (import only) 81% renewable geothermal hydropower Docsity.com The new renewables are growing fast fe) oO J New renewable sources — a t#€#—, oul. Total Biomass Hydro — Solar Wind Geothermal energy production & Energy source Docsity.com NO J aS Ol oO oO oO Oo ! ! L L Oo Oo Annual growth rate, 1971-2004 (%) Rapid growth in renewables will continue • However, renewables receive little government help. Docsity.com Biomass energy • Biomass: organic material that makes up living organisms • People harness biomass energy from many types of plant and animal matter. – Wood from trees, charcoal from burned wood, and combustible animal waste products • Biopower: biomass sources are burned, generating heat and electricity • Biofuels: biomass sources are converted into fuels to power automobiles Docsity.com Biofuels can power automobiles • Ethanol: produced as a biofuel by fermenting carbohydrate-rich crops – Ethanol is widely added to U.S. gasoline to reduce emissions. – Any vehicle will run well on a 10% ethanol mix. In 2007, the U.S. produced 30 billion L (6.5 million gal) of ethanol in 100 ethanol plants. Docsity.com To help protect your privacy, PowerPoint has blocked automatic download of this picture. Cars can run on ethanol • Flexible fuel vehicles: run on 85% ethanol – But very few gas stations offer this fuel • Biodiesel: a fuel produced from vegetable oil, used cooking grease or animal fat • Some people use straight vegetable oil Bio-Beatle Rental on Maui Docsity.com Biopower generates electricity from many sources • Waste products of existing industries or processes • Woody debris from logging operations and sawmills • Specifically grown crops, such as willow trees or bamboo • Co-firing combines biomass with coal: easy and inexpensive • Bacterial breakdown of waste to produce methane • Gasification: vaporized biomass to produce electricity, methanol and diesel fuel Docsity.com Drawbacks of biomass energy • Health hazards from indoor air pollution • Rapid harvesting can lead to deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification. • Growing crops exerts tremendous impacts on ecosystems. – Decreased biodiversity – Fertilizers and pesticides – Land is converted to agriculture. • Biofuel is competing with food production. – Corn supplies for food have dropped. Sbttil it f id Docsity.com Hydroelectric power • Hydroelectric (hydro) power: uses the kinetic energy of moving water to turn turbines and generate electricity • The run-of-river approach generates energy without greatly disrupting the flow of river water. Docsity.com Reservoir 0 Water flows from the reservoir through the dam. e The flowing water turns the turbine. 6 The turbine turns the rotor, which consists of a series of magnets. 6 Electricity is produced as the rotor spins past } cone the stator, which is the stationary part of the generator made of coils of copper wire. Outflow Turbine Docsity.com Hydropower has negative impacts • Damming rivers destroys riverine habitats. • Natural flooding cycles are disrupted. • Sediment deposition • Thermal pollution of downstream water • Reducing fish populations and aquatic biodiversity Fish ladder Docsity.com Hydroelectric power is widely used • Nations with large rivers and economic resources have used dams. • But hydropower is not likely to expand. – Most of the world’s large rivers have already been dammed. – People have grown aware of the ecological impact of dams. Three-Gorge Dam in China Docsity.com Solar energy • Passive solar energy: the most common way to harness solar energy • Buildings are designed to maximize direct absorption of sunlight in winter and keep cool in summer. • Active solar energy collection: uses technology to focus, move, or store solar energy Docsity.com Active solar energy collection • Flat plate solar collectors (solar panels): one active method for harnessing solar energy Docsity.com Focusing solar rays magnifies energy • Solar cookers: simple, portable ovens that use reflectors to focus sunlight onto food • Power tower: mirrors concentrate sunlight onto receivers to create electricity In southern California, a power tower produces power for 10,000 households. Docsity.com Photovoltaic cells generate electricity • Photovoltaic (PV) cells: collect sunlight and convert it into electrical energy – These are used with wind turbines and diesel engines. Bluenergy solar wind turbine Docsity.com Solar power offers many benefits • It’s long lasting. • It’s quiet, safe, contain no moving parts, and require little maintenance. • Net metering: PV owners can sell excess electricity to their local power utility • New jobs are being created. • Some federal tax credits. • Solar power does not emit greenhouse gases and air pollution. • Solar energy use should increase as prices fall, technologies improve, and governments enact economic incentives. Docsity.com Location is a drawback Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Docsity.com Solar Power Hawaii Docsity.com Offshore sites can be promising • Wind speeds are 20% greater over water than over land. • There is less air turbulence over water than land. • Costs to erect and maintain turbines in water are higher. – But the stronger, less turbulent winds produce more power and make offshore wind more profitable. • Currently, turbines are limited to shallow water. Docsity.com Wind Power Hawaii Docsity.com Hawaii - 50 m Wind Power 157° 156" 155° Wind Power Classification Wind Resource — Wind Power Power Potential Density at 50m Wire? Poor Q- Marginal 200 Fair 300- Good 400 - Excellent $00 - Outstanding 600 - Superb. > 800 B88888 Wind Spead® Wind Speed® at 50m at 50 m mis. mph 5.6 00-125 6 - 6.4 12.5 - 14.3 7.0 14.3 - 15.7 O- 7.5 15.7 - 16.8 5- 8.0 16.8 - 17.9 a8 17.9 - 19.7 > 88 > 197 0.0- 5.6- 64- 7.0- 75- 8.0- ® Wind speads are based on a Weibull k of 2.0. The Weibul k may vary from 4.5 to 3.0 depending an location. 160° 159° MAUI 2 neg NITHAU The annual wind power estimates for this map were produced by rueWind Solutions using their somap system and historical ather data. It has been validated ith available surface data by NREL and wind energy meteorological 159° 156° 155" 0 50 100 Kilometers 0 Ey 50: 75 Miles, 25 ———— OO Docsity.com 11@ Menetmaent af Encore U.S. wind-generating capacity Mountainous regions have the most wind capacity. Docsity.com 8 Where natural 8 Wells tap underground fissures or cracks heated water or steam appear, heated to turn turbines and (0 tsjveir geothermal power station eland water or steam generate power en Pee en, nab Poe Deans surfaces in Recharge geysers or area Impermeable rock Confined — aquifer Impermeable rock Heat source (magma) @ Magma heats groundwater Injection oO Steam is cooled, condensed, well and water is injected back into ermal energy the aquifer to maintain pressure Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Docsity.com Geothermal energy is greatest in the U.S. west - 200-250° C 150-200° C 100-150° C Mm 50-100° C Mm <50°C Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings Docsity .com Geothermal power has benefits and limits • Benefits: – Reduces emissions – It does emit very small amounts of gases. • Limitations: – May not be sustainable – Water is laced with salts and minerals that corrode equipment and pollute the air. – Limited to areas where the energy can be trapped Docsity.com To help protect your privacy, PowerPoint has blocked automatic download of this picture. Hydrogen Fuel • Electricity splits hydrogen atoms from oxygen atoms in water molecules: 2H2O ⇒ 2H2 + O2 - Produces pure hydrogen Docsity.com A hydrogen-fueled bus Hartford, CT Docsity.com We can harness energy from the oceans • Tidal energy • Wave energy • OTEC Docsity.com Tidal Energy La Rance tidal power plant at St. Malo, France. Docsity.com Tidal Energy Tidal energy farm Docsity.com Wave Energy Converter Docsity.com 40 kw experimental buoy Docsity.com The ocean stores thermal energy • Each day, tropical oceans absorb solar radiation equal to the heat content of 250 billion barrels of oil. • The ocean’s surface is warmer than deep water. – Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is based on this temperature gradient. – In one approach, warm surface water evaporates chemicals, producing gases which spin turbines. – In another approach, warm surface water is evaporated in a vacuum and its steam turns turbines. Docsity.com RC TU ees Least) PLR atedie la 18.8% Men neil eS WUC UE cece Hawaii’s Energy Consumption \ Hawaii’s Energy Consumption (Year 2000) @ Petroleum Coal m Biomass m= MSW @ Solar Hot Water ™ Geothermal Hydro m Wind Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative by 2030 = (0 VY GLEAN ENERGY Docsity.com QUESTION: Review In the United States, where does most renewable energy come from? a) Hydropower and geothermal energy b) Wind power and solar power c) Geothermal energy and biomass d) Biomass and hydropower e) Nuclear and coal Docsity.com QUESTION: Review Which of these is NOT a passive solar technique? a) The use of thermal mass b) Using flat-plate solar collectors c) Installing low, south-facing windows that will maximize sunlight capture in the winter d) Using strategically planted vegetation e) All of these are passive solar techniques. Docsity.com QUESTION: Review We can harness power from wind by using devices called: a) Wind turbines b) Wind parks c) Wind farms d) Solar cells e) Nacelles Docsity.com QUESTION: Review Wind turbines can be erected singly, but they are most often erected in groups called: a) Wind turbines b) Wind farms c) Wind mills d) Solar cells e) Farms Docsity.com QUESTION: Review Production of hydrogen fuel can come from all of these sources EXCEPT: a) Biomass b) Water c) Coal d) Oil e) It can come from all of these sources. Docsity.com QUESTION: Interpreting Graphs and Data a) Maine, Florida b) Texas, Kentucky c) Arizona, Idaho d) North Dakota, Ohio e) Louisiana, Oklahoma _____ is the best state for producing solar energy, while _____ is best for wind energy. Solar Wind Docsity.com QUESTION: Interpreting Graphs and Data If ethanol in the U.S. is produced from corn, a drawback suggested from this graph could be: a) More corn would become available b) More competition between food and fuel c) Less land planted in corn d) Corn would cost less d) None of these Docsity.com