Energy in our life 1.Forms of energy : Mechanical energy Nuclear energy Electric energy Chemical energy Thermal energy 2.Consumption in the world ; 3.Consumption in Italy ; 4.Consumption in Sicily ; 5.Renewable energy in Sicily : Solar energy; Wind energy; Hydroelectric energy ; 6. Why save energy?

Mechanical energy In mechanics, there are two types of energy: Kinetic energy : that is the energy of a moving body because of its motion. Potential energy :, usually denoted by U, is the ability to do work that the body possesses by virtue of his position within a field of conservative forces.

Nuclear energy Nuclear energy includes all sorts of phenomena which have energy production due to changes in atomic nuclei. The nuclear energy, along with renewable and fossil sources, is a primary energy source, that is present in nature and it is not derived from the processing of other forms of energy.

Nuclear, positive or not? Benefits … A nuclear power plant does not radiate CO2. Nuclear power plants do not produce carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulfur, the main causes of the greenhouse effect. Economic advantage: the production of a nuclear energy reduces the amount of oil and the dependence of economies on oil. All this leads to an increased stability of the national and global economic sectors. Disadvantages … Consequences of incidents:. The radiation to which the population is exposed, causes risk of death from leukemia to cancer. Nuclear localization: The process of locating a nuclear plant and the storage of its waste is very difficult. Few nations are willing to sacrifice their land to host the nuclear waste.

Electric energy Electricity is a form of energy due to forces and fields of electrical origin, or which involves the movement of electric charges Power plant: A power plant is an industrial plant suitable for producing electricity. Modern society is based on an essential use of electricity, so the production of energy and, consequently, power plants have a fundamental technological importance. The power plants produce energy almost exclusively in today's alternating current, using electric machines called alternators.

Chemical energy Chemical energy is energy that varies due to the formation or the breaking of chemical bonds of any kind. It is deposited in the connections between atoms within the molecule. When these connections are broken (eg when a substance burns), a part of this energy lives released as heat and light.

Thermal energy Thermal energy is a form of energy possessed by any body that has a temperature above absolute zero. Thermal energy can be produced in large quantities simply through combustion, or by means of nuclear reactions, or by passing electric current through a wire with low resistance, as in electric stoves and all appliances that produce heat. The heat sources are : the sun and the subsoil.

Geothermal energy Geothermal energy is energy generated by geologic sources of heat and can be considered as a form of renewable energy. Geothermal energy is a form of usable energy that comes from the heat that there is in the deeper layers of the earth's crust. Penetrating deep into the earth's surface, the temperature gradually becomes higher, increasing by an average of about 30° C per km in the earth’s crust.

Energy consumption in the world About 1.6 billion people, a quarter of the world's population, are without electricity. Most of this population lives in the developing countries such as Africa and Asia.. About 2.6 billion people use traditional biomass almost exclusively as a primary source of energy

Energy consumption in Italy:

Renewable energy in Sicily Energy needs in Sicily Net production in Sicily 2003 : GWh 2003: GWh 2004: GWh 2004: GWh 2005: GWh 2005: GWh

Solar energy Solar energy can be used to generate electricity or heat. The main technologies used for the transformation of solar energy are: solar panels; photovoltaic panels; Solar power in Priolo:. Energy is produced from burning mirrors.It is the first system in the world that functions at night. It satisfies about families. The structure has a feature that makes it unique: it is able to collect solar energy and preserve it for many hours.It is 5,5 km long. Special tubes run through square feet of parabolic mirrors. It is able to generate electricity at night or in overcast skies.

Wind energy Benefits of wind energy: The wind is a renewable resource; It does not emit pollutants; It contributes to greenhouse gas reduction.

Hydroelectric energy Hydroelectric power is derived from rivers and lakes, through the establishment of dams and penstocks. There are various types of dams: a center jump will take advantage of water falling from great heights available in mountainous regions. In-river plants are used river water masses that jump over small steps. To do this, however, the river must have a consistent flow. The water of a lake or reservoir is piped downstream and its potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy thanks to the distributors and the turbines. The kinetic energy is then transformed through the electric generator into electricity.

Why save energy… To reduce environmental stressors: energy saving in fact is the fastest and most efficient instrument in terms of cost to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus improving air quality. For international politics reasons -that is to say -to meet the agreements of the Copenhagen conference, which has set the target of lowering the average temperatures to 1.5 degrees by For economic reasons: because the EU could save at least 20% of its current energy consumption. To promote the economic growth in the developing countries.