RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES

ENERGY Energy is used to provide electricity to our homes and can be generated from renewable sources (that can be naturally replenished) or non-renewable sources (that are used up and cannot be recreated). Energy generated from renewable sources is less harmful to the environment because it does not use up the Earth’s precious resources, and is often less polluting than non-renewable sources of energy, such as coal.

Biomass HOW BIOMASS ENERGY WORKS Biomass is any organic matter like trees, plants, or animal waste that can be used as an energy source. Energy comes from the sun through a process called photosynthesis, and is released when biomass is burned or decomposes. PLANT WASTE Wood scraps, sawdust and crop waste are collected from farms or manufacturing plants The waste is burned to heat water and create steam Steam is sent to a turbine, which spins to power a generator Generator creates electricity and sends to transmission lines BIOGAS Animal waste is collected in a large tank or pond with bacteria As bacteria decomposes the waste, methane is released Methane is then burned to heat water and generate steam Steam turns a generator turbine to create electricity, which is sent to transmission lines FUN BIOMASS FACTS The word "biomass" means natural material. If you've ever been near a campfire or a fireplace, you've witnessed biomass energy through the burning of wood. Biomass has been around since the beginning of time when man burned wood for heating and cooking. Wood was the biggest energy provider in the world in the 1800's. Biogas can also be captured and sold as fuel if not used to generate electricity on site. Biomass is a renewable energy source because trees and crops can always be grown. Biomass produces about 4% of the energy used in the United States

Plant Waste

Biogas

Geothermal

Geothermal The Earth's hot core creates magma and heats the Earth's crust which is made up of rocks and water. A well drilled two miles deep into the Earth's surface captures the rising hot water and steam. The hot steam rises to the surface and pushes a turbine, which rotates a generator. Generator produces electricity and sends it to power lines, which bring electricity to homes and businesses. FUN GEOTHERMAL FACTS The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). The Earth's core is hotter than the sun's surface! Geothermal energy is a found in underground reservoirs, but also rises to the Earth's surface in the form of volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers. Geothermal energy is a reliable source of renewable energy because it is generated continuously throughout the day and night. Because the Earth's soil stays at a constant 50°or 60°F, geothermal heat pumps can be used to heat or cool buildings . The United States is the leader in geothermal power generation, with geothermal power plants in seven states. Geothermal energy is the main energy source in Iceland .

Hydropower

Hydropower A dam blocks water from moving where it wants to naturally Instead, the water flows through a pipe to a turbine, then back out on the other side of the dam Turbines spin by force of water and rotate a generator Generator produces electricity and sends to power lines, bringing electricity to homes and businesses FUN HYDRO FACTS The word hydropower comes from the Greek word hydro (water) Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy, used to grind grain by the Ancient Egyptians as early as 250 B.C. Hydropower can be captured from many different forms of water, including river currents, river dams, ocean waves, and ocean tides. Hydropower is the least expensive renewable energy source in the United States. Canada is the largest producer of hydropower in the world

Wind Power

Wind power to homes

Wind Power Computer systems control the direction of turbine blades to match the direction of the wind Wind pushes turbine blades into rotation Blades turn a generator to convert mechanical energy into electricity Generator sends electricity through transmission lines to the power grid, bringing electricity to homes and businesses FUN WIND FACTS Wind has been used since the earliest civilizations to grind grain, pump water and power sailboat Wind turbines can be as tall as a 20-story building, with blades as long as a football field! The top 5 wind power producing states, in order, are Texas, Iowa, California, Minnesota and Washington Wind energy companies sometimes hire rock climbers to do repairs on their wind turbines since they must be experts in using ropes to scale great heights Wind is created by the heating and cooling patterns of the Earth’s surface based on the position of the sun The best sites for wind farms are open areas at high altitudes, such as mountain gaps, shorelines, open plains or rounded hills

Solar Power

Photovoltaic cell

Solar Power Photovoltaic solar panels, built from silicon, absorb the sun’s rays and convert them into energy A control device converts the energy from direct current electricity to alternating current electricity, capable of powering electrical items This electricity is added to the electricity grid which powers local homes and businesses FUN SOLAR FACTS Solar energy can be used to heat water and power cars, aircrafts, calculators, and other small appliances. It can even be used to cook food! Solar energy is the Earth’s most available energy resource because it can be found anywhere the sun shines. It takes about 8 minutes for sunlight to travel from the sun to the earth, moving at 186,282 miles per second. The largest solar power plant in the world is located in California's Mojave Desert and is made up of over 930,000 mirrors that convert the sun's heat into electricity.

Acid Rain Materials: Litmus paper matches Plastic container Procedure: Measure acidity content with litmus paper Observe and discuss Light three matches in a jar and close the lid. Quickly place ten drops of water in the jar Measure the acidity with the litmus paper

Wind Power Experiment •Cardstock •Pencil with eraser •Straight pin or thumbtack •Small electric motor (can find at a hobby store) •Alligator clip leads or insulated copper wire •1.5-volt bulb and bulb holder (you can also find these at a hobby or hardware store) •Strong fan (standing or box fan) What to do: Part 1 - Pinwheel 2.Use a ruler to draw diagonal lines from corner to corner. Make a small mark along each line 3/4 of an inch from the center of the square. 3.Cut along the diagonal lines toward the center until you reach the 3/4-inch mark. 4.Fold the corners marked with circles on the pattern into the center and staple the layers together. (You'll probably need to use at least two staples, but make sure to leave space between staples in the very center). When all four "blades" are folded in, stick a straight pin or thumbtack through all the layers at the center. Push the pin through the eraser on the pencil to finish the pinwheel. 5.Hold the pinwheel in front of a fan and watch it spin. The currents of air coming from the fan catch the curved part of the blades, causing them to spin.