1. Alternative Energies

2. Before the bell rings…  Turn in your graph and worksheet up front.  Get out your book HW assignment from yesterday.  Get out your notes and answer the following… What are the three fossil fuels, give an advantage and disadvantage of each? What are the three fossil fuels, give an advantage and disadvantage of each? What are the different types of coal, and the characteristics of each? What are the different types of coal, and the characteristics of each? What is a major issue facing us using fossil fuels as a main source of energy? What is a major issue facing us using fossil fuels as a main source of energy? What are alternative energies? What are alternative energies?

3. Alternative Energies  Energies that are not fossil fuels. Most are renewable.  The following are renewable: hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydrogen, tidal, and wave.  Research toward alternative energies started in the 70’s due to the oil embargo and are continuing today due to foreign oil dependency and environmental concerns.  About 8% of today’s energy in the U.S. is renewable.

4. Alternative Energy Overview  Alternative Energy Video Alternative Energy Video Alternative Energy Video

6. Hydropower  This uses the mechanical power of flowing water to generate electricity. Power depends on the amount of water (flow) and the distance it falls (head). (diagram pg. 450)  Accounts for 42 % of U.S. renewable energies and is the largest renewable source for electricity – 10%.  Will not increase in the U.S. because most suitable sites have been used.

10. Hydropower- Impacts  Renewable, nonpolluting, and reliable.  Costly to build and funds to build new dams have not been approved in more than a decade.  Dams disrupt the environment and create different habitats.  Block fish migration (fish lifts)  Dams can fill with sediment becoming useless if not maintained.  Hydropower is on the decline

11. Fish Ladder Video

12. Wind  Use of wind to spin turbine to generate electricity.  Researchers are looking for ways to store energy and reduce cost.  Fastest growing energy source in the world. (coastal Europe)  Electricity is almost as cheap as fossil fuel in areas with strong winds.  Most effective on coasts, mountains, and open plains  Accounts for only 1% of our alternative energy.  (1% is enough to provide energy to CO for one year)

15. Wind Impacts  Few environmental impacts (noise, space, damage to bats and birds)  No air pollution  Limited globally due to varying winds

17. Poor Bird Messed Up Messed Up

18. Biomass  The burning of wood, agricultural wastes, sewage, algae, and processed trash. Also includes fuels made from organic matter.  Various methods are used to create fuels that can be used for heating or transportation. (could possibly replace petroleum)  Sugar crops and grains can be converted through fermentation by yeast to produce ethanol. (can be blended with gasoline)

19.  The average American produces more than 1,600 pounds of waste a year. If all this waste were landfilled, it would take more than two cubic yards of landfill space. That's the volume of a box 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 6 feet high. If that waste were burned, the ash residue would fit into a box 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, but only 9 inches high.

21. Ethanol  Usually put more energy into making it then you get out of the product itself!!!!  Why do you think people still produce it?

22. Biomass  Biodiesel is a substitute for diesel engines and is made from animal fat or vegetable oils.  Use is increasing with new technologies.  Accounts for close to 50% of alternative energy (4% of the total energy used) in this country. Major source for Hawaii.

23. Biodiesel

24. Bagasse-Hawaii

25. Biomass-Impacts  Some air pollution.  Processing of some organic wastes release hazardous chemicals.  Responsible for forest destruction and soil erosion in rainforests. (burning of wood)

26. Geothermal  Uses the natural heat (dry heat, steam, or hot rock) trapped in the earth to heat homes or produce electricity. (diagram pg. 476)  Power plants must be near the source because too much energy is lost during transportation.  Accounts for 6% of our renewable energy (.4% of total US electric generation).

27. California has 34 geothermal power plants, which produce almost 90% of U.S. geothermal electricity. Nevada has 16 geothermal power plants. Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, and Utah each have one geothermal plant.

28. Impacts  It is limited to certain areas.  Nothing is burned so there is limited air pollution.  Harmful gases can sometime be vented with heat and land surfaces may collapse.

30. Tidal  Converts the mechanical energy from ocean tides to electricity.  Limited to coastal regions and therefore will never be a major energy source in this country. (Canada, China, and France)

34.  Cool Tidal Video Cool Tidal Video Cool Tidal Video

35. Wave  Waves force water up a large tower pushing the air up over a turbine to generate electricity. (Norway)

36. Hydrogen Fuel  The changing of hydrogen gas into a fuel source (gas or liquid)  Makes up ¾ the mass of the universe and is the lightest element.  Requires natural gas (methane) and water vapor is the only product given off when burned  The Department of Energy is looking into expanding its use (fuel cell technology)

37. HFuel  It would require new equipment and engines to burn it (fuel cells)  Hydrogen fueled cars have been made.  * Check out this web site: www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcell s/ www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcell s/ www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcell s/

38. Impacts  Pollution free.  It is too expensive and difficult to store.  It could one day replace gasoline engines and our dependency on foreign oil.  A transition from fossil fuels to hydrogen fuel will take a lot of time and money.

41.  This is the so-called “chicken and egg” problem that hydrogen developers are working hard to solve. Namely: who will buy hydrogen cars if there are no refueling stations? And who will pay to build a refueling station if there are no cars and customers?