Reliant on fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)

Those will not last forever, need to have a back up plan

Using fossil fuels creates greenhouse gases, which impact climate change

Renewable energy is better for the environment and people

1. Solar2. Wind3. Hydroelectric4. Biomass5. Geothermal6. Nuclear

Most widely used around the globe Many shapes and sizes of solar panels

Sun shines on solar panels Electricity is created and converted for use Used to power appliances, lights and heat

water Any extra electricity goes into the main

power grid for others to use

Solar Power

Why aren't we using solar power more?

ADVANTAGES

Completely renewable (the sun is always going to shine)

No pollution/gases given off

Very little maintenance (tend to last a long time)

Will save people money in the long run

Easy to install

DISADVANTAGES

Expensive to first purchase Cannot produce electricity

on cloudy days or at night

Earth receives more energy from the sun in an hour than it used in the entire world in oneyear

It would take less than 1% of the Earth’s land area covered with solar panels to supply all of the world’s electricity needs

Type of solar energy

Winds are caused by uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun

Come in many different sizes

Wind blows causing the wind turbine blades to spin

Turbines convert wind energy into mechanical power

Mechanical power is converted into electricity

Wind Energy

ADVANTAGES

No gases or pollution given off

Only take up a small plot of land Can farm beneath

Remote areas can use wind power to produce electricity

DISADVANTAGES

Strength of wind is not constant

Noisy Not all people want to look

at them Large wind farms are

needed to provide communities with electricity

Wind energy has been around since 200 B.C United States generates more wind energy than

any other country, except China By 2050, the United States has to potential to:

Avoid 12.3 gigatons of greenhouse gases from being emitted

Save 260 billion gallons of water

80 countries around the world use wind powerJapan's New Wind Turbine Design

Uses the force of running water to produce electricity

Usually stored in dams

Build a dam with lots of water behind it in the reservoir

Near the bottom of the dam, there is a water intake

Gravity causes the water to go down into the intake

The moving water spins the turbine propellers, which creates energy in the attached generator

ADVANTAGES

Minimal pollution Reduces greenhouse gas

emissions Running water is free Rainfall renews the water

in the reservoir, so the fuel is almost always there

Low operation and maintenance costs

Reliable and proven technology over time

DISADVANTAGES

High investment costs Dependent on water being

available Can disrupt land and

wildlife habitats Loss or change of fish

habitat Prevent fish from

migrating Can displace local

populations

7% of total energy production Largest hydroelectric power station in the

world is the Three Gorges Dam in China Has been used to power water mills for

thousands of years Tidal power is another type of hydroelectric

energy Hoover Dam creates enough power to serve

1.3 million people each year in Nevada, California and Arizona

Uses plant material and animal waste

Examples: wood chips and corn

Can resupply/regrow in a short period of time Some can be converted into biofuels, which

can be used to power cars, tractors and trucks

Burns biomass in a boiler

Usually hot water or steam boilers

Boiler moves the steam or hot water towards the turbine

Turbine spins and creates electricity in the generator

ADVANTAGES

Better for environment than fossil fuels

Easily available Reduces landfills Can be used to create other

products Ethanol and fuels

Afterlife of Oil

DISADVANTAGES

Initial start up cost is high Not as efficient as fossil

fuels Unpleasant smell Releases methane gas into

atmosphere

Has been used by humans for most of our history

Burning wood or other materials for heat and cooking

Currently meets 10% of human energy needs around the world

As of 2012, Brazil and the US were the largest producers of ethanol and biodiesel in the world

Algae can be used for energy

Algae based fuels can be produced 5-10 times faster than many forms of land-based agriculture (corn, soy)

Heat from the Earth Range from shallow ground to hot water and

hot rock found a few miles beneath the surface

About 4 feet underground, the temperature stays the same all year around (about 55°F)

Pipes are buried 4 feet and below System pumps a liquid through the pipes to

absorb heat and brings it back to the system Heat exchanger takes the heat from the liquid

and forces it to spin the turbine Energy is transferred to the generator, which

produces electricityHow it works

ADVANTAGES

Powered by Earth’s heat, which does not change

Can be used for heating and cooling

Small impact on land Minimal pollution Less chance for change in

cost because it does not involve fuel

DISADVANTAGES

High upfront cost Can have gas emissions

escape from inside Earth Cannot be easily

transported

Geothermal plants in the Philippines and Iceland contribute around 30% of their electricity production

US is less than 1%

Humans have enjoyed geothermal energy in the form of hot springs for thousands of years

In some parts of Iceland, hot water runs from geothermal power plants under pavementand roads to melt ice

Produces 11% of the world energy Uses a small amount of fuel that creates a lot

of energy

Uranium 235 rods are placed in water in the reactor endeavors

Control rods are near the Uranium in case of overheating

▪ Also can control the rate of the reaction

Nuclear fission occurs, splitting the Uranium into smaller atoms and releases energy

Energy is used to heat the water, which spinsthe turbine creating energy in the generator

Nuclear Power

ADVANTAGES

Very minimal CO2

emissions Technology has been

created and modified High amount of energy

with a small amount of fuel

DISADVANTAGES

Removal and storage of the radioactive waste produced in the plant

High safety risk (high security standard, but accidents happen)

Uranium (fuel) is a scare resource

Takes 20-30 years to build a new power plant Planning, laws, safety

Every 18-24 months, the power plant must shut down to remove the spent Uranium rods (radioactive waste)

Being used in over 30 counties around the world

Used to power Mars rovers Curiosity Rover

Curiosity Rover- Nuclear Power 1 in 5 households in the US are electrically

powered by nuclear power