Wind Power
EPSc 116A 02
Max Bash, Ian Rudolph, James Steiger
3/28/16
How do we Extract Energy and Convert it for
our Use?
Wind Farm- build towers together to produce
more electricity
Vertical Turbines- propellor can turn to face wind
wherever it comes from
31% efficiency
Doesn’t add CO2 to the atmosphere
About 200 feet tall, blades extend over 300 feet
Current Wind Power Situation
Advantages of Wind Energy
No pollution or emissions
No greenhouse effects
Renewable and sustainable energy
source
Domestic energy source
One of the lowest priced renewable
energy technologies
46
t
kil
tt
Disadvantages of Wind Energy
Noise disturbances
Threat to wildlife
Wind can never be predicted
Suited to particular region
Visual impact
Safety concerns
Bibliography and Photo Credits
http://energy.gov/eere/wind/advantages-and-challenges-wind-energy
https://www.saveonenergy.com/how-wind-turbines-work/
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/wind.htm
Earth Resources and the Environment (Craig, Vaughn, Skinner)
http://www.newhomewindpower.com/images/wind-power-diagram.gif
http://www.occ.treas.gov/publications/publications-by-type/other-publicationsreports/cdi-newsletter/wind-energy-fall-2013/article-2-figure-4 png
Thanks for
Listening!
Handout-Photovoltaic Solar Energy
Jenna Epstein, Amy Fok, and Jonathan
Where does the energy come from?
• The Sun! (sort of): Photovoltaic cells convert the sun’s rays directly into energy. This
process involves converting photons into voltage.
• Semiconductors (commonly silicon) are used due to their natural properties.
• Solar energy striking a surface coated in a semiconductor frees electrons.
• The solar cells are constructed in a manner that will cause those electrons to
form an electric charge.
• 0.00000001% Portion of total solar energy hitting the Earth to meet all our energy
needs.
How do we harvest the energy?
• Solar panels! Solar panels are large, flat panels covered in solar cells.
• Many cells together make up a solar array. The amount of energy produced is directly
related to the amount of sunlight striking the array. Some systems are built to follow the
sun throughout the day, others are stationary.
Advantages
• Abundant: Sunlight is extremely abundant nearly everywhere on Earth.
• Clean: Produces about 95% clean and renewable energy, all naturally from the sun.
• Decreasing cost: Cost of panels and installation dropping quickly and there are
government incentives.
• Ease: Easy installation in residential settings on rooftops and the average house only
requires 10-20 panels to meet all their needs.
What are the Pitfalls?
• The Sun: Does not work at night (no sun!), inconsistent if not in very sunny climate,
expensive inverters and battery storage systems, and relatively low operational
efficiency levels (14%-15%) compared to other nonrenewable sources.
• Price: Price dependent on many aspects and could be very expensive. But for large
scale productions, prices can be as low as $1.00 per watt. Over the past few years,
installation costs have diminished drastically thanks to breakthroughs in technology in
addition to the government incentives.
• Space: Both roof-mounted and land-mounted solutions are possible. Given that solar
panels require a lot of surface area in order to catch the sun rays, photovoltaic systems
are not practical for high rise buildings, houses that do not have a lot of horizontal
surface area or flat surfaces to mount solar panels, and extreme latitude areas. Large
scale solar power plants require enormous surface area to be effective.
• Environmental Harm: Virtually no waste, no pollution. However, there are environmental
impacts associated with the production and distribution of the PV panels. Chemicals
used for prepping and cleaning panel surfaces are hazardous and there is pollution from
“life-style” emissions (manufacturing, materials transportation, installation).
Attached is our group’s presentation on Ocean Energy:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cKREPzXXScIM05he8FunKdREj39i5WyUkVRqKBaClM
Here is a link to our group's presentation on nuclear fusion:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1179lxW1LHxGHKuOzoBv_zyX2XBc1blUsyYmfOcIgyE/edit#slide=id.g854c3dcc3_0_0
Geothermal Energy
John Moore, Bianca Kaushal, and Chas Warden
Where does geothermal energy come from?
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Hot reservoirs of underground water
Heated by radioactive decay, and flow of heat from the Earth’s core
How do we harvest energy produced from
geothermal technologies?
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Efficiency is highly variable
Generally around 10% but can be
as low as 1%
What is the cost?
There is a high cost to both figuring out where is best to build a geothermal plant
and actually building it--but once the plant is built or direct use is established, the
cost of maintenance and upkeep is very little. The drop in cost after the system is
established makes it comparable to other resources and alternative energy
sources but because of the high startup cost, it is an energy source that is
compelling to those with an ability to invest in upfront costs.
How much space is required?
● Geothermal Energy is easy on the local environment because
the power plants do not require the clearing of large areas of
land/damming of rivers/mining of resources. In fact parts of a
plant can be built underground!
● Therefore, even when space is required to build the plant, it
does not require unpopulated areas because it is not harmful in
the same manner as fossil fuels or nuclear energy.
Is the energy always available?
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Geothermal energy is available 365 days a year because
it relies on energy from the Earth’s core.
However, over several decades, some locations of
geothermal energy may start to cool down or suffer dry
spells where underground temperatures decrease.
What is the collateral harm associated with this
type of energy production?
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It can be extracted without burning a fossil fuel such as coal, gas, or oil.
An average geothermal power plant releases the equivalent of 122 kg CO2 for every megawatt-hour
(MWh) of electricity it generates – ⅛ of the carbon emissions associated with a typical coal power
plant.
Geothermal plants can run on the energy they are producing, not requiring other kinds of energy
use.
The main concern is the release of hydrogen sulfide, a gas that smells like rotten egg at low
concentrations.
Another concern is the disposal of some geothermal fluids, which may contain low levels of toxic
materials.
Other advantages:
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Geothermal energy relies on energy from the Earth’s core--this means that
direct use is possible. Though the costs of installing renewable geothermal
energy in your house are high, it pays off because of the low cost of
maintenance and the renewable energy that is free!
Geothermal energy creates new jobs to create/build/maintain plants.
We can predict the power output of a geothermal power plant with remarkable
accuracy unlike wind and solar.
The energy in our geothermal reservoirs will literally last billions of years!
Harnessing geothermal energy does not involve any fuels, which means less
cost fluctuations and stable electricity prices.
Other disadvantages:
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This energy source, relative to others like solar, wind, or carbon-based fuels,
is not a widespread source of energy. That being said, the equipment and
skilled labor needed for installment come at a high price.
Unfortunately not all areas are suited for the utilization of geothermal energy.
A location needs to have hot rock beneath the surface of a certain quality. In
other words, a plant cannot be built in any location. Companies must conduct
expensive research on an area before investing further, thus increasing the
cost of the overall venture.
Unlike other forms of fuel like coal or petroleum products, geothermal energy
cannot be carried over long distances, therefore limiting its use to nearby
locations.