Chapter 16

By : Giovanni Cabezas

Energy efficiency and renewable

energy

16-1why is energy efficiency an important energy resource?

This section talks about the amount of energy lost because of inefficient products.

The united states has improved its energy efficiency since 1980 but some MDCs such as France and Germany are two to three times more efficient than the u.s.

16-1why is energy efficiency an important energy resource?

The energy we use to heat, cool, and power our homes is not free thus saving energy is also saving money.

Do to the second law of thermodynamics 41% of energy is unavoidably lost.

16-2 how can we cut energy waste?Sec.1 we can save energy and money in industry and utilities The use of (chp) which is when a

fuel source can provide more than one form of energy.

The best example of this is when steam is used it provides heat which can heat the factory and other surrounding buildings and also produces electricity by spinning a turbine.

Changing light bulbs to florescent bulbs or currently led bulbs which emit no heat and last longer than the generic bulbs.

16-2 sec.2 we can save energy and money in transportation.

Transportation accounts for more than 28% of the energy consumption.

Average fuel efficiency rose between 1973 and 1985 due to (CAFÉ) corporate average fuel economy.

Fuel economy standards in other developed countries are much higher.

16-2 sec.2 we can save energy and money in transportation.

switching to rail powered public transportation instead of using diesel.

Having high speed rail systems between cities would help reduce the amount of cars on the road.

Increasing the amount of people using bikes , would help to lower gas emissions.

16-2 how can we cut energy waste? Sec.3 More energy efficient vehicles are on the way.

One of these vehicles is the energy efficient hybrid.

Todays version has a small engine for acceleration and hill climbing.

The next step is a plug in hybrid which will have a larger more powerful battery

GM has introduced the volt which travels on average 40 miles on a charge

16-2 how can we cut energy waste? Sec.3 More energy efficient vehicles are on the way. The key is to develop a

durable, dependable, safe, and affordable battery.

Another option would be replacing cars with energy efficient diesel powered cars.

Fuel cells could also be an option because they are simple and have no moving parts.

16-2 sec.4 we can design cars that save energy and money.

Green architecture can save business 30%-40% of the energy used globally.

They use solar heating, solar power, recycled waste water and other efficient techniques.

Superinsulation is very important because it keeps temperatures constant inside and keeps outside weather outside.

16-2 sec.5 we can save money and energy in existing building.

An expert should come and make an energy survey, so that they can tell you were the energy is being lossed.

Insulation, energy efficient windows, tank less water heater, use energy efficient appliances.

Individuals matter You can save

energy where you live. Which of the these things do you do?

I do all of them I have a tank less water heater and I changed all my light bulbs and only by energy star appliances.

16.2 sec.6 why are we still spending so much energy and money?

Fossil fuels, nuclear power and other widely used energy sources are artificially cheap due to subsidies

There are few tax breaks, rebates, or low interest loans for consumers to invest in improving energy efficiency

A lot of people also resist change unless they are constantly showing change.

16-2 sec.7 we can use renewable energy to provide heat and electricity.

studies show with increased and consistent government subsidies, and funding could provide 20% of the worlds electricity by 2025.

China is rapidly becoming a world leader in producing renewable energy and making wind turbines.

16-2 sec.7 we can use renewable energy to provide heat and electricity.

Making a major shift toward local energy sources would help insure domestic tranquility.

The government provides subsidies for renewable and fuels subsides. Renewables ones need to be renewed by congress.

Amory lovins believes if we stop the unfair and unbalanced subsides and unfair pricing, renewable energy would take over.

16-3 what are the advantages and disadvantages of using solar energy? We can heat buildings and water with solar energy

Passive solar energy can be used to heat a home, by using the design of the house to let light in in the winter and block light in the summer.

Active solar energy can be used to heat water for the home by using thermostats and pumps.

16-3 sec.2 we can cool buildings naturally.

Direct solar energy actually works against us when we want to keep a building cool.

We use indirect solar energy like wind to cool down buildings and lots of insolation.

A living roof can also help a lot to help cool the building.

16-3 sec.3 we can concentrate sunlight to produce high temperature heat and electricity.

Solar thermal systems use different methods to collect and concentrate solar energy in order to boil water.

The issue with this is, they need water to cool down certain things but they are usually located in desserts.

16-3 sec.3 we can concentrate sunlight to produce high temperature heat and electricity.

Todays solar thermal power plants can produce energy at a lower cost than nuclear power plants.

We can also use solar energy on a smaller scale in rural areas they use solar cookers to focus sunlight.

16-3 sec.4 we can use sunlight to produce electricity

We can convert solar energy directly in to electrical energy using photovoltaic cells.

We can shape solar cells in to any basic shape or incorporate it in to basically any material.

1 out of 4 people who live in less developed countries are not connected to an electrical grid.

16-3 sec.4 we can use sunlight to produce electricity

Solar thermal power systems have to be located in deserts.

Personal solar systems can be used in any sunny part of the world.

The cells do though have toxic materials that have to be recovered after about 25 years.

16-4 what are the advantages and disadvantages of using hydropower sec.1 we can produce electricity from falling water

and flowing water

Hydro power uses the kinetic energy of falling or flowing water.

Hydro power is a n indirect form of solar power.

The most common approach is building a high dam on flowing river.

16-4sec.1 we can produce electricity from falling water and flowing water.

Hydropower is the worlds leading renewable energy because ¾ of the earth is covered in water.

According to the UN only 13% of the potential hydropower energy is being used.

Some analysts say the use of hydro power could fall due to the build up of silt and the emission of methane.

16-4 sec.2 what can use tides and waves to produce electricity.

Dams are being put up at the mouths of some bays to capture water and than release it as the tide goes to produce electricity.

They also have long steal tubes that are put where there are a lot of waves, they have some of the coast of portugal.

16-4 sec.2 what can use tides and waves to produce electricity.

There are six underwater water turbines under the east river in New york.

The turbines swivel to go with the incoming and outgoing tides.

They produce electricity efficiently.

The next step of the project is installing 30 more.

16-5 what are the advantages and disadvantages of using wind power? Sec.1 using are the advantages and disadvantages

of using wind power? Wind power in the recent

years has been the worlds second fastest growing source of energy.

Denmark is the worlds most energy efficient country, 20% of their power comes from windmills.

Their was a study done saying windpower had the potential to produce 40 times the worlds current use of electricity.

16-5 Sec.1 using are the advantages and disadvantages of using wind power?

Wind farms would be located in remote and sparsely populated areas such as china, united states, and Canada.

Locating them off shore eliminates sound pollution and the need to negotiate with landowners.

The need for upgraded electrical grid system.

16-6 what are the advantages and disadvantages of using biomass as an energy resource. Sec.1 we can produce energy by

burning biomass.

Biomass consist of plant materials and animal wastes that we can burn directly as a solid fuel.

95% of the energy used in the poorest countries such as Hattie

Wood is renewable as long as it is harvested no faster than it can replenish.

16-6 Sec.1 we can produce energy by burning biomass Burning biomass to

produce electricity is only 30%-40% efficient unless you are heating buildings.

You clear forest when doing this and also start to ruin the land which will lead to erosion.

16.6 sec.2 we can convert plants and plant wastes to liquid biofuel

Biodiesel and ethanol are being used in place of conventional diesel.

Biofuel crops can be grown anywhere.

There is no net increase in co2.

The only bad thing is it takes concentration of feeding the poor and changes to feed the tank.

16-7what are the advantages and disadvantages of using geothermal energy. Sec.1 we can get energy by tapping in to the earths internal heat.

Geothermal energy is heat stored in soil under ground rocks.

One way of using geothermal is by using a geothermal pump to exploit the temperature difference in the ground.

We can also tap in to deep reservoirs to heat buildings with wet steam and produce energy.

16-8 what are the advantages and disadvantages of using hydrogen as an energy resource? Sec.1 will hydrogen save us ? Hydrogen is simplest and

most abundant chemical element in the universe.

Widespread use of hydrogen as a fuel source would eliminate most air pollution.

Hydrogen is to expensive, we don’t have the technology to efficiently put it in things, and to produce hydrogen without using so much energy.

16-9how can we make the transition to a more sustainable energy future. Sec.1 choosing energy paths. the energy path we choose

depends primarily on what government and private companies choose to promote.

We have centralized sources of power which are easy to dissrupt

Until fossil fuels begin to run out or raise in unaffordable price. We will not really switch anything major.

16.9sec.2 economics, politics, and education can help us shift to more sustainable energy resources. Keep the prices of selected

energy sources low to promote use.

Eliminate the subsidies given to fossil fuels.

Emphasize consumer education of all sources of energy.

We all the resources we need to make the transition but it depends on the education we all share of what really going on.

Core case study

Amory B. Lovins

This man here is well known due to his mustache and his fancy suit.

He is also known for constructing the Rocky mountain institute (RMI).

The (RMI) is a building designed to work with nature using natural sources of energy

The way he designed the building helps it to be sustainable.

Science focus. The quest to make hydrogen workable. The most likely H2

method is is using electricty used by windmills, hydroelectric, and solar power to produce it.

We could use chicken feathers to help store hydrogen.

The use of pellets of aluminum-gallium might make hydrogen feasible.

Case study getting gasoline and diesel fuel from algae and bacteria. Growing algae removes

co2 from the atmosphere

They require much less land and water.

Would not effect food prices.

They would help to clean up waste water as they grow.

Case study is biodiesel the answer?

Brazil and Malaysia produce biodiesel from palm oil.

Biodiesel production is promoted by federal subsidies.

Kills biodiversity in certain countries due to the constant clearing of land.

They also are bringing in invasive plants.

Case study is ethanol the answer?

Ethanol can be made from plants such as sugar cane.

Brazil, is the Saudi Arabia of sugar cane, is the second largest producer of sugar cane after the us.

Most ethanol in the us is made from corn.

They still use a lot of fossil fuels to produce the ethanol.

Case study the astounding potential for wind power in the united states>

North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Kansas are considered the Saudi Arabia of wind power.

They have enough power to power the lower 48.

Wind power proponents call for more land based and offshore wind mills instead of nuclear plants.

Science focus The search for better batteries Finding cheap batteries

that are efficient. lithium-ion batteries are

being looked at but they are to expensive and heat up to quick.

Nano technology and a virus that coats its self in electric conducting materials are new experimental ideas.

Case study: saving energy and money with a smarter electrical grid

The use of a smart grid would make the production and use of electricity more efficient

The system would have a constant feed of information for the consumer and the producer of the electricity.

This system would cost the us $200-$800 billion dollars but would pay its self of in a couple years.