Energy Resources Overview
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Questions and Answers

What is the required temperature difference for effective operation of OTEC power plants?

  • 10°C
  • 15°C
  • 25°C
  • 20°C (correct)
  • Which is a disadvantage of using biomass energy?

  • It can lead to deforestation. (correct)
  • It produces no waste.
  • It harnesses solar energy efficiently.
  • It is a carbon-neutral energy source.
  • Which of the following is NOT a factor to consider when choosing a site for OTEC?

  • Local electricity demand
  • Thermal gradient in the ocean
  • Seismic activity
  • Presence of marine biodiversity (correct)
  • What kind of energy does biomass refer to?

    <p>Energy stored in organic matter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential hazard associated with floating OTEC plants?

    <p>Navigational hazard</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is seawater utilized in OTEC power plants?

    <p>For both vaporizing and condensing liquids</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant impact of silting in tidal energy systems?

    <p>Decreased efficiency and maintenance difficulties</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What benefit does OTEC provide that is particularly advantageous for small islands?

    <p>Desalinated water supply</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one method of producing biomass energy?

    <p>Direct burning of dry plants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which conversion technique involves the thermal decomposition of materials without oxygen?

    <p>Pyrolysis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During gasification, which of the following is primarily produced?

    <p>Gaseous output</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant drawback of anaerobic digestion in biomass energy production?

    <p>It is a sensitive process that needs proper maintenance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the typical temperature range for the gasification process?

    <p>800 to 1100°C</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following biomass sources can be used for charcoal production?

    <p>Coconut shells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common characteristic of pyrolysis output?

    <p>Solid char-like substance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process is utilized to convert bulky biomass into a more compact form?

    <p>Densification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary gas component of biogas?

    <p>Methane (CH4)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the calorific value range of biogas?

    <p>5000 to 5500 kCal/kg</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor does NOT affect the production of biogas?

    <p>Color of the raw material</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which generation of biofuels is produced from engineered crops like algae?

    <p>Third generation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the formula for calculating energy?

    <p>Energy = Power x Time</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main advantage of using Bio-CBG as a fuel?

    <p>It is a renewable and sustainable energy source</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the average electricity consumption of a house in a city?

    <p>500 KWh</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process is used to produce biodiesel from oils like Jatropha and Karanja?

    <p>Transesterification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary biofuel typically used for?

    <p>Unprocessed forms such as fuel wood</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage does a 1000 MW power plant operate at to generate 6.6 billion KWh per year?

    <p>75%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is considered a non-renewable energy resource?

    <p>Fossil fuel</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor contributes to effective ethanol fermentation?

    <p>Moisture content</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which energy scale corresponds to 10-12 Watts?

    <p>Pico</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of photovoltaic cells?

    <p>To generate electric power from solar radiations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following methods is NOT a way to utilize solar energy?

    <p>Wind turbines</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key reason to focus on renewable energy sources?

    <p>Global warming concerns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the inverter do in a solar energy system?

    <p>Converts direct current to alternating current</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a typical application of solar energy?

    <p>Solar wind farms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary limitation of solar energy systems?

    <p>They generate less power compared to traditional power plants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes a benefit of wind energy?

    <p>It is a clean fuel source with no recurring expenses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor does NOT influence wind energy production?

    <p>Solar panel configurations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the typical output voltage of a solar module with about 30 cells?

    <p>15 V</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an advantage of solar energy?

    <p>Renewable and eco-friendly</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can wind energy systems be used for?

    <p>Desalination and telecommunication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Energy Resources

    • Energy is the ability to do work. It is measured in Joules (J).
    • Power is the rate at which energy is used. It is measured in Watts (W).
    • The average household in a city consumes approximately 500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per year.
    • Globally, energy consumption is equivalent to the output of a 1000 MW power plant operating at 75% capacity.
    • The total global energy usage is approximately 500 Exa joules per year.
    • Renewable energy sources are replenished as fast as they are consumed. Examples include solar, wind, water, and geothermal energy.
    • Non-renewable energy sources are not replenished at a rate comparable to their consumption. Examples include fossil fuels and nuclear materials.

    Renewable Energy Installed Capacity (2017)

    • Solar energy: 16,611 MW
    • Wind energy: 32,746 MW
    • Biomass energy: 8,181 MW
    • Small Hydro Power: 4,399 MW
    • Waste to Energy: 114 MW

    Reasons to Focus on Renewable Energy Resources

    • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change.
    • Prevent ocean acidification.

    Solar Energy

    • Solar energy can be utilized for thermal and electrical applications.
    • Solar collectors convert solar radiation into heat.
    • Photovoltaic cells convert solar radiation into electricity.
    • Photovoltaic cells are composed of thin wafers of semiconductor materials, such as silicon and germanium.
    • A typical solar cell can generate around 0.7 W of electricity.

    Advantages of Solar Energy

    • Clean and renewable energy source.
    • Eco-friendly and noise-free operation.
    • Low maintenance costs due to limited moving parts.
    • Potential for use in remote areas where power transmission is difficult and expensive.

    Disadvantages of Solar Energy

    • Solar cells only produce electricity during daylight hours.
    • Solar power stations generally do not match the output of conventional power stations.
    • Primarily used for charging batteries.

    Wind Energy

    • Wind energy is derived from the kinetic energy of air masses caused by differential atmospheric heating.
    • Wind turbines convert wind energy into mechanical energy, which is then used to generate electricity.
    • Wind energy potential is influenced by terrain, water bodies, vegetation, and geographic region.
    • Wind energy conversion systems (WECS) consist of wind turbines, generators, control systems, and interconnected apparatus.

    Advantages of Wind Energy

    • Clean fuel source with no recurring expenses.
    • Wind turbines can be built on farms, allowing continued agricultural activities.
    • Low operational costs.

    Disadvantages of Wind Energy

    • High capital and operational costs.
    • Limited zone of capture for wind turbines.
    • Variability in wind availability can affect power output.

    Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

    • OTEC utilizes the temperature difference between surface and deep ocean water.
    • Primarily harnessed in tropical oceans with a temperature difference of at least 20°C.
    • Warm surface water is used to vaporize a working fluid (e.g., ammonia) to drive a heat engine.
    • Deep ocean water is used to condense the vaporized working fluid.
    • Seawater is a free energy source, but associated costs include pumping and material handling.

    Advantages of OTEC

    • Produces desalinated water.
    • Provides air conditioning for buildings.
    • Offers moderate-temperature refrigeration.
    • Particularly beneficial for small islands.
    • Promotes mariculture (seafood farming).
    • Potential for powering offshore mining operations.

    Disadvantages of OTEC

    • Dependence on specific oceanographic conditions and limited site availability.
    • Low energy recovery efficiency due to low-grade solar energy input.
    • Navigational hazard associated with floating OTEC plants.
    • Environmental concerns related to the use of chlorine for biofouling prevention and potentially harmful interactions with marine organisms.
    • Mixing of warm and cold seawater can affect dissolved oxygen levels.

    Biomass Energy

    • Biomass refers to solid carbonaceous material derived from plants and animals.
    • Biomass energy utilizes the energy stored in organic matter.
    • Biomass energy is considered a carbon-neutral energy source.
    • Examples of biomass include wood, leaves, animal waste, crops, and bones.

    Biomass Conversion Methods

    • Direct burning: Dry plants are burned to release heat energy.
    • Fermentation: Ethanol production from corn or other starchy materials.
    • Petro crops: Plants rich in hydrocarbons, such as Euphorbias and oil palms, can be used for oil extraction.
    • Agri & urban waste biomass: Crop residues, bagasse, animal waste, and other organic waste are converted into charcoal or briquettes for fuel.

    Biomass Power Conversion

    • Heat and electricity generation: Biomass is burned to heat a boiler, producing steam that drives a turbine to generate electricity.
    • Other conversion techniques:
      • Densification: Compressing biomass to increase its volume-to-weight ratio.
      • Combustion: Burning biomass for heat or power generation.
      • Thermochemical conversion: Pyrolysis and gasification.
      • Biochemical conversion: Anaerobic digestion and ethanol fermentation.

    Thermochemical Conversion

    • Pyrolysis: Thermal decomposition of biomass without oxygen, producing char, ash, and liquid byproducts.
    • Gasification: Chemical and thermal conversion of biomass into combustible gas, typically using air, oxygen, or steam.

    Biochemical Conversion

    • Anaerobic digestion: Bacteria break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas (primarily methane and carbon dioxide).
    • Ethanol fermentation: Sugar-containing biomass is fermented to produce ethanol, which can be used as a biofuel.

    Biogas

    • Biogas is primarily a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide produced through anaerobic digestion.
    • Purified biogas can be compressed to create biomethane (Bio-CBG), a high-energy-density fuel.
    • Bio-CBG can replace fossil fuels in transportation and industrial applications.

    Biofuels

    • Liquid fuels derived from agricultural and forest crops and residues through fermentation processes.
    • Primary biofuels: Used in an unprocessed form, such as fuel wood.
    • Secondary biofuels: Derived from processed biomass, such as ethanol and biodiesel.
    • Biodiesel: Produced from non-edible oils, such as jatropha and karanja, through transesterification.

    Generations of Biofuels

    • First-generation: Conventional biofuels produced directly from food crops, such as corn.
    • Second-generation: Biofuels produced from non-food crops, such as waste materials and wood.
    • Third-generation: Biofuels produced from engineered crops, such as algae.
    • Fourth-generation: Biofuels produced through hydroprocessing of biomass, resulting in advanced fuels with improved properties.

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    This quiz covers essential concepts of energy resources, including definitions of energy and power, global energy consumption statistics, and the importance of renewable versus non-renewable energy. It also highlights the installed capacity of various renewable energy sources as of 2017. Test your knowledge on these critical topics relating to energy and sustainability.

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