Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the required temperature difference for effective operation of OTEC power plants?
Which is a disadvantage of using biomass energy?
Which of the following is NOT a factor to consider when choosing a site for OTEC?
What kind of energy does biomass refer to?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a potential hazard associated with floating OTEC plants?
Signup and view all the answers
How is seawater utilized in OTEC power plants?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a significant impact of silting in tidal energy systems?
Signup and view all the answers
What benefit does OTEC provide that is particularly advantageous for small islands?
Signup and view all the answers
What is one method of producing biomass energy?
Signup and view all the answers
Which conversion technique involves the thermal decomposition of materials without oxygen?
Signup and view all the answers
During gasification, which of the following is primarily produced?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a significant drawback of anaerobic digestion in biomass energy production?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the typical temperature range for the gasification process?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following biomass sources can be used for charcoal production?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a common characteristic of pyrolysis output?
Signup and view all the answers
What process is utilized to convert bulky biomass into a more compact form?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary gas component of biogas?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the calorific value range of biogas?
Signup and view all the answers
Which factor does NOT affect the production of biogas?
Signup and view all the answers
Which generation of biofuels is produced from engineered crops like algae?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the formula for calculating energy?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main advantage of using Bio-CBG as a fuel?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the average electricity consumption of a house in a city?
Signup and view all the answers
What process is used to produce biodiesel from oils like Jatropha and Karanja?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a primary biofuel typically used for?
Signup and view all the answers
What percentage does a 1000 MW power plant operate at to generate 6.6 billion KWh per year?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is considered a non-renewable energy resource?
Signup and view all the answers
Which factor contributes to effective ethanol fermentation?
Signup and view all the answers
Which energy scale corresponds to 10-12 Watts?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary purpose of photovoltaic cells?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following methods is NOT a way to utilize solar energy?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a key reason to focus on renewable energy sources?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the inverter do in a solar energy system?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is NOT a typical application of solar energy?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a primary limitation of solar energy systems?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following describes a benefit of wind energy?
Signup and view all the answers
Which factor does NOT influence wind energy production?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the typical output voltage of a solar module with about 30 cells?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is an advantage of solar energy?
Signup and view all the answers
What can wind energy systems be used for?
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.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
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.
