Renewable Energy Sources

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What percentage of the world's total energy is supplied by renewable energy sources?

13.5% (correct)
5%
20%
10%

By what year could alternative energy sources provide half of the world's energy needs?

2070
2050 (correct)
2030
2100

What is the primary energy source for approximately 30 percent of the world's population?

Hydroelectric power
Fuelwood (correct)
Coal
Solar energy

What process converts sunlight into plant material, which can be used as biomass energy?

Photosynthesis (B) Signup and view all the answers

What are some sources of biomass energy?

Municipal and industrial wastes, agricultural crop residues, and energy plantations (B) Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of world energy consumption is accounted for by the 25 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)?

40 percent (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of energy, accounting for nearly 85 percent of the world's energy consumption?

Conventional fossil fuels (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a major nonrenewable energy source whose resources are being used faster than they can be replenished?

Coal (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was a factor that led to increased energy consumption in North America and Europe during the 1980s?

Decrease in oil prices (D) Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the world's energy consumption is accounted for by oil?

33 percent (D) Signup and view all the answers

How many times greater is the daily energy from the sun compared to energy produced by all other energy sources combined?

600 times (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a major challenge associated with solar energy?

Intermittent and diffuse nature (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of mirrors in a Solar Power Tower system?

To focus sunlight at a central point (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of manufacturing solar energy units?

Large amounts of energy are required (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a requirement for thermal or photovoltaic power plants?

Large amounts of land (C) Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the world's energy is currently provided by renewable energy sources?

12% (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of steam in geothermal energy?

It contains hydrogen sulfide gas (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between a resource and a reserve?

A reserve is a known deposit that can be economically extracted, while a resource is not (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a requirement for tidal power generation?

A difference in tidal height of at least 5 meters (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential environmental concern with tidal power?

It can affect fish migration patterns (B) Signup and view all the answers

What process transformed the organic matter into coal in the formation of coal deposits?

Heat and pressure from sediment (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of energy conservation?

It reduces energy demands and makes it easier to meet future energy needs (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of renewable energy used worldwide?

Hydroelectricity (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated percentage of energy used worldwide that comes from non-renewable sources?

80% (C) Signup and view all the answers

What has been influenced by the availability of relatively low-cost energy?

Cultural and lifestyle factors (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of wind energy?

It is often used in combination with other energy sources (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of drilling wells in geothermal energy?

To extract heat from the Earth's crust (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a concern related to the installation of wind turbines?

Hazard to birds and bats from the moving blades (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of using heat pumps in geothermal energy?

They can be used in areas that are not geologically active (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a feature of photovoltaic systems?

They are often incorporated into the design of a building (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of burning municipal solid wastes?

Release of toxic products (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a long-term process in the context of carbon dioxide?

Removal of carbon dioxide by plants (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why is using crops to provide energy not suitable for food production?

It reduces the land available for food production (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the most common method for generating hydroelectric power?

Damming a river and storing water in a reservoir (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of building dams for hydroelectric power?

Loss of farmland or forest land due to flooding (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is trapped in reservoirs, stopping the flow of nutrients downstream?

Silt (C) Signup and view all the answers

Why is hydroelectric power best developed in mountainous regions and large river valleys?

Due to the kinetic energy of flowing water (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of using crop residues and animal manure for energy?

Diversion from use as fertilizer (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of releasing mercury in hydroelectric power production?

Accumulation of mercury (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of community relocation due to hydroelectric power production?

Environmental and social consequences (D) Signup and view all the answers