Renewable vs Fossil Energy Quiz

Science and Technology

• A presentation on science and technology, specifically renewable energy sources.

Renewable Energy

• Renewable energy comes from natural sources replenished faster than used.
• It improves energy efficiency and reduces environmental pollution.

Fossil Fuel Energy

• Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources formed from prehistoric plants & animals.
• They are buried in rock layers over millions of years.
• Types depend on organic matter, burial time, and temperatures/pressures.
• Natural gas, petroleum, and coal are the most common.
• Fossil fuels account for 80% of global power consumption.

Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels

• Fossil fuels are non-renewable.
• Fossil fuel production is dangerous and costly, involving potential disasters.
• Fossil fuels contribute to water pollution (e.g., oil spills).
• They cause water table poisoning (e.g., fracking).
• Fossil fuels lead to air pollution (e.g., smog, acid rain).
• Fossil fuels cause global warming.
• Other disadvantages exist.

What is Renewable Energy?

• Renewable energy is derived from natural resources that are replenished faster than they are consumed.
• It promotes energy efficiency and reduces pollution in the energy sector.

Advantages of Renewable Energy

• Renewable energy sources are sustainable.
• Their use reduces fossil fuel emissions, reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Renewable energy helps diversify energy supply and lessen reliance on imported fuels.
• Renewable energy generates jobs in manufacturing and installation.
• Renewable energy creates more economic development.

Implementing On-site Renewable Energy Projects

• On-site power generation offers local governments direct access to renewable energy.
• It can also act as a hedge against financial risks and enhance power quality/reliability.
• However, this approach may present technical, financial, and regulatory challenges.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

• Local governments should assess the availability of local renewable resources.
• They should evaluate the costs associated with different renewable technologies.
• The overall costs and benefits of on-site green power should be considered.
• Local permitting requirements for the location of these facilities should be assessed.
• Local stakeholders should be involved, particularly concerning placement or siting.
• Financial and incentive options should be evaluated.

Sources of Renewable Energy

• Solar (photovoltaic, solar thermal)
• Wind
• Biomass
• Hydropower
• Geothermal energy

Solar Energy

• Solar energy utilizes solar energy from light particles to generate and convert it into electricity.
• It comes in two forms:
  • Photovoltaic solar
  • Solar thermal energy

Photovoltaic Energy

• Photovoltaic solar energy directly converts sunlight to electricity.
• Methods include flat plate and concentrator systems.

Photovoltaic Energy

• To capture the sun's energy, solar panels capture light photons (from solar radiation) and convert them into energy to generate electricity.

Solar Thermal Energy

• Solar thermal energy uses the sun's radiation to heat a fluid.
• The heated fluid can then be used for various applications (e.g., power generation).

How Solar Thermal Energy Works

• Mirrors/reflectors concentrate solar rays to heat a special liquid.
• The heated liquid boils water to create steam.
• Steam spins a turbine connected to a generator producing electricity.
• The steam is converted back into water, recycled, reheated and turned back into steam.

Main Uses of Solar Energy

• Photovoltaic sensors and inverters are used to convert continuous solar energy into alternating current, feeding it into the grid.

Uses of Solar Energy

• Used in many urban applications like illuminating entrances, intersections and rest areas.
• Solar energy sources power many signalling systems across various fields, including mobile power repeaters, radio, and television systems.
• It is widely used in rural areas for electrification in dispersed cities and small towns.
• Solar energy sources power farms and livestock, such as illuminating and operating water pumps & irrigation pumps.

Advantages of Solar Energy

• Solar energy is eco-friendly, reducing the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Solar energy is cost effective, and solar panels have a useful lifespan of 40 years.
• Solar energy relies on sunlight, which is abundant and widely available.
• It reduces the need for fossil fuels and conserves natural resources.

Wind Energy

• Wind energy is the process of using wind to produce mechanical power or electricity.
• This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks like grinding grain or pumping water.
• Electricity is produced by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy using a generator.

Wind Turbines

• Wind turbines convert wind energy into electrical energy.
• Turbines come in vertical and horizontal designs.
• Air power spins the turbine, which is connected to an electricity generator.

How Wind Turbines Work

• Diagram shows turbine components including blades, high-speed/low-speed shafts, brake, power cable, electronic control, generator, multiplier, cooling unit, nacelle, wind vane/anemometer.

Advantages of Wind Energy

• Wind power creates significant job opportunities.
• Wind power is a cost-effective energy source.
• Wind turbines are adaptable across various landscapes (agricultural & multi-use) and places (farms, ranches, coastal/island communities.)

Challenges of Wind Energy Projects

• Cost-effectiveness may be limited in locations with insufficient wind.
• Ideal wind locations are often remote, requiring transmission to urban areas.
• Wind turbines may generate noise and visually impact aesthetics.
• Wind farms may affect local wildlife.

Biomass Energy

• Biomass energy uses organic matter (plants like corn, soy) from which energy is obtained.
• This energy can be used to create heat or electricity.

Sources of Biomass Energy

• Dedicated energy crops, agricultural crop residues, forestry/wood-processing residues, municipal wastes, etc.

How Biomass Energy Works

• Diagram shows the cycle of biomass energy, including combustion of organic matter leading to release of CO²; and photosynthesis recycling the CO².

Advantages of Biomass Energy

• Biomass is a virtually limitless resource, a byproduct of many processes.
• It is a widely available and relatively inexpensive energy source.
• Biomass is considered 'carbon neutral' as it has already gone through photosynthesis.

Disadvantages of Biomass Energy

• Biomass energy production may require deforestation.
• Biomass energy infrastructure construction and maintenance can be expensive.
• Harvesting, transporting, and storing the organic matter can be costly, exceeding the costs of other renewables like solar.

Hydropower Energy

• Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, utilizes the natural flow of moving water to produce electricity.
• It is one of the oldest and largest sources of renewable energy.

How Hydropower Works

• Hydropower utilizes elevation differences created by dams or diversion structures to drive turbines and generate electricity.

Advantages of Hydropower

• Hydropower has relatively low costs over its lifetime (including maintenance, operation, and fuel)
• Hydropower plants operate for long periods with minimal need for repair or replacement.
• Compared to other electricity sources, power from hydropower is relatively cheap.

Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source tapped from the Earth's core, relying on heat from the planet's formation and radioactive decay.
• It stores energy as heated rocks and fluids deep in the Earth's interior.

How Geothermal Energy Works

• Wells are drilled deep into underground reservoirs.
• Three main designs: dry steam, flash, and binary.
• Dry steam uses direct steam from fractures.
• Flash plants use high-pressure hot water. Mixing with cooler water creates steam for turbine generation.
• Binary technology employs hot water to heat a lower-boiling-point secondary fluid, vaporizing it for turbine power.

Advantages of Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal energy is environmentally friendly, emitting only a small fraction of the carbon dioxide produced by natural-gas plants.
• Its a cost-effective, consistent method of energy production.
• It's a consistent, reliable power source.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal plants are limited to locations near tectonic plate boundaries.
• Production sites may cool over time.
• Exploring and drilling for geothermal sites is expensive.
• Geothermal plants can release hydrogen sulfide, a gas with a rotten egg smell.
• Some geothermal fluids contain trace elements that must be disposed of.

Summary

• Presentation on various renewable energy sources.
• Includes advantages, disadvantages, and workings of each source.

Test your knowledge on renewable and fossil energy sources with this quiz. Explore key characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of each type of energy. Ideal for students learning about energy systems and their impacts.