The document discusses various energy sources, distinguishing between conventional sources like oil, natural gas, and coal that can harm the environment versus alternative renewable sources like solar, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, and biomass energy that do not harm the environment. It provides details on how each renewable energy source harnesses natural movements or processes to generate electricity or thermal energy. Solar energy converts the sun's rays into heat or electricity, hydroelectric power uses falling water, geothermal taps underground reservoirs of hot water or steam, biomass uses organic material, and wind turbines convert kinetic wind energy into electricity.
3. ï‚— Conventional Sources are most commonly used right
now and can actually harm the environment and are Not
renewable:
ï‚— Oil or Petroleum
ï‚— Nuclear Power
ï‚— Natural Gas
ï‚— Fossil Fuels
ï‚— Coal
4. ï‚— Alternative Sources do Not harm the environment, and
are renewable:
ï‚— Water Movement - Hydroelectric, Wave Energy
ï‚— Air Movement- Wind Power
ï‚— Earth - Geothermal Energy
ï‚— Biomass and Bio-fuels
ï‚— Sun - Solar Power
5. How much and
Energy does the
I’m not saying it’s going to
be easy, but I’m telling you
United States consume?
it’s going to be worth it!
7. Solar Energy is the sun’s rays/solar radiation that reach the Earth. This
energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and
electricity. When converted to thermal (or heat) energy, solar energy
can be used to:
ï‚— Heat water - for use in homes,
buildings, or swimming pools
ï‚— Heat spaces - inside homes,
greenhouses, and other buildings
ï‚— Heat fluids - to high temperatures
to operate a turbine to generate electricity
8. ï‚— Hydropower or water power is power derived from the
energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes.
ï‚— Though some flowing areas were made intentionally for this renewable
energy source but this is capable of destroying natural habitats and
biodiversity of aquatic animals.
ï‚— A solution has been made for
fish who migrate up stream
to spawn; it is called a fish ladder.
9. ï‚— Is found in naturally occurring large areas of hydrothermal resources called
geothermal reservoirs. Most reservoirs are deep underground with no visible
clues showing above ground. But geothermal energy sometimes finds its way to
the surface in the form of:
ï‚— Volcanoes and fumaroles (holes where volcanic gases are released)
ï‚— Hot springs
ï‚— Geysers
10. ï‚— Biomass is organic material made from plants and animals (microorganisms) that
contains stored energy from the sun. Plants absorb the energy through photosynthesis.
The chemical energy in plants gets passed on to animals and people that eat them.
ï‚— Biomass is a renewable energy source because we can always grow more trees and crops.
Some examples of biomass fuels are wood, crops, manure, and some garbage.
ï‚— When burned, the chemical energy in biomass is released as heat. If you have a
fireplace, the wood you burn in it is a biomass fuel.
11. ï‚— Today, wind energy is mainly used to generate electricity. Wind is a renewable
energy source because the wind will blow as long as the sun shines.
 Just like windmills, today’s wind turbines use blades to collect the wind’s kinetic
energy. The wind flows over the blades creating lift, like the effect on airplane
wings, which causes them to turn. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that
turns an electric generator to produce electricity.
•A wind turbine works the opposite
of a fan. Instead of using electricity to
make wind, like a fan, wind turbines
use wind to make electricity. The wind
turns the blades, which spin a shaft,
which connects to a generator and
makes electricity.