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Renewable energy 7.3 and alternative energy sources (buildings (biggest…
Renewable energy 7.3 and alternative energy sources
transition to renewable energy-why and how
energy priorities: 1 improving energy efficiency and reducing energy waste
decreasing our dependence on nonrenewable fossil fuels
relying more on a mix of renewable energy
environmental benefits: save lives by sharply reducing air pollution, slow the increase in ocean acidity
economic benefits: save money, create jobs and business opportunities
energy efficiency and energy conservation are the biggest sources of renewable energy
we waste a lot energy and money
energy conservation means reducing or eliminating the unnecessary wasting of energy
energy efficiency generally concerns unavoidable loss
consevation generally concerns avoidable loss
reasons for energy waste
internal combustion engine
nuclear, coal, and naturl gas power plants
huge data center
industries and power
ways for industry to save money and fuel
variable-speed electric motors
recycling materials
implementing energy-efficiency in officies
cogeneration
transportation
fuel economy
new, energy-efficient vehicles: gasoline-electric hybrid car, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, all-electric vehicle
CAFE: Corporate avarage fuel economy
consumers and their car usage
consumers buy so much gasoline because the true price of gasoline is not included in the cost
how can we make people use less gasoline?
raise taxes on gasoline, improve mass transit systems, bicyle-only routs and area
buildings
biggest energy costs in the hoe are: heating, cooling, electronics and appliances
home insulation
saving energy and money in existing buildings: heat interior spaces more efficiently, heat water more efficiently, use energy-efficient appliences, use energy-efficient computers, use energy-efficient lighting, stop using standby mode
home insulation
energy star is a voluntary program launched by the U.S. EPA
solar energy
heating buildings and water with solar energy absorbs and stores heat from the sun directly
active solar heating system
solar power for cooking
photovoltaic cells
advantages: no greenhouse gases or pollutants, no toxic materials, easy-to-use, low maintenance
disadvantages: low energy efficiency
wind power: wind turbines and wind farms advantages: abudant, widely distributed, and inexhaustible, carbon-free and pollution-free, fast and relatively cheap, increasing energy efficiency and reducing costs
geothermal
hydrothermal reservoirs can be used for mass heating or generating electricity
advantages: medium net energy, low co2 emission
disadvantages: drilling geothermal wells is expensive and risk
deep heat
biomass
obtaining energy from burning biomass: solid biomass or organic matter, gaseous or liquid biofuels
solid biomass for heat and electric
using liquid biofuels to power vehicles
ethanol
biodiesel
advantages of biofuels over gasoline or desel: can be grown throughout much of the world, no net increase in co2 emissions, easy to store and transport
alternative biofuels: algae
20% more grwwnhouse gases to atmosphere, huge amounts of water=large volumes of wastewater, tropical rainforest, grasslands and wetlands are being destryed
biodigesters-biogas
biodigesters produce biogas and fertilizers
advantages of biogas: reduces amount of waste going into landfills, helps to rid of and make use of food waste, reduces amount of livesstock and human waste entering water ecosystems, creates less CO2 than fossil fuels, home versions are cheap to make, creates jobs
disadvantages: impurities can damage if used inc combustion engines
hydropower
advantages: least expensive renewable energy resource
disadvantages: reservoirs fill with silt and become useless, flood and destroy terrestrial habitats upstream, flooded vegetation dies and produces methane, reduce flow of water & sediments to river deltas and estuaries.
using tides and waves to produce electricity
tidal energ
wave energy
hydrogen
hydrogen power advantages: no co2 emission or air
more efficient
little maintenance
major hurdles: hydrogen has a negative net energy
renewable energy and the economy
full-cost pricing, tax carbon emissions, subsidice renewable energy, eliminate subsidies for fossil fuel industries, feed-intarriff system, mandate, CAFE standards