Renewable (inexhaustible)
Energy Sources
Alternative energy sources to using
fossil fuels.
Why is there a push to using
renewable energy?
1. Help protect against harmful toxins and
greenhouse gasses that are produced from
using fossil fuels.
2. Preserve the natural resources, fossil fuels,
that we use for energy.
Renewable Resources
 Wind Power
Solar Power
Geothermal Energy
Hydroelectric Energy
Biomass
Wind Power
 Harnesses the power of
the wind to move the
blades of wind turbines.
The rotation of the blades
is converted into
electrical energy that can
be stored in electrical
grids.
The bottom picture is a wind turbine in
Atlantic City, NJ.
Solar Power
• Trapping the sun’s rays
into solar cells where the
sunlight is converted into
electricity.
• Used for heating, cooking,
and the production of
electricity.
• “Thermal energy” – when
heat is moving.
Geothermal Energy
Literally means “Earth Heat”
Harnesses the heat energy
from under the earth. Hot
rocks underground heat water
to produce steam. When holes
are drilled in this area, the
steam that shoots up is
purified and is used to drive
turbines which power electric
generators.
Hydroelectric Energy
• Comes from energy of
dammed water driving
a water turbine and
generator.
• Comes from collecting
energy from moving
water.
Tidal Energy
Tidal barrage
Tidal stream generator
Tidal Fences
What is Tidal Energy?
• Tidal energy is a form of
hydropower that converts the
energy of the tides into
electricity or other useful
forms of power.
• The tide is created by the
gravitational effect of the sun
and the moon on the earth.
Tidal energy is therefore a
predictable form of renewable
energy.
• This type of energy is obtained
from changing sea levels.
Tidal Energy
How it works
• Works by building Barrages to contain water after
high tide, then water has to pass through a
turbine to return to low tide
• Sites in France (La Rance), Canada (Annapolis),
and Russia
• Future sites possibly on Severn River in England,
San Francisco Bay
Tidal Power
• Tidal power generators derive their energy from movement of the tides.
• Obviously requires large bodies of water nearby. Not viable on the
prairies for example.
• Has potential for generation of very large amounts of electricity, or can
be used in smaller scale.
• Tidal power is not a new concept and has been used since at least the
11th Century in Britain and France for the milling of grains.
• There are a number of places around the world that have adopted pilot
projects for different types of tidal generators
Biomass
• Renewable energy from
plants and animals.
• Biomass contains stored
energy from the
sun. Plants absorb the
sun's energy in a process
called photosynthesis.
The chemical energy in
plants gets passed on to
animals and people that
eat them.
• We can always grow more
trees and crops, and
waste will always exist.
• When burned, the
chemical energy in
biomass is released as
heat.
• The most common form
of biomass is wood.
• Biomass can be converted
to other useable forms of
energy, such as methane
gas or transportation
fuels, such as ethanol and
biodiesel.
• Biodiesel, another
transportation fuel, can be
produced from left-over
food products like
vegetable oils and animal
fats.
20% Renewable Energy 2020
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1
cysaOnlv_E