Energy Sources - Julia's Science class
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Energy Sources By Julia Pound Nuclear Fusion How is it Created? When hydrogen atoms fuse, the nuclei must come together The protons in each nucleus will tend to repel each other because they have the same charge (positive) If you've ever tried to place two magnets together and felt them push apart from each other, you've experienced this principle first-hand What Are the Advantages? Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions The incredible amount of energy The easy availability of fuel - available metal. Safety Clean energy, No greenhouse gases Virtually limitless fuel Very low fuel cost Nuclear fusion What are the disadvantages? Radioactive Waste Nuclear Accidents Nuclear Radiation High Cost National Risk Impact on Aquatic Life Major Impact on Human Life Non Renewable Nuclear Fusion Where is Nuclear fusion Used? United States Russia, France United Kingdom China and India — are known to possess fusion bombs Iran is currently doing research on nuclear fusion, claiming to have joined the race in developing fusion-based electricity Who uses it? Companies and government labs have spent 60 years being just a decade away from nuclear fusion 1 in 5 households and business in the U.S are electrically powered by nuclear energy More than 70% of America’s emission-free power comes from nuclear energy sources Tidal energy How is it created? Tidal energy is produced through the use of tidal energy generators These large underwater turbines are placed in areas with high tidal movements They are designed to capture the kinetic motion of the ebbing and surging of ocean tides in order to produce electricity Advantages of Tidal Energy 1) It is an inexhaustible source of energy 2) Tidal energy is environment friendly energy and doesn't produce greenhouse gases. 3) As 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, there is scope to generate this energy on large scale. 4) We can predict the rise and fall of tides as they follow cyclic fashion 5) Efficiency of tidal power is far greater as compared to coal, solar or wind energy. Its efficiency is around 80%. 6) Although cost of construction of tidal power is high but maintenance costs are relatively low 7) Tidal Energy doesn’t require any kind of fuel to run 8) The life of tidal energy power plant is very long 9) The energy density of tidal energy is relatively higher than other renewable energy sources Tidal energy Disadvantages of Tidal Energy Cost of construction of tidal power plant is high There are very few ideal locations for construction of plant and they too are localized to coastal regions only Intensity of sea waves is unpredictable and there can be damage to power generation units Influences aquatic life adversely and can disrupt migration of fish The actual generation is for a short period of time. The tides only happen twice a day so electricity can be produced only for that time. Frozen sea, low or weak tides, straight shorelines, low tidal rise or fall are some of the obstructions. This technology is still not cost effective and more technological advancements are required to make it commercially viable Usually the places where tidal energy is produced are far away from the places where it is consumed. This transmission is expensive and difficult Tidal Energy Where is tidal energy used in the world? Australia U.S South Korea U.K China Who uses Tidal Energy? Nova Scotia Power Scotland power British Colombia power Wind power How is it created? Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks such as grinding grain or pumping water or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity to power homes, businesses, schools, and the like Wind power Advantages of wind power The wind is free and with modern technology it can be captured efficiently. Once the wind turbine is built the energy it produces does not cause green house gases or other pollutants Although wind turbines can be very tall each takes up only a small plot of land. This means that the land below can still be used. This is especially the case in agricultural areas as farming can still continue Many people find wind farms an interesting feature of the landscape Remote areas that are not connected to the electricity power grid can use wind turbines to produce their own supply Wind turbines have a role to play in both the developed and third world. Wind turbines are available in a range of sizes which means a vast range of people and businesses can use them. Single households to small towns and villages can make good use of range of wind turbines available today Wind power Disadvantages of wind power The strength of the wind is not constant and it varies from zero to storm force. This means that wind turbines do not produce the same amount of electricity all the time. There will be times when they produce no electricity at all. Many people feel that the countryside should be left untouched, without these large structures being built. The landscape should left in its natural form for everyone to enjoy. Wind turbines are noisy. Each one can generate the same level of noise as a family car travelling at 70 mph. Many people see large wind turbines as unsightly structures and not pleasant or interesting to look at. They disfigure the countryside and are generally ugly. When wind turbines are being manufactured some pollution is produced. Therefore wind power does produce some pollution. Large wind farms are needed to provide entire communities with enough electricity. For example, the largest single turbine available today can only provide enough electricity for 475 homes, when running at full capacity. How many would be needed for a town of 100 000 people? Wind power Where is it used most? U.S India Germany France Spain U.K China Denmark Italy Portugal Wind power Who uses wind power the most? These are the top 10 countries who use the most wind power United States India Germany France Spain U.K China Denmark Italy Portugal Parabolic Reflector How is it created? It is a reflective surface used to collect or project energy such as light, sound, or radio waves Its shape is part of a circular parabolic, that is, the surface generated by a parabola revolving around its axis The parabolic reflector transforms an incoming plane wave traveling along the axis into a spherical wave converging toward the focus Conversely, a spherical wave generated by a point source placed in the focus is reflected into a plane wave propagating as a collimated beam along the axis Parabolic reflectors are used to collect energy from a distant source The principles of reflection are reversible Parabolic Reflector What are the advantages? High gain-Parabolic reflector antennas are able to provide very high levels of gain The larger the 'dish' in terms of wavelengths, the higher the gain High directivity-As with the gain, so too the parabolic reflector or dish antenna is able to provide high levels of directivity The higher the gain, the narrower the beam width This can be a significant advantage in applications where the power is only required to be directed over a small area This can prevent it, for example causing interference to other users, and this is important when communicating with satellites because it enables satellites using the same frequency bands to be separated by distance or more particularly by angle at the antenna Parabolic Reflector What are the disadvantages? Requires reflector and drive- element-the parabolic reflector itself is only part of the antenna. It requires a feed system to be placed at the focus of the parabolic reflector Cost-The antenna needs to be manufactured with care. A parabolic is needed to reflect the radio signals which must be made carefully. In addition to this a feed system is also required. This can add cost to the system Size-The antenna is not as small as some types of antenna, although many used for satellite television reception are quite compact Parabolic Reflector Where are they used? They are used in space as satellites Microwave links (used for mobile phone / cellular backhaul) Who uses them? People who have Direct broadcast television Satellite communications in space radio astronomy people Solar Cell How is it Created? Solar power systems like the one on our roof, produce power directly from the sun Sunlight is converted directly into electricity by each solar cell in the panels The solar cells are made of silicon, that has been combined with other materials in such a way that there are extra electrons in one part of the cell, and missing electrons in another part of the cell When the sunlight strikes the cell, photons in the light knock some of the extra electrons loose from the silicon, and they flow to the part of the cell that is missing electrons This flow produces an electrical current that eventually reaches the inverter, where it gets converted into usable electricity. Solar Cells What are the advantages? Solar energy is free although there is a cost in the building of ‘collectors’ and other equipment required to convert solar energy into electricity or hot water. Solar energy does not cause pollution. However, solar collectors and other associated equipment / machines are manufactured in factories that in turn cause some pollution. Solar energy can be used in remote areas where it is too expensive to extend the electricity power grid. Many everyday items such as calculators and other low power consuming devices can be powered by solar energy effectively. It is estimated that the worlds oil reserves will last for 30 to 40 years On the other hand, solar energy is forever Solar Cell What Are the disadvantages? Solar energy can only be harnessed when it is daytime and sunny Solar collectors, panels and cells are relatively expensive to manufacture although prices are falling rapidly Solar power stations can be built but they do not match the power output of similar sized conventional power stations. They are also very expensive. In countries such as the UK, the unreliable climate means that solar energy is also unreliable as a source of energy. Cloudy skies reduce its effectiveness. Large areas of land are required to capture the suns energy. Collectors are usually arranged together especially when electricity is to be produced and used in the same location. Solar power is used to charge batteries so that solar powered devices can be used at night. However, the batteries are large and heavy and need storage space. They also need replacing from time to time Solar Cell Where is it used? It is used in parts of Europe, Asia and North America Who uses it? Germany Spain Japan U.S Italy Czech Republic Belgium China France India Fossil Fuels How is it created? Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources that formed more than 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous Period long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth Fossil fuels are made up of plant and animal matter When plants and animals died, their bodies decomposed and were buried under layers of earth. Millions of years later we have the three forms of fossil fuel: oil, natural gas and coal Fossil Fuels What Are The Advantages? Easily Available Produce Large Amount of Energy High Calorific Value Stability Transportation Abundantly Available Low Cost Easy Set Up Fossil Fuels What are the Disadvantages? Environmental Hazards Rising Prices Acid Rain Human Health Getting Affected Non-Renewable Impact on Aquatic Life by Oil Spill Coal Mining Need Huge Amount of Reserves Fossil Fuels Where are they found? These are the countries who have the most coal mining 1 Indonesia 2 3Russia 4 US 5 Colombia 6South Africa 7 Kazakhstan 9 Vietnam 10 Mongolia xOthers Australia Canada Fossil Fuels Who Uses the most fossil Fuels? Qatar, which has a carbon emission rate or 14.58 metric tons per person Rounding out the top five are Trinidad and Tobago United Arab Emirates Netherland Antilles Bahrain The U.S. is No. 12 on the list, with 4.9 metric tons (4,900 kilograms) of carbon emitted per person Hydro -electrical How is it created? Hydroelectric power is produced as water passes through a dam, and into a river below The more water that passes through a dam, the more energy is produced. Once a dam is built, an artificial man-made lake is created behind the dam Electricity is produced by a device called a turbine Turbines contain metal coils surrounded by magnets When the magnets spin over the metal coils, electricity is produced. Turbines are located inside dams The falling water spins the magnets Hydro -Electric What Are the advantages? Once a dam is constructed, electricity can be produced at a constant rate 2. If electricity is not needed, the sluice gates can be shut, stopping electricity generation. The water can be saved for use another time when electricity demand is high. 3. Dams are designed to last many decades and so can contribute to the generation of electricity for many years / decades. 4. The lake that forms behind the dam can be used for water sports and leisure / pleasure activities. Often large dams become tourist attractions in their own right. 5. The lake's water can be used for irrigation purposes. 6. The build up of water in the lake means that energy can be stored until needed, when the water is released to produce electricity. 7. When in use, electricity produced by dam systems do not produce green house gases. They do not pollute the atmosphere Hydroelectric Dams What are the disadvantages? Dams are extremely expensive to build and must be built to a very high standard. 2. The high cost of dam construction means that they must operate for many decades to become profitable 3. The flooding of large areas of land means that the natural environment is destroyed. 4. People living in villages and towns that are in the valley to be flooded, must move out. This means that they lose their farms and businesses. In some countries, people are forcibly removed so that hydro-power schemes can go ahead. 5. The building of large dams can cause serious geological damage. For example, the building of the Hoover Dam in the USA triggered a number of earth quakes and has depressed the earth’s surface at its location. 6. Although modern planning and design of dams is good, in the past old dams have been known to be breached (the dam gives under the weight of water in the lake). This has led to deaths and flooding 7. Dams built blocking the progress of a river in one country usually means that the water supply from the same river in the following country is out of their control. This can lead to serious problems between neighboring countries. 8. Building a large dam alters the natural water table level. For example, the building of the Aswan Dam in Egypt has altered the level of the water table. This is slowly leading to damage of many of its ancient monuments as salts and destructive minerals are deposited in the stone work from ‘rising damp’ caused by the changing water table level. Hydroelectric Dams Where are they used? Canada Brazil China Who uses them? Every state uses hydropower for electricity, and some states use a lot of it Over 70 percent of Washington State’s electricity comes from hydropower, and 11 states get more than 10 percent of their electricity from hydropower Here in Manitoba we use a lot of Hydroelectric dams in Northeren Manitoba Citations Nuclear fusion http://science.howstuffworks.com/fusion-reactor2.htm http://www.triplepundit.com/special/energy-options-pros-and-cons/fusion-power-pros-cons/http:// www.conserve-energy-future.com/Disadvantages_NuclearEnergy.php http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Advantages_NuclearEnergy.php www.cliffsnotes.com/.../what-is-the-difference-between-nuclear-fusion-and... https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-nuclear-energy http://www.wired.com/2014/10/lockheed-martin-fusion/ pitjournal.unc.edu/.../energy-source-tomorrow-benefits-nuclear-fusion-p... Tidal Energy www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/hydro/tidal-power/ http://www.ianswer4u.com/2012/02/tidal-energy-advantages-and.html#axzz3aWJ7hTS3 www.power-technology.com/.../featurethe-race-is-on---five-countries-m... Wind Energy http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/wind8.htm Citations Parabolic reflector http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabolic_reflector http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/antennas/parabolic/parabolic_reflector.php http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/antennas/parabolic/parabolic_reflector.php Solar Cells http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/solar7.htm Fossil Fuels http://www.kidzworld.com/article/1423-fossil-fuel-energy http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Advantages_FossilFuels.php Hydro electric dams http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/rivers/dams.htm http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/hydr2.htm http://energy.gov/articles/top-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-hydropower
