ENERGY

By Kaelan and Joshua

What is Sustainable Energy?• Energy is a power made from physical and chemical resources to light and heat

buildings or to fuel engines.• Sustainability is being able to maintain an economic and ecologic balance by

avoiding the destruction and depletion of nature.• Sustainable energy is a form of energy which would have the least negative impacts

possible and that could renewable. That’s what we need to worry about.• We need to make sure we don’t ruin nature’s balance and that we don’t fall into crisis:

we need to limit the negative impacts• We used to use old methods to gain energy which would create tons of electricity,

regardless of the impacts. Now, we need sustainable energy, whether it’s collectively or individually made.

Greenhouse Effect• The sun continually sends out ultraviolet rays. Some of these rays fall upon earth. If

these rays were not stopped they would turn Earth’s surface into a scorching desert which is impossible to live on. Luckily, a part of the Earth’s atmosphere, the Ozone layer (O3), rejects 98% of these rays. The 2% of these rays which are left continue through the atmosphere toward Earth’s ground. Once they hit the earths surface some of them will go back into space and some of them will hit a layer in the atmosphere made of Greenhouse gases and will bounce back to earth

• The greenhouse gases consist of:– Water vapor (H2O): 36–70%– Carbon dioxide (CO2): 9–26%– Methane (CH4): 4–9%      

• Now a days, humans are using more and more of the gases listed above, reinforcing the greenhouse layer. Less of the sun’s rays go back in space and more of them heat up Earth. Because of this, climates on Earth change, animals change homes, icebergs and parts of Antarctica melt making the sea level rise and flooding areas, plants grow at wrong places where they never could grow before, new hot deserts form, snow falls at different places…

Other Impacts• We are making holes in the Ozone layer by releasing CO2 in the air which means

more of the sun’s rays will get throught to the Earth’s surface. If more rays from the sun are getting to the earth then it means that more of the heat will stay inside the Earth and it will be warmer and warmer.

• Creating electricity also has a impact on the wildlife. When people need somewhere to put a dam they will flood that area, thus getting rid of the habitat of many animals and complete disrupting the food chain for many miles around it. They would even evacuate nearby villages to flood them regardless of their complaints.

• Some waste gases from factories like sulfur dioxide or nitrogene dioxide can mix with the water in the air to make acids like sulfuric acid or nitrogene acid. This falls as acid rain, killing plants and trees and even eating away at buildings.

• If a power plant exploded, it would be as if a nuclear bomb exploded and it would kill lots of humans and wildlife and would destroy nearby cities and village

• Some energy resources can run out like fossil fuels or uranium and can also be needed for other things. For example, petrol is used for fueling cars or for pharmaceutical products. Would you rather waste petrol in your mechanical engines or in your life-saving medicin.

Today’s Most Used Energy Sources

• For years, we have used different energy sources to generate electricity. Some of the sources mostly used may or may not be sustainable. These energy sources are:

Fossil Fuels• It consists of burning certain materials collected underground known as fossil fuels and

collecting its steam during the process. There are three fossil fuels:• -natural gas• -crude oil• -coal

• Coal is fossilized remains of plants which have been put under high pressure for millions of years under ground. After being collected from coal mines it is grinded by a pulverizer to a powdery substance which is then boiled in a large industrial furnace. Cold water passes in a boiler tube inside the furnace to turn the heat the furnace and the coal produce into steam which is brought to huge turbines which create the electricity. Finally, it is stored away in batteries and then launched into the cities. The water is cooled by the sea and is reused.

•  • Crude oil (petroleum) must be collected under ground first. Then it is distilled in various

fractions depending on the heat. The oil is burned in the furnace and it follows the same process as for coal. Petroleum is mostly used for cars

• Natural gas is brought to the surface and then burned. It follows the same process as for coal and oil.

•  • All of these fossil fuels pollute when burned. They release CO2 in the air which causes the

greenhouse effect. They are not renewable, you can't use the steam for anything else.

Nuclear Energy• Nuclear energy works on the same principals as fossil fuels

• At the nuclear power plant the workers split uranium atoms in two

• Then when the atoms are split it creates a giant amount of heat. This heat is used to heat up water, the steam is then transported to a giant turbine which generates electricity. Afterwards, the steam is cooled down and sent back into the sea to be used another time.

 • Nuclear energy is a very effective way of making electricity, but it is very dangerous

and if a nuclear power plants does explode it could have a major impact in areas around it. Nuclear energy is not renewable because once all of the uranium is used up, there is no more left.

Hydroelectric Energy• Hydroelectric energy consists of using water to generate electricity in a non polluting

way.

• On a river, a dam is built stopping the flow of water. It floods a certain area and makes a lake. Once the water reaches a certain height it flows down a hole in the dam where it spins a turbine while going though the tube. These turbines then produce electricity which is stored in a battery till it is needed. Afterwards, the water is sent back down into the river to continue its path to the sea.

• Hydroelectric energy does not pollute. The dam is the only thing you need to pay for but it is very expensive to build and can affect the living area of many animals. Hydroelectric Energy is renewable.

Newer Energy Sources

• In the past, we tried to find ways to produce as much electricity as possible in a same power plant without worrying of the consequences. Now we are low on certain kinds of non-renewable energy sources. Recently, we have found new energy sources which are renewable, non-polluting and reliable. To catch up, not only must we make massive power plants, but we must search ways individually to make are own house-hold energy. Sun, wind, water and the earth’s heat are to be used

Collective Energy Sources:Tidal Dam

• Tidal energy consists of using the tide to make electricity.

• A dam, much like a dam used in hydroelectric energy, is built in the sea. When the tide goes in or out it turns an turbine in the dam which then produces electricity.

• Another option is to use offshore turbines, rather like an underwater wind farm,

instead of a dam. This is much cheaper then building a dam

• Once the dam is built it cost nothing to make electricity but dams are very expensive. Tidal Energy does not pollute and tides can be predicted. Dams can produce electricity for only 10h since the tide change is limited.

Collective Energy Sources: Wave Power Station

• Generating energy by using waves is like using a wave pool but in reverse.• In a wave pool, air is blown in and out of a chamber beside the pool, which makes the

water outside bob up and down, causing waves. • At a wave power station, the waves arriving cause the water in the chamber to rise

and fall, which means that air is forced in and out of the hole in the top of the chamber. In this hole there is a turbine which spins a generateur to make electricity. 

• The energy is free for no fuel needed. It isn’t expensive to operate and maintain. It can produce a great amount of energy. The amount of electricity gained depends on the waves, sometimes you'll get loads of energy but sometimes you’ll get none.

Collective Energy Sources: Solar Tower

• The solar tower uses the sun’s rays to heat air.

• The air is stored above ground in a flat compartment called the collective area linked to a 200m high hollow tower.

• After being heated by the sun, the air tends to go to the only exit which is the tower. Since the tower is equipped by turbines, the air makes the turbines spin, generating electricity.

• Since the sun is used and reflected, the solar tower’s energy is renewable. CO2 is not liberated therefore it is non-polluting. The solar tower only costs $1,000,000 but it requires a lot of room to build.

Collective Energy Sources: Geothermal Power Plant

• Geothemal Power Plants extract very hot fluids from magmatic chambers underground and turn them into steam.

• Production wells are drilled up to 10,000 feet in to these magmatic chambers. Since heat rises, these liquids rise up the well. During this process, some of the fluids turn to steam. A wellhead separator separates the steam from the fluids. The steam goes to the turbines while the fluids go to the high pressure crystallizer which makes steam from only the high pressure fluids. The high pressure steam goes to the turbines. The other fluids go to a medium pressure crystallizer which uses only medium pressure fluids. The medium pressure steam goes to the turbines while the other fluids go to the low pressure crystallizer which uses the low pressure fluids. Finally, the low pressure steam goes to the turbines while the leftover fluids are brought back underground to be reheated and reused in later years. All of these different kinds of steam are put together at the turbines and the force of the steam spins the turbine's blades to create electricity which is launched to the cities.

• It is renewable, Earth always makes new magma. The steam cannot be reused. Like biomass and fossil fuel energy, the steam releases CO2 so it pollutes and contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Collective Energy Sources: Biomass Power Plant

• Biomass is a form of energy which consist of burning things from above ground. 

• Wood is directly burned but damp wood takes longer to burn. • Sugar cane can be burned in two ways: It can be fermented to alchool and burned or

it can be grinded and then burned.• Manure can be used to make bio-fuels like methanol which is burned.• Solid trash is sorted in to categories depending on the materials and burned. Plastic

bags can't be burned. Cardboard takes almost no time to burn.• Plant oil is extracted and burned. Sunflower oil is commonly is used • Biomass is an easier way to produce energy then fossil fuels since it not only burns

waste but it doesn't require collecting it under ground and doesn't cost a penny. It pollutes the same way as fossil fuels: it releases CO2 into the air. It is renewable because since man has always had trash, animal always have manure and trees always grows. You can't do anything with the used steam. It is a good way to get rid of human and animal waste.

Collective Energy Sources: Wind Farm

• Wind power consists of using currents of hot and cold air to produce electricity. • Because the suns rays do not heat the earth’s surface evenly, we get hotter and

colder patches of air, for the simple matter that hot air rises and cold air descends, this creates currents of wind.

• The wind turns turbines, also known as windmills, which turn a generator and produces electricity. This electricity is then either stored in a big battery or sent into the power lines. 

• Wind is free, wind farms don’t need fuel. Wind mills produces no waste or greenhouse gases. The land beneath the windmills can usually still be used for farming. Wind is not always predictable. Windmills can kill birds because migrating flocks tend to like strong winds. Wind mills are very noisy. Wind power is renewable

Individual Energy Sources: Solar Panel

• Solar panels transform directly the sun’s ultrasonic rays to electricity.• They are made of crystalline silicon covered with photovoltaic cells• Solar panel energy is renewable, like any solar energy, because the sun always

sends rays down to earth and it doesn’t release CO2 so it doesn’t pollute. Electricity is gained slowly using solar panels so several of them would be needed to get enough electricity for a house.

• Solar panels are usually put on rooves.

Individual Energy Sources: Solar Furnace

• Solar furnaces create electricity by making great amounts of heat.• A solar furnace is made of a high array of mirrors which concentrate the sun’s heat to

one place. A pipe filled with water passes in front of the furnace. The heat of the furnace heats the water pipe, turning it to steam. The steam spins turbines which spin a generator.

• Solar furnaces are like solar panels: they are renewable, non-polluting and they create few amounts of electricity per day. They are usually used for heating.

Individual Energy Sources: Geothermal Pipeline

• Geothermal pipelines work on the same principals as normal geothermal power plants, they use the Earth’s heat. The only difference is that instead of creating electricity with it, it is used to heat or cool down water or air, thus reducing the amount of electricity used.

• At six feet underground, the temperature stays constantly the same: 7°C-21°C• Pipelines filled with water pass six feet underground. This neutral water goes back to

the house. In winter, the water heats the house but in summer, it cools it.• This is very practical and it doesn’t create waste. Geothermal pipelines energy does

not pollute and the Earth’s heat can be reused.

Individual Energy Sources: Hydrogen Motor

• Hydrogen is a gas which is barely used today but has a great potential in the future. • Hydrogen is not found floating around underground. It’s an atom (H) and it’s found

inside molecules, therefore the only way to get it is by separating the molecule to get only plain atoms. It is then burned and follows the same process as biomass and fossil fuel energy.

• The most used method today of separating molecules is by heating them up. The chemical reaction separates the molecule. For example, 2 water molecules are burned creating 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms (2 H2O → 2 H2 + O2).

• It pollutes and is renewable since the hydrogen atom always exists.• Hydrogen is mostly used to fuel cars by replacing the petrol with hydrogen.

What We Should Do

• We need to stop polluting, killing wildlife, destroying the ozone layer and reinforcing the greenhouse layer with the gases from our engines.

• We need to start individually finding ways not to waste are valuable energies like walking instead of taking a car for short distances, using public transports and bicycles.

What We Should Do

Sustainable Energy