RENEWABLE ENERGY ////

Geothermal energy & Wind power by: Charles K. Bush J.R.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Is thermal energy stored within the earth that provides a continuous amount of energy due to radioactive decay, volcanic activity, and solar energy absorbed at the earth’s surface.

The geothermal comes from the greek word “geo” meaning earth and “thermos” meaning heat .

HOW GEOTHERMAL ENERGY WORKS

It’s tapping into the thermal(heat) energy within the Earth. simply having a hot spring or actually having a well to power a generator or heat your water all comes from geothermal energy.

See how it works…

See how it works again…

WHAT’S IT USED FOR?

From heating greenhouses, hot springs, to warming houses, Some are used as heat sources for heat related processes used in modern industry and powering factories that give towns and cities power through hydrothermal (heated water) wells.

FACTORIES

Here some pictures of factories…

BENEFITS It has some environmental impact but the

benefits outweigh the risk. Geothermal energy is very efficient and

unlike solar or wind power is a truly continuous power source.

It’s a simple system and less can go wrong. Mostly emission free. Has the smallest land use of any renewable

energy source. No combustible by-products are transported

or released. No fuel costs to power plants.

DRAWBACKS

Wells have to be dug miles underground which is very expensive.

The key to economically exploiting geothermal resources using current technologies is finding the best producing hydrothermal wells, which are hard to find.

WHY ISN’T EVERYONE DOING IT?

Drilling technology holds it back and it’s still expensive to build.

Governments and companies are actually starting to fund and build these plants.

WIND ENERGY

Wind energy is power obtained by the natural flow of hot and cold air or wind

this is used to spin tall turbines that power generators when the propeller spins

Exp: wind mill or turbine

Basically…

…And energy comes out

WHAT IS IT USED FOR?

To make electricity

BENEFITS

Wind energy is emission free and doesn’t harm the environment at all (except if a bird happens to hit the propeller).

Doesn’t require fuel or much electricity

DRAWBACKS

Require large areas and many turbines to actually get any energy.

Only get energy when it’s very windy Also something about how too many

wind turbines would slow down the wind currents and change them causing drastic weather and climate changes.

PLANS FOR ENERGY CONVERSION

A bunch of people are already doing yet it requires large areas of land and this all makes it very expensive.

Pictures of wind turbines

http://www.greenhabitatdesign.com/Alertnative_Energy.htm

http://www.newenergyamerica.org/Page3.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy