CH 21 Renewable Energy SCI 1102
In contrast to Ogden and Sperling, Joseph Romm views hydrogen fuel-cell cars as an "environmental dead end." Which of the following statements from the pro-hydrogen essay would he dispute?
"Technologies that use hydrogen, notably fuel cells, are making rapid progress."
If efficiency of photovoltaic cells improves to 40%, how many square meters of photovoltaic cells would be needed for one person's yearly electricity use?
7.12 m^2
What government-sponsored policy requires utilities to purchase power from citizens who produce excess electricity with renewable sources?
Feed-in tariffs
What methods did the German government take to encourage the expansion of solar power?
Feed-in tariffs
Ogden and Sperling also discuss the challenges of using hydrogen as our major fuel. Identify the statement that is one of the challenges.
Time is needed to develop mechanisms to store hydrogen on vehicles.
Which two nations account for almost half of the global production of wind power?
United States and China
What is the primary waste product of reacting hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity?
Water
Joan Ogden and Daniel Sperling view hydrogen as an ideal future fuel. Which of the following reasons do they discuss?
Several countries have committed billions of dollars in public funds to developing hydrogen energy.
A form of biofuel
cellulosic ethanol
A typical wind farm in the United States consists of __________.
many very large wind turbines clustered in a region with a low human population
Which new renewable energy source experienced the most rapid rate of growth from 2010 to 2015, mostly due to Germany and China's production?
photovoltaic (PV) solar
A method of converting sunlight to electrical energy
photovoltaic cells
Compared to the use of fossil fuels for generating electricity, wind energy ________.
produces no exhaust pollutants and contributes little to global climate change
Wind energy has been harnessed for hundreds of years to ________.
pump water and grind grain
Producing electricity using wind instead of fossil fuels __________.
generates no carbon dioxide in the process
Most of the homes in Iceland are heated using this energy source
geothermal
One difficulty with the process of using hydrogen as a power source is that it ________.
requires a substantial energy investment to produce the fuel
An inexhaustible, nonpolluting, decentralized energy source
solar
A major advantage of solar power is that ________.
solar systems provide local, decentralized control over power
Alternative energy sources that are often called "new renewables" include ________.
solar, wind, and geothermal
U.S. geothermal energy is most available in ________.
the West
Whether a hydrogen-based energy system is environmentally cleaner than a fossil fuel system depends on ________.
the source of energy used to produce the hydrogen
The largest problem with adopting the new technologies of renewable resources is that ________.
the startup costs may be high
The ultimate source of energy that drives wind power is __________.
the sun
Electricity in a wind turbine is generated __________.
when spinning magnets move past a coil of copper wire
A form of kinetic energy that can be harnessed with turbines
wind
One benefit of offshore wind farms is that ________.
wind speeds are higher and turbulence is lower over water than over land
Based on the yearly average values, calculate the solar radiation per square meter for one year.
1,560 kWh per year
Commercially available household photovoltaic systems cost approximately $20,000. The average cost of electricity in the United States is approximately $0.09 per kilowatt hour. At these prices how long would it take for the photovoltaic system to generate $20,000 of electricity? Assume the system will produce enough kilowatt hours for a four-person household in Topeka, Kansas.
12.5 years
The year 2030 goal set by the US Department of Energy is to generate __________.
20% of electricity using wind-powered systems
According to the model depicted in this figure, in approximately what year are fossil fuels and nuclear power first expected to provide less than half of the energy consumed in the United States?
2025
Since 1990, how much of a reduction in CO2 emissions has Germany seen as a result of their energy initiatives?
25%
Assume that photovoltaic conversion of solar energy has 10% efficiency. Calculate how many square meters of photovoltaic cells would be needed to supply one person's electricity for the year, based on the yearly average values.
28.5 m^2
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park, in Luzerne County, which went online on December 31, 1999. The two 65-kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt-hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise annually produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide—the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County had mixed reactions to the news that another wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind (average wind speed = 10 miles per hour) to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 mph is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. If the wind speed averages 11 mph on Ashley Hill and 12 mph on Genevie Hill, then a turbine operating on Genevie Hill could, in theory, generate about ________ % more electricity than a turbine on Ashley Hill.
30
Based on the yearly average values, calculate one person's residential electricity needs for a year.
4,440 kWh per year
A home is constructed with a heating system that pipes cold water in the winter deep underground to be heated, then returns in back to the house. In the summer, it pumps warm water down and cools it. What kind of geothermal system is this?
A ground-source heat pump
Imagine you are college student wishing to pursue a post-graduate career that earns above $50,000 per year and also has high potential job growth. Based on the data, which green career with earning potential above $50,000 per year has the highest projected growth in employment between 2016 and 2026?
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
Which of the following countries currently has the most progressive renewable energy policies and is considered a world leader in solar power?
Germany
Based on these data, which statement reflects what you might tell your students about the correlation between wages and educational requirements in green occupations?
In general, higher paying green occupations demand a higher level of education.
Use the information given by authors of both essays to select a strategy that achieves both short-term and long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Invest in both hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell research
Ogden and Sperling argue that hydrogen is one of the only transportation fuels that can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. How might Romm respond to this statement?
No. Hydrogen cars are not a good use of renewable energy. We can achieve much greater greenhouse gas reductions by using renewable electricity to displace a future natural gas or coal power plant.
Which type of ocean power is currently experimental, and not currently in commercial use?
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC)
A home is designed with a south-facing porch to allow winter sunlight in for warmth. It is surrounded by broadleaf trees to provide cooling shade in the summer. What is this an example of?
Passive solar heating
Which form of renewable energy has experienced the most rapid growth in recent years?
Solar
Suppose you are a young adult with a passion for helping the planet, but you are undecided about your future career path. Based on the data in the chart, which of the following green careers is projected to have the most job opportunities up to 2026?
Solar photovoltaic installer
What event instigated Germany's push for energy from renewable resources?
The events at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the 1980s
Which of these describes a drawback to solar energy generation?
The initial investment costs for setting up a solar collection system are high.
Which of these is not a drawback to using wind energy?
Wind energy has an EROI (energy return on investment) better than most other energy sources
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park, in Luzerne County, which went online on December 31, 1999. The two 65-kilowatt wind turbines were predicted to generate 200,000 kilowatt-hours of wind energy each year, replacing conventional electric generation that would otherwise annually produce 140 tons of carbon dioxide—the primary source of global climate change. Wind energy from these first two turbines also avoids the annual production of 800 pounds of nitrogen oxides and 1900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County had mixed reactions to the news that another wind farm was being installed in 2005. Some were excited about the possibility of lower energy bills, some were concerned about the effects on the environment, and others wondered if there was enough local wind (average wind speed = 10 miles per hour) to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 mph is sufficient for most sizes of wind turbines. The power available in the wind is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that doubling the wind speed increases the available power by a factor of eight. Using wind as a power source to do work ________.
began in Europe over 800 years ago
A solar cooker is an example of ________.
concentrated solar power
The primary motivation to develop new renewable energy sources comes from ________.
concerns over diminishing fossil fuel supplies and the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel use
Solar represents a minuscule portion of U.S. energy production because of ________.
costs and lack of investment
The major energy source for electricity in the United States is ________.
fossil fuels
Wind turbines are generally more productive if they are ________.
higher, to minimize turbulence and maximize wind speed
The major renewable energy source for electricity in the United States is ________.
hydropower
The current practice of geothermal power generation may not always provide a practical renewable energy source because ________.
in some cases, the heated groundwater is used much faster than it is recharged
A major obstacle to the establishment of wind farms near populated and scenic areas is the ________.
not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) syndrome
A potential energy source from oceans is ________.
ocean thermal energy
Which of the following methods is considered a type of passive solar energy collection?
using heat-absorbing construction materials