ENVS 260: Energy
Video Field Trip: Wind Power Part A: The ultimate source of energy that drives wind power is __________.
the sun
Everyday Environmental Science: Solar Power Part A: What happens to unused electricity generated by solar panels on a home? The extra electricity is __________.
sent back into the electrical grid for others to use
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part B: The bars on the graph are not of equal width. What does the width of each bar represent?
the amount of energy saved by an investment, in kilowatt-hours per year
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Fossil Fuels Part C: If on average it takes 7,000 units of paleoproduction to produce 1 unit of fossil fuel, estimate the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in the year 2000 (assume 50,000 trillion kg C consumption in 2000).
3.5 x 108 trillion kg C
Everyday Environmental Science: Coal Power Part A: How does a coal-fired power plant use the energy in coal to produce electricity?
Burning coal heats water and creates steam that turns the blades of a turbine and generates electricity
Global Connection: Energy Use Around the World Part A: Based on the data from the map, drag each country's data point to its approximate place on the graph. (Note that three targets will be left blank.) Gross national income is shown on the x axis, and energy use is shown on the y axis.
Left to Right 1.Chad 2.Paraguay 3.Chile 4.Spain 5.United States
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part C: How much energy would be saved by adding insulation to ceilings?
about 2,000 kilowatt-hours/year
Video Field Trip: Solar Energy Part D: If a home uses a large supply of solar panels to generate electricity, but has no battery system, surplus electricity that is produced is usually __________.
released into the power grid for others to use, generating a credit to the homeowner
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Fossil Fuels Part B: Estimate in what year our consumption of paleoproduction reached 100 times Earth's current annual net primary production.
1960
Video Field Trip: Wind Power Part C: The year 2030 goal set by the US Department of Energy is to generate __________.
20% of electricity using wind-powered systems
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Fossil Fuels Part E: If the paleoproduction consumption line reached a peak in 2000 and began to decline at the same rate it increased, in what year would we be at global net primary productivity again?
2110
Concept Review: Hydroelectric, Solar, and Wind Power Drag the labels onto the tables to identify advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric, solar, and wind power. Labels may be used once, more than once, or not at all.
Advantages: a. hydroelectric, solar, wind b. solar and wind c. hydroelectric only d. solar and wind Disadvantages: a. hydroelectric, solar, and wind b. hydroelectric, solar, and wind
Video Field Trip: Solar Energy Part B: Which of the following best describes the energy conversion sequence in the solar panel system described in the video?
Photons carrying energy from the sun chemically react with silicon crystals to generate a flow of electrons.
Current Events: Fuel From Sewage is the Future--and It's Closer Than You Think (ScienceDaily, 11/02/2016) Part D: You are a city planner in Chicago, interested in pursuing hydrothermal liquefaction. If all goes as planned, where would be the best place for you to visit to learn more?
Vancouver
Everyday Environmental Science: Solar Power Part C: The major problem impeding the widespread use of solar panels on residential buildings is the __________
cost of solar panels
Everyday Environmental Science: Coal Power Part C: Once the carbon dioxide is captured from the fumes of a coal-burning power plant, something must be done with it. The option with the least environmental impact involves releasing the carbon dioxide into __________.
deep underground caverns
Video Field Trip: Wind Power Part E: Producing electricity using wind instead of fossil fuels __________.
generates no carbon dioxide in the process
Everyday Environmental Science: Solar Power Part B: Where would you most likely find a solar thermal power plant in the United States?
in the southwestern states
Video Field Trip: Wind Power Part B: A typical wind farm in the United States consists of __________.
many very large wind turbines clustered in a region with a low human population
Everyday Environmental Science: Coal Power Part D: One-quarter of Scotland's electricity is generated by the third-largest coal-fired power station in Europe. In just three minutes, this power plant uses __________ of coal.
one train car (wagon)
Video Field Trip: Solar Energy Part E: Which of the following is a challenge to using solar-generated electricity in places not connected to a power grid
the lack of efficient and inexpensive battery technology
Everyday Environmental Science: Coal Power Part B: What environmental problem that contributes to global warming is addressed by using amine solutions to treat the fumes of a coal-burning power plant?
the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part F: Which of the following energy investments would be cost-effective to install?
triple paned windows
Everyday Environmental Science: Solar Power Part D: Massive solar thermal power plants generate electricity by __________.
using sunlight to boil water, generate steam, and turn the blades of a turbine
Video Field Trip: Wind Power Part D: Electricity in a wind turbine is generated __________.
when spinning magnets move past a coil of copper wire
Concept Review: A Coal-fired Power Plant
1. Coal is burned in the furnace. 2. Heat from combustion boils water. 3. Steam turns the turbine. 4. Magnets are moved past copper coils to generate current. 5. Steam is cooled and condensed. 6. Air pollutants are filtered out. 7. Toxic ash is taken to a hazardous waste disposal site.
Global Connection: Energy Use Around the World Part C: Every type of energy production, even those using renewable sources, comes with advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages of fossil fuels are well known, including high CO2 emissions, solid waste products, and damage to the environment caused by their extraction. What are the disadvantages of non-fossil fuel energy sources? Match each energy source with its disadvantage.
1. France generates 51% of its electricity with nuclear power. Large safety and waste disposal issues 2. The Philippines generates 17% of its electricity with geothermal energy. Few locations with magma close enough to Earth's surface 3. Spain generates 17% of its electricity with wind power. Production is intermittent, can harm wildlife 4. Paraguay generates 100% of its electricity from hydropower. Fragments rivers 5. Italy generates 7% of its electricity with solar energy. Can only generate electricity for half the day 6. South Korea has one of the biggest tidal power plants in the world. Degrades marine ecosystems 7. The United States generates 2% of its electricity from biomass and waste energy. Can influence land use and the price and availability of food
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Fossil Fuels Part D: Now calculate the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in the year 1750 (assume 0.03 trillion kg C). How many times greater was the total carbon content of the fossil fuel consumed in 2000 than in 1750?
1.7 x 10^6
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Fossil Fuels Part A: The red line represents annual human consumption of paleoproduction by fossil fuel combustion. The dashed line indicates current annual net primary production (NPP) for the entire planet. Estimate in what year the annual consumption of paleoproduction surpassed Earth's current annual NPP.
1890
Video Field Trip: Solar Energy Part A: In the solar panel system presented in the video, which of the following was necessary to generate usable electrical current for a home?
DC power had to be converted to AC.
Current Events: Fuel From Sewage is the Future--and It's Closer Than You Think (ScienceDaily, 11/02/2016) Part E: Your city uses hydrothermal liquefaction and has excess phosphorus as a waste product. Who is most likely to be interested in this?
Fertilizer company
Global Connection: Energy Use Around the World Part B: As you have just seen, nations with stronger economies use more energy. One of the main uses of energy is in the form of electricity. Electricity can be generated from nonrenewable sources such as coal or natural gas, or it can be generated from renewable sources such as solar or wind. Is economic strength a predictor of how much renewable energy a nation uses? The table below indicates the total amount of electricity each country generates and the amount it generates from renewable sources. Calculate the percentage of each nation's electricity that comes from renewable sources. Then fill in the conclusion statements below the table.
Group 1: 1. 0% 2. 100% 3. 37% 4. 31% 5. 13% Group 2 1. The lowest percentage 2. The highest percentage 3. Neither the lowest nor the highest percentage Group 3 4. No strong relationship
Current Events: Fuel From Sewage is the Future--and It's Closer Than You Think (ScienceDaily, 11/02/2016) Part A: In order for hydrothermal liquefaction to work, which of the following are necessary?
High temperatures and high pressure
Current Events: Fuel From Sewage is the Future--and It's Closer Than You Think (ScienceDaily, 11/02/2016) Part C: You are a bioengineer interested in creating technology to allow large livestock facilities to create biofuels from animal waste. You face the same problems as plants treating sewage. Which of the following is your biggest obstacle to overcome?
The waste is very wet
Video Field Trip: Solar Energy Part C: Which of the following would indicate that a home is using solar power to generate electricity and is NOT using batteries?
There are solar panels on the roof and power lines going to the home.
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part D: What is the cost of conserved energy for compact fluorescent lighting?
about $.08 per kilowatt-hour
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part G: How much energy would the family save by investing in all of the features that are cost-effective at the current price of energy?
about 9,000 kilowatt-hours per year
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part E: Which of these energy investments is the least expensive to install?
adding insulation to ceilings
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part H: If the cost of energy rose to $.18 per kilowatt-hour, which of the following would be true?
Investing in a solar hot water heating and a ground source heat pump would become cost-effective.
Concept Review: Characteristics of Fossil Fuels
1. Used primarily in the United States for electricity generation: coal 2. Remains of ancient organisms, modified underground for long periods by temperature and pressure: coal, oil, and natural gas 3. The world's most abundant fossil fuel: coal 4. A mixture of hundreds or thousands of different hydrocarbon molecules: oil 5. Primary fuel used in the United States for space and water heating: natural gas 6. Created very slowly and considered nonrenewable at current extraction rates: coal, oil, and natural gas 7. Used primarily in the United States as a source of vehicle fuels: oil 8. Produces the least carbon dioxide per unit energy when combusted: natural gas
Interpreting Graphs and Data: Savings from Energy Conservation Investments Part A: What does the y-axis show?
the cost of conserved energy, in dollars per kilowatt-hour
Global Connection: Energy Use Around the World Part D: One of the biggest concerns of using nonrenewable energy sources (namely fossil fuels) is their significant contribution to global warming. Imagine that you are working as a spokesperson for an organization that is concerned about global warming. Your goal is to raise awareness of ways to reduce the negative impacts of energy use on global warming. You will be interviewed by a news station. You need to be prepared to discuss topics that might come up during the interview. Which of the following topics should you be prepared to discuss during your interview? Select all that apply.
1.technologies like clean coal systems 2.nuclear power 3.renewable energy sources 4.rates of energy consumption 5.reuse and recycling programs 6.laws that require vehicles to be more efficient 6.programs that aim to reduce population growth rate 7.the cost of energy 8.fines for companies that violate CO2 environmental regulations
Current Events: Fuel From Sewage is the Future--and It's Closer Than You Think (ScienceDaily, 11/02/2016) Part B: If this technology becomes widespread, which of the following will benefit the most?
Wastewater treatment plants