Environmental Science - Exam 3
A new local power company provides 10,000 kwh of electricity annually. How much credit will it receive if it makes full use of the production tax credit?
2200
A from of kinetic energy that can be harnessed with turbines
Wind
Which one of the following is a type of "new renewable" energy?
Wind power
Which of these is NOT true of wind power?
Wind turbines take up large amounts of land that is then unsuitable for other purposes.
Which of the following is typically true in the U.S.?
Without federal subsidies, electricity produced from wind or solar power is more expensive than electricity produced from fossil fuels.
What is bitumen?
a thick type of petroleum formed in clay and sand
Which of the following is an example of a "green collar job"?
an engineer designing wind turbines
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online 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 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 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new 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 to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour 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
Geothermal energy is energy that arises from __________.
beneath Earth's surface
Passive solar energy collection includes which of the following technologies?
buildings designed and building materials chosen to maximize their direct absorption of sunlight
A major advantage of hydrogen‑generated electricity over other new renewable energy sources is that it ________.
can be produced where and when electricity is needed rather than being intermittent
Although photovoltaic electricity as a power source is cleaner than burning fossil fuels, the problem with this electricity is that it ________.
cannot be stored easily in large quantities for use when and where it is needed
What two major economic or global problems could be alleviated if we based our energy on hydrogen?
dependence on fossil fuels and climate change
Hydrogen gas can be used as a fuel to produce __________ within fuel cells.
electricity
A form of energy that may not be completely renewable and can produce air pollution
geothermal
Which of the following renewable energy resources produces the most pollution in its production of electricity?
geothermal
Which of these forms of energy does not originate from radiation emitted by the sun?
geothermal
The renewable energy source adopted in Iceland for use in vehicles
hydrogen
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online 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 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 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new 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 to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour 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. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are the major ingredients ________.
in acid rain and smog
What might lead to a decrease in the cost of renewable energy?
increased acceptance and adoption of renewable energy in cities
Hydrogen's use in fuel cells ______.
is extremely energy-efficient
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online 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 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 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new 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 to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour 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. The entire output of Humboldt Industrial Park was quickly sold to subscribers, and further wind energy parks were soon built in Mill Run, Somerset, and other places. Most of the distribution has gone to businesses, universities, and state agencies. This means that ________.
many groups have recognized the economic benefits of alternative energy sources
President Obama has proposed selling leases for drilling to obtain which of the following in the Gulf of Mexico?
oil and natural gas
What is a feed-in tariff system?
one in which energy companies pay citizens who add power to the grid
Every winter morning when the sun is shining bright, a man living in Montana pulls back the drapes on a large, south-facing window. In this way, he helps heat his home using ________.
passive solar heating
Which of the following collect sunlight and convert it to electrical energy directly?
photovoltaic cells
Producing energy creates jobs, but not all energy sources create the same number of jobs. Which energy source creates the most jobs per unit of energy produced?
photovoltaic solar (PV)
Compared to the use of fossil fuels for generating electricity, wind energy ________.
produces no exhaust pollutants and contributes little to global climate change
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online 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 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 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new 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 to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour 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. Traditional uses of wind energy included ________.
pumping water and grinding grain
Electricity is a __________ form of energy.
secondary
An inexhaustible, nonpolluting, decentralized energy source
solar
You were an engineer for the now defunct company Solyndra. What did you design?
solar modules
A major advantage of solar power is that ________.
solar systems provide local, decentralized control over power
"New renewables" are ________.
solar, wind, geothermal
Electrolysis is used to _______________.
split water into hydrogen and oxygen
Wind will not be a major U.S. energy resource in ________.
the southeast
The largest problem with adopting the new technology of renewable resources is ________.
the start‑up costs are high
U.S. geothermal energy is most available in ________.
the west
Of the following new renewable energy sources, which is the least developed (with the shortest period of experimentation and research)?
wave energy
Which of the following types of energy is currently growing at the fastest rate?
wind and solar power
Which of the following energy sources is sometimes fatal to wildlife when it is formed or generated?
wind power
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online 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 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 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new 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 to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour 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. Electricity production and consumption are most commonly measured in kilowatt‑hours (kWh). A kilowatt‑hour is one kilowatt (1,000 watts) of electricity produced or consumed for one hour. A 10‑kW wind turbine can generate about 10,000 kWh annually at a site with wind speeds averaging 12 miles per hour, or about enough to power a typical household. In just such a site, the 250‑kW turbine installed at the elementary school in Spirit Lake, Iowa, provides an average of over ________ annually.
250,000kw
According to the data in this figure, electricity derived from wind energy would have comprised what portion of the total electricity generated in the United States in 2012?
3.5%
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online 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 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 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new 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 to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour 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
The oldest wind farm in Pennsylvania is Humboldt Industrial Park-the first commercial wind energy project in the mid-Atlantic region-which went online 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 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 1,900 pounds of sulfur dioxide. The local community in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, had mixed reactions to the news that a new 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 to make such an investment worthwhile. An average wind speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour 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. An average household uses about 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. How many tons of carbon dioxide would be produced if the household's electricity were generated using only conventional energy sources?
7
Which of the following is most likely to happen if the production tax credit fails to be extended?
A loss of jobs in the wind and solar energy industries.
How can dams cause species die off due to an increase in the temperature of rivers downstream?
Downstream waters can become unnaturally warm because of the reduced amount of water released.
Which of the following descriptions is NOT accurate regarding geothermal power?
Geothermal power generators are one of the true fully sustainable energy sources.
The nation that currently has the most progressive renewable energy policies and also produces the greatest amount of electricity from PV solar is ________.
Germany
Renewable energy produced about 12% of the electricity generated in the United States in 2012. Which of the following sources of renewable energy contributed the most to this total?
Hydropower
Which of the following statements is true about hydropower?
Hydropower cannot expand much more in the future.
What is the reason that solar power provides for so little of our energy needs?
Not enough money has been invested in the science and technology behind solar power.
Which energy source has received the most research and development funding from the U.S. government?
Nuclear Power
Currently, the fastest‑growing source of electricity generation using new renewable sources is ________.
PV Solar
Before Julia leaves for work she always closes her drapes in the summertime and opens them in the wintertime. This keeps the house dark and cool in the summer and bright and warm in the winter. This is an example of __________.
Passive Solar Energy
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is not being used for energy generation anywhere right now. Why not?
The cost of generating energy is much too high for OTEC to make economic sense.
Why would we apply the precautionary principle to switching to a hydrogen economy?
There are concerns that hydrogen gas could deplete the ozone layer.
Why is renewable energy use growing?
There is increasing concern over the environmental impacts of fossil fuel combustion.
Which of the following is a drawback of the "run-of-river" approach to hydroelectric power?
This approach is not very reliable from season to season.
Which of the following regarding "new renewable energy" is true?
This type of energy provides less than 1% of our energy
