What is energy?

Energy is the capacity to do work.

Oil, wind water just to name a few that provide us the energy we
need in our daily lives. For example, we use oil to produce gasoline
for our cars. We use natural gas, coal, solar and wind power to
generate electricity that makes the computer you are using work!

Energy sources can be classified

into two

an energy source that can be easily

replenished an energy source that we are using
up and cannot recreate

Solar Energy
Chemical/Fuel
Wind Energy Energy
Geothermal Energy Nuclear Energy
Hydraulic Energy
 The sun has produced energy for billions of

years.  Solar energy is the sun’s rays (solar

Solar energy are converted into electricity in
radiation) that reach the Earth. This energy
two ways :
can be converted into other forms of energy,

such as heat and electricity.

Solar Cells

Photovoltaic (PV devices) or “solar cells” change sunlight

directly into electricity. Individual PV cells are grouped into
panels and arrays of panels that can be used in a wide range of
applications ranging from single small cells that charge
calculator and watch batteries, to systems that power single
homes, to large power plants covering many acres.

Sunlight is composed of photons, or

particles of solar energy.  These photons
contain various amounts of energy. When
photons strike a photovoltaic cell, they may
be reflected, pass right through, or be
absorbed.  Only the absorbed photons
provide energy to generate electricity. 
When enough sunlight (energy) is absorbed
by the material (a semiconductor), electrons
are dislodged from the material's atoms. 
 Concentrating solar power Concentrating Solar Power Plants generate
plants electricity by using the heat from solar thermal
collectors to heat a fluid which produces steam that
is used to power the generator.

Three main types of solar thermal power systems are

Parabolic Trough Solar Power Tower

Solar Dish

A parabolic trough collector has a A solar dish/engine system uses A solar power tower or central
long parabolic-shaped reflector concentrating solar collectors that receiver generates electricity from
that focuses the sun's rays on a track the sun, so they always point sunlight by focusing concentrated
receiver pipe located at the focus straight at the sun and concentrate
solar energy on a tower-mounted
of the parabola.  The collector tilts the solar energy at the focal point
of the dish. heat exchanger (receiver).  This
with the sun as the sun moves system uses hundreds to
from east to west during the day to thousands of flat sun-tracking
ensure that the sun is continuously mirrors called heliostats to reflect
focused on the receiver. and concentrate the sun's energy
onto a central receiver tower.

The engine in a solar dish/engine

system converts heat to
mechanical power by compressing
the working fluid when it is cold,
heating the compressed working
fluid, and then expanding the fluid
through a turbine or with a piston to
produce work.  The engine is
coupled to an electric generator to
convert the mechanical power to
electric power.
 Wind energy means using wind to
generate electricity.
A wind turbine is a machine made up of two
or three propeller-like blades called the rotor.
As the wind blows it spins the rotor. As the
rotor spins the energy of the movement of
the propellers gives power to a generator.
There are some magnets and a lot of copper
wire inside the generator that make
electricity.

Wind Turbines use blades to collect the wind’s

kinetic energy. The wind flows over the blades
creating lift, like the effect on airplane wings, which
causes them to turn. The blades are connected to a
drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce
electricity.

With the new wind machines, there is still the

problem of what to do when the wind isn't
blowing. At those times, other types of power
plants must be used to make electricity.
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The word geothermal comes from

the Greek words geo (earth)
and therme (heat). So, geothermal
energy is heat from within the
Earth. We can recover this heat as
steam or hot water and use it to
heat buildings or generate
Geothermal energy is electricity.
generated in the Earth's core. Geothermal energy is a renewable
Temperatures hotter than the energy source because the heat is
sun's surface are continuously continuously produced inside the
Earth.
produced inside the Earth by
the slow decay of radioactive
particles, a process that
happens in all rocks.

Where Geothermal Energy is Found

Naturally occurring large areas of hydrothermal resources are
called geothermal reservoirs. Most geothermal reservoirs are
deep underground with no visible clues showing above ground.
But geothermal energy sometimes finds its way to the surface in
the form of:
Use of Geothermal Energy
ó Volcanoes and fumaroles
The three main uses of geothermal energy are:
  (holes where volcanic gases
are released)
Direct use and district heating systems use
ó Hot springs
hot water from springs or reservoirs near the surface.
ó Geysers
Electricity generation power plants require
water or steam at very high temperature (300° to 700°F).

Geothermal power plants are generally built where geothermal

reservoirs are located within a mile or two of the surface.

Geothermal heat pumps use stable ground or

water temperatures near the Earth's surface to control building

temperatures above ground.

Advantages

 Theoretically inexhaustible energy source

 No pollution
 Often an excellent supplement to other renewable sources
 Does not require structures such as solar panels or
windmills to collect the energy--can be directly used to
heat or produce electricity (thus very cheap)

Disadvantages

 Not available in many locations

 Not much power per vent
 It is generated by running water.
Dams are built across a lake or river
in a valley to trap water. The water
flows through tunnels and turns the
turbines which make electricity

the water flows through a pipe,

or penstock, then pushes against and
turns blades in a turbine to spin a
generator to produce electricity. In a run-
of-the-river system, the force of the
current applies the needed pressure,
while in a storage system, water is
accumulated in reservoirs created by
dams, then released as needed to
generate electricity. 
Advantages

 Inexhaustible fuel source

 Minimal environmental impact
 Viable source--relatively useful levels of energy production
 Can be used throughout the world

Disadvantages

 Smaller models depend on availability of fast flowing streams or rivers

 Run-of-the-River plants can impact the mobility of fish and other
riverlife. NOTE: Building a fish ladder can lessen this negative aspect of
hydroelectric power
 Fossil fuels are found within the rocks of the Earth's surface. They are called fossil fuels because they
are thought to have been formed many millions of years ago by geological processes acting on dead
animals and plants, just like fossils. 

Coal, oil and natural gas are fossil fuels. Because they took millions of years to form, once they are
What is it? used up they cannot be replaced.

Coal mainly consists of carbon atoms that come from plant material from ancient swamp forests. It is a black
solid that is soft.

How was it formed?

What is it?
Millions of years ago, trees and other plants grew rapidly in a tropical climate, and when they died they fell into
OIL & GAS
swamps. The water in the swamps prevented the plant material from decaying completely and peat was
formed.
Oil and gas are chemicals made from molecules containing just carbon and hydrogen. A simple molecule,
As timemethane
called passed, is
layer
the upon
main layer of peatofbuilt
component up. The
natural gas.pressure from these layers and heat from below the
Earth's crust gradually changed the material into coal.

How were they formed?

Gas and oil were formed from the remains of small sea creatures and plants that died and fell to the bottom
of seas. Over many millions of years, layers of mud or other sediments built up on top of these dead animals
and plants. The pressure from these layers and heat from below the Earth's crust gradually changed the
once-living material into oil and natural gas. 

Over time, Gas and oil may move through porous rocks and may even come to the surface. In some places,
pockets of oil and gas can be found, because non-porous rocks have trapped them.

Coal was formed from the remains of ancient plants.

Advantages
Coal is relatively cheap, with large deposits left that are reasonably easy to obtain, some coal being close to
the surface. It is relatively easy to transport because it is a solid.
Advantages
These sources of energy are relatively cheap and most are easy to get and can be used to generate
Disadvantages
electricity.
Some sources of coal are deep below the ground, as in the UK. They can be difficult, costly and dangerous to
mine. 
Disadvantages 
When these
Burning fuels arefirst
coal without burned theyitproduce
purifying the gas
contributes carbon
to global dioxide,as
warming, which
well is
asatogreenhouse gas of
the production and is a (smoke
smog
major contributor to global warming. Transporting oil around the world can produce
and fog), which is harmful to health. It is a finite resource and will eventually run out. oil slicks, pollute beaches
and harm wildlife.

COAL
What is it?

Nuclear fuel makes use of the radioactivity of some elements. The nucleus in the atom may spontaneously
break down to release energy and produce fast-moving particles, atoms of other elements. The fast-moving
particles that are ejected can also strike other atoms, causing them to break down. 

How is nuclear fuel made?

Nuclear fuel is made from naturally occurring radioactive materials, such as uranium, found in rocks. These
materials are extracted and concentrated. They are formed into 'fuel rods'. 

When placed close together, the fuel rods set off nuclear reactions that generate heat. This heat is used to
turn water into steam and generate electricity. 

This fuel is classed as non-renewable, although concentrating the fuel further can recycle some of the
'spent fuel'.

 
Radioactive materials are concentrated into fuel pellets and formed into fuel rods in a nuclear
reactor. 

Advantages
Nuclear fuel does not produce greenhouse gases, so will not contribute to global warming. There is a
relatively long-lasting supply of raw material.

Disadvantages
The waste remains radioactive for a long time (100+ years). If the reaction is not contained and controlled
well, then the nuclear reduction could go out of control, as at Chernobyl in 1986. Radioactive material could
then escape into the environment.

NUCLEAR
 Nuclear energy involves a controlled reaction to split atoms
of nuclear fuel, typically uranium or plutonium, creating two
new atoms. When accomplished on a reasonable scale, this
reaction releases an incredible amount of heat, which can
be used to heat water, producing steam and powering
TWO FORMS OF NUCLEAR steam turbines, which can then be used to produce
ENERGY electricity.

NUCLEAR FUSION

Fusion means joining smaller nuclei (the plural of nucleus) to make a larger nucleus. The
sun uses nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium atoms. This gives off heat and light
and other radiation.

two types of hydrogen atoms, deuterium

and tritium, combine to make a helium atom
and an extra particle called a neutron.

Also given off in this fusion reaction

is energy!

NUCLEAR Fission
 The word fission means to split apart.

An atom's nucleus can be split apart. When this is done, a tremendous amount of energy is
released. The energy is both heat and light energy. This energy, when let out slowly, can be
harnessed to generate electricity. When it is let out all at once, it can make a tremendous
explosion in an atomic bomb.

Below is a cross section of the inside of a typical nuclear power plant.

What are the Advantages of Nuclear Energy?

 Nuclear reactions release a million times more energy, as compared to hydro or wind
energy
 no release of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, chlorofluorocarbon)
during nuclear reaction
 The burning of fossil fuels result in emission of the poisonous carbon dioxide. It is a
Inside the
menace toreactor of an atomic
the environment power
as well asplant,
human uranium atoms
life. There arerelease
is no split apart in a controlled
of carbon d-oxide chain
at the time of nuclear reaction. reaction.
 Nuclear reactors make use of uranium as fuel. Fission reaction of a small amount of
If the reaction
uranium is not
generates controlled,
large amountyou could have an atomic bomb. But in atomic bombs, almost
of energy
 pure pieces of the element Uranium-235
High amount of energy can be generated from or Plutonium, of a precise
a single nuclear power mass and
plant. shape, must be
Also,
brought
nuclear together
fuel is and held
inexpensive andtogether,
easier towith great force. These conditions are not present in a
transport.
nuclear reactor.
What
The are thealsoDisadvantages
reaction of Nuclear
creates radioactive material. Energy?
This material could hurt people if released, so it is
kept in a solid form. The very strong concrete dome in the picture is designed to keep this
 material
Nuclear energy can be used for production and proliferation insideweapons
of nuclear if an accident happens.
. Nuclear
weapons make use of fission, fusion or combination of both reactions for destructive
purposes. They are a major threat to the world as they can cause a large-scale
devastation.
 The waste produced after fission reactions contains unstable elements and is
highly radioactive. It is very dangerous to the environment as well as human health