Alternative Energy Resources: J. Hall
From GeoClasses
Contents |
Introduction
There are many alternative energy resources out there that we need to take advantage of. Some are better then others and others are not even worth using at all. The most evident ones are solar energy, wind power, Hydro electric power; Wave energy, Tidal power, Fusion, and Ocean thermal energy conversion. These are just some of the ways we can conserve are resources and use are energy wisely. I will go threw these and explain each type.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is a great source of energy. This source of energy is said to be a favorite possible source of future energy for many people. This is because it is thought to be unlimited. This is not true, the sun will exist for a long time, but at any given place on the earth’s surface the amount of sunlight received is limited – and only so much is received. And at night or overcast skies or high latitudes where winter days are short and for months there is no daylight at all, or in low intensity quantities. The direct conversion of sunlight to electricity by solar cells is a promising technology, and is already locally useful, but the electricity generated by this method is not noble compared to the demands that are needed.
Because solar energy is a low-grade energy, it has a low conversion rate, which captures about 15% of the solar energy. This means that capturing solar energy in large amounts requires huge installations, which sometimes requires many square miles. About 8 percent of cells must be replaced each year due to weathering. It is important to keep these panels in good shape because; solar energy currently provides 99 percent of the worlds natural energy.
The one problem that remains unsolved is, how to store this energy from the sun in large amounts, so the product can be used when the sun is not available.
Wind Power
Wind power also known as wind energy. Wind power is very similar to solar energy in that it is not always a dependable resource. It also has down falls in that it is noisy, and the visual effects are usually pretty ugly and odd looking as seen in this picture.
The best areas to locate wind farms are where wind funnels through passes in hills. These are commonly called flyways. Solar energy has the same problem that wind energy has in that the storage problem of large amounts of wind generating electricity is largely unsolved. Wind cannot provide a base load because winds are unreliable.
Wave and Tidal energy
Wave Energy is primarily unknown and has been a mystery in trying to obtain energy. All sorts of installations have been tried to obtain energy from this source, but with very unexceptional results. Ideas have been tried all over the world. Piston arrangements, which are moved up and down by waves, which in return move turbines, which are connected to electric generators have been tried in the Netherlands. This project was abandoned because waves are not a dependable resource. This is a very remote project with little chance of any realistic production of any type in the near future.
Tidal Power or tidal energy is a form of hydropower that exploits the movement of water caused by tidal currents or the rise and fall in sea leaves do to the tides. Although this type of energy is not yet widely used, it has potential for future electric generation and is more predictable then solar power and wind energy. In Europe tide mills have been used for over a thousand years mainly used for grinding grains.
Like a lot of other alternative energy resources it is hard to sustain the energy without reliable resources. It takes a high tide and special configuration of the coastline to be a tidal power sight of value, and these two resources are hard to come bye. There have only been about nine valuable sites with these attributes found in the world.
Besides the mills in Europe Russia and France are two other countries that are currently using Tidal power. The Bay of Fundy in eastern Canada is one place in the world that has long been considered for a tidal power sight, but developing it would have a negative impact on the fisheries and other sea-related economic enterprises.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydro Electric Power was once thought of as a clean, nonpolluting, environmentally friendly source of energy, has been proving otherwise. This source of alternative energy is one of the worst. In places it has flooded valuable farmland, caused wildlife to become displaced, and effects on fish have been disastrous. Out of all the alternative energy resources, hydroelectric power has the smallest amount of energy that is truly renewable. Hydroelectric power in larger terms is not a truly renewable energy resource, and only provides about 9.8 percent of the earths production of energy.
 diagram of how a hydroelectric dam works |
 picture of a generator |
Fusion Power
Fusion power is the term that refers to power generated by nuclear fusion reactions. In this type of reaction, two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus and when it does this it releases energy. Most Fusion power plants involve using the fusion reactions to create heat, which is then used to operate a steam turbine.
Fusion involves the fusion of two hydrogen isotopes, deuterium or tritium. Fusion is an almost infinitely renewable energy resource. Fusion is the best of the best of ultimate energy. Fusion is the energy that powers the sun, and the sun ranges from about 10,0000C on its surface to about 15 to 18 million degrees in the interior where fusion takes place. Containing such tempteratures on earth in a sustainable way and being able to harness that heat is the one idea that no scientist has figured out yet.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conservation
Ocean thermal energy conservation (OTEC) Within about 25 degrees on both sides of the equator the surface of the ocean is warm, and the depths are cold to the extent that there is an unexceptional tempter difference. This can be a source of Ocean thermal energy. Using a low boiling point fluid such as ammonia at normal atmospheric temperature of 700F or 210C is a gas, colder water can be pumped from the deep ocean to condense the ammonia, and then let it warm up and expand into gas. The resulting gas pressure can power a turbine to turn a generator. Just like any other alternative resources the efficiency is very low. OTEC does not appear to have much potential as an alternative energy resource in the near future.
Conclusion
There are many Alternative Energy Resources that were not brought up but I tried to touch on the main ones that are the most realistic for becoming beneficial in the future.
It seems likely that a sustainable energy mix will be broader that it is today where oil and natural gas make up more than 50% of our supplies. Energy in all will likely be more costly than our energy bill today. The transition to this wider diversity of energy sources will move slowly and probably be somewhat local depending on what regional resources are available.
Energy is the key that unlocks all other resources, and it will continue to be the key to human physical prosperity.
We have done remarkably little to reduce our dependence on a fuel and oil which is a limited resource and for which there is no one thing or substitute in prospect. We need to continue to try to find ways to alternatives to alternative energy resources.
