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Energysourcesjustification 56period
Energysourcesjustification 56period
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EnergySource SolarPower Howdoesitwork? Photovoltaiccellsconvertthe sunsenergyintoelectricity . Pros Cons Causeslittleenvironmental Theamountofpower impact converteddependsonthe Mechanical timeofday,timeofyear, generatorsare locationandweather notrequiredtocreateenergy conditions freetorun Expensivetosetup
WindPower
HydroPower
Biomass/Biofuels
allreleaseCO2
GeothermalEnergy
Drillingforunderground reservoirsisbothexpensive andtimeconsuming, involvingheavymachinery andalargeimpactonthe surface.Geothermalenergy cannotbeused everywhere,duetothe absenceofplate boundaries.
Oil/Petroleum(fossil Wedrillforcrudeoilunderground Itisveryuseful.Weuse fuel) inreservoirs.Thiscrudeoilis petroleumforheating pumpedout,transportedand oil,jetfuel,tires, refinedintopetroleum.Weburn plastics,artificialheart thepetroleuminsteamturbines valves,eyeglassesand toproduceenergy.Theheatis ink.
NaturalGas(fossil fuel)
Naturalgasisrelied heavilyonforindustry andelectricity productionbecauseitis veryeffectiveand inexpensive.Itisalso usedasarawmaterial inpaint,fertilizer, plastics,dyes,photo film,medicines,and explosives. Coal,unlikemanyother energysources,is ratherabundantand inexpensive. Additionally,coalisalso versatile,havingthe abilitytobeinsolid, liquid,andgasform. Theliquidandgasform ofcoalburnscleaner, soitisbetterforthe environment.Because ofsuchcharacteristics, coalisalsoinexpensive totheconsumer. Comparedtofossil fuels,nuclearpoweris veryclean nopollutantsorCO producesmoreenergy
Coal(fossilfuel)
Coal,mostlymadeupofcarbon, isacquiredthroughunderground mining.Afteritisacquired,itis oftentakentopowerplantsto burn,whichgenerateselectricity. Beforeitisburned,coalis cleanedoff,soitcanperformto itshighestpotential. Theheatisusedtoboilwater andthesteamthenrisesand powersaturbine,producing electricity.
Theburningofcoal releasescarbondioxide, sulfur(whichcanleadto sulfurdioxidewhen exposedtooxygenwhich canleadtoacidrain),and otherpollutants.The extractionprocessisalso harmfultotheenvironment. Itisalsoafossilfuelwhich isanonrenewable resource.
Nuclear/Uranium
Nuclearfissionextractsenergy fromatomsbysplittingapartone atomtoformmanysmallerones, thisformofextractionisalso usedinnuclearpowerplants. Electricityisproducedwhenthe heatfromthechainreactions heatwaterwhichproduces steamtoturnturbinesand generateelectricity.
Whybuildahousewithoutelectricity? Cost/EconomicsTheUScostofenergyareincreasingrapidlysincetheindustrialage.Asofrightnowourcost ofelectricityis$1,200perhouseholdperyear.Theamountofkilowatthoursperyearweuse11,460andthe amountofkilowatthoursweusepermonthare955hours.Locallyasacity,notincludingcostsforprivateuse likehouses,Novatouses$373,000peryearfromPG&E.Asastateweuse250,348kilowatthoursperyear.As acountryweuse3,749,985kilowatthours.Asaneconomicstandpointtheamountofenergyweuseaffects greatlytheamountofmoneywespendasacountry,state,andcities.Theothermajorissuethatwehavevery slightlyaddressedasacountry,isthatourfossilfuelsarerunningout.Weonlyhave150yearsleftdepending weusethefossilfuelsatthesamerateweareusingitnow,andasaresultrenewableenergyisthebestwayto solvethisissueasofnow.