Ethanol FuelBy: Natalie Cohen

Jake MillerKevin Baker

Biome Restrictions Making of the fuel is confined to

biomes that support the growth of crops› Grasslands› Coniferous forests

Use of the fuel is confined to biomes that have cars used

Production During ethanol fermentation, glucose is

decomposed into ethanol and CO2. During combustion, ethanol reacts with oxygen

to produce carbon dioxide, water, and heat. The heat of the combustion of ethanol is used

to drive the piston in the engine by expanding heated gases.

Ethanol can also be produced industrially by adding water to ethene or ethylene (produced from petroleum by steam cracking).

Advantages Renewable Reduces pollution and greenhouse gas

emissions Does not pollute groundwater Cheaper to make than gasoline Easy transition Supports local farmers Reduces dependency on foreign oil

Disadvantages Smaller energy density than gasoline Costs money to modify vehicles Requires vast amounts of land to grow

crops Higher prices for grain crops on the

food market Waste products:

› CO2, H2O, Swill- can be used as a soil conditioner on land, but is extremely toxic to aquatic life.

Hydro Electric Power• produced as water passes through a dam, and into a river below• more water that passes through a dam = more energy produced

Schematic

Advantages• Will not harm the planet• May be generated all

over the world• Does not require

imported fuels• Does not produce

significant harmful waste products or contaminants

Disadvantages Run-of-the-river plants can impact the mobility of the

fish and other river life. Reservoirs cover land that was previously vegetation or

forests. Once underwater the plants decompose

anaerobically releasing methane the flooded land may have contained

ecosystems needed for plant or animal habitats

damming a river can alter the amount and quality of water in the river downstream of the dam

Decaying vegetation can make mercury soluble, which will accumulate in fish

Can effect the quality of the water source If no water is available, no energy can be produced Can be dangerous

Geological damage Floods

Extremely capital intensive investments

Wind Power

How the Energy is Produced

Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical power

The wind turns the blades, the blades turnthe shafts, the shafts connects to a generator, which makes electricity. Horizontal wind turbine Vertical wind turbine

Schematic

The wind turns the blades, which in turn spin the shafts. The shafts are connected to the generator, which produces electricity.

Advantages

Clean, renewable source of energy Doesn’t pollute the air or emit greenhouse

gases like other energy sources Abundant wind supply One of the cheapest renewable energy sources Benefits the economy in rural areas

› Wind turbines can be placed on farms and don’t take up much space

Disadvantages

Higher initial cost than fossil-fueled generators The best wind sites are typically located in remote areas, far from

cities where the electricity is needed, so transmission lines must be built

Aesthetic impact and noise Can be difficult to store energy for windless days & batteries are

expensive Can impact local weather patterns

› Added turbulence creates a warming and drying effect near the ground

Competes with other uses for land and installation could potentially contaminate aquifers and destroy habitats

Solid BiomassAn alternative to conventional

energy

Biomass- Organic matter that can be

converted into energy- Wood-Accounts for 3/4ths of the

renewable energy used Harvested by burning Open fires, woodstoves Disadvantages:

Inefficient/ incomplete burning leads to air quality problems

Can lead to deforestation Fire hazard

Poop

Alternate to wood Creates:

› Heat energy Burning

› Methane gas Anaerobic decomposition

Poop cont’d Reduces crop yields Exposure to

pathogens and parasites (burning)

Malodorous (anaerobic)

Possibility for groundwater contamination (large scale A.D.)

Explosive

Byproduct is a richer fertilizer (anaerobic decomposition)

Methane gas is used to make ethanol and methanol› Gasohol› Biofuel

Reduction in air quality issues

Crops Includes crop residues, energy crops,

and peat› Crop residues - unused parts of food crops› Energy crops - fast growing tress/ shrubs

produced specifically for energy use› Peat - partially decayed vegetation found

in bogs and marshes Used for heat energy

Crops cont’d Expensive

gathering (crop residues)› Better used for soil

protection Processing residues

are often better used for other things

Negative effects on watersheds and wildlife (peat)

Produces alternatives to gasoline

Makes more land available for energy crops (peat)

Active Solar Energy

Solar thermal systems use solar collectors to collect the sun’s energy and convert it to heat.

Advantages Cost effective if used for several months

during the year Less expensive than other heating

systems (such as electricity or oil heating)

Sales tax exempts Property tax deductions

Disadvantages Expensive to buy Limited to location Limited to power density 4%-12% energy loss between

converting from DC enrgy to AC energy(usable energy)

Schematic

Fuel Cells/Hydrogen

How is the Energy Produced? Hydrogen is passed over the anode the same time that

Oxygen is passed over the cathode› At the anode, reactive catalyst strips remove an

electron from the hydrogen atom Creating a positively charged Hydrogen ion

(proton) Hydrogen ion crosses the electrolyte to the

cathode on the other side of the fuel cell Electrons travel on an external current,

creating an electrical current When the Electrons reach the cathode,

they reunite with protons and combine with Oxygen, forming water

Advantages Small Size High Efficiency Low Emissions Net Water Production No Moving Parts High Reliability Quiet Can Heat Water and/or a Space

Disadvantages Hydrogen in its gas form is difficult and

dangerous to store and takes up a lot of space› In its liquid form, it takes up less space but has to

be kept below -250C (-400 F) On average, fuel cells are not any more

efficient than a fossil fuel power plant Due to the complex technological make up of

the cell, the biome cannot significantly impact the outer shell of the cell, which could potentially be extreme heat and cold.

Not as many in extreme altitudes because less oxygen is available.

the cells are very difficult to mass produce.

Passive Solar Energy

How it is Produced a way of building temperature efficient homes or a non-mechanical

object that collects heat› insulation and types of windows and doors enable a building to collect

solar energy in the winter and reject solar energy in the summer so that little or no heating and air conditioning is needed.

Passive Solar energy relies on convection and conduction to spread heat through out a building or object, and to trap it with in that object. Other then to modify the temperature of buildings, this technology is most often used to create solar ovens.

Advantages Tno electricity and could still serve us in a power out or other dier

situation when we have absolutely no access to conventional energy sources.

No waste products are emitted No more resources are being used then conventional building

techniques. Low energy costs. Reduced maintenance. No fuel.

Disadvantages Many homes that are temperature controlled with passive solar

energy need more and more assistance from other energy sources as their home ages

Passive solar energy can not serve as the sole source of heat for a home because it is not completely efficient in extreme temperatures

Other apparatus, like solar ovens, would reach different temperatures based on the weather and would not function well on a cloudy day

Differences in biomes/areas• The way passive solar energy is implemented is

different based on the area and its climate.• Can work in every climate based on the way it

is implemented.• Certain kinds are not recommended for freezing

climates (tundra, boreal, deciduous) because cold water may damage the heating panels.

• As a result, it’s easier to set up and maintain in warmer climates because it doesn’t need to be reinforced against freezing.

Tidal/Wave Power Tidal Turbines: Newest technology.

Basically giant wind turbines that are placed underwater and capture strong tidal flows

advantages Renewable Produces no greenhouse gases Avoid the hassles of building

hydroelectric dams

disadvantages Tidal period of 13.5 hours causes problems in

integrating the plant into the electric utility grids, because it is rarely synchronized with the hours of peak energy use

Can only be used in water biomes Require frequent, and intense tides for

optimum energy production Several environmental impacts

› Salt water flooding of fresh aquifers when sea water levels rise behind the dam

› Flooding and destruction of rich shoals and salt flats

› Heavy siltation› Scouring of the sea floor

Geothermal electricity turbines can be powered either by

steam taking directly from underground hot springs or from steam made from heat pumped from underground hotspots.

Advantages/disadvantages advantages

› Zero emissions › Zero consumption

Disadvantages› Only can be built near hotspots

Geothermal energy This can be used to bring water to a

neutral temperature which can be used to heat or cool water and air inside buildings and homes