Renewable EnergyFor The Average Citizen

Prepared by Joe Rando

What are Renewable Energy sources?

• They are sources of energy that can be replenished naturally and are inexhaustible because our use of them today won’t damage their availability tomorrow.

• They come from things we take for granted each day like: the sun’s rays, the power of the wind, the molten core of our earth & water’s gravitational flow.

• They are the sources of energy that can meet the world’s demands without dismantling the stability of our Earth today.

Types of Renewable Energy• There are many types of Alternative Energy sources being put

to use today, with the major contributors being:

• Solar • Wind• Geothermal• Hydro

• In further slides we will explore a bit of how each energy source works & what they have to offer the increasing energy demand we face.

• First we must understand why we need Renewables.

• Fossil fuels emit pollution that is harmful to the plants, animals & humans that breathe it in.

• The resources we rely on are depleting and will soon run out.• We are dependent on foreign countries to import fuel.• The 3 main sources: oil, coal and natural gas make up

approximately 88% of the world’s energy usage, leaving us helpless when they do run out.

• The carbon dioxide that is released when fossil fuels are burned is thinning our protective atmosphere and causing Global Warming which in turn is raising our sea levels due to Polar Ice Caps melting.

Negative Effects of Fossil Fuels

Solar Energy

• Solar Photovoltaic: uses solar cells made of silicon to gather sun’s rays which cause an electrical field. Seperating positive & negative electrons creates and electrical charge in the metal plate at the bottom of the panel. Wires carry the DC charge to an inverter which transforms it to AC use for your home.

• Solar Thermal (Solar Domestic Hot Water): starts with flat plate solar collectors that have copper coils filled with non-toxic fluid running through them. As the sun heats the collectors and the fluid in the coils get hot enough it flows through a heat exchanger where it heats water stored in a tank and then is circulated back through the solar collector.

Facts & Benefits of Solar Energy

• Extremely reliable• Very low maintenance• It is a clean & easily accessible energy source• Government tax credits & incentives• Ability to store your excess electricity for future use• Option to sell power back to electric providers reducing the

need for power plants• Freedom from power companies and opportunity to reduce

or eliminate utility bills

Solar Thermal Solar PV

Wind Energy• How does it work?

• Wind generated electricity begins with the resistance of the blades against the wind rotating a shaft which carries the energy to the generator where the kinetic energy (energy of motion) is transformed into electricity.

• How you may ask? Well as the rotating blades turn the shaft they cause magnets to rotate around a conductor which produces current. As the voltage is produced by the current it is forced through conductive wires to your home.

Facts & Benefits of Wind Energy

• Most inexpensive source of energy• Compliments solar power well• Clean energy• Low maintenance cost• World’s fastest growing renewable energy source past 10 years• Provides income for citizens of rural areas• Free source of energy that eliminates the association with

volatile fossil fuel prices• Can be harnessed and used efficiently on large or small scales

Geothermal Energy

• Where does it mean and how does it work?• Geo, the Greek word for earth• Therm, the Greek word for heat

• It literally comes from the heat below the Earth’s surface generated from decay in the Earth’s core. Shallow “hot spots” such as volcanoes and geysers are exploited and tapped with deep wells.

• Pumps are then used to bring the fluid to the surface where the immense heat of the fluid than creates steam to turn turbines which creates current for electricity production.

Facts & Benefits of Geothermal Energy

• Economical development in rural areas• Can be used for heating purposes in home and businesses• Used for agricultural purposes such as greenhouses• Good use of land in rural areas • Provides constant comfort & balances heat• Low maintenance costs• No external condensing pumps= silent operation

Hydropower• It is easy to guess, from the name, where the energy comes

from but how does it work?

• Yes it comes from water. More importantly water’s gravitational flow or desire to flow down stream.

• Dams are built to hold back water but when the water is released it is fed through large turbines at the base of the dam which use the water’s intense flow to turn the turbines and generate large amounts of electricity.

Facts & Benefits of Hydropower Energy

• Can generate energy on demand by opening and closing gates• Reservoirs provide opportunity for recreational activities• Reservoirs also provide water for irrigation purposes• Can be utilized on large or small scale operations• Currently supplies 10-13% of U.S. electricity• Powering approximately 35 million households• Provides flood control, wildlife refuges & transportation• Also provides a steady source of drinking water• Local form of energy

Benefits of Renewable Energy• Provide a stable, low cost for electricity• Very minimal environmental impact• Inexhaustible sources of energy• Helps developing third world countries• Reduces our dependency of foreign oil• Cuts down carbon emissions• Creates jobs for a new industry• Better return on investment than any bank• Government tax incentives• Low maintenance• Reduce or eliminate utility bills

Why do we need Renewable Energy?

• If we continue forward with out present energy usage, we will leave future generations with:

• An unstable climate, due to ocean currents that are changing.

• An unhealthy & heavily polluted environment.

• Unpredictable storm systems & seasons.

• The need to fight for depleted fossil fuel reserves.

• The next few slides show:

• U.S. energy usage vs. production

• Global carbon emissions by year

• U.S. carbon emissions by year

• Amount of resources left by our demand

U.S. Energy Usage

U.S. Energy Production

Conclusion• If we don’t begin to implement use of alternative energy

sources we are willingily allowing our planet to be destroyed. • By increasing our use of Renewable Energy we can create

jobs, stop Global Warming and provide future generations with a stepping stone to end our energy crisis.

• We have the opportunity to supply our demands with clean, environmentally friendly energy. That is harnessed from natural, free abundant resources.

• We can make a difference, but the time is now!

• Thank you.