Lesson 2 Renewable Energy Resources

Scan Lesson 2. Read the lesson titles and bold words. Look at the pictures. Identify three facts
you discovered about renewable energy resources. Record your facts in your Science Journal.

Renewable Energy Describe how people make use of renewable energy.

Resources
Type Description of Its Use
These solar cells are used in
I found this on page 153 . Solar energy everyday life. giving others
electrical energy

I found this on page 154 . Wind energy

(Wind farms) wind turbines produce electricity

Hydroelectric
electricity produced by flowing water
power

Tidal power differences between high and low tides

I found this on page 155 . Geothermal

thermal energy from earth’s interior
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energy

Biomass
energy produced by burning organic matter
energy

Advantages and Classify renewable energy resources by their advantages.

Disadvantages of
Renewable Resources Advantage Renewable Resources
I found this on page 156 .
Nonpolluting solar, wind, water energy

Available in the solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass energy

United States

Relatively wind energy

inexpensive

Produces little geothermal energy

pollution

Reduces organic
biomass energy
material in landfills

Natural Resources 45
 Lesson 2 | Renewable Energy Resources (continued)

I found this on page 156 . Categorize renewable resources by their disadvantages.

• affected by long periods of no rainfall

• negative impact on aquatic ecosystems
• limited to areas with fast-flowing rivers or great water energy
tidal differences
• air pollution
biomass energy
• less efficient than fossil fuels
• best sites are far from urban areas
• limited to areas with strong, steady wind wind energy
• potential impact on bird populations
• habitat disruption from drilling
geothermal
• limited to tectonically active areas
• high cost
• less energy produced on cloudy days
solar energy
• no energy produced at night
• requires large surface area

Managing Renewable Evaluate proportions of energy resources in the United States.

Energy Resources
I found this on page 157 . Nonrenewable biomass
93% %
hydroelectric

Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Renewable wind
7% %
geothermal

solar

I found this on page 157 . Identify one way to encourage use of renewable energy resources.
talk with family about ways to use renewable energy at home

Analyze It How does the turbine enable us to use renewable energy resources?
the turbine enables us to use renewable energy by giving us the opportunity to help the environment

46 Natural Resources