EARTH SCIENCE – ENERGY SOURCES

Renewable Energy Resources – Continuous • Penstock

production of heat o Channels water from reservoir to the
turbines
Geothermal Energy
o To make sure that the pressure of
• Heat from the Earth – came from decay of water will be enough for the power
radioactive elements underground and the turbine
residual heat produced when the planet • Powerhouse
forms o Houses turbines as well the generator
• 45% is generated by geothermal energy
Types:
• Top 2 produces of geothermal energy
• Covers all techniques used to recover heat in • Impounded Facility
earth’s surface particularly in aquifiers o Uses dam to store water, then
o Aquifers are rock reservoir that releases it to generate electricity
contains ground water • Diversion / Run of River Faciltiy
o Can only become geothermal energy o Redirecting river water through a
if there is a heat source • Pumped Storage
• Geothermal Gradient configuration of two water reservoirs
o Heat tends to increase as you go at different elevations that can
deeper into the ground generate power as water moves
o 3 celsius per 100 meters down from one to the other
(discharge), passing through a
Types:
turbine.
• Binary cycle Powerplant
o Hot water from underground was
pumped
• Dry Steam Powerplant
o Hot steam from underground to be
piped directly
• Flash Steam
o Hot water from underground is
pumped into a solid tank.
o Sudden change in temperature makes
the steam that moves the generator
Hydroelectric Energy
• 40% is generated by hydroelectric energy
• Use of water to produce energy
• Hydropower plants are world’s leading
renewable nergy source, producing 83% of
renewable power
Components
• Dam
o Generates large waterfall and stores
enough water supply to the plant at
all times