Energy:

The transition to renewable

Reasons to transition to renewable
Pollution Supply
All fossil fuels contribute Oil and natural gas supplies
greenhouse gas emissions. will only last about 50
years at current usage
Burning coal releases many
rates.
other air pollutants as well.

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 Heat
Natural gas

Electricity
Natural gas, coal

Transportation
Oil

⊹ The biggest challenge in transitioning is replacing each application of

fossil fuels. 3
 Challenges to the renewable transition
Cost Environmental Impact Intermittency
Initial investment Renewables are mostly May not be productive
costs may be very pollution-free but still 24/7 like fossil fuels
high. impact ecosystems. and nuclear.

Geography
Certain parts of the earth
have better availability for
renewables than others.
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⊹ The challenge in making this
transition has led to the
extraction of
nonconventional fossil fuels.

⊹ Tar sands are sandstone rock

formations soaked in a very
heavy form of crude oil.
× High land use (like surface
mining)
× Potential for spill (oil)
× Large carbon footprint
× Low EROI (4 or less) 5
 Hydrokinetic Energy
1 Rivers and tides.
⊹ Hydrokinetic energy is generated by the movement of water.
× Rivers, ocean currents, and tides. 7
 ⊹ The reservoir is an artificial lake and the water
supply for the hydroelectric plant.
Reservoir
(Headwater)

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 ⊹ The dam holds the reservoir in place and controls
how much water passes through.
Reservoir
(Headwater)
Dam

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 ⊹ The turbine spins as water passes through it.
⊹ A generator converts the movement of the turbine
Reservoir
into electricity.
(Headwater)

Dam

Generator

Turbine

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 ⊹ The tailwater is the river immediately downstream.

Reservoir
(Headwater)

Dam

Generator

Tailwater
Turbine

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Reservoirs flood the
ecosystems that were
there before.

Reservoirs are warmer River flow slows

and evaporate more. down, causing
sediments to fall out
into the reservoir.
Fish cannot easily
travel between the
headwaters and
tailwaters.
Energy production
is constant, and not
easily adjustable.
Sediment
(nutrient) levels in
tailwaters are
significantly
reduced. 12
⊹ Fish ladders are stairways built around dams to provide migrating fish
a way to swim upstream or downstream.

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 Pumped storage
hydroelectric plants have
a second reservoir at a
higher elevation.
When energy demand
is low, water will be
pumped to the
elevated reservoir.

When energy demand

is high, water will
move back down
through a turbine.

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⊹ Tidal power plants construct a dam along an estuary that allows
water to enter during high tide, then produces electricity as it flows
past a turbine during low tide.

High Tide

Dam

Estuary

Low Tide

Turbine
Ocean
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 Marine organisms
cannot move back and
forth between the
ocean and estuary.

Tidal power slows the

normal flow of
nutrients out to the
ocean.
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 Wind Energy
2 Energy from moving air.
⊹ Wind turbines have three large
rotor blades that spin with the
wind.

× Attached to a generator that

immediately converts that energy
to electricity.

× Able to change direction to follow

the wind.

× Brakes halt the rotors when a

component malfunctions or wind
speed is too high.
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⊹ Each wind turbine produces ⊹ Wind farms are clusters of
enough power to supply wind turbines that generate
about 900 average homes. large amounts of power.

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 Some feel they
disrupt scenery.

Each turbine kills

3-10 birds per year
on average.

Wind farms occupy a Each turbine produces about 100dB of sound,

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lot of land. so they need to be at least 300m from homes.
⊹ Offshore wind farms are more expensive to build, but do not take up
any land and are more productive due to fewer wind-blocking
structures and landforms. 21
 Geothermal
3 Energy from the Earth’s heat.
⊹ Geothermal plants generate steam by pumping hot water from deep
below the Earth’s surface. 23
 A condenser cools the
steam back into liquid
water, releasing excess
heat.

The steam spins a

turbine, connected
to a generator. Cooled water is
pumped back to
A well is drilled to the underground
harvest hot steam from reservoir.
a deep underground
reservoir.
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 Small amounts of
sulfur dioxide and
carbon dioxide are
released.

Geothermal plants
have massive upfront
costs.

Extracting steam and

hot water from
underground can
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trigger earthquakes.
 Solar
4 Photovoltaic and parabolic.
⊹ Parabolic solar collection
uses curved mirrors to reflect
sunlight to a heat collector.
× Heat boils water, making
steam, turning
a turbine.

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⊹ This solar concentrator focuses 5000cm2 (5.4ft2) of heat into a small
area.

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 Energy production
is intermittent;
decreasing to zero
Upfront costs are very at night.
high.

Parabolic solar
plants take up a lot
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of land.
⊹ Photovoltaic cells directly
convert solar energy to
electric current, without any
moving parts.

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 Energy production
is intermittent;
decreasing to zero
Upfront costs are at night.
again very high.

Photovoltaic cells also take up

a lot of land, but can be placed
on land that has already been
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developed (parking lots, roofs).
 Comparing Energy
metrics
5 Renewables vs. Fossil Fuels
 Comparing Renewable electricity sources

Fossil
Solar
Fuels Hydro Wind Geothermal Solar PV
Parabolic
(avg)
CO2 Production
1.75 0 0 0.27 0 0
(pounds per kWh)

EROI 14 40 20 9 2 6

Land Use 5 3.3

120 25 <1 3.8 (Less if placed on
(hectares per gWh) (Less if offshore)
developed land)

Energy Output Adjustable Constant Intermittent Adjustable Intermittent Intermittent

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⊹ Hydroelectric plants must be built along river courses with significant
elevation or tidal differences.

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⊹ Wind turbines have the greatest potential in areas with few
geographic wind barriers.

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⊹ Geothermal power
has the greatest
potential along
active tectonic
plate boundaries –
volcanically active
areas.

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⊹ Solar power has the greatest potential closer to the equator, in
naturally arid climates.

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 Renewable Heat
6 Keeping homes warm.
⊹ Geothermal home systems use underground pipes to dissipate heat in
the summer and absorb heat in the winter from underground.

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⊹ Passive solar homes collect heat from south-facing windows and
retains it in brick or stone.
× Overhangs or blinds block sunlight in the summer. 40
⊹ Active solar homes pump cold water to solar collectors in the roof until
it is heated, then pumped back into the home. 41
⊹ Biomass burns plant-based material to produce heat.
× Charcoal, crop residues, or energy crops like corn and switchgrass. 42
⊹ Biomass production is
limited by the growth
rate of the plants.
× Deforestation occurs if
plants are harvested
faster than they can grow.

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 Renewable Fuel Sources
6 Powering vehicles, planes, and ships.
⊹ Biofuels are liquid forms of biomass made by fermenting plant matter.
× Include ethanol and biodiesel.
× May increase food prices if sourced from crops like soy, corn, or sugar cane. 45
⊹ Fuel cell vehicles
use hydrogen gas
as a source of
energy.
× Emit only water
vapor and warm
air, no pollution.
× Hydrogen-based
fueling stations
would need to
be constructed.

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⊹ Hybrid vehicles have both a Electric engine
powers
combustion and electric engine to accessories and
idling.
improve efficiency.

Energy recaptured
from braking.

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⊹ All-electric vehicles can be
recharged from any electricity
source.
× Rapid charging stations are needed.
× Batteries are expensive.

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 Comparing Vehicles

Flex-fuel Fuel
Hybrid All-Electric
(Gas/Ethanol) Cell
Average Gas Up to
25MPG 50-55MPG 120-150MPGe
Mileage 70MPGe
Half of No direct Half of No direct
Pollution
regular gas pollution regular gas pollution
Additional
Up-Front +0-10% +100% +10-20% +50%
Cost

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 Energy Calculation and
Conservation
7 Analyzing and reducing energy
consumption.
⊹ Electricity consumption is
measured and priced in kilowatt-
hours (kWh).

× Kilowatts represents the amount

of power used by the device.

× Hours represents the time that the

electricity is being consumed.

⊹ Average electricity cost is around

12.5 cents per kWh.
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*Assume 12.5¢ or ⊹ What is the electricity cost ($) for playing
$0.125/kWh
video games for 2 hours?
(𝟏𝟐𝟖𝑾 + 𝟏𝟔𝟎𝑾) 𝒙 𝟐𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 = 𝟓𝟕𝟔𝑾𝒉

𝟏𝒌𝑾
𝟓𝟕𝟔𝐖𝐡 x = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟕𝟔𝒌𝑾𝒉
𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
$𝟎. 𝟏𝟐𝟓
𝟎. 𝟓𝟕𝟔𝐤𝐖𝐡 x
𝒌𝑾𝒉
= $𝟎. 𝟎𝟕𝟐

Xbox Series X
160W/hr

Sony X90J 65” TV

128W/hr 52
⊹ What is the 𝟏𝒌𝑾
𝟑𝟎𝟎𝟎𝐖 x = 𝟑. 𝟎𝒌𝑾
power 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎
consumption 𝟑. 𝟎𝒌𝑾 x 𝟖 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 = 𝟐𝟒𝒌𝑾𝒉
of running an 24𝒌𝑾𝒉 x
$𝟎.𝟏𝟐𝟓
= $𝟑. 𝟎𝟎
air conditioner 𝒌𝑾𝒉

for 8 hours?

3.5 ton air

conditioning unit
3000W

*Assume 12.5¢ or
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$0.125/kWh
⊹ Energy efficiency measures the percentage of energy that performs
the desired work.
× Improving efficiency reduces energy demands without a change in lifestyle.

10% efficient 85% efficient 90% efficient

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⊹ Energy guide labels are added to
appliances to help consumers
understand their consumption.
× Energy star appliances are
especially efficient.

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⊹ Fuel economy labels
are placed on cars to
make gas
consumption more
visible to consumers.

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⊹ Cogeneration power plants provide both heat and electricity to
homes, significantly increasing efficiency.

Separate electricity and heat sources Power plant provides heat and electricity.
55% efficient 87% efficient
Heat loss through cooling towers Cooling tower heat is sent to buildings

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⊹ Subsides are financial grants
given by the government to
encourage energy efficiency and
the use of renewables.
× Funded by taxes and fees in
electric bills.

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⊹ A renewable portfolio is a state law that mandates a minimum
percentage of energy generation come from renewable sources.

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