Energy resources
Calorific Energy Content of Fuels and Chemicals
ElectrochemicalEnergyContentofChemical
Species
Energy Content of Naturally Occurring
Energy Flows
Electricity Generating Costs per kWh for
Different Fuels
RadiationandEarthsAtmosphere
The earths global average surface temperature in present
climate is 15C (59F). Without the atmosphere, it would be -18C
(-0.4F),
About 33C or 59.4F colder! Atmosphere is the most important
component of the earths climate.
Radiation vs. other heat sources:
Total energy enter the earths atmosphere: 174 petawatts or
174X1015 Watts
Solar: 99.978%, Geothermal: 0.013%, waste and fossil fuel:
0.007%, tidal: 0.002%
EarthsAtmosphere
1. What is it?
A thin gaseous envelope around the planet.
Blue sky!
2.
Composition
Todays atmosphere: nitrogen (78%), oxygen
(21%), other (1%) trace gases!
Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane,
and most other gases are invisible.
Clouds are not gas, but condensed vapor in the form
of liquid droplets or ice particles.
Ground based smog, which is visible, contains
reactants of
nitrogen and ozone.
Four
3. Structure
layers:
Troposphere
From surface to 8-18 km
Stratosphere(overturning
(stratified) From troposphere top to 50
)
km
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
TheStructureofEarthsAtmosphere
1. Four layers defined
by
temperature
Troposphere: T decreases with
T increases with
Stratosphere:elevation
Mesosphere: elevation
T decreases with
elevation
Thermosphere:
T increases with
elevation
2. Importance to climate and climate
change
Troposphere:
80% of Earths gases
Most of Earths weather happens
Most of the measurements
Stratosphere:
19.9% of Earths gases
Ozone layer:
Blocking Suns ultraviolet
radiation
EnergyfromtheSun
1. Characteristics
Travels through space
(vacuum)
in a speed of light
In the form of waves:
Electromagnetic waves
In stream of particles(Photons)
Releases heat when absorbed
2. Electromagnetic spectrum
From short wavelength, high
energy, gamma rays to long
wavelength, low energy, radio
waves
3. Importance to climate and
climate change
Primary driving force of Earths climate
engine
Ultraviolet, Visible, Infrared
SunsElectromagneticSpectrum
Solarradiationhaspeakintensitiesintheshorterwavelengths,
dominantintheregionweknowasvisible,thusshortwave
radiation
Blackbody Radiation Curves
Any object above
absolute zero
radiates heat, as
proportionaltoT4
Highertemperature,
shorterwavelength
Longwave&ShortwaveRadiation
Thehotsun
radiatesat
shorter
wavelengths
thatcarrymore
energy,andthe
fraction
absorbedbythe
coolerearthis
thenre-radiated
atlonger
wavelengths.
AtmosphericGreenhouseEffects
T= 15C (59F)
Surface Temperature With the
Atmosphere
T= 18C (0F)
Surface Temperature Without
the Atmosphere
GreenhouseeffectsmakeEarthssurfacewarmer!
Greenhouse Gases
What are they?
Water vapor (H2O)
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Ozone (O3)
Methane (CH4)
Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Water vapor accounts for 60% of the atmospheric greenhouse effect, CO 2 26%,
and the remaining greenhouse gases 14%.
CO2 contributes most (55-60%) to the anthropogenic greenhouse effect,
and methane is a distant second (16%).
CFCs cause the strongest greenhouse warming on a molecule-for-molecule
basis.
NitrousOxide
AtmosphericAbsorption
Earthemitslongwave
energy,whicheither
leaksthroughanarrow
windowor
isabsorbedby
greenhousegasesand
radiatedbacktoEarth.
Absorption(100%)
Solarradiationpasses
ratherfreelythrough
Earth'satmosphere.
Methane
Ozone
WaterVapor
CarbonDioxide
UV
IR
TotalAtmo
Wavelength
SolarIntensityandLatitude
Solarintensity,definedastheenergyperarea,isdifferentat
differentlatitude.
Asunlightbeamthatstrikesatanangleisspreadacrossagreater
surfacearea,andisalessintenseheatsourcethanabeam
impingingdirectly.
UnequalRadiationonaSphere
Insolationis
strongerinthe
tropics(low
latitudes)thanin
inthepolar
regions(high
latitudes).
Pole-to-EquatorHeatingImbalances
WhatcontrolstheelevationoftheSunabovethehorizon?
EarthsTiltPrimarilyDeterminesSeason
Earth'sAnnualEnergyBalance
Thebalanceis
achievedlocally
atonlytwolines
oflatitude.
Aglobalbalance
ismaintainedby
excessheatfrom
theequatorial
region
transferring
towardthe
poles.
Incoming Solar
Radiation
Outgoing Longwave
Radiation
Unequalheatingoftropicsandpoles
The Global Energy Budget: Driver of Atmospheric M
A balance exists betwee
the incoming solar and
outgoing longwave ener
averaged over the globe
and the year
SURPLUS DEFICIT
However, the tilt of the
Earth means this balance
is not maintained for eac
latitude
People have been harnessing
solar energy for a long time!
Solar collector for
heating water
A home in California in 1906
Sun Angles
Two Main Categories:
Solar Thermal
Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
Water heating and cooking
Electricity production
Solar Thermal Energy
Cooking
Water Heating
Solar Water Heating
Solar Water Heating
Solar water
heating is the
most efficient
and economical
use of solar
energy
Working water heater
How Does it Work?
Systems can be
passive or active
Passive systems only
found in warmer
climates, as they are
prone to freezing
Active: Roof-top
collectors heat
glycol which then
passes through a
heat exchanger in
the storage tank to
heat water
Electric pump can be
run on solar PV
Solar Cooking
Benefits of Solar Cooking
Consumes no fuels/wood
No loss of trees & habitat
Trees sequester carbon
Generates no air pollution
Generates no greenhouse
gases
Produces no smoke
Cooking smoke kills over 1.6
million people each year,
mostly women & children,
according to a recent report
Eliminates fire dangers
More Benefits of Solar
Cooking
Eliminates work
No daily search for
firewood
2 Billion people rely on
wood for cooking fuel!
No risks to women and
children
Frees time for other
activities
No need to stir food
Helps to liberate
women
More Benefits of Solar
Cooking
Cooks foods slowly
and thoroughly
Preserves nutrients
Foods will not burn
Pots are easy to
clean; less clean
water is needed
Use for canning
vegetables
Use for dried fruit
Kill insects in dry
grains
Solar Electric
(Photovoltaic)
Solar Electric Systems
Photovoltaic (PV) systems convert
light energy directly into electricity.
Commonly known as solar cells.
The simplest systems power the
small calculators we use every day.
More complicated systems will
provide a large portion of the
electricity in the near future.
PV represents one of the most promising
means of maintaining our energy
intensive standard of living while not
contributing to global warming and
pollution.
How Does it Work?
Sunlight is composed of photons, or bundles of
radiant energy. When photons strike a PV cell, they
may be reflected or absorbed (transmitted through
the cell). Only the absorbed photons generate
electricity. When the photons are absorbed, the
energy of the photons is transferred to electrons in
the atoms of the solar cell.
How Does it Work?
Solar cells are usually made of two thin pieces of
silicon, the substance that makes up sand and the
second most common substance on earth.
One piece of silicon has a small amount of boron
added to it, which gives it a tendency to attract
electrons. It is called the p-layer because of its
positive tendency.
The other piece of silicon has a small amount of
phosphorous added to it, giving it an excess of free
electrons. This is called the n-layer because it has a
tendency to give up negatively charged electrons.
How Does it Work?
Helpful PV Animations
[Link]
[Link]
Best Place For Solar Panels?
South Facing roof,
adequate space
No shading (time of
year, future tree growth)
Roof structure, condition
Large Scale
PV Power
Plants
Prescott Airport
Location: AZ
Operator: Arizona Public
Service
Configuration: 1,450 kWp
SGS Solar
Location: AZ
Operator: Tucson Electric
Power Co
Configuration: 3,200 kWp
Centralized Wind-Solar Hybrid
System
In hybrid energy
systems more
than a single
source of
energy supplies
the electricity.
Wind and Solar
compliment one
another
Solar Concentrators
These 20-kW Solar
Systems dishes dwarf
visitors in Alice Springs,
Australia.
The concentrators use
an array of mirrors to
focus sunlight onto highefficiency solar cells.
Four supports hold the
cells in front of the
mirrors
The supports also
supply cooling water
and electrical
connections
How Does the Color/Wavelength of
Light Affect PV Efficiency?
Test 5-8 colors using different backgrounds
on PowerPoint Slides
Purple
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
White
Approximate Wavelength:
390-455 nanometers
Approximate Wavelength:
455-492 nanometers
Approximate Wavelength:
492-577 nanometers
Approximate Wavelength:
577-597 nanometers
Approximate Wavelength:
597-622 nanometers
Approximate Wavelength:
622-780 nanometers
