A: Renewable Energy

Potentially renewable

Energy source that can be renewable so long as it isn’t overharvested

Nondepletable

Energy source that can’t be used up

Carbon neutral

Activity that doesn’t change atmospheric CO2 concentration

Net removal

Removing more than is relaced by growth (often refers to carbon)

Biomass

Things that are/were alive and can be used to produce energy

Biofuel

Luquid fuel from processed/refined biomass, includes ethanol and biodiesel

Modern carbon

Carbon in biomass that was recently in the atmosphere

Solar energy

Nuclear fusion from the sun’s atoms release energy, which is captured by solar panels

Photovoltaic solar cell

System of capturing energy from sunlight and directly converting it into electricity

Hydroelectricity

Electricity generated by the kinetic energy of running water using dams/turbines

Run of the river

Hydroelectricity generation where water is retained behind low/no dam

Water impoundment

Storage of water in a reservoir behind a dam

Geothermal

Fluids drawn from underground reservoirs produce energy using heat from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within the earth

Ground source heat pump

Technology that transfers heat fron the ground to a building

Hydrogen fuel cells

Hydrogen fuel is converted into electricity by feeding hydrogen fuel and air into a cell, forming electricity when they meet

Electrolysis

Application ofelectric current to water molecules to split into hydrogen and oxygen

Wind turbine

Turbine captures kinetic energy from wind and converts it into electricity

Energy conservation

Finding and implementing ways to use less energy

Tiered rate system

A billing system used by some electric companies where people pay higher rates as use goes up

Smart grid

Efficient, self regulating electricity distribution network that accepts any electricity source and distributes it automatically