Exam 2 - Renewables

Solar and wind, transition from coal to natural gas

Which Renewable Energy source for Electricity has the greatest chance for continued successful growth in the U.S.?

Photovoltaics

Price of making cells is cheaper

Best Solar Regions

Southwest US (90%) and most south (80-89%)

Solar Challenges

• Present design life of cells are guaranteed for 20-30 years

• Battery technology and storage limiting

• Need backup systems at night and during cloudy weather

• Need large amount of land to collect, environmental impacts during manufacturing

Solar World Growth

US growth, but slowing due to changes in federal "incentives"

Wind

Steady, strong wind (not gusty), wind speed is a critical feature because the energy is proportional to the cube of the wind speed, proximity to people

US Wind Regions

Midwest, MANY in Texas, Texas Iowa and Oklahoma produce the most megawatts

Off-Shore Wind

Good potential around the top of the East Coast and West Coast

Wind Generated Electricity and Technology

Flexible, hinged blades, turbine 40% lighter, rotating gear box

Wind in VA

We import wind from other places, high capability in Western VA and along Chesapeake

Hydroelectric

Use of falling water (kinetic energy), worldwide hydropower plants produce the energy equivalent of 3.5 billion barrels of oil per year

Norway

Earth’s cleanest country in terms of energy, large oil exporter, 99% of electricity is HYDROPOWER, electric vehicles

Costa Rica

>80% of their electricity is hydropower but having issues because rain patterns are shifting, so not enough water in reservoirs

Geothermal

Heat and power resource that utilizes earth's natural geothermal gradient, fission reactions, plate boundaries, heating and cooling, electricity

Iceland

Country that has the largest percent geothermal (plate boundaries)

Hawaii, California, Western States

US States with greatest geothermal potential

Rifting

Brings heat sources close to the surface, as in Rio Grande Rift in New Mexico

Types of Geothermal

Hydrothermal systems, enhances Geothermal Systems (EGS), direct use, geothermal Heat Pumps (GHPs)

Top Geothermal Countries

 Indonesia, Philippines, Türkiye, New Zealand