Unit 6 - Energy Resources and Consumption Part 2 Vocabulary

biomass

The total mass of all living matter in a specific area.

nonrenewable energy source

An energy source with a finite supply, primarily the fossil fuels and nuclear fuels.

potentially renewable

An energy source that can be regenerated indefinitely as long as it is not overharvested.

renewable

In energy management, an energy source that is either potentially renewable or nondepletable.

energy conservation

Finding and implementing ways to use less energy.

tiered rate system

A billing system used by some electric companies in which customers pay higher rates as their use goes up.

energy efficiency

The ratio of the amount of energy expended in the form you want to the total amount of energy that is introduced into the system.

peak demand

The greatest quantity of energy used at any one time.

passive solar design

Construction designed to take advantage of solar radiation without active technology.

thermal inertia

The ability of a material to maintain its temperature

biofuel

Liquid fuel created from processed or refined biomass.

carbon neutral

An activity that does not change atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

ethanol

Alcohol made by converting starches and sugars from plant material into alcohol and CO2.

biodiesel

A diesel substitute produced by extracting and chemically altering oil from plants.

hydroelectricity

Electricity is generated by the kinetic energy of moving water.

tidal energy

The energy that comes from the movement of water driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon.

siltation

The accumulation of sediments, primarily silt, on the bottom of the reservoir.

active solar energy

Energy captured from sunlight with advanced technologies.

photovoltaic solar cells

A system of capturing energy from sunlight and converting it directly into electricity.

geothermal energy

Heat energy that comes from the natural radioactive decay of elements deep within Earth.

wind energy

Energy generated from the kinetic energy of moving air.

wind turbine

A turbine that converts wind energy into electricity.

fuel cell

An electrical-chemical device that converts fuel, such as hydrogen, into an electrical current.

electrolysis

The application of an electric current to water molecules to split them into hydrogen and oxygen.

smart grid

An efficient, self-regulating electricity distribution network that accepts any source of electricity and distributes it automatically to end users.