tinyurl.

com/kybqf3a
EnergySource

Howdoesitwork?

Pros

Cons

SolarPower

Solarpower
convertsraysof
sunlightinto
electricity.Solar
powerusesthe
energyofspeeding
photons,whichare
createdinthe
centerofthesun
bythefusionof
atoms.Whenthese
photonscontactthe
solarpanel,an
electricalcurrentis
createdwithinit.

1.Renewable
2.Abundant
3.Sustainable
4.Environmentally
Friendly
5.GoodAvailability
6.Reduced
ElectricityCosts
7.Silent.
8.Lowmaintenance

1.Expensive
2.RequiresSpace
3.ExoticMaterials
4.StorageIs
Expensive

WindPower

Windpowerworks
theoppositeofa
fan.insteadof
usingelectricityto
makewind,youuse
windtomake
electricity.The
windturnsthe
blades,whichspin
ashaft,which
connectstothe
generatorand
makeselectricity.

1.Nofuel
2.Renewable
3.Relativelylow
cost
4.Lowcarbon
footprint
5.Canbealmost
anywhere
6.Reduces
greenhousegases

1.Visualpollution
2.Noise
3.Landuse
4.Winddoesntblow
constantly
5.Executeslotsof
birds

HydroPower

Hydropoweristhe
processof
capturingthe
energyfromfallen
watertogenerate
electricity.The
kineticenergyfrom
thefallenwateris
convertedinto
mechanicalenergy
bytheuseofa
turbine.Mechanical
energyfromthe
turbineisconverted
intoelectrical
energyusinga
generator.

1.Reliable
2.EcoFriendly?
3.CostEfficient
4.Renewable

1.SetupCost
2.Constant
maintenanceflash
floods
3.GradualErosion
4.Killfish
5.Floodtownsin
pathofreservoir

Biomass/Biofuels

Biomassenergyis
organicmatterthat
canbeburnedor
decomposedtobe
usedasourceof
energy.Inaway,
biomassisaform
ofsolarenergy
sinceitoriginally
receivesenergy
from
photosynthesis.
Thesolarenergyis
thenstoredin
plantsandis
availablefor
conversioninto
usableformsof
energy.Italso
comesinmany
formsincluding:
burning
wood,making
wasteintoenergy,
collectingmethane
forbiogas,and
usingenergycrops
forbiofuels.

Biomassis
renewable,low
cost,doesnt
releasemuch
carbon(andis
betterthanmost
fossilfuels),andis
veryabundant

GeothermalEnergy Geothermalenergy Thereisan

istheheatfromthe
earth.Itscleanand
sustainable.
Resourcesof
geothermalenergy
rangefromthe
shallowgroundto
hotwaterandhot

abundantamount
ofthermalenergy
intheearthwhich
isconstantly
replenishing.
Notsusceptibleto
pricefluctuation

Biomasscanbe
seasonal,requires
watertogrow,can
competewiththe
growthoffood,
whenburnedisnt
completelyclean,
canleadto
deforestation,and
somemethaneand
CO2arereleased.

Someconsof
geothermalenergy
aretherearesome
minorenvironmental
issues,sometimes
inextremecasesit
cancause
earthquakes,itis
veryexpensive,very

Oil/Petroleum
(fossilfuel)

NaturalGas(fossil
fuel)

rockfoundafew
milesbeneaththe
Earthssurface,
anddowneven
deepertothe
extremelyhigh
temperaturesof
moltenrockcalled
magma.
Heatfrom
Earthscoreused
toboilwater,then
steamrisesand
powersaturbine
whichcreates
electricity.

Itisthemost
greentypeof
energyduetothe
lackofcombustion.
Youcangetatax
rightoffforusing
thistypeofenergy.
Leastexpensive
formofenergyin
bothresidences
andgeneration
plants.

locationspecific,
anditisonly
sustainableifthe
reservoirsare
properlymanaged.

Oilandpetroleum
originallycame
fromplantmatter
thatwas
compressedand
heatedoveralong
periodoftime.Oil
andpetroleumare
drilledandpumped
outoftheground.
Oilandpetroleum
isusedforjetfuel,
heatingoil,diesel
fuel,andgasoline

Extractionofoil
andpetroleumis
relativelylowcost,
easytotransport,
andhasabroad
rangeofusesfor
appliances

itisnonrenewable.
wearerunningout
(peakoil).
emitscarbon
dioxide
drillingeffects
oceanandonland
habitats

Naturalgasis
formedwhen
variouslayersof
plants,animals,
andgasesare
exposedtointense
heatandpressure

NaturalGasis
moreeconomically
friendlyandis
efficientinburning.
Italsoemploys1.2
millionpeople.
Naturalgasalsois

Emitscarbon
dioxidewhenburned
Contains80%to
95%methane,a
potentgreenhouse
gas

Coal(fossilfuel)

overthousandsof lighterthanair
years.Itisan
makingitsaferto
energysource
use.
commonlyusedfor
cooking,heating,
andelectricity
generation.also
use.Itismainly
foundinrock
formationsdeep
underground.Itis
extractedfromoil
preservations
and/orfracturesin
theearthssurface
beingopened

Itsexplosiveand
dangerous
Gasrunoffcauses
waterpollution
Thereareenergy
penaltiesatevery
stageofproduction
Itsa
nonrenewable
resourceandcant
bereplacedfor
anothermillenia
Requiresextensive
pipelinesto
transport

Inacoalfired
steamstation,
wateristurnedinto
steam,whichin
turndrivesturbine
generatorsto
produceelectricity.

nonrenewable

largestcontributorto
globalwarming

severe
environmental,
social,healthand
safetyimpacts

devastationof
environmentaround
coalmines

expensive

ashisahazardand
disposalproblem

secondhighest
emitterofmethane

highlevelsof
radiation

abundantsupply

relatively
inexpensive

continuouspower

relativelylow
capitalinvestment
comparedwithgas
andnuclear

releaseschemicals
thatcancauseacid
rain

emitsheavymetals
thatposemajor
healthrisk,asthma

Nuclear/Uranium

Whentheuranium
atomssplit,heatis
created.Thisheat
isusedtocreate
steamandturn
turbinesinorderto
createelectricity.
Thewateraround
theuraniumis
pressurizedtokeep
thewaterheating,
butnotboiling.

Thereisverylittle
pollutioncreatedby
theprocess,itis
verypowerful,
cheap,and
effective.Thecost
perkilowatthouris
1.5cents.
Nuclearpower
generationdoes
emitrelativelylow
amountsofcarbon
dioxide(CO
).The
2
emissionsofGreen
housegasesand
thereforethe
contributionof
nuclear
powerplantsto
globalwarmingis
thereforerelatively
little

Thereisverylittle
pollutioncreatedby
theprocess,itis
verypowerful,
cheap,andeffective.
Thecostperkilowatt
houris1.5cents.
Nuclearpower
generationdoes
emitrelativelylow
amountsofcarbon
dioxide(CO
).The
2
emissionsofGreen
housegasesand
thereforethe
contributionof
nuclearpowerplants
toglobalwarmingis
thereforerelatively
little

Whybuildahousewithoutelectricity?
Itismainlybesttobuildahousewithoutelectricityforthebasicandmostwellknown
reason,ithelpstheenvironment.Electricityisresponsibleformanyenvironmentalproblems.
Somemainexamplesincludeglobalwarmingandpollution.Thereisnocompletesourceof

cleanpower.Evengreenpowercancauseproblemsforourworld.Oneoftheproblems
includeminingveryrareandpreciouselements.Simplygoingwithoutelectricityavoidsallof
theseproblems.Electricityisnothealthyforthehumanbody.Itmesseswithourcircadian
rhythms,whichcontrolswhenwefeeltheneedtosleepandwhentobeawake.Ahouse
withoutelectricitywouldalsolimittheamountofexposuretopotentiallydangerous
electromagneticfields.Anotherbenefitoflivinginanelectricityfreehomeisthelackofan
electricalbill.Bytheendoftheyear,itisguaranteedyouwillsaveplentyofmoneyfromnot
havingtopayregularelectricitybills.Source:
http://sustainablog.org/2010/03/top10reasonstoliveinanelectricityfreehomeppb27/
Ahousewithoutelectricityisaverypositivething.Humanactivityisfillingthe
atmospherewithcarbondioxideandothergases,causingglobalwarming.Theplanets
temperatureisrisingatanalarmingrate.Thiscreatesharmfulimpactsonallearthlings
health,theclimate,andtheenvironment.Electricityisthecauseofmorethanonethirdofthe
UnitedStatesglobalwarmingemissions.Thehighestdistributerofthisiscoalfiredpower
plants(25%ofU.S.globalwarming).Thewaterandairpollutioncausedbynaturalgasand
coalplantsleadstobreathingproblems,braindamage,cancer,andheartattacks.Replacing
fossilfuelswillreduceprematureimmortality.Windandsolarsystemscreateelectricitywith
nopollutionemissions.Also,solarandwindenergydoesnotrequirewater,sonowateris
polluted.

Howmuchenergydohumansuse?Inwhatforms?
Accordingtothe
USEnergyInformationAdministration
(
EIA
)
In2013,theaverageannual
electricityconsumptionforaU.S.residentialutilitycustomerwas10,908kilowatthours
(kWh),anaverageof909kWhpermonth..AlsoaccordingtotheEIAtheamountoffuel
usedtogenerateonekilowatthour(kWh):
Coal=0.00054shorttonsor1.09pounds
Naturalgas=0.00786Mcf(1,000cubicfeet)
Petroleum=0.00188barrels(or0.08gallons)

Mankindusesabout15TWofenergycontinuouslyfromfossilfuel.Weusechemicalenergy,
kineticenergy,andthermalenergy.Othertypesofenergyareradiant,sound,thermal,elastic,
gravitational,andnuclear.Accordingto
https://ypte.org.uk/factsheets/energy/typesofenergy
KineticAnythingthatmoveshasthiskindofenergy.Torun,cycle,climbandmove
themouseforacomputerweusekineticenergy.
RadiantRadiantenergymeanslight.Examplesofthingsthathaveradiantenergy
aretheSun,lightbulbsandourcomputerscreens.Plantsconvertlightenergyintochemical
energy(food)whichhelpsthemtogrown,thisisknownasphotosynthesis.
SoundThelouderweshoutthemoresoundenergyweareusing.Apartfromour
voicesthereareplentyofotherexamplesofsoundenergiesguitarshavesoundenergy
whenpluckedusingkineticenergy.Sodothebrakesonourbikeswhenweretravelingfast.
ThermalIfyouveeverwornthermalunderwearyoumightguessthatthermalenergy
isaboutheat!Thesungivesoffthermalenergy,asdoradiatorsandfires.Evenlightbulbs
whentheyvebeenonforalongtimeouch!
ElasticStretcharubberband,orpullbacktheelasticonaslingshotandyoullhave
elasticenergy.Thiskindofenergyisknownaspotentialenergyasitcanbestoreduntilits
releasedusuallygivingwaytokineticenergy!
GravitationalEverfallenoutofatree?Thenyouwereavictimofgravitational
energy.Gravitationalenergyistheforcewhichkeepsusontheground.Gravitationalenergy
iswhycyclingdownhillisfasterthancyclinguphillandwhyskijumpersalwayscomebackto
earth.
ChemicalChemicalenergiescomeinmanydifferentforms.Wegetchemicalenergy
fromfoods,whichweusetorunabout,andmoveandtalk(kineticandsoundenergy).
Chemicalenergiesarestoredinfuelswhichweburntoreleasethermalenergythisisone
wayofmakingelectricity,seeElectricityformoreinformation.
NuclearNuclearenergyistheenergystoredinsidetinyatoms.Atomsareinvisible
andmakeuptheelementsofthewholeuniverse!Therearethreepartstothesetinyparticles
whichareprotons,electronsandneutrons.Nuclearenergyisreleasedwhenatomsare
joinedtogether(fusion)orsplitapart(fission).Doingthisconvertsenergyintothermaland
radiantenergy.TheSunusesnuclearenergytoproduceitslightandheat.


ConvertingEnergy
Whenwegoforarunweareusingchemicalenergyinourbodiestoproducemovement
(kineticenergy),whichinturnconvertstowarmth(thermalenergy).Cyclingdownhillinvolves
kineticandgravitationalenergy.Thefrictionbetweenthetyresandtheroadwillalsocause
thetyrestowarmupalittleproducingthermalenergy.Whatformwillsomeofthisenergy
takewhenputtingonthebrakes?

Cost/Economics
Anormalmiddleincomehouseholdusesabout995kilowattsandtheirelectricbillisabout
$110amonth.Thehouseholdusesonaverageabout10,965kilowatts.Theaverage
householdspendsabout$1326.60ayear.Withallofthisinformationwecanconcludethata
middleincomehouseholdspendsaloton

Climatechangehowdoesithappen?(greenhouseeffect,carboncycle,useofsuns
energy):
Greenhousegasesaregoodbecausetheykeepusfromfreezing.Butwhengreenhouse
gasesaretoohigh,itholdstoomuchheatontheearthssurface.ThismeansthattheEarth
willheatupandclimatewillchange.Also,becauseoftheconstantchangeintheearthstiltto
thesun.Overtimetimeitcouldaffecttheamountofsunthatisshiningontotheearth.
ClimateChangeConsequenceswhatcouldhappenasaresultofthechanging
climate?
Climatechangecanhavelotsofnegativeeffect.Firstofallclimatechangecancausepolar
icetomeltwhichwoulddestroyhabitatsofmanyanimals,alsosealevelswouldrise.The
climatechangethatbringswarmertemperaturewould