Running Head: Research Dossier

Research Dossier Brennan Hietpas ENC 1102 Professor Guenzel Feb 25, 2014

Research Dossier Introduction

Engineering has been one of the most prominent majors to create an impact on society in its forward progression. There are so many different types of engineering for every part of our industries that help run our economy such as Civil Engineering which designs our roads, buildings, and bridges or Mechanical Engineering helps design motors and even mechanical hearts. Most people would know engineering to be very heavy in mathematics and physics, but Electrical Engineering is a field of engineering that is focused on the study and use of electricity, electromagnetism, and electronics related. It is a relatively new field considering that electricity has only been around for about 150 years. However, the field of Electrical Engineering has become one of the most important proprietors in the advancement of our civilization due to the technology advancements throughout the last century. The field itself hasnt grown as much in the past 50 years or so because of the invention of the computer. The computer has led to numerous other fields in electrical engineering and has affected all other engineering fields as well with abilities to calculate data in mere seconds as well as holding and sharing information. With the new technologies to put us through the future we need to have more expansion on the ways we can produce the energy needed to propel us through our lives as well as narrowing our impact on the ecosystem. Although they havent made a very prominent impact on us and their use isnt as widespread as the old method, the use of renewable resources is needed in order for our world to reach a new point in the future. One reason we havent switched to renewable resources is the cost it takes to maintain the machines and the lesser efficiency of some types of renewable resources. However, the biggest reason we havent switched to renewable resources would have to be the relative cheapness of fossil fuels (shown through the data of the graphs) and the business surrounding the oil industry. The oil companies dont want people to start making a switch to renewable energy and have the old method of using fossil fuels for energy taken down. Due to this reason I want to do research as to which method of renewable energy is the most effective and efficient at producing energy for the public and providing a bigger role in the economy with its use. My plan for the concluded research is to hopefully show to people in politics that we need to make a change now in our society. With the use of a compilation of material and information from other researchers and credible sources, I hope to compile a logical conclusion out of it. From that conclusion, I want my research to make an impact on someone who has power to change the way we provide power and the way we affect our ecosystem and the people and other living organisms inside of it.

Research Map Question: What is the most efficient and cost effect form of renewable resources for electrical power?

Research Dossier

Thesis: The slow increase in our use of renewable resources has left me under question and quite confused as to why we dont make the switch faster. Therefore, I wanted to research the best and most efficient form of renewable energy that our world should make a big switch to. Research: Books Academic Journals Internet research Magazines Possible Interviews with participants

Keywords: Renewable Resources Cost of renewable resources Energy efficiency Solar power; hydroelectric power; wind turbines

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Research Dossier Works Cited

Combs, S. (n.d.). Window on State Government. Wind Energy. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/e Numerous information on wind energy and turbine potential. Source is from a government website giving information about renewable energy and its potential. It might be bias

since its a state website and politics will usually run into play, however, a great deal of sources and citing were used and the author is the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Diep, Francie. (2013). The Amazing Potential of Wave Energy. Retrieved from: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-05/latest-wave-energynumbers?dom=PSC&loc=photogalleries&lnk=2&con=the-amazing-potential-of-wave-energy-in-numbers Discusses a test in Scotland that features putting wave machines, which use the waves kinetic energy and converts it into energy that could be used to power twice as much energy that the town it is in needs. The author is a credible science journalist for Popular Science who has a background in biology. The author shows slight bias towards the subject of the article, but is pretty objective and just in reporting the information. Environmental Impacts of Wind Power. (2013, March 5). Union of Concerned Scientists. Retrieved March 30, 2014, from http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impactswind-power.html An article from the Union of Concerned Scientists that describes many pros and cons involved with wind turbines including land and animal effects. A credible source due to the large amount of sources that the author of the article used from accredited authors. Hassett, T. M., & Borgerson, K. L., (2009). Harnessing Natures Power. Retrieved from: http://pdf.wri.org/harnessing_natures_power.pdf A book on the economics and several graphs pertaining to renewable resources. The authors are involved in energy companies themselves and teach others on the subject. There isnt bias leaning to one side due to its objective tone. Since its a textbook and is used to educate people about the power of renewable resources, it should be a credible source of information. Jeffs, E. Generating power at high efficiency. (2008). Cambridge, England: Woodhead Publishing Limited. All around describes producing types of energy with high efficiency in different sources including gas.

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The author has written on a wide variety of issues surrounding the power industry and was an Editor for a turbomachinery journal. No bias to one side of an argument and very credible use of source.
Lohan, T. (2013, November 8). Do We Have All the Renewable Energy We Need to Power the World?. Alternet. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.alternet.org/environment/are-youready-100-percent-renewable-energy

Information on the actual amount of energy we have in order to power countries and how we can split up the efforts. Credible source of information due to the amount of sources and statistics as well as the experience of the author. Kunz, T. (2013, December 11). Argonne National Laboratory. A new material for solar panels could make them cheaper, more efficient. Retrieved from: http://www.anl.gov/articles/new-material-solar-panels-couldmake-them-cheaper-more-efficient#sthash.iI0Vsj5y.dpuf An article about a newly discovered material for solar panels that will allow for cheaper construction as well as more efficiency in capturing the suns UV rays. The article is credible, because it comes from a laboratory website and is a media specialist for the company. The author is going to be bias because he works for a science company so his views might be skewed to favor them. National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, National Research Council. (2010). Electricity from Renewable Resources. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Shows information on renewable resources, describing their potential and which regions of the country could prosper the most from a certain type of energy source. This source was composed from national science associations coming together to produce this book showing no bias towards a certain type. Qi Zhang; Tezuka, T.; Esteban, M.; Ishihara, K.N., "A Study of renewable power for a zero-carbon electricity system in Japan using a proposed integrated analysis model," Computer and Automation Engineering (ICCAE), 2010 The 2nd International Conference on , vol.5, no., pp.166,170, 26-28 Feb. 2010. doi: 10.1109/ICCAE.2010.5451491 This academic article shows how Japan can form a zero carbon system for providing electrical power using an integrated system. The authors prove credible by being graduate students in Kyoto, Japan and show only bias towards how their research can prove beneficial. The academic article also, showed their credible references used in their research.

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Renewable Energy For America: Harvesting the Benefits of Clean, Local, Renewable Energy. (n.d.). What is Renewable Energy, Types of Renewable Energy Sources. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/ Describes what are some types of renewable energy and how they work. Credibility derives from it being a direct source to information about renewable resources. Some bias, since it tries to promote renewable sources. Smith, Patrick. Wind provides more than half of Denmark's power for first time. (2014). Retrieved from: http://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1227379/wind-provides-half-denmarks-power-first-time The country of Denmark has been receiving 50% of its energy from wind turbines, more than any other country. The credibility of the author is undetermined, however there is no bias towards what he is reporting. The source is a science magazine dedicated to wind energy, so there should be credibility on the subject. Thompson, P. C., & Yealdhall, V. E. (2010). Buying Down the Cost of Renewable Energy with Efficiency: Making Money by Saving Energy and the Environment. Cogeneration & Distributed Generation Journal, 25(3), 44-49. doi:10.1080/15453669.2010.10121742 Discusses how improved management practices can help bring down the operations and maintenance costs. Feb. 12, 2014 Peer reviewed academic article taken from the UCF EBSCO host. Some bias, however, is a good source of data from two experts. Trutnevyte, E. (2013). EXPANSE methodology for evaluating the economic potential of renewable energy from an energy mix perspective. Applied Energy, 111593-601. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.04.083 Shows how energy mix of renewable resources can profit a better economic outcome than fossil fuels. Feb. 12. 2014 Credibility comes from its direct sources of applied research from others in a journal. U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis. (2013, August 13). Oil and gas industry employment growing much faster than total private sector employment. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=12451 Numerous information on the U.S. oil industry and the role it plays into the economy with statistics, graphs, and other information relating the growth of the industry and private sectors.

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Credible source, since the website derives from the U.S. Department of Energy, a professional and government affiliated organization. Worldwide electricity production from renewable resources. (2012) Retrieved April 2, 2014, from: http://www.energies-renouvelables.org/observ-er/html/inventaire/Eng/introduction.asp This website leads to research, data, and stats about energy production from renewable resources from around the world. The information is very credible as it comes from the University of Paris and is brought into publication by other associations such as Observer, EDF, and Foundation Energies pour le Monde. The author doesnt seem to show bias and is largely objective.