wind

1. Tom, Kyle, Lindsey, Megan , Ivy wind

2. How it works/potential • •Wind is free non costly energy that can be easily provided anywhere at anytime. However, it can easily be captured with technological devices to provide us with any amount of energy we need. • •The strength of the wind may differ from time to time. This means, at a point in time, one may produce a large amount electricity or one may not produce any amount of electricity at all. • •Wind at a high speed can destroy a turbine and it can cause fire out-break.

3. Impact on climate change • IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE • Usually at night the air closer to the ground becomes colder when the sun goes down and the earth cools. But on huge wind farms the motion of the turbines mixes the air higher in the atmosphere that is warmer, pushing up the overall temperature. • This could have long term effects on wildlife living in the immediate areas of larger wind farms.

4. Safety • SAFETY • It doesn’t pollute the environment • A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, a turbine uses wind to make electricity.

5. Reliability • RELIABLITIY • It’s a renewable resource • If it’s not windy out you won’t have much power • We will never run out of wind • A windmill on a farm can make only a small amount of electricity, enough to power a few farm machines. • To make enough electricity to serve lots of people, power companies build "wind farms" with dozens wind turbines.

6. Long term ability to meet energy needs • It can not replace fossil fuel completely as it is now • Needs more research to advance • Right now it takes up too much space

7. Job creation • A working paper by PCIC found that the wind industry creates a larger share of total employment in the U.S. than the iPod did in 2006, 74% versus 34%. • The PCIC researchers found that the U.S. wind industry has created nearly 27,000 direct jobs, and 9,250 non-U.S. jobs. • By contrast, the iPod, the PCIC researchers found, created nearly 14,000 U.S. jobs and 27,250 non-U.S. jobs in 2006. • This wind energy job count number for the U.S. may grow to as much as 30,000 to 35,000 as research continues, said Jason Dedrick, an associate professor at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, and one of the people on the project. • http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9231750/Wind_energy_beats_iPod_in_U.S._job_creation • According to a report by the National Renewable Energy Lab on wind plant jobs, the national average is one maintenance employee for every 12-15 turbines. A 20-turbine wind plant in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania now employs only two maintenance employees. • http://www.stopillwind.org/lowerlevel.php?content=topten_7

8. Sustainability • Sustainability • The 5.2 million kilowatt hours of net electricity generated per year are enough to power more than 500 homes in Decorah and represents approximately one third of Luther's annual consumption. • The project has a 9-10 year payback. In addition, it is projected to save the college at least $3 million in electricity costs over the 20-year life span of the turbine. • http://www.luther.edu/sustainability/energy/windturbine/

9. Cost • Most of the commercial-scale turbines installed today are 2 MW in size and cost roughly $3-$4 million installed. Wind turbines have significant economies of scale. Smaller farm or residential scale turbines cost less overall, but are more expensive per kilowatt of energy producing capacity. Wind turbines under 100 kilowatts cost roughly $3,000 to $8,000 per kilowatt of capacity. A 10 kilowatt machine (the size needed to power a large home) might have an installed cost of $50,000-$80,000 (or more) depending on the tower type, height, and the cost of installation. Oftentimes there are tax and other incentives that can dramatically reduce the cost of a wind project. • Total costs for installing a commercial-scale wind turbine will vary significantly depending on the number of turbines ordered, cost of financing, when the turbine purchase agreement was executed, construction contracts, the location of the project, and other factors. Cost components for wind projects include things other than the turbines, such as wind resource assessment and site analysis expenses; construction expenses; permitting and interconnection studies; utility system upgrades, transformers, protection and metering equipment; insurance; operations, warranty, maintenance, and repair; legal and consultation fees. Other factors that will impact your project economics include taxes and incentives.

10. Environmental considerations • Can kill birds • Stops use of fossil fuel • Takes up lot of space • Not consistent because of lack of wind

11. biofuels

12. How each technology works now/potential advances • It works by burning • It can advance by getting faster and new kinds of vegetable oil • Could one day provide a good source of electricity

13. Impact on climate change Steven E. Sexton and David Zilberman • The belief that biofuels can mitigate climate change has driven governments around the world to promote the production of ethanol and biodiesel through policies that guarantee markets and offer incentives to producers and consumers. • The total cost of these policies is measured in billions of dollars per year. • Biofuels are also promoted for their potential to benefit the rural poor by increasing farm income and to serve nationalsecurity interests that require domestic energy protection. With the world entering aglobal food crisis the likes of which have not been seen in more than three decadesand with the greenhouse gas savings of biofuels now disputed, policy makers havebegun to question their promotion of a technology that takes land away from its twopredominant uses—food production and environmental preservation—and has nothistorically competed with oil.

14. Safety • Making biofuel can be very dangerous, it is easy to light yourself on fire • Should be handled with the same caution that would be used with oil and other fossil fuels. • Can be mixed with gas already in your tank without anything bad happening • http://www.make-biodiesel.org/Biodiesel-Safety/biodiesel-safety-tips.html • http://www.cascadebiodiesel.com/facts.php

15. Reliability • At most, they discovered a 1.2% difference in fuel economy between the groups, with the diesel group performing slightly better. • Comparing the two groups of buses, clogged fuel filters turned out to be the primary vehicle maintenance challenge associated with the B20 buses. • Research by scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows little performance difference between buses running on diesel fuel compared to buses running on B20, diesel fuel with a twenty percent blend of biodiesel.

16. Long term future and ability to meet energy needs • There is plenty of corn, which can be regrown as well • There is plenty of biofuel to last for years to come, and it can be regrown • There is no lack of biofuel

17. Job Creation • http://www.todaysengineer.org/2010/Dec/biofuels-pt6.asp • “To create jobs, some argue, nations should shift their energy workforce to the biofuel sector, given that the growth potential of biofuel industries is substantial and that biofuels require about 100 times more workers than fossil fuels to produce the same amount of energy.” • “Brazil, for example, employs as many as one million people in their biofuel sector.”

18. Sustainability • http://www.esa.org/biofuelsreports/ • “Biofuels, generally defined as liquid fuels derived from biological materials, can be made from plants, vegetable oils, forest products, or waste materials. The raw materials can be grown specifically for fuel purposes, or can be the residues or wastes of existing supply and consumption chains, such as agricultural residues or municipal garbage.”

19. Cost • http://www.iisd.org/gsi/biofuel-subsidies/biofuels-what-cost • Could possibly cost $95 million on sustaining biofuel consumption

20. Environmental Considerations • http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/967492/biofuel/278812/Economic-and-environmental-considerations • “Ethanol made from corn represents a relatively small energy gain; the energy gain from sugarcane is greater and that from cellulosic ethanol could be even greater” • “As a renewable energy source, plant-based biofuels in principle make little net contribution to global warming and climate change; the carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) that enters the air during combustion will have been removed from the air earlier as growing plants engage in photosynthesis. Such a material is said to be ‘carbon neutral.’”

21. Solar

22. How solar works now/potential • Over the years, a lot of effort has been put into the research and development of solar power, meaning that systems used are now more reliable than the older ones. New manufacturing processes also means that costs are falling, making solar power more viable for a wider audience. Solar power is also clean and quiet, unlike fossil fuel powered generators that are noisy and emit harmful elements into the air. • Less money than your heating and electricity bill

23. Impact on climate change • Using solar energy is just one of the ways at which we can reduce harmful emissions that contribute to global warming. Considering using a hybrid car which uses both electricity and fuel for energy can already make a significant contribution to reducing our carbon footprint because the emissions caused by transportation fuel account for a significant amount of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Reducing the amount of carbon emitted from our homes can be as simple as ensuring that our homes are well-insulated so that not much heat is lost during the winter and other colder months.

24. Safety • NO harm to children or pets • Because it creates electricity people should be careful like they would with other forms of electricity

25. Reliability • When placed in an open area, the sun rays hit the solar panels causing them to give off energy. They can power everything in your house • Solar panels work only on sunny days • Solar Panels are active for about 40 – 50 years

26. SOURCES FOR SOLAR 1-4 • http://www.gtrendsunleashed.com/renewable-solar-energy/curbing-the-effects-of-climate-change-through-solar-energy

27. Solar Job Creation • 2011, 6,735new solar jobs created • 100,237 solar jobs in total • This includes: Instillation, Manufacturing, sales and distribution, and others (such as repairing solar panels) • Solar jobs have been going up in recent years and is expected to continue to expand • http://thesolarfoundation.org/sites/thesolarfoundation.org/files/TSF_Census2011_FactSheet.pdf

28. Solar Energy Sustainability • The solar panels can not create electricity unless the sun is shining. • In terms of storage there are some breakthroughs being made but for the most part no good battery can be found that’s not way too expensive • The heat that is created can be stored • They are durable though so once you switch you might have to get a repair once in a while but will not have to replace them • http://www.gizmag.com/solar-energy-fuel-catalyst-research/22747/

29. Solar energy costs • Depending on the location and design of the system the average home installation ranges from $18,000 to $40,000 to purchase • Solar energy might be really expensive to install but depending on where you live it can pay off • If you live in a open area, with little trees around your house, as long as your in an area with a lot of sun they will pay off in the lack of oil bills you will receive over the years • The down side is the battery problem, with no good way to store the electricity a long storm could take out your electricity, but you will still have heating for a while if you install the heating system, which can store your heat • Source is the same as the slide above

30. Solar Power environmental considerations • Solar energy is actually a pretty green option • The making of it is actually taking less energy than it used to and is headed in the right direction • It does not use fossil fuel, and does not rely on a big power plant. • This will also help when it comes to power outages because you don’t have to worry about the power lines • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jImjuQCd6mk

31. Pictures