What You Can Do To Conserve Energy:

Use energy star products.

Heat and cool properly using high efficient products and changing filters regularly.

Seal and insulate your home.

Use Green Power electricity and consider installing solar panels.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Use a push mower.

Use water efficiently, don’t let water run when it is not necessary and fix any leaky faucets.

Help others to conserve energy as well.

References:

EPA, . (2009). At Home what you can do climate control. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/home.html

Biomass for Alternative Renewable Biofuel

With the high priority to combat the global warming crisis alternative and renewable energy sources have become favorable to fossil fuels because they lack as many environmental risks and pollutions. Biomass is a favorable alternative because it is sustainable and more evenly distributed over the earths surface and use less capitol-intensive technologies. Thus, energy will provide a self-sufficient resource for local, regional, and national levels. Characterization of biomass is important to the climate and season and with understanding the environment specific crops to various regions can produce the most energy. The production of energy from biomass is a promising renewable energy with the largest and most sustainable source of energy. Increasing production will reduce the use of fossil fuels. This process will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels.

References:

Naik, S., Goud, V., Rout, P., Jacobson, K., & Dalai, A. (2010). Characterization of Canadian biomass for alternative renewable biofuel. Renewable Energy: An International Journal, 35(8), 1624-1631. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2009.08.033

"The Use of Energy" by Wendell Berry

Wendell Berry, who wrote “The Use of Energy,” spoke of an energy source guaranteed to last for as long as we know; he preaches that biological energy--energy from plants, animals, and humans—is the most practical method for obtaining energy. Berry states that, “The difficulty with mechanically extractable energy is that so far we have been unable to make it available without serious geological damages, or to effectively restrain its use, or to use or even neutralize its wastes…we are carrying the physical and the moral poisons produced by our crude and ignorant use of this sort of energy.” (Berry). Like Berry described our usage of fossil fuels to create energy is polluting our environment and wasting energy that we do not know how to recycle or reuse—as of yet. Berry says that, “This mechanically rendered infinitude of energy is an ambition surrounded by terrific problems. Such energy cannot be used constructively without at the same time being used destructively.” Though the use of energy does cause destruction, it also creates a massive amount of construction throughout the globe. Without using energy and technology we wouldn’t be capable of producing higher levels of intelligence, and though we haven’t discovered a completely renewable energy source that is energy efficient, advancements have been made and the waste of energy could potentially become manageable. In particular energy from biomass. Like Berry says, “we cannot create biological energy any more than we can create atomic or fossil fuel energy. But we can preserve it in use…we cannot do this with machine-derived energy.” By generating energy from biomass we can preserve energy in a controlled setting; in this way we respect the energy economy, and the environment. Berry states that, “the use of biological energy, all bodies, plant and animal and human, are joined in a kind of energy community.” And the use of biomass energy in combination with plant and animal and human adds another link to the energy community without severely damaging the environment. Berry claims that, “By farming we enact our fundamental connection with energy.” And by farming natural energy we enact our fundamental connection with the environment adding another spoke to the “Wheel of Life” that rises out of the soil. “The soil is the great connector of lives…without proper care for it we have no life.” If biomass energy production is practiced properly we will be able to obtain self-sufficient and sustainable energy systems that are adapted to their own needs.

Biomass

Biomass is plant and animal waste. Biomass energy resources include tree and grass crops, forestry, agriculture and urban wastes. Biomass is a renewable energy source that comes from the sun. The plants convert the carbon dioxide from the air and water into carbohydrates, complex compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen through photosynthesis. When the carbohydrates are burned, they turn back into carbon dioxide; this is the way biomass is produced. Biomass can be converted into liquid fuels and gases to generate energy. These crops can be grown in farms for energy purposes and as long as it is produced sustainably, using only as much as is grown, biomass energy production will last forever. The processes used to convert biomass into energy are: thermochemical, biochemical, and chemical methods. However, biomass does not contain as much energy per pound as fossil fuels do. Biomass reduces air and water pollution. Energy rich crops used to produce energy improve soil quality, building up topsoil and putting nutrients into the ground. If native crops are used for biomass production wildlife habitats can improve on land and in aquatic environments. Carbon dioxide is still emitted into the environment, though it is considered to be carbon neutral because it is recycled back into the environment. Biomass energy is expensive to produce and convert. And there is a net loss of energy on a small scale put into growing the plants in massive amounts.

References:

How Biomass energy works. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_technologies/how-biomass-energy-works.html

Energy matters. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/types/biomass/advant.html

Methane Hydrates

Methane hydrates located in permafrost, continental shelves and under sea floors are a potentially promising energy source. Methane hydrates look and form like ice, but they can be lit on fire. The utilization of methane hydrates to produce energy would provide a significant benefit to the environment and the economy. There have been two main methods that successfully extracted these hydrates. Depressurization, which is drilling a pipe down to the deposits causing the hydrates to dissociate and flow up the pipe as a gas that can be used as energy. Thermal injection pumps hot water into the deposit causing it to destabilize. A proposed third method, which has only been experimented in labs, appears to be promising. In this method carbon dioxide is injected into the hydrate formation, displaces the methane, and buries carbon dioxide, the abundant greenhouse gas. The map provided shows the areas on the planet that contain methane deposits, many of which are located around North America which would provide us with an extreme economic advantage if production is developed commercially.

References:

Popular mechanics: methane hydrates. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/2558946.html

Energy Production from Methane: A Greenhouse Gas

Methane is a greenhouse gas that heats the atmosphere, aiding in the environmental crisis of global warming. Methane comes from a variety of natural and manmade procedures. In nature it comes from gas hydrates located in permafrost and under continental shelves. Massive amounts of methane gas hydrates are located in these areas. The enormous amounts of methane hydrates are located below the sea floor, in arctic permafrost, and continental shelves threaten global warming; as sea levels fluctuate, permafrost melts, and off shore drilling occurs methane gas is released into the atmosphere. This is extremely dangerous to the environment, however, methane gas hydrates are potentially being considered to be used as an energy resource, and could become the most important energy resource for the future.

References:

Demirbas, A. (2010). Methane hydrates as potential energy resource: Part 1 – Importance, resource and recovery facilities. Energy Conversion & Management, 51(7), 1547-1561. doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2010.02.013.

Solar Energy

Conducting electricity from the sun has become a more common topic on obtaining energy to power homes, business, and even cars. Solar energy seems ideal to the energy consumer; it is a safe renewable resource that will aid in the efforts to control global warming issues.

How it works: Solar Thermal Energy

Solar power plants work in producing energy by using a parabolic trough (curved mirror) with a pipe running though the center. The mirror focuses the sunlight to strike the pipe, which gets so hot that it will boil water into steam, which is used to turn a turbine to generate energy. While solar energy seems to be a faultless solution, it only works when the sun is shining and is ineffective when it is cloudy or nighttime—probably not the best option for Alaskan winters. Some advancements have been made to power solar plants by burning natural gas to boil the water so that they will continue to produce electricity when the sun is not shining. Another form of solar power plant works by building a tall tower and encircling nearly 2,000 mirrors that turn and move throughout the day to capture the sun. The reflections of light are directed to the tower in the middle where a basin of water is heated by the suns rays. The water is heated into steam and used to turn turbines and produce electricity. These power plants are used to provide electricity for thousands of residential homes.

Photovoltaic Energy:

Solar cells can be used to power many different things from calculators to spacecrafts. These are made of silicon and specific types of sand that produce energy when sun strikes the cell knocking the electrons loose. The electrons move towards the surface and an imbalance of electrons is created between the front and the back of the cell. A connector that collects a current of electricity joins the positive and negative surfaces of the solar cell. These can be set up to follow the sun throughout the day to generate as much energy as possible. The energy obtained can be used directly in homes and businesses; it can be stored in batteries to be used at night.

References:

The Energy story. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter15.html

Public Understand of and Support for Wind Power in the United States

The article demonstrates the positive and negative characteristics of wind power in regards to what the public deems to be important. The article determines that the United States public knows relatively little about wind power, and because wind power is extremely cost efficient it is important for people to understand. The article supports public understanding and growth in the use of wind power and believes that it is the best alternative energy form with the most potential. The article recognizes the disadvantages of wind power especially to those people residing near the proposed wind farms, as they are unsightly and noisy.

References:

Klick, H., & Smith, E. (2010). Public understanding of and support for wind power in the United States. Renewable Energy: An International Journal, 35(7), 1585-1591. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2009.11.028

Response to “Where I lived, and What I lived for,” by Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau, who wrote "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For," lived his life in the woods, rejected modern technologies and emphasized a simple way of life. Like a Neanderthal, Thoreau refused to evolve with the advancements of modern life. Thoreau claims, “I could easily do without the post-office…there are very few important communications made through it…And I am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper.” I found his claims to reject postmodern communications ironic, without such simple technologies we might not even know who he was. Thoreau refers to our life as a German Confederacy—not functioning as a whole—and “the nation itself, with all its so-called internal improvements, which by the way are all external and superficial, is just such an unwieldy and overgrown establishment, cluttered with furniture and tripped up by its own traps, ruined by luxury and heedless expense…and the only cure for it…is in a rigid economy, a stern and more than Spartan simplicity of life and elevation of purpose.” (Thoreau, 2007) Thoreau does make a valid point that our world as a whole has not made enough effort to collaborate and produce a solution for our global energy crisis, though without technological and energy advances, growth and understanding of solutions can never be obtained. Without advancements in technologies, people, like Thoreau, will be subjected to a pathetic simple life of a troglodyte, where our minds will deteriorate without stimulation and the once most intelligent life form on the planet will potentially become extinct. By refusing to adapt, grow, learn, make discoveries, find solutions, and live to our highest potential, the purpose of life becomes questionable. Thoreau states that, “instead of eating three meals a day, it may be necessary to eat one”, so as to conserve energy.But why even eat one if you have nothing to live for? Without energy and technology, we cannot be competent, we cannot save lives, we cannot educate, we cannot make a difference.

References:

Cohen, S. (2007). 50 essays: A portable anthology. Pp. 424 - 430. Bedford/St. Martin's:

Boston, MA.

The strategic environmental impact assessment of electric wind energy plants

This article is a case study of electric wind energy plants and the impact they have on the environment. The case study takes place in Serbia, where they research renewable energy sources and assess the effectiveness of wind energy plants. Wind energy is a renewable energy source worth studying because of its economical and ecological benefits to society. Wind energy is cheap to produce and has little impact on the atmosphere, though there are negative aspects to wind power plants also. They include a potential impact on area characteristics, potential damage to flora and fauna populations, and an increase in noise levels. The project sets goals to minimize negative environmental impacts from the wind power plant in Serbia, and though there is an increasing need to utilize renewable energy sources and a healthier environment, wind power does risk endangering certain species, mainly birds.

References:

Josimović, B., & Pucar, M. (2010). The strategic environmental impact assessment of electric wind energy plants: Case study ‘Bavanište’ (Serbia). Renewable Energy: An International Journal, 35(7), 1509-1519. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2009.12.005

Hydro Energy

Having researched nuclear energy and geothermal energy, I have seen benefits and disadvantages for both forms of providing energy and have decided to continue looking at other forms of energy and which is the most beneficial for energy consumption and the least damaging to our global environment and our impact on the atmosphere. This has brought me to the study of hydro energy, or energy derived from water. Water contains kinetic energy, which is energy that is used during the process of movement, and potential energy, which is energy stored in the water that will be used when it is transferred to kinetic energy during the process of movement. Water power plants generate hydro energy when water flows or falls, they conduct this energy through turbines and generators. Dams are build to reserve water energy, the water in the reservoir falls through the dam into a turbine, in the turbine water in converted into chemical energy. The chemical energy is used in generators to provide electricity to communities and water is recycled back into the natural environment. The process of hydroelectricity emits small amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Many countries throughout the world use hydro energy as an energy source for society. In the USA 13% of energy is generated from hydro energy, and in Norway 99% of their energy is derived from hydro energy. While all this information on hydro energy seems to be a perfect solution for solving energy problems there are also disadvantages to using water to generate energy. The disadvantages of hydro energy include: energy plants take up a large amount of space and may cause a disruption to the natural environment and animal populations, large hydro energy plants may remove natural flowing rivers, and prevent people from using them for recreational purposes such as fishing, kayaking, and canoeing, and the hydroelectric plants may decrease the sea and aquatic life in the area.

References:

Water energy faq. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.lenntech.com/water-energy-faq.html

Response to a classmates blog

Butch’s energy blog on geothermal energy, which is, “heat from the earth, and when the conditions are right…those areas are close to the surface, along with underground water reservoirs that are heated. The whole process works almost like a steam engine. The pumped water is conducted to a control house, where it is distributed to schools, houses, hospitals, small electrical turbines and…heats the sidewalks that we use to conduct everyday business. The problem with this clean and hardly used energy source is that the only ideal spots on which to drill are on fault lines. Then you run the risk of manufacturing your own earthquake.” (Criswell, 2010).I took interest to this blog because I found geothermal energy to be very interesting in that it seems like it would be a safe form of conducting energy, as it is a renewable, non toxic energy source, however, it could potentially be extremely destructive to our society with the induced seismic activity. Like nuclear energy, geo-thermal energy could be extremely beneficial and also potentially dangerous, but in a completely different way. Butch describes an incident in Basel, Switzerland in January of 2007, where they had injected water into the ground to widen the fractured rock to form a reservoir and they ended up manufacturing a 3.4 earthquake. Since that earthquake was manufactured, Basel has had at least 100 seismic shocks around the 3.0 magnitude. Basel was to become the first to generate commercial power using geothermal energy. Like the geothermal incident that occurred, several destructive nuclear accidents have occurred in a variety of nuclear power plants around the world. Usually these accidents result in improper care of uranium rods which expose workers and civilians to dangerous toxic amounts of radiation.

References:

Major nuclear power plant accidents. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.atomicarchive.com/Reports/Japan/Accidents.html

Criswell, B. (2010, March 25). Gryphon's hoard. Retrieved from http://gryphonshoard.blogspot.com

Pro's and Con's of Nuclear Energy

Advantages of Nuclear Energy
· Nuclear energy will last longer than coal and oil, when coal and gas becomes scares nuclear energy will still be able to produce power for humanity, though not indefinitely.
· Nuclear power plants use uranium, which produces an enormously more energy than coal or oil.
· Nuclear energy does not produce much carbon dioxide and omit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, like those of burning fossil fuels from coal and oil, preventing global warming.
· The technology of producing energy is readily available and reliable.
· Nuclear energy is not expensive to make.
· Nuclear energy produces small amounts of waste, though the waste is extremely dangerous.
Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy
· Nuclear energy can be used to create weapons which produce radiation that makes people very ill. People fear that the advancement of nuclear energy will also advance the use of nuclear weapons.
· If the nuclear power plant has a “meltdown,” which is the loss of controlling the fission reaction of the atoms, it will lead to a nuclear explosion and the emission of large amounts of radiation.
· The life of a nuclear power plant may only last for approximately 60 years.
· Nuclear reactors produce nuclear waste, which contains heavy amounts of radiation. The touch of the nuclear waste is deadly and is stored in cooling pods at the nuclear power plant, where it is active for thousands of years.
· Nuclear energy uses uranium, which is not a renewable source of energy.

References:

Nuclear energy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_energy_body.html

Time for change. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://timeforchange.org/nuclear-energy

BP Energy Calculator

BP energy calculator has estimated my household energy consumption to be 49,182 kWh per year. Considering that one U.S. gallon of gasoline contains 35 kWh of energy, the energy consumption can be calculated into approximately 1,405 US gallons of gasoline energy per year. For a 3 person household that doesn’t seem to be incredibly high. Our carbon footprint is approximately 30.8 tonnes; this is higher than the U.S. average. I do not know, but I think this would be a low average compared to other Alaskan households. It seems that we are negatively affecting our environment because we choose to live in Alaska where energy is used more frequently to heat our homes, and getting from one place to another is more difficult and arduous task. Cities are not close by and visiting families in cities and villages accounts for a negative impact on energy consumption and carbon emissions. My home is not very close to central Anchorage, visiting family in Seward, and flying nationally and internationally uses a large amount of energy.

Links: http://www.bp.com/

Nuclear Energy

Over 80% of human consumption of energy derived from oil is provided by the burning of fossil fuels, which results in carbon dioxide admissions into the atmosphere, creating greenhouse gases. As energy consumption increases at an alarming rate, so does the need to find a renewable energy source that will not increase greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, adding to the global warming crises. Nuclear energy is an interesting resource that potentially could benefit the impact of greenhouse gases to the environment and provide a sustainable energy source for society. Currently 16% of the world’s electricity is derived from nuclear power without emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The usage of nuclear energy will benefit society’s electricity consumption without carbon dioxide emissions, and potential growth in other various chemical industries to benefit humanity.

References:

Saito, S. (2010). Role of nuclear energy to a future society of shortage of energy resources and global warming. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 398(1-3), 1.