Renewable-energy 1

RENEWABLE-ENERGY SOURCES: FOUR BIG CONTENDERS

Renewable Energy Sources:

Four Big Contenders
Sterling Hite
Joseph Giron
Columbia Jones
Sergio Lopez
Physics 1010
Salt Lake Community College

Renewable-energy Abstract

RENEWABLE-ENERGY SOURCES: FOUR BIG CONTENDERS

Abstract
Advances in renewable-energy sources such as: the invention of photovoltaic cells, megawatt
wind turbines, high generative capacity water turbines, and the growing capacity to utilize natural gas
was responsible for about 8% of the total energy production worldwide by the end of 2010(EIA. N.p.).
Much labor, and research is going into the improvement, and the use of renewable-energy. In 2011,
worldwide investments in renewable-energy rose 40% from 2010 to total $53.5 billion(In 2011, Global
Spending on Renewable Energy Rose 40 Percent. N.p., n.d.). Solar, Hydro, wind, and Cng are among
the top recipients of investments to provide the world with clean energy.

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Introduction
Every one has seen the pictures of birds, fish, and coastal landscapes covered in oil. We have all
heard about global-warming and the depletion of the ozone layer due to carbon dioxide emissions. We
have heard about acid rain and it's corrosive affects. We are all aware of the dangers involved with
nuclear energy with such examples as Chernobyl, and the more recent Fukushima plant. Even with all
of these perfect examples of the destruction of our only home, Earth, we have continued to use fossil
fuels and other hazardous energy sources. It doesn't make sense that other cleaner, more
environmentally friendly energy sources have been know for hundreds, even thousands of years, yet it
is only recently that we have actively pursued these alternative sources. This planet is in dire need of
greener energy.

Solar Energy

It is no mystery that the United States is extremely dependent on foreign fossil fuels. Ever since
the early 1970s, the U.S has increased its reliance on foreign oil supplies after experiencing an oil
supply disruption (Why is renewable energy important?, 2013). This dependency is costing the U.S a
fortune. Not to mention the fact that fossil fuels have a harmful effect on the environment. What is the
alternative? There are a few sources of renewable energy that could one day decrease our dependency
on foreign oil. One of those sources is solar energy.

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Solar Energy The Past

The notion of using the power of the Sun as an abundant power source is not new, as a matter of
fact, the ancient Greeks used solar architecture. Using the rays of the Sun to warm up their homes as a
substitute for fire wood, which was scarce due to the fact that forests in populated areas were being
ravaged, slowly but surely being wiped out (Solar Energy: Past, Present & Future, 2008). As interesting
as solar architecture is, how will this help reduce the dependency of fossil fuels in the U.S? The reasons
are different, but the goal is the same. Just like the Greeks needed to find an alternative for fire wood,
modern society needs to find an alternative for fossil fuels, and just like the Greeks turned to harnessing
the power of the Sun, so are modern day scientists.

Solar Energy The Present

Solar Energy through the use of photovoltaic cells is fairly new, and the use of this technology
is responsible for less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demands, however the results of
using this technology are promising (Solar Energy, n.d). There are many ways that this technology
works, for example, one way is to use a semiconductor such as silicone on solar panels attached to a
home or office building. When sunlight hits the silicone solar panels, it creates a chemical reaction in
which electrons are separated from their atoms. In turn the electrons then flow through the cell and
produce electricity. There are also thermal power plants which use heat from solar rays to boil water to
power a steam turbine, which can then supply enough electricity for thousands of people. Sunlight can
also be used to heat buildings by focusing solar rays through a giant window into absorbent materials
within the floors and walls. The heat is then released at night to keep the building warm. Similar panels

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will be used on the roof to heat liquid within the buildings pipes to provide hot water. (Solar Power,
n.d). Solar power is an inexhaustible fuel source, that produces no pollution, and this technology is
often noise free. As great as it sounds, solar power is not perfect. What are the downfalls to solar
power? Solar power does not work without the sun, thus it cannot provide a reliable power source
during the night or on cloudy days.

Solar Energy The Future

According to the article Future Uses of Solar Energy, scientists are looking for materials that
can absorb and convert sunlight into electricity more efficiently. They are also hoping to use solar
power for more than just producing large amounts electricity to power homes, neighborhoods and
eventually cities, but they are also eager to develop solar technology for cell phones, computers, cars,
and even clothing. These scientists are also developing methods of extracting thermal energy from the
ocean, which is a natural reservoir for solar power, to provide a renewable source of energy 24 hours a
day. Only time will tell how successful these methods will be. There is no doubt that solar power has a
lot of potential in becoming a reliable, and efficient renewable recourse (Future Uses of Solar Energy
n.d).
Solar energy has been used for hundreds of years, it is being used today, and it will be used in
the future. Although solar power has a long way to go before it can replace fossil fuels, it is well on its
way to doing so. Hopefully, solar energy can one day help end the dependency of the U.S on foreign
fossil fuels, and more importantly, help to end the negative affect these fossil fuels are having on our
environment, not just here in the U.S, but all over the world. If you want to see the future of renewable

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energy, all you have to do, is put on some shades on nice sunny day, and look up.

Wind Power
Until a better means to harness wind power, other than turbines, is developed it is not a viable
source of energy. They are an expensive investment with an average of 1.5 million dollars per installed
unit. After some extensive online research, no solid evidence of reliability could be found. Large areas
where many wind turbine units have been installed are called wind farms. Wind farms must be placed
in optimal wind current locations, often destroying the view of nature's beauty for a portion of the
population. There doesn't seem to be very many negative affects on nature other than the fact that
turbines have killed many birds, bats, and even bald eagles.
Wind powered generators come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, but one has yet to be
developed that can provide constant, reliable energy from an inconsistent source.

Are Wind Turbines Cost Effective

The cost of wind turbines can vary depending on the type and size of the unit. The cost of an
installed commercial unit can reach as high as $2.2 million per MW generative capacity. The typical
commercial unit has a 2 MW generative capacity. It requires about 10 kw to power a large home(25003000 sq. ft.). One 2 MW wind turbine can sufficiently supply power to about 500 homes. There are
approximately 5,000 homes in Farmington, Utah (USA.com). So, it would take about ten turbines to
power the city. This means that it would take an initial 22 million dollar investment just to install

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enough units to provide power. And even if this was a cost that the city of Farmington could absorb, the
ten turbine units still do not provide reliable constant power output. Those ten units would have to be
connected to other units in a different area in order to compensate for lagging wind conditions for the
turbines near Farmington. That is a large investment and a lot of effort to supply power for such a small
city. Farmington has a population of about 18,000. Salt lake City metropolitan area has a population of
about 1.2 million giving an estimate of about 300,000 homes, 60 times the amount of Farmington.
Imagine the cost of supplying power to Salt Lake City using wind turbines.
Just in the year 2012, the U.S. Government invested $25 billion dollars into wind power
expanding the cumulative wind power capacity to 28 %, raising the total power generation to 60 GW.
Wind power contributes to 12 % of total generation in 9 states. After years of research, production,
installation, and tens of billions of dollars, the total generation of power by wind only accounts for %4
of the U.S. Power supply. That seems to be a huge investment for such a small return.

About Turbines
The commercial wind turbine can vary in size, shape, and construction. The height of a
commercial unit can vary from 25 to 40 meters. The differences in shapes are generally in the blade
design and nacelle design. The nacelle is a hollow shell at the top of the tower which houses the
mechanical parts of the turbine. The tower is a vertical hollow tube that supports the nacelle and blades.
The blades are usually three in number and can rotate to increase or decrease wind resistance.
The blades are rotated so that when the wind blows on them, it forces them to spin on a hub.
The hub is attached to a low speed shaft that enters a gear box. On the end of the low speed shaft, there

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is a large gear that turns a small gear. The small gear spins much faster than the large gear, spinning a
high speed shaft. The high speed shaft enters a generator which produces the electricity.
There have been improvements made to turbine design over the years that increase production
of electricity and the longevity of the units, decreasing the cost. There have also been improvements to
the layout of wind farms that help reduce with wind shadowing. Wind shadowing is when two units are
in the same line with the wind, and so the first unit takes all the wind power for second unit rendering it
useless.
Wind turbines are used in countries all around the world. The United States has the most
generative annual capacity of any other country at 13,131 MW, with China on our heels at 12,960 MW.
The third place contestant is Germany at 2,014 MW ( 2012 wind technologies market report. 2013,
august. Page 17).. With such a huge gap between the top two ranking, and the third ranking, seems to
suggest that the U.S. And China are more concerned about being the World leader in wind power
supply instead of being concerned with the best way to utilize wind power.

Environmental Impact
Wind turbines emit no pollution, which is a great thing. While a turbine is in service, it is a very
environmental friendly machine, other than killing a few birds and bats. But, there are several locations
around the world where wind farms are no longer in service, leaving hundreds of units to rust and
decay. Three of such wind farms could be found on the islands of Hawaii, although, at least one of the
farms consisting of 37 units has been removed at a huge cost.
The only real pollution is noise pollution which doesn't hurt the environment, but many people

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who live within hearing range can be aggravated by the noise. Turbines must be built no closer than
300 meters from the nearest house of a residential area. A turbine can be heard up to 500 meters away.

Use Of Wind Power In History

Egyptians were making use of the wind over 5,000 years ago with sailboats. The ancient
Babylonians were attributed to be the first to use a windmill to grind grain as early as about 2,000 years
ago. Windmills were later used to pump water for irrigation. It wasn't until 1887 when Scottish
academic James Blythe came along that windmills were put to work to produce electricity.

Present Day Use Of Wind Power

Windmills are generally not used to grind grain any more, but are still used to pump water and
provide electricity on a commercial level, on farms, businesses, and even small homes. Even the oldest
known use for wind power is still employed these days, although for a different purpose. Sailboats are
still a common sight on lakes and on the ocean, but sailing has become a recreation. The wind turbine
is used around the world to produce electricity and is gaining some popularity as a renewable energy
resource because of it's zero environmental pollution. It is used both on large a large commercial scale,
and a smaller, more private scale.

The Future of Wind Power

There is a lot of effort going into the future of wind as an energy source. There are huge
facilities being built for the study and testing of new turbine technologies. Because the turbine does not

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emit any environmental pollution, there is a growing emphasis placed on it as a source.

There are many different small scale designs popping up from wind power enthusiasts
including: vertical axis turbines, funnel shaped turbines, screw shaped turbines, and flutter generators
that use a small sail like fabric on a line that when it flutters in the wind, it moves a magnet through a
coil of copper wire producing electricity.
Wind power is here to stay, although we have a lot of work to do to make it a stable, viable
energy source.
The power of the wind has been harnessed by humans for over 5,000 years to assist with
transportation needs, food production needs, getting water from underground, energy needs, and even
recreation. Most of these needs have been met more proficiently by other means as technology
progresses. We are still on the hunt for a viable, clean, and renewable source of energy and although the
wind is a great candidate, turbine technology has a long way to go to win the prize. The wind is a
powerful force and when we get it right, I believe it will be an effective energy source.

CNG
Compressed Natural Gas is a substance found in deep wells beneath the earths surface. Its
substance, mostly gas, is compressed to about 1% of its size, made into a liquid, and transported in
pipes beneath the ground very similar to regular gas and propane. To find it, they use the same methods
of finding oil beneath the surface of the earth. Using computers, testing is done deep underneath the
soil looking for pockets of oil. After finding the pockets of oil, drilling a deep hole in the earth is
required. After placing a steel casing around the hole, begins the process of fracking, the pouring of

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sand, water, and few other ingredients into the shaft. This opens up the ground to allow gas and oil to
flow more freely into the shaft. After that, begins the actual pumping of oil and Natural Gas up into
lines that take it to be processed and then shipped out.
Upon leaving the well, the gas, oil, and water are all mixed together. Soon they are separated
using a series of baffles into their own separate tanks. There, natural gas is ready to be transported.
Once arriving on location to where it is supposed to be sold, it is stored in gas tanks. These gas tanks
are also connected to dehydrators and compressors. These ensure that before the natural gas is sold, it
is compressed down to its most pure state with as little water and oil as possible.
As said earlier transportation is much the same as oil in that it is transported either on trucks or
in pipes that run under ground. The great thing about Natural Gas is that while the pipes do have to be
under a lot of pressure, if a pipe is ruptured, the gas simply floats harmlessly into the atmosphere.
There are no worries about destroying or killing plants and animals in the case of a spill.
The uses of Compressed Natural Gas are many, but are most commonly known for home
heating uses. Propane is considered the most popular heat source for homes in the U.S.
A less common alternative is the use of Compressed Natural Gas for cars. According to
censuses, there are around 12 million cars powered by CNG in the U.S., but according to GE, only
250,000 are being used regularly. This is partly because of a lack of knowledge, and fill up stations in
many places around the U.S.. Although there are gas stations of every corner, CNG is mostly found in
highly industrial locations, and is sometimes hard to find. For example, there are around 20 fill up
stations in Utah, and only one of them looks like, and is, in the same area as a traditional gas station.
One station, for example, is behind the Murray public Works building.
The use of Compressed Natural Gas for cars was first used in World War II due to a shortage of

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oil because of the war. At first, people were wary. People feared it was extremely dangerous, and there
were a few design flaws in the early delivery system engineering. However, as time has gone on,
science has caught up and has now created a safe way to use CNG as a great alternative to oil.
Some people might wonder, why CNG? Looking around, we have tons of gas stations. Gas
seems to be the most logical solution and that must be why it's the most popular. There are also electric
cars available, so people might wonder why we need a third option?
One of the great things about CNG, is its safer. It is actually much safer that oil. There is no
danger from spilling CNG. It simply harmlessly floats into the atmosphere. Being stuck in a small,
unventilated confinement would be the most dangerous scenario involving CNG. In addition, while
CNG is flammable, it has a very narrow flammability range making it difficult to catch fire. The old
fear of hitting a CNG tank and having it explode is actually completely false. In fact, while CNG tanks
can explode, they are far less likely to that your traditional gas tank in your car.
In addition to being safe, CNG is cleaner for the environment. It contains no lead, has 20% to
45% less smog producing ingredients, 9% less greenhouse gasses, and is 90 percent cleaner that regular
gasoline. This is why it is fast growing with city bus routes. Even while idling for a long time, they are
a lot cleaner than diesel.
Compressed natural gas is also more affordable than gasoline. The average price for CNG in the
state of Utah $1.59 a gallon, and nationwide it is at least half that of regular gas. If you are not someone
that cares about the environment, then at least you can appreciate saving some money.
Their are, as with all things, drawback though. The first one, is that cars are a little less efficient
on CNG. When running on CNG, there is a slight loss of torque, horsepower, and fuel efficiency.
However, to give you an example of how much we are talking, a CNG car is said to run at 20-22 miles

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per gallon on unleaded fuel. On CNG its gets around 19-20 miles a gallon. The difference to me is
minimal. Lastly as was said earlier, there are not a lot of options for CNG vehicles as car manufacturers
haven't caught on yet. You can't go out and get a sports car or a chrome plated Bentley that run on
CNG, but Honda has begun making a CNG model. There is also a kit to make any car CNG that will
only set you back around $2000. Then it will run off of 2 fuel sources.
It is worth the investment, and the day when more cars will run of this clean and cheap energy
source can't come soon enough. It is quickly catching on with the rest of the world. In India for
example, it is the most common fuel source for cars. Worldwide, it is growing. In Iran and Pakistan,
there are around 3 million registered CNG cars currently being used. In Italy, there are over 1100 CNG
fill up stations throughout their country. Along with that, European car companies like Fiat and
Volkswagen are soon to release their CNG vehicles to the world. Soon, CNG will be seen in cars all
around the world.

Hydro-power
Hydro-power is electricity generated using the energy of moving water. Rain or melted snow,
usually originating in hills and mountains, create streams and rivers that eventually run to the ocean.
This method of using the kinetic energy of a river and mechanical energy of water moving a turbine has
been around for thousands of years. Greek farmers used streams and waterwheels to crush wheat into
flour, with nothing more than the flow of water from a river.
In the late 19th century, hydro-power became a source for generating electricity. The first
hydroelectric power plant was built at Niagara Falls in 1879. In 1881, street lamps in the city of

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Niagara Falls were powered by hydro-power. In 1882 the worlds first hydroelectric power plant began
operating in the United States in Appleton, Wisconsin.
A typical hydro plant is a system with three parts: an electric plant where the electricity is
produced; a dam that can be opened or closed to control water flow; and a reservoir where water can be
stored. The water behind the dam flows through an intake and pushes against blades in a turbine,
causing them to turn. The turbine spins a generator to produce electricity. The amount of electricity that
can be generated depends on how far the water drops and how much water moves through the system.
The electricity can be transported over long-distance electric lines to homes, factories, and businesses.
The biggest hydro plant in the United States is located at the Grand Coulee Dam, on the
Columbia River, in northern Washington. More than 70 percent of the electricity made in Washington
State is produced by hydroelectric facilities.
Hydro-power is the cheapest way to generate electricity today. That's because, once a dam has
been built, and the equipment installed, the energy sourceflowing wateris free. It's a clean fuel
source that is renewable by snow and rainfall.
While hydroelectric plants are environmentally safe once they are built, the process for building
them has a big impact on the local ecosystem. Many habitats of the nearby fauna are destroyed in order
to build a dam. Often, water at the bottom of the lake created by a dam is inhospitable to fish because it
is much colder and oxygen-poor compared with water at the top. When this colder, oxygen-poor water
is released into the river, it can kill fish living downstream that are accustomed to warmer, oxygen-rich
water.
The construction of hydro-power plants can alter sizable portions of land when dams are

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constructed, and lakes are created, flooding land that may have once served as wildlife habitat,
farmland, and scenic retreats. Hydroelectric dams can cause erosion along the riverbed upstream and
downstream, which can further disturb wildlife ecosystems and fish populations.
Hydroelectric power plants affect various fish populations in different ways. Most notably,
certain salmon populations in the Northwest depend on rivers for their life cycles. These populations
have been dramatically reduced by the network of large dams in the Columbia River Basin. When
young salmon travel downstream toward the ocean, they may be killed by turbine blades at hydropower
plants. When adult salmon attempt to swim upstream to reproduce, they may not be able to get past the
dams. For this reason, some hydroelectric dams now have special side channels or structures to help the
fish continue upstream.
On the face of it, hydro-power seems to have everything going for it. But building colossal
dams and retaining huge amounts of water have human and environmental consequences. If these
consequences are not considered, a dam's construction can have serious environmental implications.
For instance, it can hinder the migration of some aquatic species, affect water tables, shake up
suspended matter and sediment, and cause noise pollution. What's more, the environmental structures
in place are disrupted upstream by reservoir construction and downstream by the drop in water flow. It
can take several decades to restore a sustainable environmental balance to the area. In any case, long
and costly studies are necessary to measure the environmental impact of building a dam.
Apart from its environmental impact, creating a reservoir also affects human activity. It is
sometimes necessary to displace people or economic activities (such as farming)- upstream to create a
reservoir and downstream because the areas bordering the river dry out. Large and medium-sized dams

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are also very expensive. Governments increasingly try to obtain funding from private sources, or from
large international organizations such as the World Bank to finance these projects; but because many
believe that they take too long to pay off and become profitable, hydro-power projects have difficulty
attracting investors. The future of hydro-power therefore depends to a large extent on the
persuasiveness of states and on potential public-private agreements.
Many countries, government, and private companies are seeking to advance
hydroelectric dams as it its a largely untapped power source. There are many grants to make more
efficient and environmentally friendly hydroelectric power plants, as more advancements into the field
are made. The U.S. hydro-power industry could install 60,000 MW of new capacity by 2025 depending
on policy changes. That only 15% of the total untapped hydro-power resource potential in the U.S.,
meaning hydro-power can remain a growing energy source for decades to come.
Hydro-power still ranks first among renewable energy sources, and it remains essential.
Hydroelectricity currently accounts for almost 90% of renewable electricity production worldwide. The
planet has yet to achieve its full hydroelectric potential- at about 15,000 TWh, its potential is 3 times
higher than current levels.
In the future, smaller scale, more environmentally friendly ways of using hydro-power may be
developed. These include small hydro projects which use natural river currents and waterwheels
(Noria) to produce energy, or tidal and wave energy. In this case, the focus is on using water's natural
cycle rather than changing it to produce energy. The techniques used are less invasive, therefore more
environmentally friendly.
All over the world, there are a number of ways in which production could be developed, by:

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Adding new turbines at existing hydroelectric facilities to step up production from 10 to 50 MW

Building new dams
Developing small hydro (SH) plants producing 0.1-10 MW
Upgrading existing water wheels (pico hydro power, with capacity of 10-100 kW) as is the case
with many current and completed projects (such as the Chappes water wheel in Northeastern France).
While hydroelectric plants may not have the best environmental impact on local ecosystems,
they are largely clean energy sources. The water cycle takes care of renewing the rivers and streams
and lakes. This energy source already powers tens of thousands of homes here in America, and many
many more all around the world. As more advances are made, we will have more efficient and well
operating plants.

Conclusion
Solar Energy has a bright future with little shade. Wind power, though still on the horizon,
shows promise. CNG has answered the call of oil in a cheaper and safer way then oil can ever be, and
Hydro power is already seen powering towns across America.There is no question that there is much
work that needs to be done before any of these four energy sources can be utilized proficiently.
However, there is no doubt that each one has potential. The fact that each of these fuel sources has been
used and improved upon all throughout history is testament of that. Research is being done for CNG,
wind, solar, and hydro power to make each more efficient, reliable, and convenient. There is a wealth

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of energy all around us that has existed for centuries and is just waiting to be used. There is the hope
that one day one of these or even a combination of the four can eliminate, or decrease fossil fuel
dependency, and end the plague fossil fuels have inflicted on our beautiful planet Earth, and maybe that
future is closer than we think.

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2. National Hydro Association, frequently asked questions http://www.hydro.org/tech-andpolicy/faq/, frequently asked questions, unknown written date, 23 October 2013
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http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/solar-power-profile/
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Future Uses of Solar Energy. (n.d). Retrieved from energyrefuge.com:

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