Daniel Kane 15 Jan 2014 I-search paper Professor McKenna

Alternative energies
Which forms of alternative energies will best meet the energy demands of the United States while maintaining efficiency and a clean environment? Energy is an ever increasing demand throughout the world. Electricity, among other forms of energy, is becoming necessary for our technologically advanced society. As fossil fuel burning becomes more common around the globe, pollution levels are also on the rise. It is clear that something needs to be done about our current energy situation. For this reason I believe that a career in the production of alternative energies will be a great investment both personally and as a career. Every young American should become educated about the future of energy in the United States because this is the future and what we have to live with for the rest of our lives. The United states has been burning fossil fuels much longer than is reasonable for a country as technologically advanced and educated as the United States. Our country has the resources to make a better energy system. Many appliances that presently run on electricity could very well be redesigned to run on clean alternative energies increasing efficiency and reducing pollution. This is why I believe that something needs to be done about the situation. The topic of energy in the United States has been a lingering topic from the early days of the country. In the past few decades, there have been many breakthrough innovations relating to alternative energies. Every generation has offered new ideas and research into new forms of

energy. I believe that my generation will be the one to make the United States self-sufficient in terms of renewable energy because we have the education and much of the research process has already begun. Scientists and Engineers today are discovering theoretical methods of generating electricity, it is our responsibility to take those methods and create a working system. Renewable energies have always been my favorite thing to learn about in Chemistry and Physics classes. I see alternative energies ideally playing a substantial role in my future. I believe that there is a high potential in making a successful career out of designing new power sources. I have oftentimes found myself brainstorming ideas for new types of power plants or new types of cars. I believe that through research into new fuels, we can really make a lasting difference in the world. Most people in the United States dont think often of energy, people take it for granted. Most people in this generation, when they turn a light on, dont think about where that electricity came from. Something needs to be done before the country becomes more dependant on fossil fuels. Wind energy has been applied to civilization since as early as 5000 B.C. according to the wind energy foundation.The wind has been used in the past to sail boats, pump water and grind grain. Today the main use of wind energy is the production of electricity. According to the National Geographic article titled Wind Power, one single large size wind turbine can produce enough energy to supply about 600 American homes. This means that a single wind turbine could produce enough electricity to supply a whole small town. I found this source while browsing the internet for information about renewable alternative energies. The article describes mainly the benefits of implementing wind energy in the United States and how the wind energy industry is expanding. The article describes wind turbines as a clean source of renewable energy that produces no air or water pollution. I believe that this is the biggest benefit to wind energy.

Many people believe that windmills are aesthetically pleasing while others think that the turbines are destroying the natural beauty of the landscape. The solution to this problem would be to only build wind turbines far away from residential areas or near areas already occupied with visual pollutants. Nuclear power plants are already built far away from urban areas. This raises the question of why we cant do the same with wind turbines? The main disadvantages of wind turbines is that they produce a dull swishing noise much like a washing machine. The noise pollution is very unpopular with neighboring residents. This source was helpful because it did a very good job of explaining the advantages versus the disadvantages of the generation of electricity from wind energy. Hydroelectric energy is one of the most efficient types of alternative energies. The USGS Water Science School is a U.S. Geological Survey sponsored organization. I discovered this resource by searching for hydroelectric power on the internet. According to ga.water.usgs.gov, hydropower accounts for 19% of electricity produced in the United States. Hydroelectric power stations are similar to wind turbines but use water to turn the turbine instead of wind. The rain cycle plays an important role in keeping the reservoirs behind the dam full. Hydroelectric dams are very reliable in that they will always produce electricity except for in times of drought as opposed to wind. The main disadvantage to hydroelectric dams is that many people claim that the turbines kill fish. Many hydroelectric dams have incorporated fish ladders A fish ladder in a dam is a method of allowing the fish through the dam without them getting injured falling from the top or going through the turbines. Essentially, a fish ladder is like stairs that a small amount of water runs down on either side of the dam. While fish ladders are effective for a large percentage of the fish population in a given river, they do not save all the fish. While it is true that Hydroelectric dams do destroy some of the natural habitat, they are very efficient. This

source was very helpful in providing a brief overview of the hydroelectric energy production process. The article describes well the efficiency and the useage of hydroelectric energy in the United States. This source was especially useful because it included valuable statistics that added a sense of the current useage of hydroelectric power. Biomass energy is a method of collecting energy from the photosynthesis process in organic material. The video, Biomass energy - How it all works, describes the process of collecting energy from plants. The Earth is covered in plants that provide energy if we just make use of it. I found this source while sorting through videos of clean renewable alternative energies. Biomass energy production is one of the least known renewable energies although it is one of the most available in the world. Biomass fuel is one of the most abundant sources in the world. Plants cover a large percentage of land on the earth. The chemical equation for the photosynthesis reaction is 6CO2 + 6H2O ------> C6H12O6 + 6O2 where the arrow represents sunlight. The equation explains that plants consume carbon dioxide and through sunlight, produce oxygen gas. This oxygen gas can be burned to produce electricity after it has been collected from the organic matter. The oxygen being burned heats water to produce steam similar to current fossil fuel burning power plants. This source was a helpful starting point in my research of biomass energy production.. The video gave a great explanation of how the flammable gas can be separated from the rest of the plant and how that can then be used as fuel and converted to electricity. Another alternative energy that is less known is Geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is the heat energy located underground in certain areas of the world where heat from the inside of the earth seeps upward towards the surface where it can be collected. The heat energy of the Earth is very plentiful and natural. A hot spring is a perfect example of a place where

geothermal energy could be collected. Heat from beneath the ground can also be accessed easily by drilling deep into the Earth. According to a 1980 physics textbook titled Physics principles with applications on the subject of Geothermal energy, it is a reasonably inexpensive means of production, and with better technology (such as better drilling techniques) it may become a more common source. This source was in the renewable energy section of a physics textbook. Geothermal heat can be used directly or be converted to electricity. A common use of geothermal heat is to heat buildings. Hot water from springs can be circulated through pipes in a building to distribute the heat throughout the building. To produce electricity from geothermal heat, the steam from heated water can drive a turbine similar to a wind turbine. The main disadvantage to geothermal energy is that it is only available in certain areas. However, the few geothermal power stations presently in use are very reliable and fairly efficient. This source was very useful because before reading the textbook, I had little idea of how geothermal power plants functioned. This source was particularly useful because it provided an explanation of the energy production process from the point of view of a physicist rather than an average citizen as is common in articles on the internet. Nuclear physics is opening doors never before known to man. Nuclear energy is one of the best ways to produce electricity. While a nuclear reactor is capable of producing large amounts of energy, it also has the potential for a deadly meltdown. In the event of a meltdown, radioactive material could be exposed which causes severe health problems. While a meltdown appears to be, and is, a very dangerous thing, the risk is significantly lower now with increased technology to keep the reactor away from danger. One aspect of nuclear reactors that sets them apart from others is that they are very reliable. Unlike other forms of energy that rely on the sun, wind or water cycle, nuclear reactors will always function as long as it is supplied with the

proper radioactive fuel. An interview with Dr. Charles Till, a nuclear physicist, revealed his opinion that nuclear energy is in fact a tremendous benefit to the United States. According to Dr. Till, in the late 1950s it was widely believed that the United States would need vast amounts of electricity in the future. This is why the nuclear power plant was invented. Many people are terrified of nuclear meltdowns based on reports of foreign reactors exploding and melting dispersing harmful material into major cities. Nuclear power plants are not really as dangerous as they may appear. Modern nuclear reactors are built with safety in mind knowing the faults of past nuclear reactors that have failed. The interview was very helpful to gain important information about the history of nuclear power and some of the precautions taken in the construction of the reactor. While nuclear power is relatively efficient, there remains a more efficient method, tidal waves. Tidal waves are a very effective source of energy despite the low current popularity. Tidal energy production is the process of transferring the energy of the tidal wave into electricity. According to the alternative energy news organization, tidal wave turbines operate very similar to wind and hydroelectric turbines. The main difference between the production of electricity in tidal waves and in other turbines, is that the tidal waves are much more reliable and efficient. The electricity collected from wind and rivers is dependant on the wind level and water cycle. These situations have no effect on tidal waves, they will always be present. This source was very helpful in how it explained the process of converting kinetic energy from waves into useable electricity. There are many sources of alternative energy. While every type of energy has advantages, every type of energy also has disadvantages. There will never be a perfect form of energy. We need to accept that we will never find the energy source that will perfectly supply all

our needs. While there is no such thing as a perfect energy source there are many sources that are very close to perfect. One of the forms of energy that stood out to me was tidal wave power. I believe that this form of energy has the potential to provide our country with a large portion of the energy needed in the future. Tidal waves will simply always be there no matter what mother nature does on land. Our country is drawing increasingly nearer to that ideal form of energy. Through research and innovative technology, nearly any form of energy we choose as our new main form of energy has the potential to supply us and our posterity for generations to come.

Works cited.
Wind Power. National Geographic/ http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/wind-power-profile/ http://www.windenergyfoundation.org/about-wind-energy/history Hydroelectric power water use. USGS water science school/http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html Biomass energy - how it all works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euz9DSYTxUo Physics principles with applications. Englewood cliffs NJ. Douglas C. Giancoli. Interview Till, Charles http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/interviews/till.html Tidal turbine power. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/hydro/tidal-power/