Alternative Energy Alternative Energy SourcesSources

Presented by: Bharat JhalaniPresented by: Bharat Jhalani July 2008 July 2008

IntroductionIntroduction

Power plays a great role wherever man Power plays a great role wherever man lives and works. The living standard and lives and works. The living standard and prosperity of a nation vary directly with prosperity of a nation vary directly with the increase in the use of power. The the increase in the use of power. The electricity requirement of the world is electricity requirement of the world is increasing at an alarming rate due to increasing at an alarming rate due to industrial growth, increased and industrial growth, increased and extensive use of electrical gadgets.extensive use of electrical gadgets.

We cant continue like We cant continue like this for longthis for long

According to world energy report, we get According to world energy report, we get around 80% of our energy from around 80% of our energy from conventional fossil fuels conventional fossil fuels

oil (36%), natural gas (21%) and coal oil (36%), natural gas (21%) and coal (23%). (23%).

Why cant we?Why cant we?

Limited fossil fuels’ll soon going to get Limited fossil fuels’ll soon going to get exhausted.exhausted.

AND even before that earth will die out of AND even before that earth will die out of high levels of greenhouse gases these high levels of greenhouse gases these fossil fuels emit.fossil fuels emit.

This realisation prompted us to look for This realisation prompted us to look for alternative energy sources.alternative energy sources.

BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPTIONSENERGY OPTIONS

Help the environment Help the environment Use of renewable energy helps save the Use of renewable energy helps save the

environment from further degradation and environment from further degradation and gives it an opportunity to regenerate.gives it an opportunity to regenerate.

Provide sustainable fuel systemsProvide sustainable fuel systems Afforestation and agro forestry, combined with Afforestation and agro forestry, combined with

the introduction of energy-efficient devices, can the introduction of energy-efficient devices, can help to create a sustainable fuel-use system help to create a sustainable fuel-use system within the rural community and sustain the within the rural community and sustain the ecological balance of a regionecological balance of a region

BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPTIONSENERGY OPTIONS

Provide better lightingProvide better lighting Better lighting enables the poor to stretch their Better lighting enables the poor to stretch their

period of economic activity; their children can period of economic activity; their children can help them in daily chores and then study in the help them in daily chores and then study in the evenings.evenings.

Benefit womenBenefit women Lower dependency on fuel wood and other Lower dependency on fuel wood and other

household fuel sources reduces the drudgery household fuel sources reduces the drudgery of women by shortening or eliminating the of women by shortening or eliminating the distances they travel for fuel collectiondistances they travel for fuel collection ..

BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OPTIONSENERGY OPTIONS

Benefit human healthBenefit human health Use of improved cook stoves and biogas Use of improved cook stoves and biogas

plants, for example, helps reduce or eliminate plants, for example, helps reduce or eliminate health problems associated with using health problems associated with using conventional cook stoves, including respiratory conventional cook stoves, including respiratory diseases and eye problems.diseases and eye problems.

Enhance incomeEnhance income provide local employment opportunities provide local employment opportunities

through direct use of energy in small-scale through direct use of energy in small-scale industry and agricultureindustry and agriculture

What options we have?What options we have? Nuclear EnergyNuclear Energy

Nuclear power stations use Nuclear power stations use nuclear fission to generate energy nuclear fission to generate energy by the reaction of uranium-235 by the reaction of uranium-235 inside a nuclear reactor. The inside a nuclear reactor. The reactor uses uranium rods, the reactor uses uranium rods, the atoms of which are split in the atoms of which are split in the process of fission, releasing a process of fission, releasing a large amount of energy. The large amount of energy. The process continues as a chain process continues as a chain reaction with other nuclei. The reaction with other nuclei. The heat released, heats water to heat released, heats water to create steam, which spins a create steam, which spins a turbine generator, producing turbine generator, producing electricityelectricity..

Pros Pros

The energy content of a kilogram of uranium or thorium, if spent The energy content of a kilogram of uranium or thorium, if spent nuclear fuel is reprocessed and fully utilized, is equivalent to about nuclear fuel is reprocessed and fully utilized, is equivalent to about 3.5 million kilograms of coal. 3.5 million kilograms of coal.

The cost of making nuclear power is about the same as making The cost of making nuclear power is about the same as making coal power, which is considered very inexpensive.coal power, which is considered very inexpensive.

Nuclear power plants are guarded with the nuclear reactor inside Nuclear power plants are guarded with the nuclear reactor inside a reinforced containment building, and thus are relatively a reinforced containment building, and thus are relatively impervious to terrorist attack or adverse weather conditions.impervious to terrorist attack or adverse weather conditions.

Coal mining is the second most dangerous occupation in the Coal mining is the second most dangerous occupation in the United States. Nuclear energy is much safer per capita than coal United States. Nuclear energy is much safer per capita than coal derived energy derived energy

For the same amount of electricity, the life cycle emissions of For the same amount of electricity, the life cycle emissions of nuclear is about 4% of coal power nuclear is about 4% of coal power

Fast breeder reactors have the potential to power humans on Fast breeder reactors have the potential to power humans on earth for billions of years, making it sustainable.earth for billions of years, making it sustainable.

BiomassBiomass Biomass production Biomass production

involves using garbage involves using garbage or other renewable or other renewable resources such as corn resources such as corn or other vegetation to or other vegetation to generate electricity. generate electricity.

Biomass is grown from Biomass is grown from several plants, including several plants, including miscanthus, switchgrass, miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar, hemp, corn, poplar, willow, sugarcane and willow, sugarcane and palm oil.palm oil.

AdvantagesAdvantages

Biomass production can be used to burn organic waste products resulting Biomass production can be used to burn organic waste products resulting from agriculture. from agriculture.

Biomass is abundant on Earth and is generally renewable. Biomass is abundant on Earth and is generally renewable. When methods of biomass production other than direct combustion of When methods of biomass production other than direct combustion of

plant mass are used, such as fermentation and pyrolysis, there is little plant mass are used, such as fermentation and pyrolysis, there is little effect on the environment. Alcohols and other fuels produced by these effect on the environment. Alcohols and other fuels produced by these alternative methods are clean burning and are feasible replacements to alternative methods are clean burning and are feasible replacements to fossil fuels.fossil fuels.

Since CO2 is first taken out of the atmosphere to make the vegetable oil Since CO2 is first taken out of the atmosphere to make the vegetable oil and then put back after it is burned in the engine, there is no net increase and then put back after it is burned in the engine, there is no net increase in CO2.in CO2.

Vegetable oil has a higher flash point and therefore is safer than most Vegetable oil has a higher flash point and therefore is safer than most fossil fuels. fossil fuels.

Transitioning to vegetable oil could be relatively easy as biodiesel works Transitioning to vegetable oil could be relatively easy as biodiesel works where diesel works, and straight vegetable oil takes relatively minor where diesel works, and straight vegetable oil takes relatively minor modifications. modifications.

Hydroelectric EnergyHydroelectric Energy

In hydro energy, the In hydro energy, the gravitational descent of a gravitational descent of a river is compressed from river is compressed from a long run to a single a long run to a single location with a dam or a location with a dam or a flume.flume.

This creates a location This creates a location where concentrated where concentrated pressure and flow can be pressure and flow can be used to turn turbines or used to turn turbines or water wheels, which water wheels, which drive a mechanical mill drive a mechanical mill or an electric generator. or an electric generator.

VantagesVantages

Hydroelectric power stations can promptly Hydroelectric power stations can promptly increase to full capacity increase to full capacity

Electricity can be generated constantly, so Electricity can be generated constantly, so long as sufficient water is available. long as sufficient water is available.

Hydroelectric power produces no primary Hydroelectric power produces no primary waste or pollution.waste or pollution.

Hydropower is a renewable resource. Hydropower is a renewable resource.

Wind PowerWind Power

This type of energy This type of energy harnesses the power of harnesses the power of the wind to propel the the wind to propel the blades of wind turbines. blades of wind turbines. These turbines cause These turbines cause the rotation of magnets, the rotation of magnets, which creates electricity. which creates electricity. Wind towers are usually Wind towers are usually built together on wind built together on wind farms.farms.

Advantages Advantages

Wind power produces no water or air pollution that can Wind power produces no water or air pollution that can contaminate the environment, because there are no contaminate the environment, because there are no chemical processes involved in wind power generation.chemical processes involved in wind power generation.

Power from the wind does not contribute to global Power from the wind does not contribute to global warming because it does not generate greenhouse warming because it does not generate greenhouse gases.gases.

Wind generation is a renewable source of energy, Wind generation is a renewable source of energy, which means that we will never run out of it. which means that we will never run out of it.

Farming and grazing can still take place on land Farming and grazing can still take place on land occupied by wind turbines. occupied by wind turbines.

Due to the ability of wind turbines to coexist within Due to the ability of wind turbines to coexist within agricultural fields, siting costs are frequently low agricultural fields, siting costs are frequently low

Solar PowerSolar Power

Solar power involves Solar power involves using solar cells to using solar cells to convert sunlight into convert sunlight into electricity, using sunlight electricity, using sunlight hitting solar thermal hitting solar thermal panels to convert panels to convert sunlight to heat water or sunlight to heat water or air, using sunlight hitting air, using sunlight hitting a parabolic mirror to heat a parabolic mirror to heat water (producing steam), water (producing steam), or using sunlight entering or using sunlight entering windows for passive windows for passive solar heating of a solar heating of a building. building.

AdvantagesAdvantages

Solar power imparts no fuel costs. Solar power imparts no fuel costs. Solar power is a renewable resource. As long Solar power is a renewable resource. As long

as the Sun exists, its energy will reach Earth.as the Sun exists, its energy will reach Earth. Solar power generation releases no water or Solar power generation releases no water or

air pollution, because there is no combustion of air pollution, because there is no combustion of fuels. fuels.

Solar energy can be used very efficiently for Solar energy can be used very efficiently for heating (solar ovens, solar water and home heating (solar ovens, solar water and home heaters) and day lighting. heaters) and day lighting.

Tidal EnergyTidal Energy

It is a form of hydropower that It is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides converts the energy of tides into electricity or other useful into electricity or other useful forms of power.forms of power.

Tidal power can be extracted Tidal power can be extracted from Moon-gravity-powered from Moon-gravity-powered tides by locating a water tides by locating a water turbine in a tidal current, or by turbine in a tidal current, or by building impoundment pond building impoundment pond dams that admit-or-release dams that admit-or-release water through a turbine. water through a turbine.

Pros Pros

It is clean, free, renewable, and It is clean, free, renewable, and sustainable energy.sustainable energy.

Tides are more predictable than wind Tides are more predictable than wind energy and solar power.energy and solar power.

Geothermal EnergyGeothermal Energy

Geothermal power Geothermal power (from the Greek (from the Greek words geo, meaning words geo, meaning earth, and thermal, earth, and thermal, meaning heat) is meaning heat) is energy generated by energy generated by heat stored beneath heat stored beneath the Earth's surface.the Earth's surface.

Pros Pros

the energy harnessed is clean and safe for the surrounding the energy harnessed is clean and safe for the surrounding environment.environment.

It is also sustainable because the hot water used in the It is also sustainable because the hot water used in the geothermal process can be re injected into the ground to produce geothermal process can be re injected into the ground to produce more steammore steam

geothermal power plants are unaffected by changing weather geothermal power plants are unaffected by changing weather conditions.conditions.

Geothermal power plants work continuously, day and night, Geothermal power plants work continuously, day and night, making them base load power plants.making them base load power plants.

From an economic view, geothermal energy is extremely price From an economic view, geothermal energy is extremely price competitive in some areas and reduces reliance on fossil fuels competitive in some areas and reduces reliance on fossil fuels and their inherent price unpredictability.and their inherent price unpredictability.

It also offers a degree of scalability: a large geothermal plant can It also offers a degree of scalability: a large geothermal plant can power entire cities while smaller power plants can supply more power entire cities while smaller power plants can supply more remote sites such as rural villages.remote sites such as rural villages.

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