Different Electricity Sources 3/21-3/25

Summary:

As you probably already know, there are different types of energy sources. All of them have at least some cons and some pros. Some energy sources include Coal, Nuclear Power, Natural Gas, Hydro, oil, Geothermal, Wind, Solar, Solid Waste, and Landfill Gas. Wow! Thant's a lot! If you are interested then keep on reading!

Electricity from coal

The first one is electricity from coal. One good thing about electricity from coal unlike hydro is that it is very affordable. It is also an unrenewable form of energy. This means that it cannot be reused. Coal supply is also limited and cannot be replaced. Coal also takes quite a while to make.

Changing coal into electricity involves a few steps. First, coal gets ground into powder, that gets mixed with hot air. Then, the combination gets put into a furnace which heats up a boiler that contains water to create steam.  The steam turns a turbine engine which makes heat energy. 

Nuclear Power

The next source is nuclear power.  To create energy, atoms are split apart which releases energy. There are some pros and cons about nuclear energy too. Nuclear energy lets out low amounts of carbon dioxide and is very clean. On the other hand, it has high, and unknown risks in an accident, so it can be dangerous too.

Natural Gas

To get electricity from natural gas, people dig really deep to get this energy source formed from dead animal and plant materials. Many people are against this source of energy because it is dangerous for the environment and people's health. When this drilling is happening, many dangerous chemicals are mixed with water and sand. One good thing is that it lets out about half as much carbon dioxide than coal.

Energy From Water (Hydro):

Energy from water is created in several ways. One way is to harness the force of water with turbines that produce electricity. Another way is to capture the motion of tides in different oceans. This strategy concentrates tidal energy. The last way to get energy from water is called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC.) It uses the wide temperature differences between the different layers of seawater to generate electricity.

Like usual, there are both pros and cons about getting electricity from water. Some pros are that it is renewable and very reliable, I mean it's water, right? Some cons are that this strategy is pretty expensive, and it does not work in some places (like California) because they are in a drought.

Oil:

There are 3 different ways that oil is changed into electricity. The first is called Conventional steam where oil is burned to heat water which creates steam to generate electricity. The next strategy is called combustion turbine where the oil is also burned, but under pressure which produces hot gases that spin in a turbine to generate electricity. There is one last way and that is called combined-cycle technology where the oil is combusted in a special turbine using heated exhaust gases to generate the electricity. After the gases are produced, water gets heated in a boiler creating more steam to go through a second turbine.

Conclusion:

I hope you learned about a few different sources of electricity that you use in everyday life: using the computer to write my blog, making my waffle, cooking dinner, listening to the radio, and much more! Now you also know some pros and cons about those different energy sources!

SP6: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions:

I evaluated information to explain that I think making electricity from oil is bad because it pollutes the air, land, and much more. It is bad for the earth! I also evaluated information to explain that I think wind power is a good way to get electricity because it is clean, and does not pollute the air. It is also safe and dependable.

Below are some questions we had to answer in class about electricity sources.

1. What is used to make electricity? Solar Energy

Solar energy can be  turned into electricity in many ways. One way is using solar panels. Solar heat from panels can be used  to heat water, and then that water can be moved to all parts of a building. (To keep the house warm.)

Another way that solar energy can be turned into electricity is using photovoltaic cells can also change the sun’s energy into electricity. The PV (photovoltaic) cell contains a semiconductor. When the light particles that are also called photons strike the PV cell, they knock the electrons loose from the semiconductor.

  2. Which is the most common source of electricity in the US today?

The most common source of electricity is burning coal. 49.8% of electricity in the US is generated by burning coal.

   3. Are some sources better to use than others?

Power Source	Pros	Cons
Coal	Coal energy is very affordable. It is easy to burn. Coal is used to build power stations in different parts of the world.	The popularity of coal is largely due to its low cost. Coal takes millions of years to create. Coal emissions also cause urban smog. coal-fired power plants also contribute to global climate change. coal supply is limited and cannot be replaced It is a unrenewable form of energy.
Nuclear Power	Nuclear power generation does let out relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide. It is clean. That is good for the Earth.	Nuclear plants can release small amounts of airborne radioactive gases which are not good for us, and plants to breathe. A major failure in a nuclear power plant's cooling systems can create a nuclear meltdown, where fuel rods melt within a matter of seconds. It has high, and unknown risks in an accident.
Natural Gas	Natural gas creates smaller impacts on the environment than coal. Natural gas generates about half as much carbon dioxide (C02) as coal, less particulate matter, and very little sulphur dioxide or toxic air emissions.	Natural gas is limited and is not a renewable resource such as coal. Natural gas is Explosive and potentially dangerous. It pollutes water.
Hydro	This type of energy is renewable. This type of energy is reliable, and will not do much harm. Is not dangerous.	It is expensive because it is hard to get to. It does not work in droughts because it uses water.
Oil	One pro about oil is that it is the largest source of energy in the United States. It provides up to 40% of the energy here.	Burning oil for electricity pollutes air, water and land, but some of the worst environmental issues associated with oil are linked to drilling, transporting and refining.
Geothermal	It can be used underground. It is pretty safe and has zero carbon.	It causes Groundwater contamination, which can be easily prevented, is the principal pollution concern. It lets out sulfur dioxide and silica emissions.
Wind	Wind power is the world's fastest growing electricity generation technology. The wind is a renewable resource because it is inexhaustible. It causes not air pollution. It uses no water. It is clean, and safe energy.	Wind is inconsistent, unsteady and unpredictable. It is not cheap. Some people complain about the noise of turbines.
Solar	Solar energy is renewable. Needs low maintenance. You can get it from anywhere.	This form of energy is not cheap either. Causes some pollution.
Solid Waste	It can generate energy while reducing the volume of waste by up to 90 percent.	It produces comparatively high carbon dioxide emissions. That is bad. It is also a contributor to global climate change. Not a renewable energy source
Landfill Gas	There are no pros about landfill gas!	This produces landfill gas, typically comprised of roughly 60 percent methane and 40 percent carbon dioxide.

4. If you were in charge, would you stop the production of electricity from certain sources? Why?

If I were in charge, I would stop the production of electricity from oil because it really pollutes the air, land, and much more. I believe that clean air is important, so generating electricity from oil is not our best option.

5. Would you promote (encourage) the use of particular sources? Why?

On the other hand, I would promote generating electricity from the wind because it does not pollute the air. Some of the other advantages are it is very safe and dependable and it is a renewable resource. In my opinion, electricity from the wind is the best option for ourselves and the environment.