Alternative Energy and Energy Conservation

NUCLEAR

Nuclear Energy – Our Misunderstood Friend???

• How does a nuclear powerplant work?• Nuclear Power - as Explained on the Simpsons• Three Mile Island - What happened?• The fallout at Chernobyl• Energy for the Future?• Is nuclear the solution?

The Good, Bad and Ugly on Nuclear

Pro• Technology is readily

available and relatively efficient

• Cheap• Clean (both pollutants and

greenhouse gases)

Con• Risk of Nuclear Accidents

that expose people to high levels of radiation

• What do we do with the radioactive waste once it has been used?

• Non-renewable

Biomass

(wood, wood pellets, ethanol, vegetable oil)

Wood Burning

Pellet Stoves• No need for chimney – just a small vent

hole in wall• Need to re-fueled less frequently than

woodstoves• Need regular maintenance and cleaning• Require Electricity• Low emissions, low CO2 and low odor• Pellets are made from “left-over” wood

– sawdust, scraps etc.

Biofuels

Ethanol Biodiesel (from vegetable oil)

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

Pro• Somewhat renewable – as

long as we aren’t using them faster than we can replace them

• Cleaner than burning fossil fuels

• Wood can easilly provide heat for the home and for cooking

• Growing plants increases our ability to absorb CO2

Con• Does produce some air

pollution and greenhouse gasses (combustion and/or machinery used for growing)

• Competition for land used to grow the fuels

• Burning wood does not provide as much energy as fossil fuels

Hydroelectric

How does it work?

Hoover Dam

Grand Coulee Dam

To be or not to be….

Pro• Clean energy – no emissions

or air pollution• Cheap

Con• Large Amounts of Habitat

Destruction and ecological interference

• Only available where there are rivers and/or running water

Solar

Solar Panels

The bottom line…

Pro• Solar is a perpetual

resource• Once installed – solar power

is free• Clean – no emissions, no

pollution, no greenhouse gases

Con• Panels are expensive• Installation can be

expensive• Works better in areas with

more sun• Efficiency of Panels

(currently)

Wind

How do wind turbines work?

• Windfarm in Southern California - built after the 70's energy Crisis

• Do wind turbine make noise?• A new kind of wind turbine for urban areas?

What’s one or two birds?

Pro• Completely renewable• Completely clean

Con• Not able to provide the

entire world’s energy• Complaints of noise and

bird killing• Space needed to build them

(they’re REALLY big)

Geothermal

How does it work?

Heating and cooling Your HOME!

The dirt on geothermal…

PRO• Once installed – cheap• No emissions, pollution or

greenhouse gases

Con• Expensive installation• Not able to provide enough

energy to meet world demands

• Must be able to access groundwater

What can you do to reduce energy demands?

Why should reduction in energy demands be an essential component to ANY energy plan?