By: Curtiss, Matt, Amy, Veronica, Lauren, and Nick

Alternative Energies

• Come to rely too heavily on Oil

• Damages the environment

• Loss of Habitat

• Detrimental to health (Food, Plastics)

• Very close to reaching “Peak Oil”

Oil Addiction

• Watching Oil reserves decline is a problem

• Cause imbalance between supply and demand

• Would send out economy into state of shock

• Could lead to even worse tactics

• However, all of this can be avoided by…

Peak Oil

• Solar Energy

• Wind Energy

• Hydro Energy

• Nuclear Energy

• Geothermal Energy

Possible Solutions

• Houses

• Cars

• Even space stations uses them.

Examples of Usage

• Since the sunlight contains energy.

• Light turns into heat when it hits objects.

• But when the light hits certain objects it turns into an electrical current instead.

How Does it Work?

• Using the technology from the solar panels we can harness the light in the panel

• Then distribute the energy from it to run the House or Cars.

How Does it Work? (cont.)

Pros Cons• Money ($$$)

• Climate Variables

• Takes up a lot of roof space

• Not 24 house

• Save you money

• Less consumption

• Tax Break

• Nearly maintenance free

• Its Sustainable and Renewable

• The noise factor

Pros and Cons

• Wind is caused by: uneven heating of atmosphere, irregularities on earth surface, & rotation of earth

• Flow patterns depend on: terrain, bodies of water, and vegetative cover

• Wind and its flow is used

What is it?

• Generates mechanical power/electricity

• Wind turbines• Kinetic energy mechanical power

• Mechanical power• Grinding grain, pumping

water

• Electricity• Power homes, buildings,

schools

How Does it Work?

• US, Germany, China, Spain, and India: biggest wind producers

• Saves yearly: 1500 tons carbon dioxide, 6.5 tons sulfur dioxide, 3.2 tons nitrogen oxide, 30 kilograms mercury

• 2007 Europe strives for 20% alternative energy by 2020• Wind is most important

• Germany implementing large offshore wind turbines: 30% by 2030, 60% by 2050

Example of Usage

• Higher initial investment cost

• 80% machinery

• Rotating blades cause noise

• Mortality of birds and bats

• Wind is unpredictable

• Remote location, less power needed

Cons

• Largest source of clean energy available

• Keeps electric rates low

• 37 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity yearly

• Power = 9.7 million American homes

• Lower frequency of sound

• Shadow flicker & epilepsy

• Responsible for less than .003% of bird deaths

Pros

-The production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water.

• Hydropower is produced in 150 countries

• The Asia-Pacific region produces 32% of global hydropower as of 2010

• China is the largest hydroelectricity producer• Produces around 17% of the

domestic electricity use

• The largest hydroelectric power plan in the world is located on the Yangtze River

Examples of Usage

• Large fast-flowing rivers are the ones that produce the most hydroelectricity.

• The water must be controlled.

• A large reservoir is created usually by damming a river or creating an artificial lake.

• From there, water is channeled through a tunnel.

• Water flows through the dams tunnels, which causes the turbines to turn. The turbines make generators move.

• The generators are the machines that produce electricity.

How Does it Work?

• Require large areas to build dams.

• Destruction of environment.

• Destruction of marine life.

• Risk and threat for people.

• High initial cost.

Cons

• Water is a renewable resource

• The cost is relatively low

• Very flexible source of energy

• Its clean, it doesn’t pollute the environment with any CO2 emissions.

• Very reliable and dependable source of energy.

• Controllable production

• Quick start, and shut down

• Manageable production

Pros

• Uranium atoms split, causing heat and producing steam

• Turbines convert steam to electricity

How Does it Work?

• High construction cost

• Lengthy construction

• High risk in event of an accident

• Finite uranium sources

• Waste containment

Cons

• Produces far fewer greenhouse gasses than coal

• Low operating costs

• Developed

• Meets industrial and city needs

• Reducible waste

Pros

• Located in Morris, IL

• Opened in 1960

• First full-scale, private owned plant in US

Dresden Generating Station

• Reservoirs of stream trapped in rocks

• Very minute environmental impact

• Cheap

• Reliable

What is it?

• How the reservoir forms

How Does it Work?

Dry Stream Plants

Binary Type Plant

• Pros

• Very small land footprint

• Virtually limitless

• Simple and reliable

• Con

• High initial cost

• Very difficult to drill into rock

• Water usage

Pros and Cons

Prime Location in the U.S.

The Geysers in California

• Some options cost more

• Some options are more effective

• Some options are safer

• Some options will never run out

• So what is the right solution?

Brainstorming Conclusions

• They all are!

• Combine Water, Wind, Solar

• Set up Geothermal and Nuclear sites

• If we maximize each option’s strength, we can eliminate the need for oil once and for all

Solution

• We’ve explained the problem

• Gone over possible solutions

• Gave our solution to change

• However nothing can change without us, we have to get the ball rolling

• Our health and safety may depend on it

Conclusion