Renewable Energy Resources
Chapter 5 - Section 2
Solar Energy
Advantages
- Energy comes from the sun
- Powers many things like calculators, satellites, etc.
- Doesn't work as efficiently when cloudy
- Batteries used to store solar power can wear out and be discarded and cause pollution
Wind Energy
Advantages
- It is nonpolluting and free
- Does little harm to the environment and produces no waste
- Wind might blow to hard and break the turbine
- Wind might not blow enough and stop the flow of energy
Hydroelectric Energy
Advantages
- Energy is from running water
- The water turbines turn and and generate electricity
- Erosion is increased down stream
- A dam will flood wildlife habitats
Geothermal Energy
Advantages
- Uses steam in reservoir to produce electricity
- Uses hot rocks, which are everywhere
- Dry rocks and magma are deep in the earth
- Digging destroys habit like drilling for fossil fuelsr
Biomass Energy
Advantages
- Can cut down wood to burn and make energy
- Can make corn into alcohol such as ethanol for fuel
- Can burn garbage for energy
- Burning wood can pollute the air
- Distilling ethanol uses more energy from burning fossil fuels than the amount of energy that is derived from burning ethanol