Chapter IV

Alternative Energy
Marcial G Julaton Jr.
Aries Buen T. Manuel
Mark Allan Balandra
What is Renewable Energy?
 Renewable Energy

Renewable energy refers to sources that are replenished continuously

and can be harnessed within a human timeframe. They are considered
alternatives to conventional, non-renewable sources like fossil fuels
and nuclear power. The 1970s energy crisis, along with the finite
nature of fossil fuels and the risks of nuclear energy, has spurred the
growth of renewables such as solar, hydroelectric, wind, biomass, and
geothermal energy. These sources, particularly solar energy, are either
"unlimited" or can be renewed as quickly as they are used, making
them sustainable for long-term use. Renewable energy can be derived
from various natural processes, including wind, water, and biomass.
Some, like wind and biomass, are indirect forms of solar energy since
their formation is sun-dependent. However, most renewable energies
face challenges in concentration, portability, and storage.
Renewable Energy

Energy is an important ingredient in all phases of

society. We live in global society, and access to
adequate and reliable energy resources is crucial for
economic growth and for maintaining the quality of our
lives. However, current levels of energy consumption
and production are not sustainable because of the
heavy reliance on non-renewable energy sources,
which will eventually become depleted. The principal
energy resources used in the world are shown in
Figure 4.2. The fuel mix has changed over the years
but now is still dominated by fossil fuels. Over 30% of
the world's energy consumption comes from oil, and
much of that goes to transportation uses. In 1973,
almost 87% of the global energy consumed was from
fossil fuels. Today, that value is closer to 80%. Even as
the percentage of our energy
 Renewable Energy

While fossil fuel use is declining, global energy consumption

has more than doubled from 1973 to 2015. Nuclear power, a
non-renewable but zero-emission source, and renewables
like hydropower, geothermal, solar, and wind are on the rise.
The shift towards renewables, especially wind energy, is
accelerating, with countries like Germany aiming to source
significant portions of their energy from renewables by 2020.
This transition is crucial for reducing the environmental
impact of energy use and addressing climate change.
 Why use renewable energy
sources?

Renewable energy sources, mainly derived from the sun,

offer a sustainable and inexhaustible supply of power for
human civilization. They enable decentralized energy
production, allowing even remote communities to generate
electricity using solar panels or wind turbines without relying
on the traditional grid. This independence from the grid is not
only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly, as it
avoids issues like oil spills and reduces greenhouse gas
emissions, aiding in the fight against climate change and
promoting better health..
Solar Energy
 Solar Energy

Solar energy is a vital energy source for life on earth and human activities, even
though only a minute fraction of the sun's energy reaches the earth's surface. This
small amount, however, is more than sufficient to meet the world's energy needs. Most
other energy sources are essentially stored forms of solar energy. Modern technology,
such as photovoltaic cells, allows for the conversion of solar energy to electricity. In
2017, approximately 6% of the renewable energy consumed in the United States was
from solar energy.

While solar energy has immense potential, it is not uniformly distributed across the
globe, leading to varying suitability for solar energy investment. Additionally, solar
energy can only be harnessed while the sun is shining, resulting in challenges related
to generating energy at night or on cloudy days. Unlike coal, oil, or biomass, sunlight
cannot be stored for on-demand use, posing difficulties in overcoming intermittent
power supply challenges.
Despite these drawbacks, solar energy is increasingly popular as a supplementary
power source, as evidenced by the growing trend of installing solar panels on rooftops
of homes, businesses, and municipal buildings..
Passive solar
 Passive and active solar
power
Passive solar power utilizes the sun's energy for heating or
cooling without relying on special devices or modern
technology. Historical strategies such as natural ventilation,
solar heat gain, solar shading, and efficient insulation have
been employed. Passive solar space heating occurs when the
sun's rays warm a building's interior through south-facing
windows, with solar heat-absorbing walls or floors optimizing
this process. The absorbed heat is stored by high thermal mass
materials like bricks or concrete and released at night to warm
the building. Additionally, window overhangs or shades are used
to prevent excessive solar heat gain during the summer,
thereby maintaining a cooler indoor environment.
Active solar power
Photovoltaic (PV) cells
 Photovoltaic (PV) cells

Solar photovoltaic (PV) devices convert sunlight

directly into electricity using semiconducting materials
like silicon. These devices range from small cells
powering gadgets to large arrays on buildings and
power plants. If just 4% of global desert areas were
covered with PV systems, it could meet the world's
electricity needs, with the Gobi Desert alone
potentially providing nearly all of it.
Solar thermal collectors
 Solar thermal collectors

Solar thermal collectors are devices that use energy

to circulate a heat-absorbing fluid, capturing solar
energy to heat buildings. There are two types: non-
concentrating, like flat-plate collectors, which have
equal areas for intercepting and absorbing solar
radiation, and concentrating collectors, which have a
larger area for intercepting than absorbing, focusing
the energy onto an absorber. These systems provide
an efficient way to utilize solar power for heating.
Solar thermal systems
 Solar thermal systems

Solar thermal systems use concentrators to focus

sunlight and produce high-temperature heat for
electricity generation. They consist of reflectors that
direct sunlight onto a receiver, where a heat-transfer
fluid is warmed to create steam. This steam drives a
turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity.
Additionally, these systems have trackers to maintain
focus on the receiver as the sun moves.
 Environmental impacts of
solar energy
Solar energy is generally eco-friendly, but its
environmental impact varies with location. The production
of photovoltaic (PV) cells involves hazardous materials
and greenhouse gas emissions, which should be
balanced by the panels' clean energy output. Solar
installations can be integrated into buildings or cover
large land areas, potentially affecting delicate desert
ecosystems. Additionally, some solar thermal systems
use hazardous fluids, and concentrated solar plants
require significant water for cleaning and cooling, which
can impact water-scarce regions.
Wind Power
 Wind Power

Wind power harnesses the energy of moving air to

generate electricity. It's an indirect form of solar
energy, as winds result from atmospheric pressure
differences caused by the sun's uneven heating of the
Earth. Some regions, particularly over oceans, have
higher wind speeds, making them ideal for wind
energy harvesting, which is increasingly being tapped
into with offshore wind farms.
Wind Power
 Environmental impacts of
wind power
Offshore wind turbines generally have less environmental
impact than land-based ones. They face challenges like
visual intrusion, rare incidents of fire or fluid leaks, and
noise pollution, which can affect humans and wildlife.
Notably, they can harm birds and bats, especially along
migratory paths. While construction has minor impacts,
the energy produced by wind turbines far exceeds the
energy invested in their creation and installation, making
them a beneficial renewable energy source..
Hydroelectric Power
 Hydroelectric Power

Hydropower is a leading renewable energy source,

second only to biomass. It harnesses the kinetic
energy of water, historically used to power mills for
grinding grain. However, its availability is
geographically and seasonally dependent, as it
requires rivers with sufficient flow to drive hydropower
stations, which may not be possible during periods of
low water levels.
Storage hydropower
 Storage hydropower

The majority of the world's hydropower comes from

storage hydropower systems, where dams store river
water with potential energy. When released, this
energy turns into kinetic energy, generating electricity.
Dams also create manmade reservoirs, which can
have environmental impacts. Examples in the
Southeastern U.S. include lakes like Lanier and
Hartwell, which are reservoirs formed by such dams.
Pumped-storage hydropower
 Pumped-storage
hydropower

Pumped-storage facilities use energy to

elevate water, creating potential energy that
is later converted into electricity when
needed. They don't generate net energy but
are excellent for energy storage, particularly
during peak demand times. They can also
store energy from intermittent renewable
sources like solar and wind.
Pumped-storage
hydropower
Run-of-river hydropower
Run-of-river hydropower is a less invasive
form of hydropower that generates electricity
by diverting river water through turbines
without creating large reservoirs, allowing
rivers to maintain a more natural flow and
reducing environmental disruption.
 Pumped-storage
hydropower

Run-of-river hydropower is a less invasive

form of hydropower that generates electricity
by diverting river water through turbines
without creating large reservoirs, allowing
rivers to maintain a more natural flow and
reducing environmental disruption.
 Environmental impacts of
hydropower

Hydropower is renewable and doesn't emit

air pollutants, but it can disrupt ecosystems.
Dams may block fish migration, like salmon in
the Columbia River, and turbines can harm
fish despite mitigation efforts like fish
ladders..
Tidal power
 Potential of tidal power

Tidal power harnesses the ocean's tides to generate

electricity using turbines in high-tide areas. The world's
first tidal power station, the Rance Tidal Power Station
in Brittany, France, began operation in 1966 with a
capacity of 240 MW. The largest to date, Sihwa Lake
Tidal Power Station in South Korea, has a capacity of
254 MW and started in 2012. Tidal energy is a
developing technology with growing installations
worldwide.
Geothermal Energy
 Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is derived from the Earth's

internal heat, which is used for electricity generation
and heating. The Earth's core heat, which can reach
temperatures up to 370°C, warms surrounding rock
and water. This heat can create geothermal reservoirs
when trapped in porous rocks beneath an
impermeable layer, similar to the processes that form
geysers and hot springs. Geothermal power plants
harness this natural heat resource, which is abundant
and continuously replenished.
 Environmental impacts of
geothermal energy
Geothermal energy has minimal environmental impact,
especially in direct use and heating. Geothermal
plants have low emissions, releasing significantly less
CO2 and CH4 compared to fossil fuels. They also
produce minor amounts of other gases like ammonia
and hydrogen sulfide. To reduce emissions further,
geothermal plants employ scrubber systems to clean
hydrogen sulfide from steam and hot water, resulting in
97% less sulfur compounds that cause acid rain than
fossil fuel plants.
Biomass Energy
 Biomass Energy

Biomass energy, derived from organic materials like

plants and animals, has been a primary energy source
since pre-industrial times. It encompasses the direct
burning of solid biomass for heat and electricity, and
the conversion to liquid biofuels and gaseous biogas
for transportation and other uses. Accounting for about
10% of global energy, biomass is especially prevalent
in less-industrialized nations and is gaining traction
globally due to fossil fuel scarcity and rising costs.
 Carbon Neutrality

Carbon neutrality in biomass energy is achieved when

the CO₂ emitted during combustion is equal to the
CO₂ absorbed by the next generation of biomass
through photosynthesis. While burning biomass like
ethanol releases CO₂, the subsequent crop growth
can offset these emissions. However, the total energy
used in producing biomass, including planting,
harvesting, and processing, can affect its carbon
neutrality. Newer biofuel sources like algae or
switchgrass have a higher potential for carbon
neutrality due to lower energy inputs in their
production.
 Direct combustion of solid
biomass
Direct combustion of biomass involves burning
materials like wood, dung, plant matter, peat, or
charcoal without converting them to liquid or gas. It's a
simple, on-demand energy source for cooking and
heating, often used in less-industrialized nations
where modern utilities are less accessible.
 Liquid Biofuels Biomass

Methane, a major component of natural gas, can be

produced from organic materials through bacterial
anaerobic decomposition, or fermentation. This
process uses various organic feedstocks like sewage,
waste, and manure. The resulting methane is similar to
fossil fuel-derived methane and offers more heat when
burned. Additionally, the leftover sludge from this
process serves as a nutrient-rich fertilizer.
 Liquid Biofuels

Biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel are made from

plants and used in vehicles. Ethanol is created by
fermenting crops and is often blended with gasoline,
resulting in common fuel.
 Environmental Impacts of
Biomass Energy
The sustainability of biomass as an energy source is
complex and requires a lifecycle analysis to evaluate its
overall impact. This analysis considers the resources needed
for production, transport, usage, and disposal. Biomass may
not always be more sustainable than fossil fuels due to its
lower energy content and the extensive resources needed
for crop cultivation, processing, and transportation. These
factors can reduce the net energy savings and carbon
neutrality of biofuels. Additionally, using agricultural land for
biofuel production can lead to higher food prices and
potential food shortages, raising economic and social
concerns.
Other Renewable Energy
Sources
 Hydrogen fuel

Hydrogen fuel, considered a potential clean energy

source for the future, is obtained by separating
hydrogen atoms from compounds like water and
organic materials. This separation requires energy,
commonly through electrolysis, where electricity splits
water into oxygen and hydrogen. Hydrogen can also
be derived from hydrocarbons, plant waste
fermentation, and algae. The process of producing
hydrogen fuel aims to provide a cleaner alternative to
traditional fossil fuels.
 Electric and hybrid vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by batteries

charged with electricity, which can come from various
sources, including fossil fuels. Although EVs don't emit
CO₂ directly, the electricity used to charge them may
be generated from fossil fuels. However, EVs
generally result in lower CO₂ emissions compared to
gasoline vehicles, and their environmental impact
improves as more renewable energy sources are used
for electricity generation..
Thank you
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