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= = =Greener Energy Sources = //The purpose of the Wiki is to explore the possibilities of Greener methods of producing energy. We will journey to the past, explore in the present and theorize about the future and what it holds for future generations on a cleaner earth.//

For years, the world's populations have consumed natural products given out by the earth with no consequence. We have sucked down natural gas and dried up water supply's with no thought of running out or saving some for future generations. media type="custom" key="10202915" align="right" There have always been enviornmental activists pledge to change the world and make a difference on our carbon footprint. But for many Americans the term "Global Warming" meant nothing until the 2006 film, "An Inconvenient Truth" where former presidential candidate Al Gore lays out the facts about how global climate chance will impact the world that we live in, if we keep consuming Earth's fossil fuels.

There are many way in which to look at the problem at hand, but what I want to focus on in the wiki, is the ways in which we consume energy and consequently consume fossil fuels, and release harmful chemicals into our atmosphere. With the development of cleaner and more efficient power-plants, we can almost completely eliminate our Carbon Footprint that we leave on this planet.

=Early Power-plants =



Starting in the mid 1880's the first power-plants were created. They burned either wood or coal to produce to heat up a boiler full of water. The water would turn to steam when hot enough and the high pressured steam would turn a turbine. Attached to the turbine would be a generator and thus making electricity. By the 1920's developments made by pulverizing the coal into very fine pieces would allow for a higher combustion temperature, greater thermal energy and a lower requirement for excess air for combustion. In the 1940's, the cyclone furnace was developed. This new technology allowed the combustion of poorer grade of coal with less ash production and greater overall efficiency.

Currently in the United States we still use the same technology that was developed almost 100 years ago of pulverizing coal and burning it to produce electricity through a steam turbine system. Even though these plants are highly effective in producing large quantities of electricity, they also use large quantities of coal on a daily basis. Burning that amount of coal isn't good for the environment, so here are a few specifics about what is happening:
 * Coal mining causes severe erosion, resulting in the leaching of toxic chemicals into nearby streams and aquifers, and destroys inhabitants.
 * About two-thirds of sulfur dioxide, one-third of carbon dioxide emissions and one quarter of Nitrogen oxide emissions in the U.S. are produced by coal burning.
 * Coal burning also results in emission of fine particles of matter into the atmosphere. Nitrogen oxide and Fine airborne particles exacerbate asthma, reduce lung function and cause respiratory diseases and premature death for thousand of Americans.
 * Smog formed by nitrogen oxide and reactive organic gasses caused crop, forest and property damage. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides both combine with water in the atmosphere to create acid rain. Acid rain acidifies the soils and water killing off plants, fish, and the animals that depend on them.

= Modern Power plants =
 * || //1954// || [[image:http://www.aboutnuclear.org/i/00007F.gif width="20" height="1"]] ||  || First nuclear power plant begins operation in the Obninsk Scientific Center, Russia (5 megawatts). ||


 * //1957// || [[image:http://www.aboutnuclear.org/i/00007F.gif width="20" height="1"]] ||  || The first U.S. large-scale nuclear power plant begins operating in Shippingport, Pennsylvania. ||


 * //1960// || [[image:http://www.aboutnuclear.org/i/00007F.gif width="20" height="1"]] ||  || The Atomic Energy Commission announces the successful development of a 220-pound nuclear reactor designed to provide electric power for space vehicles ||

//1967// || ||   || The large number of utility orders for nuclear power reactors makes nuclear power a commercial reality in the United States. ||
 * //1966-//


 * //1989// || [[image:http://www.aboutnuclear.org/i/00007F.gif width="20" height="1"]] ||  || 109 nuclear power plants provide 19% of the electricity used in U.S.; 46 units have entered service during this decade. ||


 * //2010// || [[image:http://www.aboutnuclear.org/i/00007F.gif width="20" height="1"]] ||  || 104 commercial reactors at 65 nuclear power plants in the U.S. produce almost 20.2% of the electricity generated commercially in the U.S. ||

Over the past 60 or so years in the united states our nuclear facilities took off like a rocket and the nuclear renaissance was born. But toward to later years of the last century that rise in activity has been toned down due to some very nasty accidents at nuclear facilities all across the world. Due to these accidents, the economy took hits, and the ways in which people viewed these power plants became much more negative.

__**Nuclear power plant accidents in the U.S. with more than US$140 million in property damage**__ **Cost In Millions****(US Dollars)**


 * ~ Date ||~ Plant ||~ Location ||~ Description ||
 * March 28, 1979 || Three Mile Island || Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania || Loss of coolant and partial core meltdown, see Three Mile Island accident and Three Mile Island accident health effects || US$2,400 ||
 * March 9, 1985 || Browns Ferry || Athens, Alabama || Instrumentation systems malfunction during startup, which led to suspension of operations at all three Units || US$1,830 ||
 * April 11, 1986 || Pilgrim || Plymouth, Massachusetts || Recurring equipment problems force emergency shutdown of Boston Edison’s plant || US$1,001 ||
 * March 31, 1987 || Peach Bottom || Delta, Pennsylvania || Units 2 and 3 shutdown due to cooling malfunctions and unexplained equipment problems || US$400 ||
 * December 19, 1987 || Nine Mile Point || Scriba, New York || Malfunctions force Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation to shut down Unit 1 || US$150 ||
 * February 20, 1996 || Millstone || Waterford, Connecticut || Leaking valve forces shutdown of Units 1 and 2, multiple equipment failures found || US$254 ||
 * September 2, 1996 || Crystal River || Crystal River, Florida || Balance-of-plant equipment malfunction forces shutdown and extensive repairs || US$384 ||
 * February 16, 2002 || Davis-Besse || Oak Harbor, Ohio || Severe corrosion of control rod forces 24-month outage || US$143 ||
 * February 1, 2010 || Vermont Yankee || Vernon, Vermont || Deteriorating underground pipes leak radioactive tritium into groundwater supplies || US$700 ||

With the "nuclear renaissance" rounding out we as Americans and citizens of the world are looking for a different type of power to fuel our energy needs. We look at our dissipation atmosphere and ozone layer and we look at the devastation that power-plants of the past have caused to the worlds population and our American Population alike. We are looking to find ways of creating energy and electrical power that can be regenerated over and over again without leaving such a large carbon footprint like we have done so much in the past. There are three major sources of what we call "renewable energy sources", from which The world is starting to take advantage of on a serious level.

=**Harnessing the Power of the WIND** =

__**What is wind?**__

Wind has everything to do with the sun. when the sun heats up the land, the air around the land takes in some of the sun's heat. When that air get's hot enough, it begins to rise. Seeing that hotter air rises, it moves up into the atmosphere. The warm air displaces the cooler heavier air, and the cool air fills in where the warm has has just left closer to the earth's surface. The movement of this cooler air is know as wind. So as long as the sun is shining, and is warm enough to heat up the earth's surface, there will be wind. This is a much more reliable fuel source then say Oil. We may deplete the oil reservoirs that our earth holds, but we can never us up all of our sun's energy. .

__**What is a wind turbine?**__

A wind turbine is a large structure standing as tall as 20 stories off the earth's surface, that has propeller blades turning in the moving air, to power an electric generator. The blades can be between 8 and 25 feet in diameter and stretch as long as a football field in length. The idea is for the Turbine to stand as high as it can in a place where the wind blows the strongest. Atop the structure is where all the magic happens. Housed in a box like structure is the means to generate power.

Components
 * Blade or Rotor, Converts the energy in the wind to a rotation shaft;
 * Drive Train, includes a gearbox and a generator;
 * Tower, supports the rotor and drive train.

__**How does a wind turbine generate it's power?**__

Wind rushes across the blade of the turbine creating lift. The blade begins to spin the rotor. The rotor is connected tho the Low-speed shaft, which spins as fast as the rotor spins. This shaft is connected to the gear box, which speeds things up and transmits a faster speed to the high-speed shaft. This shaft is connected to the generator, which creates the electricity. The electricity flows down the tower to the transformer, where it is sent to the grid for distribution to whomever needs the power.

The amount of power a turbine produces is measured in: > 1 megawatt (MW, 1 million watts) of wind power can produce from 2.4 million to 3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in one year.
 * **Watts (W)** - electricity-generating capacity
 * **Kilowatt-hour (kWh)** - one kilowatt (kW, 1,000 watts) of electricity generated or consumed in one hour.

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__**What's the need for wind power?**__

Due to the current problems that the world is facing with the diminishing fossil fuels and a growing pollution to the earth's atmosphere, we need to find more efficient and less harmful ways of producing power. Our fresh water supply is getting smaller, we are running out of oil, and our air is getting dirtier as the ozone layer is reduced by harmful chemicals. The need for a clean, renewable energy has never been greater. There are many renewable power sources out there, but we as a world need to come together and harness those powers to make a cleaner better world, for those who come to live long after we are gone.

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__**Are there any benefits to wind power?**__

Yes, is the simple answer! Wind is FREE! you don't have to buy the rights to the air. The fuel (the air) won't cost you a penny, and there's as much as you want of it.

The Power of the wind is 100% clean and renewable. Since there is no burning of fuel, and the only thing that is being used to make power is wind, there are no CO2 emissions given off by Wind Turbines. there are no greenhouse gasses or air pollutants given off. And as long as the wind is blowing on earth, there is power, in electricity to be made.

Unlike modern day power plants that require constant attention by a full staff, wind turbines are relatively inexpensive. Yes there is a high initial cost, but once the structure is up, it costs very little to operate. And as long as the wind is blowing, there is constant power being made.

It takes very little space to install one of these high powered wind turbines. Less than an acre is all it takes to raise a wind turbine.

According to the U.s. Department of Energy, in 1990, California's wind power plants offset the emission of more than 2.5 billion pounds of Carbon dioxide and more than 15 million pounds of other pollutants that would have otherwise been produced. To get that same air quality it would take a forest of 90 million to 175 million trees. Now that was over 20 years ago, imagine with the strides we have made in the field of clean energy, what that number would be today. Well you don't have to imagine. In 2008, Texas reported that because of their wind turbine increases, there was a decrease of 8,690,000 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide. That's 19,157,974,000 pounds of CO2 that has been displaced due to their harnessing the power of the wind. That is the equivalent of taking 1.5 million cars off the road. Wow. Can you see where i'm going with this. Wind power is the fuel of the future, but the future has to start now.. =<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__Where America Stands Today__ =
 * Total U.S. Utility-Scale Wind Power Capacity, Through 1st Quarter of 2011: || 41,400 MW ||
 * U.S. Wind Power Capacity, Installed in 2010: || 5,116 MW ||
 * U.S. Wind Power Capacity, Installed in 1st Quarter of 2011: || 1,118 MW ||
 * U.S. Wind Power Capacity Under Construction as of 1st Quarter of 2011: || 5,600 MW ||
 * U.S. Wind Power Capacity, Installed in Previous Years (including small-wind): ||  ||
 * 2009:

2008:

2007: || 10,010 MW

8,366 MW

5,258 MW ||
 * Number of States with Utility-Scale Wind Installations, 2010: || 38 ||
 * Number of States with over 1,000 MW of Wind Installations, 2010: || 14 ||
 * U.S. Wind Resource Potential, Onshore (Source: NREL): || 10,400,000 MW ||
 * U.S. Wind Resource Potential, Offshore (Source: NREL): || 4,150,000 MW ||
 * Top 5 States with Wind Power Capacity Installed, 2010: ||  ||
 * 1. Texas

2. Iowa

3. California

4. Minnesota

5. Washington || 10,135 MW

3,675 MW

3,179 MW

2,432 MW

2,356 MW ||

<span style="background-color: #00ffff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__**What are some of the down sides to wind turbines?**__


 * Compared to fossil fuel power plants, there is a relatively little impact on the environment by wind power plants. However there is concern over the wildlife impacts that may be connected with turbine development. These range from noises that are produced, visual impacts and the rate of bird and bat death's on the rise. Many of the problems can be solved by technological advancements, but none the less the wind industry and government agencies have sponsored research into the deaths of relevant bird and bats collisions and are studying what the right protocols are for such incidents and how avoid them in the future.
 * Probably the most significant problem is that in order to have the high wind's needed to operate constantly, you need to have the turbine placed in the right spot. As evidenced in the picture to the right, much of the United States, and the rest of the world are in low wind area's. there are very few locations that are in such a spot that they have the steady wind flow needed to efficiently operate wind turbines. This is why many agencies that are invested in wind power development have started going offshore with their wind farms. Claiming hundreds of square miles, these wind farms house hundreds of Turbines standing over 200 feet off the water. They are not exactly close to shore, some stretching out far enough that they cannot be seen from land.
 * Because of their massive size and the density of the structures, if at sea, they have to be placed in a low traffic area. Also due to their locations, routine maintenance is made very hard with the persistent rough weather and a saline environment. The salt takes it's toll on any piece of machinery no matter what it's made of.

= Solar Energy =

Solar Power, which is defined as converting sunlight into electricity can be done in a couple of different methods.

First there is the Photovoltaic method.


 * The process through which a PV cell converts sunlight into photons.
 * Photons contain different amounts of energy depending on the wavelengths of light.
 * Photons collide with a PV cell, and are either pass right through or get reflected or absorbed. Photons that are absorbed are the ones that generate electricity.




 * Energy from the photon moves to an electron and the electron acts like a semiconductor.
 * Using this energy the electron leaves the atom, and becomes part of an electrical current, in a certain circuit.
 * With the electrical properties of a PV cell, an electric field provides the voltage needed to drive the current through an external load.

Many people might have solar panels lining the roof's of our homes. well those panel are actually called Photovoltaic Panels and they are using the process that was just described to make electricity. In more simple terms, when the sunlight hits the panels, the heat is collected in Direct Current, and the converted to Alternating Current, which is the same power that you get out of the plug in you wall at home. For all of the excess power that is made throughout the course of the day that is not used at home, the electrical meter that every house has somewhere will begin to turn backwards. This signifies that the panels are making more energy then they are taking in and the home is selling it's power back to the grid. so whenever you see the electrical meter moving backwards, you know that you are making more energy than you need, and you're also making money.

media type="youtube" key="1gta2ICarDw?rel=0" height="390" width="480" align="right" Just like there are giant wind farms, there are massive solar panel farms as well. The largest Solar Panel farm in the United States is the Nellis Air Force Base located in Nevada is rated for a maximum of 14 Megawatts.

With more than 140 acres of space used up for these Photovoltaic Panels, the farm on base is able to produce enough electricity to provide power for the more than 12,000 civilian and active duty personnel on the base itself. Now the largest Solar Panel farm in the world came on-scene rather recently. It is located in Jumilla Spain. This farm is in the wine region, and the

Mayor of the town says that the sun is guaranteed to shine at least 300 days a year making this 247 acre plot of panels a very active site. By the end of their first year the farm was able to produce 20 Megawatts, which is enough electricity to power over 20,000 homes for an entire year. These solar panels are owned by a private group of investors and are generating $28million a year. On top of the massive income made by these farms, the CO2 emissions per year are reduced by 42,000 tons just from this one farm. Solar Power is completely renewable and has no environmental impact on food or water supplies. Today according to the figures given by the Spanish Minister of Industry, renewable energy currently accounts for around 7% of the total primary energy produced in Spain.

= =

= Hydro Power =

We underestimate the amount of power that our oceans hold. Last year alone out of our renewable energy producers Hydroelectric facilities made 60% of the capital. There are more ways than one to make hydroelectric power. But one of the more well known ways is by use of a hydroelectric dam, and one of the better known facilities is the Hoover Dam on the border of Arizona and Nevada. The dam which on average creates more than 2100 Megawatts annually, separates Lake Mead ( which was erected after the creation of the Hoover Dam) from the Colorado River.



The technology pushing these hydroelectric designs is not that complicated. Take a dam for example, the water flows through a narrowed passage to increase the speed and force. It reaches a turbine which spins and is attached to a generator which is responsible for generating the power. In an underwater design like the picture right above this with those two balloon looking devices, the movement of the waves pushes an air chamber that moves a generator and creates electricity, and so long as the ocean is making waves, we can make electricity. The bonus to having all of these electricity makers is that there is a high initial cost but you have little to no operating costs, so once the initial cost is cleared the company running the device is in the black. Many are unmanned, and run pretty much self sustaining other than routine maintenance.



media type="youtube" key="cEL7yc8R42k?rel=0" height="390" width="640"

So we have explored the history of the world's energy making, and gone into the nuclear phase and back out of it again. Today we must realize that our impact on the world around us makes a huge difference in what will happen tomorrow. We continue to grow our concepts of Wind, Solar and Hydro Power and as we do we better the lives of the generations of our families that are still to come. For each of the renewable power solutions there is a high initial cost with very low to no operation fees, so once they have broken even it's all good from there on out. The enviornmental side effects just aren't there. There is no Carbon Dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere and there are no fossil fuels being burned. As we phase those coal and nuclear plants out we will continue to better not just the environment but also the people in our communities. For the health issues that come with the coal industry and the dangers of Radiation from the nuclear industry don't have any place in the renewable energy industry. There are millions of people against the power-plants of old, but the same cannot be said for the power-plants of new. For there just aren't the same issues at stake. The next step for these renewable s is to get the word out there to show people that these are feasible options and ones that will not run out so long as there is life on earth. And it's not that hard to find places to use these plants. More than 75% of Earth is covered by oceans and water, so that is covered. Out west there are flat windy lands for Wind Turbines, and Plenty of Ocean farms waiting to be developed. Solar Technology can be applied anywhere we please. Every roof should have solar panels making their own power. I feel if many Americans could see the benefits of Solar technology they would consider implementing them on their own homes.

But it goes beyond the simple ordinary person doing their fair share to make the world a better place. Legislation needs to be put in place by our elected officials to phase out the power-plants that have created all of the destruction to our atmosphere's. By making people aware of the harmfulness of cigarettes, society has almost stopped the younger generations from following the footsteps of our parent's generation. There is nothing to say that the same thing cannot be done for the way we generate power. It's about time that somebody else like Al Gore, steps up and does their part on behalf of society. Because it's going to take much more awareness than we have right now to change the world. But this is how we start a bright and renewable future for us to live in down the road.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">References Cited:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">http://www.rst2.edu/ties/acidrain/iecoal/how.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_the_United_States http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/nuclear/ <span class="wiki_link_ext">http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/aclk?sa=l&ai...dpower.com <span class="wiki_link_ext">http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/wind-power3.htm http://reich-chemistry.wikispaces.com/Anderson.Fouhey.Chaney.Spring2009.EnergyandWater <span class="wiki_link_ext">http://www.awea.org/learnabout/industry_stats/index.cfm <span class="wiki_link_ext">http://www.savewesternny.org/quotes.html http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/powering_20000.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellis_Solar_Power_Plant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gta2ICarDw http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8847562857479496579 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497116/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_Dam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEL7yc8R42k