RENEWABLE ENERGIES

  BY EDER RUIZ: Welcome to this science blog about some of the most important renewable energies:

Hydroelectric Energy Hydroelectric energy , also called hydroelectric power or  hydroelectricity , is a form of energy that harnesses the power of water in motion—such as water flowing over a waterfall—to generate electricity. People have used this force for millennia. Over two thousand years ago, people in Greece used flowing water to turn the wheel of their mill to ground wheat into flour. How Does Hydroelectric Energy Work? Most hydroelectric power plants have a reservoir of water, a gate or valve to control how much water flows out of the reservoir, and an outlet or place where the water ends up after flowing downward. Water gains potential energy just before it spills over the top of a dam or flows down a hill. The potential energy is converted into  kinetic energy  as water flows downhill. The water can be used to turn the blades of a  turbine  to generate electricity, which is distributed to the power plant’s customers. Types...

  Solar Energy R adiation  from the  Sun  capable of producing  heat , causing  chemical reactions , or generating  electricity . The total amount of solar energy incident on Earth is vastly in excess of the world’s current and anticipated energy requirements. If suitably harnessed, this highly diffused source has the potential to satisfy all future energy needs. How does a solar panel work? Simply put, a  solar panel  works by allowing photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity. Solar panels actually comprise many, smaller units called photovoltaic cells. (Photovoltaic simply means they convert sunlight into electricity.) Many cells linked together make up a solar panel.  

  Wind Energy Wind energy (or wind power) refers to the process of creating electricity using the wind, or air flows that occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere. Modern wind turbines are used to capture kinetic energy from the wind and generate electricity. There are three main types of wind energy: 1) Utility-scale wind: Wind turbines that range in size from 100 kilowatts to several megawatts, where the electricity is delivered to the power grid and distributed to the end user by electric utilities or power system operators. 2)  Distributed or "small" wind:  Single small wind turbines below 100 kilowatts that are used to directly power a home, farm or small business and are not connected to the grid. 3) Offshore wind:  Wind turbines that are erected in large bodies of water, usually on the continental shelf. Offshore wind turbines are larger than land-based turbines and can generate more power. How wind turbines work When the wind blows past a wind turb...

 Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is the heat that comes from the sub-surface of the earth. It is contained in the rocks and fluids beneath the earth’s crust and can be found as far down to the earth’s hot molten rock, magma. How does it work? To produce power from geothermal energy, wells are dug a mile deep into underground reservoirs to access the steam and hot water there, which can then be used to drive turbines connected to electricity generators. There are  three types of geothermal power plants ; dry steam, flash and binary.

 Biomass Energy Biomass energy is energy generated or produced by living or once-living organisms. The most common biomass materials used for energy are plants, such as corn and soy, above. The energy from these organisms can be burned to create heat or converted into electricity. How Biomass Energy Works Heat Wood pellets Wood is one of the simplest and oldest forms of biomass energy. Even cavemen burned wood to keep themselves warm and cook meat. Biomass heating systems can burn wood pellets or other biomass materials to provide heat for homes and businesses. Electricity Biomass can be used to make electricity, which is what's done in a waste-to-energy plant. Waste, or garbage, has a lot of once living things mixed into it like food scraps, paper, and grass clippings. This waste can be burned to heat water, which turns into steam. The steam turns a turbine, which is a machine with blades that spin like a fan. The spinning blades transfer energy to an electricity generator that ma...