5. The term bioenergy is sometimes used to cover biomass
and biofuels together.
The material of plants and animals, including their
wastes and residues, is called biomass. It is organic,
carbon-based, material that reacts with oxygen in
combustion and natural metabolic processes to release
heat. Such heat, especially if at temperatures >400 _C,
may be used to generate work and electricity.
The initial material may be transformed by chemical and
biological processes to produce biofuels, i.e. biomass
processed into a more convenient form, particularly
liquid fuels for transport.
Examples of biofuels include methane gas, liquid
ethanol, methyl esters, oils and solid charcoal.
bioenergy
7. Solar energy
Solar energy is radiant light and heat
from the Sun harnessed using a range
of ever-evolving technologies such
as:-
o Solar heating,
o Photovoltaics,
o Solar thermal energy,
o Solar architecture and
o Artificial photosynthesis.
8. Wind energy
Wind power has been used as long as
humans have put sails into the wind.
Air flow through wind turbines or sails
can produce mechanical power which
can be converted into electrical power.
There are TWO kind of turbine.
HAWT: Horizontal-axis wind turbine
VAWT: Vertical-axis wind turbine
10. Hydro Water Energy
Flowing water creates energy that can be captured and turned into
electricity. This is called hydroelectric power or hydropower.
The most common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on
a river to store water in a reservoir. Water released from the
reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn
activates a generator to produce electricity. But hydroelectric power
doesn't necessarily require a large dam. Some hydroelectric power
plants just use a small canal to channel the river water through a
turbine.
14. Conclusion on Green Energy
We must all conserve energy and use it efficiently. It's also up to those
who will create the new energy technologies of the future.
All energy sources have an impact on the environment. Concerns
about the greenhouse effect and global warming, air pollution, and
energy security have led to increasing interest and more development
in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, wave
power and hydrogen.
But we'll need to continue to use fossil fuels and nuclear energy
until new, cleaner technologies can replace them. One of you
who is reading this might be another Albert Einstein or Marie
Curie and find a new source of energy. Until then, it's up to all
of us.
The future is ours, but we need energy to get there.