Civic Issue Blog

We all know the common alternative sources of energy such a wind, solar, and nuclear energy, but what about geothermal energy?  According to Alternative Energy Solutions, “roughly 1.4 x 1021 joules of heat energy flows to the Earth’s surface every year”. The earth’s heat also known as geothermal energy is energy that escapes through the form of steam such as the Nevada hot springs. Geothermal energy is not only clean, but it is also sustainable and renewable as it is continually being produced. 

Geothermal energy ranges from shallow hot water to very high temperatures of molten rock called magma. By utilizing heat pumps, systems can tap into this available resource to cool and heat buildings. Magma is by far the most advantageous resource of geothermal energy; however, it is currently limited because we have yet to develop the technology to recover heat directly from the magma. 

Specifically, in the United States, more geothermal reservoirs are found in the western states like Hawaii and Alaska. Volcanic areas are responsible for heating the rocks in certain locations that give rise to the natural release of steam and hot water. There are many ways to generate electricity from geothermal power. One option is to drill wells in underground reservoirs to produce electricity. Other geothermal power plants use the steam from a reservoir to activate turbines to generate electricity. 

The list of applications due to the implementation of geothermal power are endless and include:

1.) Heating buildings

2.) Growing plants in greenhouses

3.) Drying crops

4.) Heating water at fish farms

5.) Industrial processes

Geothermal energy is a powerful alternative energy source that has extensive capabilities.  “As of 2013, 11,700 megawatts of large geothermal capacity was in operation globally” (GEA). Additionally, the geothermal power plants produced approximately 68 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, capable of meeting the needs of 6 million typical U.S. households (EIA). 

Advantages of Geothermal Energy: 

• Environmentally Friendly
  • geothermal energy has the least impact of any other source
  • it has zero carbon emission
• Renewable Sources
  • since geothermal energy is collected from the Earth’s core, as long as the earth exists geothermal energy exists
  • geothermal energy has the least impact of any other source
  • it has zero carbon emission
• No fuel needed
  • since mining or other degrading extraction processes are not used, there is no fuel needed for the production or use of energy
• Copious supply
  • no shortages, boundless supply, reliable
• Savings for Home Owners
  • there are estimated saving of 30-60%  on heating and 25-50%  on cooling within just a few years
• Smallest Land footprint
  •  most of the piping is laid underground
• Innovation in technology
  • scientists and engineers are continuing to develop new techniques to extract geothermal energy
    • creating low-temperatures of ideal designs of the system

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy:

• Suitable to particular regions
  • zone specific and proper location is important to generate optimal electricity production
• High initial costs
  •  costs for geothermal heat pumps for a standard home range from $10,000-$20,000
  • the system pays itself off in 5-10 years
• Cost of powering the pump
  • geothermal pumps need a power supply to be running consistently
• Surface instability
  • installing geothermal systems can alter the surface’s infrastructure and can trigger earthquakes
• Environmental concerns
  • uses a ton of water
  • sulfur dioxide and silica discharges are released into the air due to the process
• High temperatures needed
  • the site location must be able to withstand temperatures of 350 degrees Fahrenheit for the geothermal process to occur and generate desired electricity needs

Coat, natural gas, and petroleum continue to be the leading sources of energy production in the United States; however, it is essential that we continue to explore alternative energy sources to meet society’s growing energy needs. Through the implementation of increased geothermal facilities, the United States can continue to supply electricity without the high costs associated with the current modes of energy production.

 

 

 

Here is some trivia: Where was the first geothermically generated electricity produced?

Answer under the sources!!!

 

 

Sources:

1.) Davison, Alan. “Alternative Energy.” Alternative Energy – Wind, Solar, Hydro and Other Alt Energy Sources for Commercial and Home Power, 28. Mar. 2017,  from www.altenergy.org/.

2.) Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). 2013. Geothermal: International Market Overview Report. 

 3.) “Geothermal Energy Pros and Cons.” Comfort Pro Heating & Air Conditioning, 7 Dec. 2016, www.comfort-pro.com/2015/06/geothermal-energy-pros-and-cons/.

4.) “How Geothermal Energy Works.” Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-geothermal-energy-works.html#references.

5.) “Pros and Cons of Geothermal Energy.” Conserve Energy Future, 23 Dec. 2017, www.conserve-energy-future.com/pros-and-cons-of-geothermal-energy.php.

6.) U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). 2012. International Energy Statistics. Renewables: Electricity Generation: Geothermal. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Larderello, Italy, in 1904   

 

Three-Mile Island accident, Chernobyl disaster, and Fukushima disaster. These three nuclear disasters are by far the worst nuclear accidents worldwide; however, has society reached a point where we should harness the power of nuclear energy and explore the opportunities?

According to the World Nuclear Association, “clean energy now provides about 11% of the world’s electricity from about 450 power reactors.” Nuclear has the possibility to decrease our reliance on coal and gas sources that continue to pollute the atmosphere and degrade the air quality and purity. France is one of the leading countries that obtain three-fourths of its electricity production from nuclear power, while in the USA only one-fifth of electricity is from nuclear. There is a clear need to increase the generation of electricity and replace fossil fuels, but just how feasible and safe is a nuclear power plant?

Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom. A nuclear plant uses refined uranium fuel to generate electricity through a process known as fission (GE). Fission is the process of splitting uranium atoms in an enclosed nuclear reactor. Uranium fuel is comprised of small pellets made out of ceramic that is later packaged into long tubes. It is incredible that a pellet about the size of a pencil eraser can produce an enormous amount of energy. Additionally, uranium is one of the most abundant metals so it will exist naturally in the environment for generations to come.

With pretty much every source that can provide clean energy, tradeoffs are always going to be present. So, let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages closely.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Low environmental impact	Low net energy yield
Low risk of accidents in modern-day plants	Promotes spread of nuclear weapons
Emits 1/6 as much CO2 as coal	Large overall cost
Large fuel supply	Results in harmful radioactive wastes

One of the largest problems posed by turning to nuclear energy is the harmful radioactive waste. But let’s remember, nuclear power is the only large-scale energy technology that takes full responsibility for its wastes products and accounts for those additional costs. Not to mention, the radioactive waste generated through nuclear energy is relatively low compared to other thermal producing technologies. Most of the waste results from the burning of uranium to produce electricity, but all toxic waste is highly regulated and must be stored in specific locations and in certain containers. Yet, the fact still remains that nuclear energy is not renewable. Renewable sources are solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, and biomass, where each natural source replenishes to overcome resource depletion. In comparison, nuclear energy uses uranium which is an abundant, but not an infinitely abundant resource. Currently, researchers are investigating plutonium production as it could give nuclear power the status of a renewable source. The conversion to plutonium would generate even larger amounts of energy while resulting in sustainable nuclear reactions.

Now let’s see, do the benefits outweigh the costs? As the famous Law of the Conservation of Energy goes, “energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.” With that in mind, nuclear reactors are reliable, “producing power over 90% of the time” and “[operating] for more than 40 years” (Conserve Energy Future). More importantly, nuclear reactors emit NO GREENHOUSE GASES, I repeat, NO GREENHOUSE GASES! Additionally, nuclear power is more efficient and cost-effective compared to alternative energy sources.

Nuclear energy is yet still controversial and why? I know for sure that I would not want to be living right next to a nuclear power plant, aka NOT IN MY BACKYARD. Environmentalist groups and residents continue to acknowledge the chance of nuclear disasters and the possible consequences that could be released from relying on this technology. At some point, when do we decide that we must take a risk to ensure that we don’t continue to pollute the air that we breathe for the generations to come?

I believe that nuclear energy is well on its way to being integrated as the leading source of energy production in the United States and worldwide, but it will not be happening anytime soon. Adjustments still need to be made to ensure a nuclear failure/accident would never occur and the safe processing of radioactive waste products.

 

References:

1.) World Nuclear Association. (2018, February). Nuclear power in the world today. Retrieved from http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/nuclear-power-in-the-world-today.aspx

2.) What is Nuclear Power and Energy? | GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. (2018). Retrieved from https://nuclear.gepower.com/company-info/nuclear-power-basics

3.)  The Laws of Thermodynamics. (n.d.). Boundless Chemistry. Retrieved February 24, 2018 from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-chemistry/chapter/the-laws-of-thermodynamics/

4.) Advantages of Nuclear Energy. (2017, May 13). Retrieved from https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages_nuclearenergy.php

Sources:

-https://www.nuclear-power.net

-https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-nuclear-fission-illustration-white-background-image35501453

-http://www.atox.co.jp/english/business/atom_enterprise/radiationremove.html

-https://journal-neo.org/2017/11/14/the-us-neglects-the-safety-of-nuclear-power-plants-in-europe/

 

 

Every time I make the trip from Binghamton, NY to State College, PA, I always pass a wind turbine farm. Their sheer size and constant motion are mesmerizing. Today’s wind turbines are certainly different, compared to the Egyptians in 5000BC, who utilized wind power to move boats along the Nile River. The basic structure of a wind turbine is most commonly three blades connected to a tower that is comprised of tubular steel. When the blades catch the wind’s energy, a “low-pressure air pocket then pulls the blade toward it, causing the rotor to turn” (U.S. Department of Energy, para. 5). This motion, also known as lift, causes the wind’s force against the blade to be less than the force of the lift. The result: blades that spin like a propeller.

http://https://youtu.be/uXGj4t2LSEY

On top of the wind tower, is the nacelle house that stores the components of the gears, rotor, and generator. The gears are a key component that increases the rotations of the rotor to ” to roughly 1,800 revolutions per minute,” allowing the generation of AC electricity (U.S. Dept. of Energy, para. 8). Additionally, an anemometer tracks and transmits the wind speed to the turbine’s controller. Just imagine, a wind turbine without an anemometer…The blades would spin out of control and would be an extremely dangerous hazard! That goes without saying the speed of wind changes daily, a gentle breeze (8-12mph) is not the same as a strong gale (47-54mph) (Gulf of Maine Moorings). So, what are the benefits and disadvantages of wind turbines? You might be thinking there is nothing wrong with wind turbines, but I am here to offer you the reasons as to why wind turbines are far from advantageous. The advantages of relying on wind power include zero operation costs (WIND IS FREE), tax incentives create growth of the wind industry, it doesn’t release harmful toxins in comparison to coal or natural gas, and it can occupy current space on farms (Conserve Energy Future, para. 1). Wind turbines do in fact provide clean, renewable energy; however, when placed in birds migratory paths, they lead to the decrease of bird populations. As reported by the American Bird Conservatory, “the United States now has 48,000 wind turbines installed from coast to coast, with many more planned. Those turbines killed nearly 600,000 birds in 2012, from Golden Eagles to migratory songbirds” (American Bird Conservatory, 2017, para. 2). Although wind power is a clean energy source, the environmental impact on birds can result in dramatic changes in the stability of the ecosystem. Since the government is expanding efforts to pursue wind energy and move away from non-renewable energy, they are not “[finding] these areas that have high concentrations of migrants and [informing] the wind industry of the risks of building in those areas” (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, 2015, para. 11). Thus, it is important to highlight the cost-benefit comparison of wind turbines regarding bird species. Birds act as indicator species that demonstrate the environmental health of an ecosystem, so when birds decrease, the stability of the ecosystem also decreases. Through increased government regulation where wind turbines are located in accordance with migratory bird patterns, this negative consequence could be eliminated or reduced. 

Not only do wind turbines impede migratory birds patterns, they also generate sound noise and “at a residential distance of  980 ft this may be around 45 dB,” and “at 1 mi distance most wind turbines become inaudible” (General Electric Company, 2007, para. 3). Residents who live close to a wind turbines experience the low-frequency noise which can have many negative health impacts, such as “stress, fatigue, nausea, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, diabetes, and even cardiovascular disease” (Froese, para. 1). Thus, residents are forced to live in these conditions and normally don’t have enough power to change where the turbine is placed.   Finding a solution to clean energy is not a simple answer, it requires many different angles and must take into account all of the factors. Currently, a company called Sigma Design is innovating the standard wind turbine design and making it more bird-friendly. Whereas traditional blades are difficult for birds to see in flight, their design allows a bird to directly see the wind turbine (Bird-friendly). Through developing new designs, wind turbines will become more efficient, safer, and effective in the long run.

I urge you to consider this: do the benefits outweigh the costs? 

 

References:

1.) American Bird Conservatory. (2017). Go the extra mile for birds. Retrieved from https://abcbirds.org/threat/bird-strikes/

2.) Conserve Energy Future. 7 Pros and Cons of Wind Energy. (2017, February 03). Retrieved from https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/pros-and-cons-of-wind-energy.php

3.)Gulf of Maine Moorings. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2018 from http://gyre.umeoce.maine.edu/data/gomoos/buoy/php/variable_description.php?variable=wind_2_speed

4.)The U.S. Department of Energy. How a Wind Turbine Works. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2018 from https://energy.gov/articles/how-wind-turbine-works

5.) Gulf of Maine Moorings. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2018 from http://gyre.umeoce.maine.edu/data/gomoos/buoy/php/variable_description.php?variable=wind_2_speed

6.) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. (2015, March 21). Impacts of wind on wildlife. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/radar/windpower/

7.) Environmental impact of wind power [Wiki entry]. (2017, March 20). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_wind_power

8.) Froese, Michael. (2016, March 01). Does turbine noise affect human health? A look at the literature. Retrieved January from https://www.windpowerengineering.com/business-news-projects/does-turbine-noise-affect-human-health-a-look-at-the-literature/

9.) Bird-friendly compressed air wind turbines. (2012, September 03). Retrieved  from https://www.designboom.com/technology/bird-friendly-compressed-air-wind-turbines-by-raymond-green/

 

Image/Video Sources:

-http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/201303/as_i_see_it_pennsylvania_must_shift_to_renewable_energy.html

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXGj4t2LSEY

-https://www.birdnote.org/show/protecting-birds-wind-power

 

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