Running Head: RENEWABLE ENERGY

Renewable Energy
Boston Bushnell
Michelle Fisher
Bruce Gann
Derek Mazur
Salt Lake Community College
October 22, 2014

RENEWABLE ENERGY

2
Abstract

This research paper was written about four categories of renewable energy. Those categories are
Photovoltaic Systems (Solar Energy), Wind Energy, Hydroelectric power, and Geothermal
power. For each category the paper includes The History of; where it is looked at when the first
instance of the type of power is used, The Science of; where it is explained how the power is
used, The Newest Technology of; where it shows where to power is going, The Pros and Cons
of; where advantages and disadvantages are debated, The Cost of; the initial investment and
cost of ownership is discussed, The Availability of; is this type of power obtainable, and The
Practicality of; would this power be of good use or not, all four different types of renewable
energy. These methods are based off the latest research available on these four different types of
power, researched by four different students in a combined report titled Renewable Energy.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

3
Renewable Energy: Introduction

Renewable energy only makes up 9% of our energy usage, and 49% of that small amount
of energy comes from biomass when organic matter is used as fuel, such as wood which has
a high output of emissions, and is often disputed as a renewable energy source. Wind, solar,
hydro, and geothermal sources of energy are great resources that arent as widely used but come
with their own sets of pros and cons.
Renewable Energy: Solar Energy
History
The first recorded accounts recorded of the use of solar energy come from the Acient
Egyptians and the Romans. The Ancient Egyptians would build their houses in such a way that
the solar energy from the sun would heat up their home during the day, storing the heat in the
walls, then it would be released at night to keep the home warm. The Romans on the other hand
would use giant silver shields out in the ocean that would act like mirrors. They would
concentrate the heat with these shields and then focus it on enemy ships until they would catch
on fire!
In 1839, Edmond Becquerel, a French scientist, recorded the first discovery of
photovoltaic systems. Becquerel noticed that certain materials would produce a spark of
electricity when struck by sunlight. Solar energy had been around, but was rare up until the
1950s when scientists from Bell Labs decided to study and rediscover the elements and
technology needed to make solar energy and efficient source of power. By changing the solar
cells of selenium that were first used into solar cells of silicon, they were able to store four
percent of sunlight directly to electricity. Within a few years, this magnificent discovery was
powering spaceships and satellites (NASA, The Edge of Sunshine, para. 2)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Solar Energy - How It Works

All over the place we see dark panels with a cross-like grid across the surface. On roof
tops, satellites, even our calculators or watches we can find these little solar panels. We know
that they supply power to our utilities, but what is the process that goes on inside these gadgets to
produce electricity? All these devices depend and rely on the photoelectric effect. The
photoelectric effect enables matter to emit electrons when light is shone on it.
It is known that light is able to transfer this electricity into metals. Studies throughout the
recent century have shown that silicon is most efficient storage source and transmitter of
photovoltaic rays. This is because silicon is a semi-conductor, meaning, that it shares some of
the properties of metals, and some of an electric insulator, making the best of both worlds.
All day, every day, the sun radiates millions and millions of microscopic particles called
photons. These photons enter into the solar panel, literally crashing into loose electrons,
transferring their energy and knocking the electrons completely off of their atoms.
However, this is only half of the process in creating solar energy. Now that there are stray
energy-filled electrons bouncing around inside the silicon, they need to be guided into an electric
current. Therefore, inside the solar receptor, there is a need to create an electrical imbalance that
will pulls on these electrons and direct them to where they need to go.
Silicon is a very well formed structure of tightly bound atoms. When a few other outside
elements are added to this structure, we are able to create two different types of silicone, n-type
(has spare electrons) and p-type (missing electrons). When these two types of silicone are placed
close to each other, electrons from n-type jump to the other side, filling in the missing spots for
the p-type. When this happens, n-type silicone becomes positively charged, while p-type

RENEWABLE ENERGY

silicone becomes negatively charged, creating a magnetic field across the cell. As the photons
crash into and disconnect the electrons from the silicone atoms, the magnetic field generated
inside is able to control and guide these electrons, creating an electric current capable of
powering our utilities.
There are three types of solar cells that come from silicone: single-crystal cells, polycrystalline
cells, and amorphous.
Single-crystal cells are the most wasteful cells we have when it comes to money and energy to
make them, but they happen to be the most efficient cells we have (as high as 25 percent). These
cells start as long cylinders that are then cut round or hexagonal wafers. Because these highefficiency cells are more expensive, often times they are used in combination with
concentrators. By using mirrors or lenses as concentrators, we are able to boost up to 30
percent! Single-crystal cells account for 29 percent of the global market for photovoltaic.
Polycrystalline cells are sheets of molten silicone that are cut into squares. Because these cells
are square, they can be packed closely together, creating a larger surface area. These are the
most common solar cells, making up 62 percent of the global photovoltaic market. These solar
cells are the panels we see on top of houses, on the surface of our watches, and in many other
public areas. With the decrease in production cost to make these cells, we also see a decrease in
their efficiency, only producing about 15 percent, or half of the energy that a single-crystal cell
can produce.
The last type of solar cell is amorphous. Silicone is sprayed onto a glass or metal surface in
thin films. This is hands down the least expensive, and least efficient way of conducting solar
power. It results in only 5 percent of the PV global market.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Newest Technology
The most recent technology we have for solar energy allows us to store the energy and use it
even when the sun isnt shining. There are three main designs that concentrate solar energy:
parabolic troughs, parabolic dishes, and central receivers. The most common are parabolic
troughs- long, curved mirrors that concentrate sunlight on a liquid inside a tube that runs parallel
to the mirror. Once the liquid reaches about 300 degrees Celsius, it goes to a central collector
where it produces steam that drives an electric turbine (How Solar Energy Works, 2014, Solar
Thermal Concentrating Systems, para.1&2).
Parabolic dishes are the second type of concentrator used in todays world. It is similar to the
trough except that the design is to be focused on one point to concentrate a higher power of
energy. The sterling engine generates heat by reflecting the sunlight off of mirrors onto the
outside of the engine.
The last and most efficient solar energy solution are central receivers. These were first
designed in 1982 having several problems, but over the years have really advanced and become
productive systems of solar energy generation and storage. This type of concentrator is made up
of many mirrors placed in a giant field that reflect the sunlight onto a tower that is in the
middle. For example there is a 17-acre field in California that is scattered with several mirrors
that reflect the light to an 80-meter tower in the middle of the field. The concentrated heat boils
inside the tower that creates steam that drives a 10-megawatt engine at the base of the
tower. These plants are very effective an efficient in the way that they generate
energy. Concentrating solar thermal will be a big contender in the market of energy in the
upcoming years because of its efficiency and cost.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Cost, Availability, and Practicality

Because of the cost to make some of the most efficient conductors of solar power can be
rather expensive, many studies are being done on different elements such as gallium arsenide
(Ga-As), copper-indium-diselenide (CuInSe2), and cadmium-telluride (CdTe). These elements
offer a great advantage to the productivity of solar conductors, having cells that are sensitive to
different parts of the light spectrum. For example, red light is almost impossible to be picked up
by silicone and other metals just because it is unable to knock the electrons off of their
atoms. Whereas, blue light, in a very low intensity could generate far more energy than a very
high-powered red light. By having the possibility of different elements picking up specific
colors of light, much more energy could be conserved and generated while lowering the total
cost.
The great thing about solar energy conductors is the fact that you purchase it once, and it
provides its own energy. You dont have to pay month-to-month bills for the energy you are
using because its your energy! Many new businesses are integrating solar panels into the
structure of buildings by building rooftops made of solar panels along with windows lined with
translucent of a film a-Si, which reduces their cost of the electricity bill.
Originally solar panels were constructive with the purpose to provide electricity, heat,
and power to houses in remote areas. The idea of this would be dramatically less expensive
compared to the idea of building extensively long power lines and towers to get out to small
towns or villages. We have noticed recently that the idea of solar energy, in the long run, will
save us much more money. Now solar power is being used to generate cellular phone
transmitters, road signs, water pumps, and millions of solar powered watches and calculators
(How Solar Energy Works, 2014, Photovoltaics, para.14).

RENEWABLE ENERGY

The extraordinary ideas that have been happening recently with photovoltaic energy may
bring marvelous creations in the near future. Australia and North America are experimenting
more and more each year racing solar powered cars. The idea of building roads out of a cheap,
solar powered material, not only would help us conduct and store more energy, but also would
tremendously reduce the construction and rebuilding costs of roads. Instead of having to repaint
hundreds of thousands of yellow and white lines each year when switching the lanes of traffic,
these would be generated by lights that could switch with the click of a button. It would cause
less traffic due to less roadwork. Instead of digging deep down and ripping up miles or concrete
while replacing water lines or sewage, we could lift up and lay down solar panels.
With the upcoming years, solar energy will continue to expand and grow. It wont be a
perfect process that comes easy, but rather a process of trial and error. By experimenting more,
we will be able to find solutions to our flaws. We will become a more eco-friendly world,
dealing less with fossil fuels, contribute less to global warming, and will produce a clean and
healthy future for generations to come.
Renewable Energy: Wind
Wind turbines are a technology that has been developed drastically over the past 20 years
as a sustainable source of energy that is almost free in cost. Wind turbines are able to harness the
natural energy from winds created around the world, and turn that into electrical energy. As a
worldwide community needing to become less and less dependent on fossil fuel energy, wind
energy can be a substantial source that can help replace our dependency as wind turbines offer
many advantages.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Wind turbines work off of a very basic principle, to convert wind into electrical energy.
Wind is air in motion, and with air having a given mass, we have a form of kinetic energy. As a
basis for understanding how wind can generate electrical energy, we first need to know how
wind is created, and where it comes from. The basic principle behind this is Newtons second
law (Force = Mass X Acceleration), simply stating that if an object of mass is subjected to an
unbalanced force, it will undergo some sort of acceleration. With the heating of the earth by sun,
we can understand that the mass of air can change relative to temperature of this air. Two of the
most important factors in the creation of atmospheric wind are: the pressure gradient force, and
the Coriolis force. What exactly is a pressure gradient? A pressure gradient is the difference in
pressure between two points divided by their distance between these points. For a given parcel
of air, a warm parcel will exert lower pressure on the atmosphere compared to a cold parcel of
air. These differences in air pressure cause a horizontal pressure gradient. And because high
pressure air parcels across the surface accelerate to areas of low pressure, wind is created. As
soon as air starts to move around because of differential heating and the pressure gradient, it is
effected globally by the Coriolis Effect. The Coriolis Effect is a deflective force resulting from
the Earths rotation, and acts 90 degrees to the right in the northern hemisphere, and 90 degrees
to the left in the southern hemisphere. Because of the Earths rotation, the Coriolis force mainly
the direction of the wind, not its speed. It is the pressure gradient, which creates wind speeds.
The more extreme the pressure gradient, the higher the wind speeds will be. While we often
look at this as wind energy, it all happens because of solar heating, so in essence wind energy is
actually a form of solar energy.
Now that we know the basics of the creation of wind, you can start to look into how this
natural kinetic energy can be harnessed by man and machine, to create electricity. For this

RENEWABLE ENERGY

10

reading, we will mainly talking about the modern three bladed upwind facing wind turbine.
Wind turbines mainly consist of three blades, which are made to rotate by the introduction of
wind. The blades are basically airfoils that create lift. The lift is created on the airfoils, by a
high and low pressure areas across the blade. How is there a pressure differential created of the
airfoils? There are two principles to understand this: Bernoullis principle, and Newtons 3rd
law of motion. Bernoullis principle states: Where the speed of a fluid increases, internal
pressure of that fluid decreases. On an airfoil, one side of the blade will have more camber than
the other. It is this shaping of the airfoil that creates this differential in speed as the wind blows
across it. With this differential in wind speed across the airfoil, you then have a differential in
pressure. The high pressure area of the airfoil will then deflect the air downwards comparatively
(if the airfoil was flat). Newtons 3rd law state: for every action, there is an equal and opposite
reaction, meaning that if the high pressure area of the air foil deflects air downwards, the
opposite reaction would that the airfoil would be directed upwards (from an area of high
pressure, to low pressure). These two principles explain the creation of lift across the blades of a
wind turbine, which in turn causes them to rotate. It is also important to note, that lift always
acts perpendicular to the incoming relative wind, which helps you understand which direction the
blades will spin. The blades spin around a rotor, and are connected to a shaft which spins a
generator to create electrical energy.
There are some important factors in telling how much mechanical energy we are able to
convert from the wind, and there is an equation that shows these factors. Basically the more
kinetic energy the wind has, the faster the blades on the wind turbine can spin, and the more
electricity we can generate. We need to know how much power a given amount of wind can
create. Power is equal to Kinetic energy (energy in motion) over a given period of time.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

11

- The equation for Kinetic energy = 1/2 * M* V^2

- So for a given amount of time, the equation for wind power is: P= 1/2 * M * V^2
With the input of mass flow rate into this equation, we can gen the final equation for the power
of wind.
- P=12**A^3 - P = power in Watts
- = Air density / kg/m^3
- A = Swept area, m^2
- V = Velocity of the wind
So for the given equation, we can see that an increase in air density, an increase in the swept area
of the blades, and an increase in wind velocity will all factor, in creating more power. To
increase the swept area of the blades, we can design them to be longer. To increase the the
velocity of the wind there are a few things we can do to generate more power. One we can place
wind turbines in known areas of high winds. And two, we can place the turbine higher in the
atmosphere where the winds aloft, are much greater than at the surface.
Harnessing the winds energy has many advantages to us. Wind power is an extremely
clean source of energy, its very cost efficient, and it is sustainable (as long as the sun keeps
shining on the earth). According to the department of energy increasing wind energy in our
country would:
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions,
- Conserve water,

RENEWABLE ENERGY

12

- Lower natural gas prices,

- Expand manufacturing jobs,
- and generate local revenue
In conclusion, we can see through the study of physics, how we can create mechanical
energy / electrical energy, by harnessing the natural source of wind around the world. Not only
will using this technology help us generate a clean source of energy, it will also help everyone on
a global scale by reducing the effects of climate change. The energy of the future, is a
sustainable energy, which keeps the world green.
Renewable Energy: Hydropower
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the definition to hydropower is
electricity produced from machines that are run by moving water (Merriam-Webster Online
Dictionary, 2014). This definition reflects how hydropower is used in accordance with todays
technology, but humans have been using water to do work for thousands of years before humans
started using electricity.
History
One of the first applications of hydropower was used by the Greeks. They harnessed
energy from water harnessed by water wheels to ground flour for food (Department of Energy,
2014). Other applications were commonly used to power lumber mills, manufacturing plants,
and even mining. The power of a wave released from a water tank was used for the extraction of
metal ores, and was first developed in Spain. This method of hydropower was called hushing
and was very popularly used in Britain in the medieval and later periods to extract lead and tin
ores. Hushing was used at the Dolaucothi gold mine in Wales 75 AD. Hushing eventually
evolved into hydraulic mining which was used during the California gold rush, and in Utah.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

13

It wasnt until the late 19th century that the electrical generator was developed and could
be coupled with hydraulics. In 1880 a storefront in Grand Rapids, MI. used a water powered
turbine to provide lighting using direct current technology (Department of Energy,
2014). This was our nations first industrial usage of hydroelectricity (US Energy Information,
2014).
At that time the range electricity could travel wasnt very far, with ten miles being the
systems limit. Solving this limitation turned into the greatest benefit to the hydroelectric
generators, and by 1886 forty to fifty hydroelectric plants were operating in North America, and
by 1888 two hundred electric companies relied on hydropower for electrical production
(Department of Energy, 2014).
How it Works
Hydropower is the largest used renewable energy source for electricity generation in the
United States. The U.S. Energy Information Administrations website states, In 2013,
hydropower accounted for about six percent of total U.S. electricity and fifty-two percent of
generation from all renewables. Hydropower makes up six to eight percent of the total U.S.
electricity (Department of Energy, 2014). In order to use hydropower converted to electricity
through a generator, it is important to understand how it works.
One of the more obvious features of a hydropower plant is that in order for it to operate it
needs to be placed by on or near a water source. According to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency, 2014), Hydropower is considered a
renewable energy resource because it uses the Earths water cycle to generate electricity. It is
also important to know that hydropower is essentially mechanical energy transformed into
electricity by being routed through a pipe or penstock, then used to turn the blades of a turbine

RENEWABLE ENERGY

14

which spin a generator (US Energy Information, 2014). The generator produces electricity by
manipulating electrons with magnets (How Stuff Works: Generators, 2014). So the amount of
available energy a hydroelectric plant produces is directly proportionate to the mechanical
energy the water may possess which is determined by the flow of the water or the potential
energy from a fall the water experiences (US Energy Information, 2014). Swiftly moving
water carries a great deal of energy in its flow.
Currently we have many hydroelectric power plants distributing electricity across the
nation. The largest being the Grand Coulee power plant located on the Columbia River in the
state of Washington. It is a gravity dam, which is built to resist the horizontal pressure of water
pushing against it. It is capable of producing 6,809 kilowatts per hour (Grand Coulee Power,
2006). The largest hydroelectric plant in the world resides in China, and is called the Three
Gorges Dam, and is capable of producing 22,500 megawatts.
Newest Technology
The ecological concerns have encourage scientists to find other ways to harness
hydropower and convert it into electricity. In 2008 the Federal Energy Regulation Commission
approved the licensing and installation of the nations first hydrokinetic turbine was installed in
the Mississippi River near Hastings, Minnesota. The thirty-five kilowatt turbine doesnt produce
much, but if used in abundance could mean a significant impact for the green energy resources.
Other hydrokinetic resources use the natural motion of the water movement in the
oceans. When ocean water moves over any kind of cylinder, small vortices are created. The
article Tapping the Vortex for Green Energy published online by Wired magazine in 2008
states that the vortexes eventually spin away causing vibrations that over time can destroy an oil
rigs moorings. At the University of Michigan, an engineer who originally set out to find a way

RENEWABLE ENERGY

15

to suppress these vortexes to protect the oil rigs has discovered a way to harness the mechanical
energy of the vortexes.
Ocean energy, a term coined in order to describe every manifestation of renewable
energy that is produced by the sea, has the potential to be a huge source of clean energy
(Electric Power Research Institute, 2014). A study released in March of 2007 called the North
American Ocean Energy Status goes on to state that it could even provide up to ten-percent of
the United States energy demand.
Pros and Cons
Hydroelectric dams, and plants are a great source of renewable energy, but leave a wide
spread ecological damage both above and below the dam. The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) also states that: Although hydropower has no air quality impacts, construction
and operation of hydropower dams can significantly affect natural river systems as well as fish
and wildlife populations. The construction of the Three Gorges dam in China, the worlds
largest dam, resulted in habitat loss for the critically endangered Chinese river dolphin, also
known as the Baiji. The last sighting of the river dolphin was August 2007. Every hydroplant
has a similar tragic story. The Grand Coulee dam blocked major migration spawning routes of
salmon, and flooded over 21,000 acres of prime bottom land where Native Americans have been
living and hunting for thousands of years.
Cost
Modern hydro turbines can convert as much as 90% of the available energy into
electricity. The best fossil fuel plants are only about 50% efficient. In the U.S., hydropower is
produced for an average of 0.85 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh).

RENEWABLE ENERGY

16

For example the Grand Coulee Dam has an annual power generation of 21 billion
KWh. The cost to build the dam including repairing flaws and defects from the original
construction in the 1950s ended up totaling 2.93 billion dollars (this figure reflects
inflation). The project was about 55% over the original estimates. However, the plant turned out
to be a huge success despite being over budget, and makes about 17.85 billion dollars annually if
the 21 billion KWh is sold at an 0.85 cent per KWh rate.
Availability
Another con to hydropower was already discussed earlier in the article. This is the thorn
in hydropowers paw, and its biggest limitation. Hydropower is extremely limited in where a
plant can be placed. There needs to be running water with enough mechanical power to produce
enough electricity to off set the cost. Also any new sites would be highly contested due to the
wide spread ecological destruction it would cause.
Practicality
If hydropower plants were easier to find locations for, the practicality of hydropower
would grow immensely, quickly eclipsing fossil fuel electric plants. I would be able to argue
without a doubt that hydropower was the most practical, and efficient of all our green energy
options. Hopefully with technological advances in hydrokinetic power the acceptable locations
for plants, or smaller devices that produce hydroelectricity will broaden, leaving the population
of Earth with cleaner energy to consume.
Renewable Energy: Geothermal
How does Geothermal Work?
Geothermal is a system used to provide heating, cooling, hot water, and electricity to both
homes and commercial spaces by transferring heat between structures and the earths crust, by
use of specialized heat pumps. In an average year, the earth absorbs roughly 46% of the energy

RENEWABLE ENERGY

17

delivered to its surface by the sun. This is 500 times more energy than we use in a given year.
Geothermal works by tapping into this source of renewable energy by exploiting the fact that the
absorption of the suns rays by the earth creates a near constant deep earth temperature
throughout the year. The system works by utilizing the earth to act as a source of heat in the
winter and a source of coolant in the summer.
History of Geothermal.
Archaeological evidence shows that the first human use of geothermal resources in North
America occurred more than 10,000 years ago with the settlement of Paleo-Indians at hot
springs. The springs served as a source of warmth and cleansing, their minerals as a source of
healing. While people still soak in shallow pools heated by the earth, engineers are developing
technologies that will allow us to probe more than 10 miles below the earth's surface in search of
geothermal energy.
In 1807 European settlers moved westward across the continent, they gravitated toward
these springs of warmth and vitality. In 1807, the first European to visit the Yellowstone area,
John Colter, probably encountered hot springs, leading to the designation "Colter's Hell." Also
in 1807, settlers founded the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas, where, in 1830, Asa Thompson
charged one dollar each for the use of three spring-fed baths in a wooden tub, and the first known
commercial use of geothermal energy occurred.
In 1864 Homes and dwellings have been built near springs through the millennia to take
advantage of the natural heat of these geothermal springs, but the construction of the Hot Lake
Hotel near La Grande, Oregon, marks the first time that the energy from hot springs is used on a
large scale. By 1892 Folks in Boise, Idaho, feel the heat of the world's first district heating
system as water is piped from hot springs to town buildings. Within a few years, the system is

RENEWABLE ENERGY

18

serving 200 homes and 40 downtown businesses. Today, there are four district heating systems
in Boise that provide heat to over 5 million square feet of residential, business, and governmental
space. Although no one imitated this system for some 70 years, there are now 17 district heating
systems in the United States and dozens more around the world. While the first geothermal
power plant goes online at, Lardarello, Italy in 1904.
In 1921 John D. Grant drills a well at The Geysers with the intention of generating
electricity. This effort is unsuccessful, but one year later Grant meets with success across the
valley at another site, and the United States' first geothermal power plant goes into operation.
Grant uses steam from the first well to build a second well, and, several wells later, the operation
is producing 250 kilowatts, enough electricity to light the buildings and streets at the resort. The
plant, however, is not competitive with other sources of power, and it soon falls into disuse.
Science behind Geothermal
In general, geothermal systems consist of three components, First a ground (or water
source) heat pump, second, a heat sink/source (open or closed loop piping system) and third, a
distribution system (forced air ductwork or hydronic piping). The heat sink/source is obtained
by placing a series of pipes underground or in the water of a well or pond. This is known as the
ground or water loop. It functions as a heat exchanger that either extracts or adds heat to the
ground. These systems come in several different configurations, each with its own strengths and
weaknesses.
Vertical Loops are pair of pipes with a special ubend assembly at the bottom is inserted into a bore hole
that averages between 150 to 250 feet deep per ton of
HVAC equipment. These holes are then backfilled with a
Figure - Geo - 1
Vertical Loop

Figure - Geo -2
Horizontal Loop

RENEWABLE ENERGY

19

special grout solution to ensure good contact with the earth. Or horizontal loops (Fig Geo 2)
are dug in trenches are normally about five feet deep with multiple pipes placed in the trench at
different depths. Pond Loops are usually very economical to install. If a pond or lake at least
eight feet deep is available, pond loops can utilize the water (rather than soil) to transfer heat to
and from the pond. A coiled pipe is placed in the water, which should cover about acre. An
average home would require about 900 feet of pipe. Reduced installation costs and high
performance are characteristics of this type of loop.
Newest technology
Some of the newest technology in geothermal energy will replace water going through
the loops with CO2. This replacement is, some have claimed, will increase the efficacy of the
heat transfer between the heat sink, the ground or water loops, and the earths crust. And as an
added benefit the plan is to capture the CO2 from fossil fuel plants already in operation. There is
also work being done, to provide technology that can be used at much lower temperature to run
electrical turbines and produce electricity at a lower cost.
Pros and Cons.
Some of the many advantages to using geothermal in both commercial and residential
building are, the enormous amount of thermal energy in the earth that is replenished, by the sun,
at a very high rate, this amount of energy is conservatively estimated to be much more than all
the fossil fuels and nuclear materials combined. There would be no price fluctuation as in crude
oil, and there are no products being consumed, unlike the fossil fuel industry. Lifetime cost of
this energy option, for both residences and generation plants are smaller than any other type of
energy
Some of the disadvantages to geothermal energy could be, the initial investment to

RENEWABLE ENERGY

20

building a generation plant can be very high. Very deep holes need to be drilled to gain access to
the vast majority of energy in the earths crust. Sites with volcanic activity suitable for electricity
generation are difficult to find, however this can be manipulated. To implement geothermal
HVAC in already constructed buildings, real estate must be available adjacent to the building for
a bore field. Thus, major metropolitan areas arent good candidates for this high efficiency
HVAC system.
Cost
The Loop field is responsible for about 50 % of the cost of installation of a geothermal
system for residential buildings. Where the heat exchanger and blower units are the other 50%
of the cost, however as the technology improves in both drilling and heat exchanger and blower
units, the cost of both will drop drastically.
Availability
Units are very easily obtained for residential buildings, even here in the Salt Lake Valley,
a simple Google search for providers listed a half of a dozen of more in Salt Lake alone, not to
mention the rest of the Wasatch Front.
Future of Renewable Energy
After discussing the different types of renewable energy out there that arent classified as
biomass (wood burning) it is safe to assume that the future of energy is on a cusp of change, and
the renewable sources of energy has a lot to offer residential, commercial, and industrial systems
locally, nationally, and even globally. Utah alone has great potential for solar and wind arrays,
and investing into these systems not only will decrease our building emission costs (which is
almost as much as emissions from vehicles) but also stimulate local and global economies
increasing the quality of living on a spectrum of levels.

RENEWABLE ENERGY
Sources for Solar
How Solar Energy Works. Retrieved October 19, 2014, from the World Wide Web:
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-solar-energyworks.html#bf-toc-4

The Edge of Sunshine. Retrieved October 19, 2014, from the World Wide Web:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2002/solarcells/

Sources for Wind

Araujo, K. (n.d.). Wind Power Fundamentals

How Do Wind Turbines Work? (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2014, from

http://energy.gov/eere/wind/how-do-wind-turbines-work

Lester, P. (1995). Wind. In Aviation weather (3rd ed.). Englewood, CO: Jeppesen
Sanderson Training Products.

Sources for Hydropower

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. (2014). Retrieved October 15, 2014, from
http://www.merriam-webster.com/

US Energy Information. (2014). Retrieved October 17, 2014, from

http://www.eia.gov/

21

RENEWABLE ENERGY

22

Department of Energy. (2014). Retrieved October 17, 2014, from

http://energy.gov/

2012 Renewable Energy Data Book. (2012) Rertrieved October 15, 2014 from
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/60197.pdf

2How Stuff Works: Generators. (2014) Rertrieved October 15, 2014 from
http://science.howstuffworks.com/electricity3.htm

Grand Coulee Power. (2006) Rertrieved October 15, 2014 from

http://web.archive.org/web/20061007011118/http://www.usbr.gov/pn/news/02new/gcrec
ord.html

Enviormental Protection Agency. (2014) Rertrieved October 15, 2014 from

http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/hydro.html

Electric Power Research Institute. (2014) Rertrieved October 19, 2014 from
http://oceanenergy.epri.com/

Sources for Geothermal

Ballard, M. (2009, Feb).Research and Development Initiative, Geothermal Heat Pump.
Retrieved from http://www.igshpa.okstate.edu/geothermal/research/OGE Ground Source

RENEWABLE ENERGY

23

Heat Exchange Initiative.pdf

Geothermal Pros and Cons. (2014). Geothermal Pros and Cons web site. Retrieved from
http://GeothermalProsandCons.net

Lepisto, C. (2013, December 17) New geothermal technology could produce 10 times the
electricity using CO2 from fossil fuel plants. Retrieved from http:/www.treehugger.com/
renewable-energy/new-geothermal-technology-could-produce-10-times-electricity-usingco2-fossil-fuel-plants.html/

Moore, J. N., Ross, H. P., & Wright, P. M. (2010). A History of Geothermal Energy Research
and Development in the United States. Retrieved from http:// http://energy.gov/eere
/geothermal/downloads/history-geothermal-energy-research-and-development-unitedstates