Wind Turbines - Can they Spin? How High?
by Eryne Jenkins
In Hangzhou, China this past month, the Delaware Summer Chinese LInCS program engaged in an immersive experience of culture, language, and STEM in regards to green energy alternatives. Through various site visits and seminars, the group learned about wind energy, solar energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, and many other viable alternatives. These energies, according to Dr. Zhonggui Zhou of the Environment and Energy Security Institute, must come from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, in order to be
considered renewable. Wind energy seems especially interesting given the availability of wind, and, through a seminar entitled China’s Plan and Recent Development in Clean Energy by Dr. Zhou, seems to command a more in depth view of its potential as a source of clean energy.
Wind energy can be explained in just a few steps. First, a rotating generator converts wind energy to electricity as the turbines spin. Secondly, a transformer increases the voltage for transmission to a substation, where it prepares it for a long distance transfer. Finally, the energy is transmitted to the grid. Wind farms, or the large cluster of wind turbines in one area, can be found on open land, on the coastlines, and in mountainous regions. In Delaware, former Governor Jack Markell previously signed a law to even allow homeowners in the state to have
wind turbines on their properties. While this is more of an unusual approach to wind energy, this could be a telling example of the future relationship of China, the United States, and the citizens of each country, as technology, production, and investment in both economies are needed to improve current technology. For example, China produces turbines, like the ones on the rooftop of a house in Camden, Delaware. The family imported wind turbines from China, and through a government provided grant, out of pocket money, and a federal tax write off installed
them on their house, as seen below. This is a great example of the relationship of the countries, the citizens, and the environment. Both China and the United States have viable space wind farms in their northwest regions. However, Dr. Zhou explained that because it would take so much energy to heighten the voltage up enough for the long distance from the farm to the point of usage, it is hard to harness this energy from the distant regions. The transfer of the energy across long distances, such as to their most-populated regions of the northeast, is uneconomical and
ineffective. Other limitations include the threat of high speed rotation to birds and the potential for noise pollution. More research is needed to truly understand these threats to nature and best appropriate the use of wind energy in the future.
The visit to the National Wetland Museum of China served as a visual for the daunting task to invest time and money into renewable energy. If the world does not thoroughly invest in alternative energy and limit consumption of fossil fuels, the very idea of biodiversity that makes the earth unique is at risk. Ultimately through this trip, it is clear that as two leading countries of consumption, it is imperative that America and China lead the charge in clean energy. Wind energy seems like it can be a strong aspect of the world’s clean energy initiative, given the availability of wind in many areas. However, as another program professor, Dr. Zhang of Zhenjiang Technical University suggested, the world is unable to depend on one type of energy because of the potential of various weather experiences, national disasters, and other uncontrollable factors.
considered renewable. Wind energy seems especially interesting given the availability of wind, and, through a seminar entitled China’s Plan and Recent Development in Clean Energy by Dr. Zhou, seems to command a more in depth view of its potential as a source of clean energy.
Wind energy can be explained in just a few steps. First, a rotating generator converts wind energy to electricity as the turbines spin. Secondly, a transformer increases the voltage for transmission to a substation, where it prepares it for a long distance transfer. Finally, the energy is transmitted to the grid. Wind farms, or the large cluster of wind turbines in one area, can be found on open land, on the coastlines, and in mountainous regions. In Delaware, former Governor Jack Markell previously signed a law to even allow homeowners in the state to have
wind turbines on their properties. While this is more of an unusual approach to wind energy, this could be a telling example of the future relationship of China, the United States, and the citizens of each country, as technology, production, and investment in both economies are needed to improve current technology. For example, China produces turbines, like the ones on the rooftop of a house in Camden, Delaware. The family imported wind turbines from China, and through a government provided grant, out of pocket money, and a federal tax write off installed
them on their house, as seen below. This is a great example of the relationship of the countries, the citizens, and the environment. Both China and the United States have viable space wind farms in their northwest regions. However, Dr. Zhou explained that because it would take so much energy to heighten the voltage up enough for the long distance from the farm to the point of usage, it is hard to harness this energy from the distant regions. The transfer of the energy across long distances, such as to their most-populated regions of the northeast, is uneconomical and
ineffective. Other limitations include the threat of high speed rotation to birds and the potential for noise pollution. More research is needed to truly understand these threats to nature and best appropriate the use of wind energy in the future.
The visit to the National Wetland Museum of China served as a visual for the daunting task to invest time and money into renewable energy. If the world does not thoroughly invest in alternative energy and limit consumption of fossil fuels, the very idea of biodiversity that makes the earth unique is at risk. Ultimately through this trip, it is clear that as two leading countries of consumption, it is imperative that America and China lead the charge in clean energy. Wind energy seems like it can be a strong aspect of the world’s clean energy initiative, given the availability of wind in many areas. However, as another program professor, Dr. Zhang of Zhenjiang Technical University suggested, the world is unable to depend on one type of energy because of the potential of various weather experiences, national disasters, and other uncontrollable factors.
Is this what's next?
STEM Reflection by Ruhi Khan
Energy is the the basis of life. Without it, humanity cannot function and as technology has become more advanced, we have become more and more dependent on it. But as newer devices are developed, the types of energy had to increase to keep up with the growing demand. The primary source: fossil fuels,are very limited and as we continue to use them up are becoming very limited and more expensive. Renewable energy has become more and more essential to survival. There are a variety of renewable energies that are used all over the world to many degrees.
Solar energy is one of the more commonly accessible methods of protecting the environment while using an energy source that is completely renewable: sunlight. When the panels have direct sunlight they are able to convert the thermal and light energy to energy that can be used. However the areas of the most sunlight accessibility are in deserts far from settlements or people that could use it and by the time it is transported, a lot of the energy will have decreased. The panels themselves are also very expensive, and though they require minimal maintenance and repairs, the investment of the panels can be well worth the cost as after installation, there is no need to replace or repair for 25-30 years during which time there is no need to pay for electricity for either domestic or industrial purposes. During especially sunny days, the converted energy that is not used can go back into the grid, and the owner of the panels can receive money for the unused energy. Solar panels, when they are being built, create a lot of pollution, so while it may be a clean option of energy, solar panels aren't completely guilt free.
Biofuel is another example of renewable energy. Fossil fuels are decomposed plant and animal matter. During the carbon cycle, carbon based organisms, which includes all earthly organisms, decompose but still are carbon based. After millions of years of decomposition and pressure, the organisms become carbon fossil fuels such as petroleum, oil, coal, and natural gas. However, this process is a long process that cannot be exactly replicated with renewable resources, meaning that fossil fuels are a limited substance. Biofuel and bioethanol are solutions as they imitate the carbon cycle by taking organic matter, such as corn or wheat, and convert it, through a process similar to brewing alcohol, to a substance that can be used as energy. While this can reduce the use of fossil fuels, it can't be used in developing countries as the source of the biofuel are sugar and starch based plants. These plants could be used to for animal feed and human food so biofuel cannot be a complete solution. Biofuel is also not as efficient as oil and petroleum. Biofuel may be clean and able to be used as a renewable resource through an inexpensive process, but it can take from the food supply of people and animals that need it.
Wanxiang is a multibillion RMB company based in China with facilities in ten countries and partnerships with companies such as Volkswagen, Ford, and Chrysler. Wanxiang is a company that is a concerned about the current state of the environment, especially in China, as the pollution is off the scales. They express their concern through their products: electric cars. Wanxiang designs cars that have special batteries that do not require the use of fossil fuels. They are working on ways to make these electric cars cheaper so more and more people will be able to purchase them. do not have to use other gas powered cars that are one of the most responsible for pollution.
Whether it is solar or a fossil fuel, energy will always be important to humanity but every type and source has its benefits and drawbacks. This is why rather than relying on a single method of energy conversion, humanity should use a variety. In case of a complication with one, another can be used but either way, non renewable resources like fossil fuels should not be used or minimally if at all. In order to be a sustainable civilization, energy should be retrieved from only an array of renewable sources to reserve resources for the future generations. Private companies like Wanxiang and governments alike should work together to find sustainable substitutes for energy in order for scientists to focus of continuing research for things more important than energy. Our dependence on energy is not a concern but running out of it can be. Living a day without energy is impossible.
Solar energy is one of the more commonly accessible methods of protecting the environment while using an energy source that is completely renewable: sunlight. When the panels have direct sunlight they are able to convert the thermal and light energy to energy that can be used. However the areas of the most sunlight accessibility are in deserts far from settlements or people that could use it and by the time it is transported, a lot of the energy will have decreased. The panels themselves are also very expensive, and though they require minimal maintenance and repairs, the investment of the panels can be well worth the cost as after installation, there is no need to replace or repair for 25-30 years during which time there is no need to pay for electricity for either domestic or industrial purposes. During especially sunny days, the converted energy that is not used can go back into the grid, and the owner of the panels can receive money for the unused energy. Solar panels, when they are being built, create a lot of pollution, so while it may be a clean option of energy, solar panels aren't completely guilt free.
Biofuel is another example of renewable energy. Fossil fuels are decomposed plant and animal matter. During the carbon cycle, carbon based organisms, which includes all earthly organisms, decompose but still are carbon based. After millions of years of decomposition and pressure, the organisms become carbon fossil fuels such as petroleum, oil, coal, and natural gas. However, this process is a long process that cannot be exactly replicated with renewable resources, meaning that fossil fuels are a limited substance. Biofuel and bioethanol are solutions as they imitate the carbon cycle by taking organic matter, such as corn or wheat, and convert it, through a process similar to brewing alcohol, to a substance that can be used as energy. While this can reduce the use of fossil fuels, it can't be used in developing countries as the source of the biofuel are sugar and starch based plants. These plants could be used to for animal feed and human food so biofuel cannot be a complete solution. Biofuel is also not as efficient as oil and petroleum. Biofuel may be clean and able to be used as a renewable resource through an inexpensive process, but it can take from the food supply of people and animals that need it.
Wanxiang is a multibillion RMB company based in China with facilities in ten countries and partnerships with companies such as Volkswagen, Ford, and Chrysler. Wanxiang is a company that is a concerned about the current state of the environment, especially in China, as the pollution is off the scales. They express their concern through their products: electric cars. Wanxiang designs cars that have special batteries that do not require the use of fossil fuels. They are working on ways to make these electric cars cheaper so more and more people will be able to purchase them. do not have to use other gas powered cars that are one of the most responsible for pollution.
Whether it is solar or a fossil fuel, energy will always be important to humanity but every type and source has its benefits and drawbacks. This is why rather than relying on a single method of energy conversion, humanity should use a variety. In case of a complication with one, another can be used but either way, non renewable resources like fossil fuels should not be used or minimally if at all. In order to be a sustainable civilization, energy should be retrieved from only an array of renewable sources to reserve resources for the future generations. Private companies like Wanxiang and governments alike should work together to find sustainable substitutes for energy in order for scientists to focus of continuing research for things more important than energy. Our dependence on energy is not a concern but running out of it can be. Living a day without energy is impossible.
STEM Reflection by Jonathan Lee
Before coming to China, I primarily believed that their level of pollution was just an exaggeration and that it couldn’t be anywhere close to the extent of what was being portrayed on the news. Instead, my views were changed even before even landing in Beijing. Rather than seeing clouds or the scenic sights of China, we were greeted with a haze of smog. Even though many factors can attribute to the problem, I believe that the increased production and sales of cars within china can be one of the primary reasons.
Over the past couple of years, the number of cars in China has increased exponentially. From 2008 to 2016 the car sales for passenger and commercial vehicles in China per year has more than tripled rising from 9 million to 28 million. Because of such an immense increase in such a brief amount of time, China’s atmosphere has definitely taken a hit. In the 2000 World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that Chinese emissions would be 18% of the global total in 2020, in 2015 the actual value was 29%. The Wanxiang Group located in Hangzhou China is a Chinese multinational automotive component manufacturing company. It is the largest China based automotive components company that focuses on battery, electric vehicle, natural gas power generation, and wind power generation.
During my time at the Wanxiang Headquarters, I learned a great deal of vital information regarding the build of their electric cars. One of their most well-known products would include the Karma which is run by the batteries that Wanxiang produces. Their company has been able to make billions through their years of industrialization. With an eight-step production system that includes mixing, coating, roll pressing, punching, stacking, assembling, E/L filling, and formation they have been able to create batteries. An ambassador there explained that a switch to electric cars is more beneficial for the climate because petroleum vehicles produce more greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy than power plants fueled by natural gasses. Many countries are now interested in switching to fully electric vehicles. There are various government incentives that have turned China into the largest market for electric vehicles. Countries such as India would like all cars sold there by 2030 to be electric. France says it wants to end sales of new diesel and gasoline cars by 2040, while Norway’s goal is set for 2025. Currently, there are two million electric cars in 2016, up 60 percent from 2015. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, electric cars would become cheaper than conventional cars without government subsidies as soon as 2025. Overall, electric cars will one day replace the inefficient gas guzzling ones that release CO2.
Over the past couple of years, the number of cars in China has increased exponentially. From 2008 to 2016 the car sales for passenger and commercial vehicles in China per year has more than tripled rising from 9 million to 28 million. Because of such an immense increase in such a brief amount of time, China’s atmosphere has definitely taken a hit. In the 2000 World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that Chinese emissions would be 18% of the global total in 2020, in 2015 the actual value was 29%. The Wanxiang Group located in Hangzhou China is a Chinese multinational automotive component manufacturing company. It is the largest China based automotive components company that focuses on battery, electric vehicle, natural gas power generation, and wind power generation.
During my time at the Wanxiang Headquarters, I learned a great deal of vital information regarding the build of their electric cars. One of their most well-known products would include the Karma which is run by the batteries that Wanxiang produces. Their company has been able to make billions through their years of industrialization. With an eight-step production system that includes mixing, coating, roll pressing, punching, stacking, assembling, E/L filling, and formation they have been able to create batteries. An ambassador there explained that a switch to electric cars is more beneficial for the climate because petroleum vehicles produce more greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy than power plants fueled by natural gasses. Many countries are now interested in switching to fully electric vehicles. There are various government incentives that have turned China into the largest market for electric vehicles. Countries such as India would like all cars sold there by 2030 to be electric. France says it wants to end sales of new diesel and gasoline cars by 2040, while Norway’s goal is set for 2025. Currently, there are two million electric cars in 2016, up 60 percent from 2015. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, electric cars would become cheaper than conventional cars without government subsidies as soon as 2025. Overall, electric cars will one day replace the inefficient gas guzzling ones that release CO2.
STEM Reflection by Ashwin Badal
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas are the main sources of energy in today’s world in the vast majority of nations. They have also been some of the earliest and initially the most efficient sources of energy. However, there are recent concerns about the depleting supply of these fossil fuels given that they aren’t renewable, as well as concerns about the impact they have on the environment. Thus, there has been investment and development in “clean energy” sources such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, etc.
Solar is one common and well known type of renewable energy source, and one could easily purchase products such as lamps or cell phone chargers powered by solar energy. It utilizes energy from the sun, hence why it’s called solar. The sun is seen as an excellent source of energy by some since it will not stop shining for billions of years. It dates back to as early as 1906 where solar water heaters were used to heat water through sunlight, and has developed even further from there. The main type of solar however is photovoltaics, which use semiconducting materials that use the “photovoltaic effect” to convert solar energy into electricity. Photovoltaic panels are typically made from Silicon which has around a 25-30% efficiency rate when used for solar panels. The use of Silicon however does challenge the “cleanliness” of solar energy, given that mining and purification of silicon causes some level of pollution. It also faces competition with electronic markets, given that devices such as cell phones and computers use Silicon for internal components. Solar Energy also has a very low conversion efficiency and is restricted by natural conditions such as storms, cloudy days, cold weather, etc. This all gives solar a huge disadvantage, and drives up its cost to be quite expensive compared to other types of energy sources.
Another form of green energy is Biofuel. Biofuel is fuel that is made from biological processes that replenish within a natural time, making it renewable. Fossil fuels on the other hand have an imbalance between usage and supply, as it takes millions of years to form. There are 5 main categories of biofuel, which are vegetable oil, biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, and Bio-ETBE. Bioethanol is one of the most common of them and can be classified further into 1G, 1.5G, and 2G bioethanol. 1G is based on grain, which has made it quite controversial given issues with malnutrition in the third world. Thus, nations have moved away from that and into 1.5G bioethanol (which uses cassava and sweet sorghum) and 2G bioethanol (corn cob and corn/wheat stalk). Biofuels have also been developing with time. Examples include Brazil’s requirement of car engines using 25% biofuel at a minimum, with the other 75% being traditional petroleum gasoline. The Boeing 737 Next Gen was also propelled by a 50-50 mix of conventional jet fuel and biofuel. Biofuel is also in fact cheaper than conventional fuel types per gallon. While this all seems promising, this source is set back by its low efficiency and costly engines – making it expensive to use.
Nuclear energy is another clean energy source which seems very promising to many. This type of energy relies on elements such as Uranium or Thorium. These elements are utilized as energy by a nuclear reactor, which uses fission to separate the nucleus of these atoms to create heat. This heat is then converted to electricity and utilized as an energy source. The process as which nuclear energy is generated causes absolutely no pollution, making it clean. In addition to this, nuclear energy is cheap to produce. While initial investment costs are high, it can yield quite a bit of energy that isn’t too costly to produce – making it cheaper than certain fossil fuels in some scenarios. However, a concern with nuclear is that it can cause unrest among local populations given that it has the potential to cause severe radiation when mismanaged. Incidents such as the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union (1986) or the Fukushima incident in Japan (2011) have proved the destructive potential of nuclear power plants when mismanaged, which is the primary setback of nuclear energy.
Now out of many energy sources, no one source could ever have anywhere near an absolute monopoly over clean energy. However, many look to debate as to which is the best one for reasons such as investment and a solution to the fossil fuel crisis, where the supply of them depletes and concerns about pollution remain. Many radical environmentalists like to look towards sources such as biofuel, solar, or wind for this. However, the potential of nuclear is quite overlooked. Nuclear energy is one of the cheapest forms of clean energy, even cheaper than fossil fuels in many instances. It also poses huge potential as its very powerful and can generate quite a bit of energy. While many do fear the destructive potential of nuclear due to past incidents such as Fukushima or Chernobyl, these have mainly been caused by very poor management. Better management of nuclear power plants and some safety measures and regulations could easily prevent this from happening again. Thus, nuclear’s cheap cost and power makes it better suited than any other clean energy source. Nuclear energy can also develop to be renewable with seawater Uranium extraction technology being developed and utilized in the future. Thus, it is a great solution to replace fossil fuels.
Solar is one common and well known type of renewable energy source, and one could easily purchase products such as lamps or cell phone chargers powered by solar energy. It utilizes energy from the sun, hence why it’s called solar. The sun is seen as an excellent source of energy by some since it will not stop shining for billions of years. It dates back to as early as 1906 where solar water heaters were used to heat water through sunlight, and has developed even further from there. The main type of solar however is photovoltaics, which use semiconducting materials that use the “photovoltaic effect” to convert solar energy into electricity. Photovoltaic panels are typically made from Silicon which has around a 25-30% efficiency rate when used for solar panels. The use of Silicon however does challenge the “cleanliness” of solar energy, given that mining and purification of silicon causes some level of pollution. It also faces competition with electronic markets, given that devices such as cell phones and computers use Silicon for internal components. Solar Energy also has a very low conversion efficiency and is restricted by natural conditions such as storms, cloudy days, cold weather, etc. This all gives solar a huge disadvantage, and drives up its cost to be quite expensive compared to other types of energy sources.
Another form of green energy is Biofuel. Biofuel is fuel that is made from biological processes that replenish within a natural time, making it renewable. Fossil fuels on the other hand have an imbalance between usage and supply, as it takes millions of years to form. There are 5 main categories of biofuel, which are vegetable oil, biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas, and Bio-ETBE. Bioethanol is one of the most common of them and can be classified further into 1G, 1.5G, and 2G bioethanol. 1G is based on grain, which has made it quite controversial given issues with malnutrition in the third world. Thus, nations have moved away from that and into 1.5G bioethanol (which uses cassava and sweet sorghum) and 2G bioethanol (corn cob and corn/wheat stalk). Biofuels have also been developing with time. Examples include Brazil’s requirement of car engines using 25% biofuel at a minimum, with the other 75% being traditional petroleum gasoline. The Boeing 737 Next Gen was also propelled by a 50-50 mix of conventional jet fuel and biofuel. Biofuel is also in fact cheaper than conventional fuel types per gallon. While this all seems promising, this source is set back by its low efficiency and costly engines – making it expensive to use.
Nuclear energy is another clean energy source which seems very promising to many. This type of energy relies on elements such as Uranium or Thorium. These elements are utilized as energy by a nuclear reactor, which uses fission to separate the nucleus of these atoms to create heat. This heat is then converted to electricity and utilized as an energy source. The process as which nuclear energy is generated causes absolutely no pollution, making it clean. In addition to this, nuclear energy is cheap to produce. While initial investment costs are high, it can yield quite a bit of energy that isn’t too costly to produce – making it cheaper than certain fossil fuels in some scenarios. However, a concern with nuclear is that it can cause unrest among local populations given that it has the potential to cause severe radiation when mismanaged. Incidents such as the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union (1986) or the Fukushima incident in Japan (2011) have proved the destructive potential of nuclear power plants when mismanaged, which is the primary setback of nuclear energy.
Now out of many energy sources, no one source could ever have anywhere near an absolute monopoly over clean energy. However, many look to debate as to which is the best one for reasons such as investment and a solution to the fossil fuel crisis, where the supply of them depletes and concerns about pollution remain. Many radical environmentalists like to look towards sources such as biofuel, solar, or wind for this. However, the potential of nuclear is quite overlooked. Nuclear energy is one of the cheapest forms of clean energy, even cheaper than fossil fuels in many instances. It also poses huge potential as its very powerful and can generate quite a bit of energy. While many do fear the destructive potential of nuclear due to past incidents such as Fukushima or Chernobyl, these have mainly been caused by very poor management. Better management of nuclear power plants and some safety measures and regulations could easily prevent this from happening again. Thus, nuclear’s cheap cost and power makes it better suited than any other clean energy source. Nuclear energy can also develop to be renewable with seawater Uranium extraction technology being developed and utilized in the future. Thus, it is a great solution to replace fossil fuels.
STEM Reflection by Dea Harjianto
China is in dire need of an alternative for fossil fuels due to the rising danger of pollution. A plausible alternative to fossil fuels would be green energy sources that focus on the usage of timely replenishable contents that can be found on our planet (solar, geothermal, wind, hydroelectric, etc.).
Solar energy is essentially the use of the sun to produce energy which can be done in two ways: light-thermal conversion and photoelectric conversion. Light-thermal conversion involves using the sun's energy to create thermal energy to heat up contents like water or the air. Photoelectric conversion involves using the sun's energy to create electricity. This electricity is produces when the sun's light creates heat energy, which powers the heat engine that's connected to an electrical power generator. The most popular way of performing a photoelectric conversion is to use photovoltaics; it employs solar panels which consists of solar cells. Photovoltaics create a photoelectric effect followed by an electrochemical process (crystallized atoms are ionized by lone electrics in a wave/pattern, creating an electric current). Solar energy is favorable in the fact that it is extremely replenishable and a reliable source of green energy that would cause little to no harm to our environment. A downside to solar energy is that it is quite an expensive procedure; even with materials and elements that are lower in cost to traditional solar cells (ex. CdTe, Dye-Sensitized) since it is hard to retrieve most of the resources used to make solar panels. Another downside would be the market the solar panel caters to; it is either hard to persuade most polluters to switch to green energy or there is a rapid change from fossil fuel to green energy. Solar energy would solely be beneficial in areas with large amounts of sunlight (ex. western China), but in such developed areas of government, they would provide enough energy to majorly cut down fossil fuel consumption with widespread use.
Biofuel and geothermal energy are two other forms of green energy. Biofuel is the use of the planet's biological matter as fuel, while geothermal energy is the use of the planet's internal heat to generate energy. Biofuel is essentially plentiful and replenishable on a human timescale. It uses non-grain products such as cassava to avoid direct combat with the humans' need for food. There are three generations of biofuel: 1st gen, 1.5 gen, and 2nd gen. 2nd generation is the most advanced and widely popularized form of biofuel, marked the least in cost among other generations. An advantage to biofuel is the fact that it is plentiful and relatively cheap compared to the cost of fossil fuels. However, a disadvantage is that it is significantly weaker than fossil fuels, requiring more biofuel to travel the distance of fossil fuels. It is also a fuel that requires a specific engine; it does not completely cooperate with any kind of technology. Geothermal energy is used in anything involving heat: a heating source, food dehydration, steaming and drying, etc. Geothermal energy can also be used to generate electricity by creating steam which triggers turbines that powers an electricity generator. An advantage to this is that it is replenishable and easy to extract. A disadvantage would be the fact that it varies on location; it also starts out as a very expensive form of energy to even extract. Lastly, it carries out traces of harmful substances out of the earth. Nonetheless, biofuel and geothermal energy are excellent alternatives to fossil fuels and can last in the long run.
Electric vehicles are a new form of transportation that travels on electricity rather than fossil fuels, delaying gradual air pollution. Instead of a traditional engine, the electric vehicle relies on a large battery. Advantages to electric vehicles would be the fact that they cut down on air pollution, are relatively quiet compared to traditional cars, and are cheaper to operate. Disadvantages to electric vehicles are the fact that it's expensive to initially purchase due to the cost of the battery, significantly weaker and requires more recharges than a traditional car, and not widely popularized; this creates difficulty in persuading the general consumer market to switch to electric cars, causing those who do have one having difficulty finding a place to recharge their cars on long trips. Electric vehicles are a great alternative, but only with widespread popularity. If a large community pursues the expansion of the use of electric vehicles, a major cause of air pollution would be tackled.
Wind energy relies on the changes in temperature which generates wind. Windmills collect wind power/kinetic energy and through a converter, creates electricity. Wind energy is a reliable source of alternative green energy, but only in places where wind is plentiful and recurrent (ex. the ocean); it generates electricity fast at a cheap cost to operate. This could also be a disadvantage because wind turbines cannot be used everywhere; it is quite loud (peak volume almost equivalent to a lawnmower) and is extremely reliant on the presence of strong wind. Nonetheless, wind energy is an extremely viable resource when placed in the right area and with further innovation can become a popular alternative to fossil fuels.
Nuclear energy is a debatable form of clean energy due to its high risk on the human race; it produces harmful waste which affects the environment. While it is considerably more powerful than fossil fuels due to its consumption of uranium, it is no long term solution due to the limited supply of uranium in the earth, unless we pursue heavy scientific processes to produce our own uranium. The only thing separating it from being referred to as a fossil fuel would be its extremely low greenhouse emissions. It emits almost half of the greenhouse gases normal fossil fuels emit. The most intensifying disadvantage for nuclear energy, however, would be its deadly effects on living organisms. Nuclear energy and power plants require really intensive care and extremely knowledgeable employees in order to correctly harness the energy to be the cheap, yet powerful source it's known to be.
Largely populated countries are in desperate need for a new green energy source to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions to continue letting the world live for future generations to come. In place of fossil fuels, the most viable option in this current day and age would be solar energy. Despite its high cost and difficult market performance, it performs many functions fossil fuels can do, such as heating and generating energy. The sun will last just as much, if not longer, than our planet. However, nuclear energy is also a plausible solution if we, as the human race, improve our approach on making the world a better place. Rather than focusing on things such as profit, harnessing nuclear energy could essentially last the world lifetimes. Nonetheless, the most important topic in this day and age is how the world will continue to last among our consumption of energy, and how the entire world's population will approach it as a group. Green energy requires cooperation and mutual understanding, which means better relationships between countries that are trying to reach the same goal.
Solar energy is essentially the use of the sun to produce energy which can be done in two ways: light-thermal conversion and photoelectric conversion. Light-thermal conversion involves using the sun's energy to create thermal energy to heat up contents like water or the air. Photoelectric conversion involves using the sun's energy to create electricity. This electricity is produces when the sun's light creates heat energy, which powers the heat engine that's connected to an electrical power generator. The most popular way of performing a photoelectric conversion is to use photovoltaics; it employs solar panels which consists of solar cells. Photovoltaics create a photoelectric effect followed by an electrochemical process (crystallized atoms are ionized by lone electrics in a wave/pattern, creating an electric current). Solar energy is favorable in the fact that it is extremely replenishable and a reliable source of green energy that would cause little to no harm to our environment. A downside to solar energy is that it is quite an expensive procedure; even with materials and elements that are lower in cost to traditional solar cells (ex. CdTe, Dye-Sensitized) since it is hard to retrieve most of the resources used to make solar panels. Another downside would be the market the solar panel caters to; it is either hard to persuade most polluters to switch to green energy or there is a rapid change from fossil fuel to green energy. Solar energy would solely be beneficial in areas with large amounts of sunlight (ex. western China), but in such developed areas of government, they would provide enough energy to majorly cut down fossil fuel consumption with widespread use.
Biofuel and geothermal energy are two other forms of green energy. Biofuel is the use of the planet's biological matter as fuel, while geothermal energy is the use of the planet's internal heat to generate energy. Biofuel is essentially plentiful and replenishable on a human timescale. It uses non-grain products such as cassava to avoid direct combat with the humans' need for food. There are three generations of biofuel: 1st gen, 1.5 gen, and 2nd gen. 2nd generation is the most advanced and widely popularized form of biofuel, marked the least in cost among other generations. An advantage to biofuel is the fact that it is plentiful and relatively cheap compared to the cost of fossil fuels. However, a disadvantage is that it is significantly weaker than fossil fuels, requiring more biofuel to travel the distance of fossil fuels. It is also a fuel that requires a specific engine; it does not completely cooperate with any kind of technology. Geothermal energy is used in anything involving heat: a heating source, food dehydration, steaming and drying, etc. Geothermal energy can also be used to generate electricity by creating steam which triggers turbines that powers an electricity generator. An advantage to this is that it is replenishable and easy to extract. A disadvantage would be the fact that it varies on location; it also starts out as a very expensive form of energy to even extract. Lastly, it carries out traces of harmful substances out of the earth. Nonetheless, biofuel and geothermal energy are excellent alternatives to fossil fuels and can last in the long run.
Electric vehicles are a new form of transportation that travels on electricity rather than fossil fuels, delaying gradual air pollution. Instead of a traditional engine, the electric vehicle relies on a large battery. Advantages to electric vehicles would be the fact that they cut down on air pollution, are relatively quiet compared to traditional cars, and are cheaper to operate. Disadvantages to electric vehicles are the fact that it's expensive to initially purchase due to the cost of the battery, significantly weaker and requires more recharges than a traditional car, and not widely popularized; this creates difficulty in persuading the general consumer market to switch to electric cars, causing those who do have one having difficulty finding a place to recharge their cars on long trips. Electric vehicles are a great alternative, but only with widespread popularity. If a large community pursues the expansion of the use of electric vehicles, a major cause of air pollution would be tackled.
Wind energy relies on the changes in temperature which generates wind. Windmills collect wind power/kinetic energy and through a converter, creates electricity. Wind energy is a reliable source of alternative green energy, but only in places where wind is plentiful and recurrent (ex. the ocean); it generates electricity fast at a cheap cost to operate. This could also be a disadvantage because wind turbines cannot be used everywhere; it is quite loud (peak volume almost equivalent to a lawnmower) and is extremely reliant on the presence of strong wind. Nonetheless, wind energy is an extremely viable resource when placed in the right area and with further innovation can become a popular alternative to fossil fuels.
Nuclear energy is a debatable form of clean energy due to its high risk on the human race; it produces harmful waste which affects the environment. While it is considerably more powerful than fossil fuels due to its consumption of uranium, it is no long term solution due to the limited supply of uranium in the earth, unless we pursue heavy scientific processes to produce our own uranium. The only thing separating it from being referred to as a fossil fuel would be its extremely low greenhouse emissions. It emits almost half of the greenhouse gases normal fossil fuels emit. The most intensifying disadvantage for nuclear energy, however, would be its deadly effects on living organisms. Nuclear energy and power plants require really intensive care and extremely knowledgeable employees in order to correctly harness the energy to be the cheap, yet powerful source it's known to be.
Largely populated countries are in desperate need for a new green energy source to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions to continue letting the world live for future generations to come. In place of fossil fuels, the most viable option in this current day and age would be solar energy. Despite its high cost and difficult market performance, it performs many functions fossil fuels can do, such as heating and generating energy. The sun will last just as much, if not longer, than our planet. However, nuclear energy is also a plausible solution if we, as the human race, improve our approach on making the world a better place. Rather than focusing on things such as profit, harnessing nuclear energy could essentially last the world lifetimes. Nonetheless, the most important topic in this day and age is how the world will continue to last among our consumption of energy, and how the entire world's population will approach it as a group. Green energy requires cooperation and mutual understanding, which means better relationships between countries that are trying to reach the same goal.
STEM Reflection by Andrew Pao
As the demand for green energy continues to grow more and more relevant, a variety of different options have arose to contribute to the world's supply of energy. Amongst these options are renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and of course, the implementation of electric vehicles into everyday lives. However, each of these solutions possess individual strengths and weaknesses regarding their overall impact on society.
In recent years, no form of green energy has affected everyday life in a larger manner than electric vehicles. According to Forbes Energy, electric vehicle sales in the United States skyrocketed by 37% in 2016. By year-end, the sales of such vehicles totaled 159,139 units. This immense increase clearly displays the transition of the public eye from gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. Overall, the basis of electric vehicles revolve around the idea of power through batteries, solar panels, or generators. Nonetheless, the most important aspect of electric vehicles is the riddance of gasoline, which is evidently harmful to the environment and surroundings. Based on information from the U.S. Energy Administration, the use of gasoline accounts for substantial amount of air pollution. The reason behind this is primarily due to the gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbon produced when gasoline is burnt. In addition to being more environmentally friendly than gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles are also quieter, serve as a status of wealth, and provide tax encouragement.
Although an immense amount of positive aspects regarding electric vehicles exist, a variety of negatives are inevitable. Amongst these negatives, the most apparent detail regarding electric vehicles are their overall cost. On average, a majority of electric cars can range anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000. Of course, this price range can prove very expensive and costly. Furthermore, difficulty involving repairs and charging only add on to the costs of maintaining an electric vehicle.
In terms of green energy, the Wanxiang Group makes it their primary focus to reinvent, reimagine, and innovate the effectiveness of electric vehicles. For instance, Wanxiang has developed a wide variety of electric cars and buses to promote the idea of clean, renewable energy. Students in Hangzhou through the LINCS Program were fortunate enough to visit the Wanxiang EV and PV Facilities and witness electric vehicles at their roots. In my opinion, I feel that the relevancy and impact of electric vehicles is bound to increase, as well as the overall amount of electric vehicles.
In recent years, no form of green energy has affected everyday life in a larger manner than electric vehicles. According to Forbes Energy, electric vehicle sales in the United States skyrocketed by 37% in 2016. By year-end, the sales of such vehicles totaled 159,139 units. This immense increase clearly displays the transition of the public eye from gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. Overall, the basis of electric vehicles revolve around the idea of power through batteries, solar panels, or generators. Nonetheless, the most important aspect of electric vehicles is the riddance of gasoline, which is evidently harmful to the environment and surroundings. Based on information from the U.S. Energy Administration, the use of gasoline accounts for substantial amount of air pollution. The reason behind this is primarily due to the gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbon produced when gasoline is burnt. In addition to being more environmentally friendly than gasoline vehicles, electric vehicles are also quieter, serve as a status of wealth, and provide tax encouragement.
Although an immense amount of positive aspects regarding electric vehicles exist, a variety of negatives are inevitable. Amongst these negatives, the most apparent detail regarding electric vehicles are their overall cost. On average, a majority of electric cars can range anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000. Of course, this price range can prove very expensive and costly. Furthermore, difficulty involving repairs and charging only add on to the costs of maintaining an electric vehicle.
In terms of green energy, the Wanxiang Group makes it their primary focus to reinvent, reimagine, and innovate the effectiveness of electric vehicles. For instance, Wanxiang has developed a wide variety of electric cars and buses to promote the idea of clean, renewable energy. Students in Hangzhou through the LINCS Program were fortunate enough to visit the Wanxiang EV and PV Facilities and witness electric vehicles at their roots. In my opinion, I feel that the relevancy and impact of electric vehicles is bound to increase, as well as the overall amount of electric vehicles.
STEM Reflection by Mathias Heider
During this trip, I have taken many seminars on the topic of STEM and clean energy and the one thing that I have found is nuclear is not used even with all the benefits it has. Nuclear has the benefit of lasting a lot longer than many other fossil fuels. Nuclear Energy can last 200 more years according to the Nuclear Energy Association. This is almost 4x as much as oil which at its current projections by US today which says oil can only last around 53 years. This is a very big benefit to nuclear because nuclear energy can last us for at least 2 generations while oil can only last a half a generation. Another benefit to nuclear is how it is clean. Unlike other fossil fuels as referenced in the PowerPoints and ecolo.org nuclear is much cleaner and provides almost no carbon dioxide and no sulfur dioxide. This means compared to other fossil fuels is much greener but still providing the energy which developed and developing countries need in order to sustain their development. Also, nuclear energy is cheaper than renewables and is very cost efficient as said by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources. This means you can get a cheaper, cleaner, and even longer lasting fossil fuel that is not being used. The reason it is not used is scare tactics used by the big oil company. The outcry against nuclear is overstated as most of the nuclear reactor explosions could have been stopped. This leads to my next point with new safety regulations it is very hard to get an explosion of that magnitude without being unto date on all of the safety regulations. According to sciencetime.org Nuclear is already largely safe. This is why I feel that nuclear should be an energy widespread to the globe.
STEM Reflection by Alaric Schone
With rising levels of greenhouse gases and a growing demand for power, we need to use cleaner and more renewable energy sources. Biofuel is one of the such energy source and is already wide spread and all of our life. There are multiple types of biofuel ranging from vegetable oil to an algae biofuel their fuels have many purpose and are widely used. Most gas stations supply biofuel in the US. The gas we use in America as referenced in a PowerPoint states that the gas we use in our car use 85% biofuel but 15% gasoline. Biofuels also cleaner and leave minimal pollution as compared to other fossil fuels. This is due as referenced biofuels have a much shorter and balanced carbon cycle compared to other fossil fuels. Biofuels are derived from plants, agriculture, commercial, and industrial waste. The cellulose in the plant waste is broken down from polysaccharides into monosaccharides. Many nations cannon use grain or other crops as biofuel because they cannot afford to waste food. This is a main reason that biofuel cannon be used in developing countries. However, if food no longer becomes a problem biofuel application will increase. Also, biofuel can only be used for gasoline making it only susceptible to a very much smaller market. However, if you can biofuel in all the countries for cars and other forms of transportation the earth will be much much cheaper. This is why biofuel is going to be a great thing.
STEM Reflection by Donovan Hodge
During this trip to China I realized how big of a problem pollution can become. With a lack of green energy in China the cities become areas covered in smog in winter seasons due to the heavy reliance on fossil fuels. Due to this problem, the Chinese government has begun a push for more green energy solutions such as solar power or wind. The various types of green energies have many strengths and weaknesses due to things like locations of cost.
The cost of green energies has a large impact on people’s ability to convent to cleaner energy. With the high costs of solar panels many people cannot afford to install these on their roofs and convert from the brining of fossil fuels to the use of renewable energy. The cost is a big reasons country such as China cannot afford to convert to the use of renewable energy forms because of a large amount of China’s population not having the ability to afford these costly energy solutions. This is why China has chosen to solve its energy problem at the governmental level instead of the individual level. The cost is one of the biggest drawbacks to the use of green energy.
The use of green energy is also very dependent on location. This dependence on location has hurt the ability of places like eastern China to use solar and wind power. This geo location dependence also will lead to a loss of energy in transport. This in long run will negatively impact the use of green energy because areas with lack of natural sun or winds will not be able to use these various forms of green energy.
I think that green energy is essential for the long-term survival of the human race but I also believe that the issues of cost and geo location need to be addressed. In order to preserve the Earth people, need to convert to green energy forms such as solar or wind to cut down on CO2 emissions. To make it more available to smaller, developing countries green energy needs to be less expensive and there needs to be research in making cheaper forms of green energy effective in less apt places.
The cost of green energies has a large impact on people’s ability to convent to cleaner energy. With the high costs of solar panels many people cannot afford to install these on their roofs and convert from the brining of fossil fuels to the use of renewable energy. The cost is a big reasons country such as China cannot afford to convert to the use of renewable energy forms because of a large amount of China’s population not having the ability to afford these costly energy solutions. This is why China has chosen to solve its energy problem at the governmental level instead of the individual level. The cost is one of the biggest drawbacks to the use of green energy.
The use of green energy is also very dependent on location. This dependence on location has hurt the ability of places like eastern China to use solar and wind power. This geo location dependence also will lead to a loss of energy in transport. This in long run will negatively impact the use of green energy because areas with lack of natural sun or winds will not be able to use these various forms of green energy.
I think that green energy is essential for the long-term survival of the human race but I also believe that the issues of cost and geo location need to be addressed. In order to preserve the Earth people, need to convert to green energy forms such as solar or wind to cut down on CO2 emissions. To make it more available to smaller, developing countries green energy needs to be less expensive and there needs to be research in making cheaper forms of green energy effective in less apt places.