Wind Power

We use energy in our daily lives. There is a lot of ways to make energy instead of using
fossil fuel, like wind power. Wind energy is a renewable energy source because wind blows
every day, and it will never run out. We can convert wind energy into electricity using a
windmill. Windmills are very cheap and it is a green way to make energy.

Windmills just convert the force of the wind into energy, but it’s not always a windy day.
Firstly the rotor blades are aerodynamically shaped to make them very efficient. Then
the rotor blades convert the wind’s energy into a rotational called torque. How much torque is
made depends on air density, wind speed, and how long the rotor blades. If all of these things
increases, so does the amount of energy is produced. After the generator converts the wind’s
energy into electricity. That electricity can be sent through power lines into your house.

Although we know that wind power can generate energy, but there is still negative
things about wind power like it’s not always windy. That means people can think of different
ways to use the earth’s natural elements to make energy. That way we can be greener and then
we would not have to worry about global warming.

Fossil Fuel
Introduction:

Humans use energy for almost everything, the most sources we used are fossil fuels. Fossil fuels
are nonrenewable sources, so we should use less. Coal, petroleum and natural gas are three
kinds oil fossil fuels. “Fossil” means that plants or animals died millions of years ago and
changed to rock. It took millions of years to form.

About Fossil Fuels:

83% of all US’s energy used are fossil fuels. When the fossil fuels are burned, the air will be
polluted and create carbon dioxide. If we still use a lot of fuels, trees and wild animals will end,
and we can’t get clean water to drink. These are the problems that affect our environment.
From now on, we should use renewable energy instead of nonrenewable energy, such as wind
energy, solar energy, water energy, biofuel……
Coal:

The world has more coal than other kinds of fossil fuels. Coal is usually used to heat and make
electricity. The total energy used create by coal in 2004 is 67.7%. Most of the coal is mined in
Pennsylvania, West Virginal, Montana and Wyoming. China, Russia and India also mined coal.

Petroleum(Oil):

This is a thick, black liquid. Often used for home heating oil and gasoline. Oil is also used to make
plastics and chemicals. In US, most oil is for cars trucks and airplanes. Most US’s oil comes from
Texas, Alaska and California. Almost all the world’s oil comes from the Middle East, Saudi Arabia,
Iran, Iraq and Kuwait. The total energy used create by oil in 2004 is 22.7%.

Natural Gas:

This is a colorless and odorless gas. Often used for cooking and making electricity. Most of the
world’s gas comes from Middle East and Central Asia. The total energy used create by natural
gas in 2004 is 2.6%.

Conclusion:

From now on, we should use more renewable energy so that we can change our environment to
a Greenland so we can have fresh air.

Effect of using non-renewable energy

People depend on non-renewable energy, but we don’t know how the effect will make
our planet unhealthy. If you want to save our planet, we need to run on using renewable
energy sources and less rely on non-renewable energy, for renewable energy sources such as
wind energy, hydro electricity, geothermal energy, biomass and solar energy .And non-
renewably sources are fossil fuels, natural gas, oil, nuclear energy and uranium.

However, people depend on non-renewable energy more than renewable energy, but
non-renewable sources would pollute the air. Also, using coal would produce greenhouse gases
and carbon dioxide too. As greenhouse gases are trapped in the atmosphere and this action
caused the ice melt in a faster speed. Meanwhile, using non-renewable sources would produce
sulfur dioxide that make acid rain, oil spills on destroying animals’ habitats.

What are your opinions? Should we use renewable or non-renewable energy? If you are
feeling confused for the answer, you can think on the effect of using these energy on both side.
Next, you can compare the good and bad effects, calculated the number of points, and make the
decision on the side with more points for supporting.
 Hydropower

Energy is something that humans use in their daily lives. But all this energy is mostly made from
many non-renewable resources, such as coal, oil and fossil fuels. Instead of using up all the
things the earth gives us, we can use renewable resources which will never run out. These can
be sources like water, making electricity from water is called hydroelectricity, whereby you use
waterwheels and hydro dams. But there are quite a few disadvantages. So should
hydroelectricity be used to make energy?

Unfortunately, in China only 7% of hydroelectricity is used. It is usually used to make

electricity for lighting. Fortunately, this way of making energy does not create as much Co2 as
nonrenewable resources. Hydroelectricity has many advantages, it is cheap and the
waterwheels and hydro dams can sometimes last up to 100 years. There are also disadvantages
to hydroelectric power. Dams and generating stations can harm the ecosystem, the dams can
also interrupt the migration of animals in the rivers. Water gushing below the dams can scour
away the river bottom, plants rot in the reservoirs, which creates greenhouse gas called
methane. Large areas can flood due to the high rising of water which is blocked by the dam.

The waterwheel uses the power of flowing water to make energy. The water pushes the
waterwheel so that is spins, it is connected to a turbine which is connected to power cables,
which generates electricity. Hydro dams also use fast flowing water to create energy. The dams
are built to contain the water as it rises, then the water rushes through a narrow tunnel built in
the dam. In the middle of the tunnel there was a turbine, which is then spun due to the rushing
of the water. The turbine then generates hydro-electricity.

A fine example of hydroelectricity is in a school in Bali called the Green School. This
school is called the Green School because a large amount of the materials used to build the
school are sustainable. The Green School is built right beside a very fast flowing river. That is
where they generate their energy. They use another way of hydro power, it is called a vortex.
The water from the river gushes into a tube with a turbine inside, the force of the water again
spins the turbine to make a whirlpool effect. The turbine then creates power for the Green
School.

Even though creating hydroelectricity has disadvantages, such as a blockage to fish

migration, it is a still much safer and eco friendly way to generate electricity. Hydroelectricity
can be better than other renewable energy sources too, such as solar power. Water in the rivers
can flow day or night, but the sun only appears in the daytime, so nonrenewable energy sources
are used to make electricity in the night. What is your opinion? Should we use hydropower to
make electricity or should we not?

Nuclear energy

Nuclear energy plays a big role in generating electricity. It is quite cheap and pollutes
much less than using coal or petroleum. This all seems quite nice but by creating nuclear energy
nuclear waste is formed; this radioactive waste is very dangerous to plants and animals and can
cause mass disruption. It destroys all natural things so it is stored very carefully behind large
concrete walls. Most people are scared to use nuclear power plants because long ago there was
a nuclear explosion that destroyed everything and it is still too radioactive to live there.

            Nuclear energy is produced with neutrons and atoms. The neutron I sent through the
atom causing the atom to split. The splitting atom causes an explosion of heat that is used to
make water into steam. Hopefully there will be a chain reaction when the neutron goes through
the atom and onto the next atom so they all explode and make a lot of heat to make water to
steam to turn a turbine.

            Although nuclear energy is very useful French citizens protested against the US because
after making the nuclear energy they delivered all the waste to France. 9 out of 100 people use
nuclear energy but this will increase to more after global warming because it pollutes less than
the more frequently used resources such as coal.

            Nuclear energy seems quite dangerous but with new safer materials nuclear power is
actually safer than most sources. Nuclear energy could be a great resource because it is cheap
and doesn’t really pollute.
 Geothermal energy
Turning water into steam, which turns a turbine that creates electricity, creates most
energy. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that turns water to steam by using the
molten rock under the core of the earth to heat up water. Geothermal energy is either used to
turn the water to steam for electricity or it is run a longer distance from the molten rock so it is
just hot for showers or baths. In Alaska, a single geothermal power plant is used to supply the
hot water for 60% of the Alaskan population*. Unfortunately geothermal power plants will only
be built in places where the molten rock is closest to the surface of the earth. Therefore places
such as Hong Kong probably will not commonly use geothermal energy because it is harder to
dig pipes very far under ground. The further underground you dig the hotter the rock is.

Geothermal energy is very well thought out because they need to place the pipes very
precisely so not only does it create a bountiful amount of energy it also is not placed where it is
too hot where the pipes might melt.

The first geothermal energy was invented around 1850 and could only supply the power
to support 5 light bulbs. Scientists built on that to make what we have today.

Geothermal energy seems quite reliable and does not pollute. I think it is a great
alternative resource because it can create lots of energy, can make hot water and uses natural
resources. The only defect is that it only is built in certain places but that is only one defect so
overall it is one of the best natural resources.

*Alaska uses geothermal energy because although Alaska is a very cold country the
molten rock under the mantel does not effect the temperature outside. Although geothermal
energy works well in Alaska many people like using cheaper alternatives such as coal.