| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| debbieklann |
Posted - Oct 04 2018 : 3:55:02 PM
I have been working on my Green Energy badges. One of the requirements was to study different methods of energy production. To be honest, I didn't know just how "interesting" this was going to be! But, I learned a few things in comparing natural gas, hydroelectric, nuclear, coal wind and solar.
While Natural Gas is a good transition fuel in the conversion to a more sustainable energy system and burns clean, it has problems with CO2 emissions and costs more than other fossil fuels.
Hydroelectric power has no emissions, provides large scale and stable electricity generation and a long economic life. It also requires a substantial investment and creates a significant encroachment to the landscape and river ecosystem.
Nuclear....has low CO2, provides stable and large scale electric generation and the fuel, operation and maintenance costs are relatively low...ONCE that new plant is operational. It requires a MAJOR investment. Also, the management of the high level waste requires long term storage.
Coal...also provides that stable and large energy generation, has a comparative production cost and its fuel costs are low. It also creates high levels of CO2 emissions. The technology to reduce these emissions is expensive. The coal mining itself creates a large impact on the environment.
Wind power creates no CO2 or fuel costs. It does create an impact on the landscape and a sizable investment cost. Also, you must have reliable WIND!
And last but not least, Solar Power. It creates low CO2; it is cheap, reliable energy; the equipment needed is relatively easy to install and requires little to no maintenance and has a fairly long life, although it is expensive at the beginning. The sun is an UNLIMITED resource.
After researching all of these different energy sources, I think that I would have to vote for hydroelectric power and solar power.
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl of the Year
"Well behaved women seldom make history"....Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Dec 27 2021 : 12:07:46 PM
Thanks for sharing Cindy. I really Hope Queensland can gain some more renewable energy sources and make changes for those who are looking to make a change. It’s amazing how much of the world uses these non renewable energy sources and many don’t even realize or recognize it.
Krista |
| AussieChick |
Posted - Dec 26 2021 : 5:07:28 PM
I have also been working on my "Green Energy" merit badge. Here is what I have learned:-
The three major categories of energy for electricity generation are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy sources. Most electricity is generated with steam turbines using fossil fuels, nuclear, biomass, geothermal, and solar thermal energy. Unfortunately, we still rely very heavily on energy from nonrenewable sources, eg. Petroleum, hydrocarbon gas liquids, natural gas, coal, nuclear energy. These energy sources are called nonrenewable because their supplies are limited to the amounts that we can mine or extract from the earth. Coal, natural gas, and petroleum formed over thousands of years from the buried remains of ancient sea plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. That is why we also call those energy sources fossil fuels.
Nuclear energy is produced from uranium, a nonrenewable energy source whose atoms are split (through a process called nuclear fission) to create heat and, eventually, electricity. Uranium is found throughout the earth’s crust, but most of it is too difficult or too expensive to mine and process into fuel for nuclear power plants.
The major types or sources of renewable energy are solar energy from the sun, geothermal energy from heat inside the earth, wind energy, biomass from plants, hydropower from flowing water. They are called renewable energy sources because they are naturally replenished. Day after day, the sun shines, plants grow, wind blows, and rivers flow.
The primary fuel for electricity generation in the state of Queensland is coal, with coal seam gas becoming a significant fuel source. Queensland has 98% of Australia's reserves of coal seam gas. Energex is an Australian-based wholly Queensland Government owned electricity company distributing power to 1.5 million homes and businesses in South East Queensland. As part of their commitment to integrate renewable energy into South East Queensland’s network and to provide customers more choice and control over their energy use they're conducting trials of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). South East Queensland has one of the highest penetrations of solar PV systems in the world. This looks set to increase as more and more customers embrace renewable energy alternatives for their homes and businesses. Given its high solar PV penetration, Queensland has been earmarked as one of the primary target markets by key players in the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) market.
Farmgirl #6058
Farmgirl Sister of the Year 2021
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have". |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Oct 08 2018 : 12:56:13 PM
Very much agreed. Makes me wonder if at some point in time if all new houses will have solar. Maybe a new standard in building?
Krista |
| debbieklann |
Posted - Oct 05 2018 : 3:34:39 PM
Thanks, Krista! There are more and more people jumping on the solar bandwagon but it really is an expense at the start. I just read an article in the Capital Press, I think, about a retired farmer in Idaho who installed solar panels on his retirement property and how much he is saving. I might have to keep it in mind for "someday"
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl of the Year
"Well behaved women seldom make history"....Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Oct 05 2018 : 11:38:58 AM
Great job, Debbie. This is very interesting information. Over the summer we had quite a few door salesman offering solar power. We decided not to invest because it is quite expensive up front, but it would be nice to get it at some point.
Krista |
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