Energy Essay
Kendall Tveter
Mrs. Petric
Aice General Papers
15 December 2014
Energy
According to Mother Nature Network, green energy comes from natural sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, plants, algae and geothermal heat. These energy resources are renewable, meaning they 're naturally replenished. There are many different types of green energy such as wind energy, solar energy, and hydroelectric energy. Each type of energy is very diverse in the way it affects our society. “Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America. So let’s generate even more,” stated Barack Obama in 2012. Wind energy occurs by spinning turbine blades which are connected to a generator that later makes electricity. The speed of the spinning is determined by the force of the wind. So, the more wind – the more electricity. The wind industry boomed in 2012, according to the American wind Energy Association. “In total, more than 60,000 megawatts of wind powered electric capacity were produced. That’s enough to power almost 15 million homes. 2012 also saw wind energy providing about 42% of all new generating capacity, another first for the industry.” Wind energy isn’t limited to just land though, in Scotland and Wales energy companies are experimenting with underwater turbines. This came as a shocker to most, “The United Kingdom may seem an unlikely candidate to lead a renewable energy revolution; it doesn’t have much for solar power, it doesn’t have much space for wind power and it doesn’t have giant coursing rivers for hydro. It does, however have thousands of miles of coastline and a lowering and restless sea whose tides ebb and flow with tremendous force,” exclaimed Peter Shadbolt for CNN. With the force of the tides, the turbines can be planted very near each other taking up minimal space on the ocean floor. Not only will the turbines take up minimal space but they’re invisible and can produce as much electricity as a conventional wind turbine. Also, said “wind”
Mrs. Petric
Aice General Papers
15 December 2014
Energy
According to Mother Nature Network, green energy comes from natural sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, plants, algae and geothermal heat. These energy resources are renewable, meaning they 're naturally replenished. There are many different types of green energy such as wind energy, solar energy, and hydroelectric energy. Each type of energy is very diverse in the way it affects our society. “Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America. So let’s generate even more,” stated Barack Obama in 2012. Wind energy occurs by spinning turbine blades which are connected to a generator that later makes electricity. The speed of the spinning is determined by the force of the wind. So, the more wind – the more electricity. The wind industry boomed in 2012, according to the American wind Energy Association. “In total, more than 60,000 megawatts of wind powered electric capacity were produced. That’s enough to power almost 15 million homes. 2012 also saw wind energy providing about 42% of all new generating capacity, another first for the industry.” Wind energy isn’t limited to just land though, in Scotland and Wales energy companies are experimenting with underwater turbines. This came as a shocker to most, “The United Kingdom may seem an unlikely candidate to lead a renewable energy revolution; it doesn’t have much for solar power, it doesn’t have much space for wind power and it doesn’t have giant coursing rivers for hydro. It does, however have thousands of miles of coastline and a lowering and restless sea whose tides ebb and flow with tremendous force,” exclaimed Peter Shadbolt for CNN. With the force of the tides, the turbines can be planted very near each other taking up minimal space on the ocean floor. Not only will the turbines take up minimal space but they’re invisible and can produce as much electricity as a conventional wind turbine. Also, said “wind”
Cited: Anderson, David. Demand Media. Gate Home Guides. Positive and Negative Facts about solar energy. Date: N/A Williams, Mike. Demand Media. Gate Home Guides. Positive and Negative Facts about wind energy. Date: N/A Perlam, Howard. USGS. Hydroelectric Power: How it works. Date: N/A Smith, Emily. CNN. Wind energy breezes into record books. 13 February 2013.