The Top of the Pyramid
We started from the bottom now we’re here! Renewable Energy, or should I say Energy Generation!
WHAT!?!?!
I know, I know, I am promoting sustainability, why would I talk about anything other than Renewable Energy?
Well, Renewable Energy is of course preferred over non-renewable energy because it is better for the environment, generally speaking; however, you will see soon that there are many different ways to produce energy that we will question, is there one answer?
If you need even further background, check out the first link below to learn what is Demand and Consumption. The second explains where in the Carbon Life Cycle the Energy Pyramid targets. The third, fourth, and fifth links go over the lower levels of the Energy Pyramid.
III. Energy Pyramid: Introduction & Conservation
But if we want to move away from fossil fuels, why am I going to give fossil fuels any attention? Because we still use them today! We use a lot of it today.
I believe education is critical for us to make the world an itty bit Better and I don’t believe simply ignoring fossil fuels will help us get to where we want to be. I believe our future in energy is not just one answer but instead a diversity of energy sources. I think electrifying our homes is important and in the forefront of sustainable advancement; however, large cargo ship diesel engines may take a bit of a backseat. I believe improving our utility power plant infrastructure is something that should have happened yesterday but a sustainable power plant generation will consist of multiple energy sources depending on where on earth it is.
In this article, I’ll explain how we got to the top, then briefly define renewable and non-renewable energy, and give a list of what I think is a pretty comprehensive list of energy generation types. I am going to provide of a lot of external links, so feel free to click around and continue learning. There will be a lot of information and you’re going to have a lot of questions so feel free to start a conversation in the comments or on my social media.
Saving the Best for Last
Let’s answer the first question of why is energy generation last on our list? Well, let’s quickly review the other steps we have completed.
First, Energy Conservation has reduced energy loss in our building. Energy Efficiency has reduced our energy consumption while maintaining the comfort and required space conditions. Demand Management allowed us to have better visibility of our space to improve the building performance further through the use of controls and data. At this point our building is looking pretty shnazzy.
The building is optimized and efficient, which means when the engineer sizes the energy generation system it’s probable that it will be smaller and therefore cheaper than if it were sized before the building was at it’s best. Additionally, if an Energy Management System is installed than the generated energy will also be optimized along with the buildings performance. This is why Energy Generation is at the top of the pyramid.
Still have more questions? Let me know.
Non-Renewable vs Renewable Energy Sources
Defining Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Sources is pretty simple actually. A Renewable Source, naturally “renews” its’ source over a period of time that is compatible to how much is being used. As opposed to a non-renewable energy source does not renew itself. We may already know that fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy source. This is because it takes millions of years to form underneath the earth’s crust so, yes, in a sense given enough time we may have more fossil fuels but we are using them at a rate that is not sustainable. Wind and Solar energy sources renews, in a sense, every day.
Let’s go through some examples!
Non-Renewable Energy Sources
o. Coal – a combustible black or brown sedimentary rock with a high amount of carbon and hydrocarbons. Coal produces the most of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when burned. It is also given in replace of gifts from Santa Clause when you are on the naughty list. Coal really is the worst.
o. Petroleum – similarly to coal, petroleum is extracted from the ground and is a byproduct of old plants and animal remains under high pressure from millions of years of being pushed further down from layers of dirt, sock, and sand. Petroleum is a liquid and is separated in gasoline, jet fuel, and other uses.
o. Natural gas – is another product extracted from deep beneath the earth that takes millions of years to form. Natural gas is found in between rock formations, in cracks, spaces, and pores.
o. Nuclear energy – is a process that consists of breaking uranium atoms apart using a process called nuclear fission. Nuclear Power Plants don’t directly produce carbon dioxide like the above fossil fuels. Nuclear Energy is not a renewable source of energy because it uses uranium which requires a lot of energy to mine and refine for fuel. Uranium is also expensive and there isn’t a lot of it compared to other fuels. Nuclear Power Plants also have a waste problem, they produce radioactive waste which is dangerous to humans for thousands of years.
Renewable Energy Sources
o. Solar – I realize a majority of people may already be familiar with solar panels already as they gain popularity. But do you know how they work? Let’s try to explain this in as few sentences as possible, ready? Light is made up of photons which are particles. A solar panel is made up of layers of two types of silicon, phosphorus which has a negative charge and boron which has a positive charge. When photons hit these layers of silicon, it knocks into the silicons atoms and much like a positive and negative side of a magnet or battery, it creates the electrons to move around which create a current.
o. Wind – Wind turbines are a lot easier to see, the wind moves the blades which turn a motor inside which generates electricity.
o. Geothermal – there are two main types of geothermal systems that I’d like to point out.
The first is typically a large system used much more like a power plant. It uses the very hot water and steam that can be found in certain areas of the world, much like a hot spring. This hot water and steam is used to power a steam powered engine and is then injected back into the earth to heat up again.
Another type of geothermal system can be used anywhere, including homes. If you dig down about 6 to 8 feet down anywhere on earth it is roughly the same temperature, between 50 to 60 Degrees Farenheight, the average is about 57. This can be used to a home owners advantage to heat or cool a space. In the winter, 57 degrees may be warmer than the temperature outside, and in the summer 57 degree may be cooler. This means the HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard, AKA use as much energy to both cool or heat a space since it is always starting at about 57 degrees.
Why isn’t this system more widely used? Well, you need the space. If you only dig down 6 feet, the pipes will be placed horizontal and you need the landscape to do it. If you want to dig vertically, well, you’ll need to dig down 200 to 300 feet down and that could be costly to install and also if there is a leak.
o. Hydropower – similarly with geothermal, there are two main types of hydropower I’d like to point out.
The first uses a constant flow of water, a dam. Similar to a wind turbine, converts the movement of a liquid with a motor to generate electricity.
The second type of hydropower system uses the motion of the ocean. There a few different styles of wave energy capturing devices, some are submerged, some ride the surface, but the idea is basically the same. These devices are out in a large body of water and capture wave motion to generate electricity.
o. Biomass – is waste from multiple sources that can be used as fuel, sawdust & woodchips, garbage, crops, landfill gas, and alcohol fumes. There are a few methods in obtaining energy from these fuels, directly through combustion, collecting the gas they give off, chemical processes, or biological processes. If burned there are greenhouse gases that are emitted; however, this is considered a renewable source because we, humans, are generating this waste anyway. There are groups who are continuing to improve these energy generating processes to limit emissions.
o. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Generators – a hydrogen fuel cell is another creation similar to a battery. Hydrogen and Oxygen are combined through a electrochemical cell. Hydrogen is negatively charged and Oxygen is positively charged. When the reaction occurs the only output is electricity, water, and some heat.
o. Potential (Gravitational) Energy – the higher and heavier an object is, the more potential energy it contains. Think about being on a bicycle rolling down a hill. This energy can be captured to create electricity as well, just getting it up the hill is the problem. Hydropower is one form of gravitational energy, but there have been some other forms as well. Here is prototype of lifting heavy things and putting them down, I don’t think you can get more simple than that.
This article is already a bit hefty with information, so I’m going to stop here for now. But this is where a lot of exciting conversations come into play in the energy industry. As you can see there is a wide range energy generation technologies, so why stick with fossil fuels? Let’s diversify and get creative. Governments, utility companies, and other private companies are looking at ways to combine these ideas to have a variety of energy sources, just like a stock portfolio, lets not keep all our eggs in one basket.
Congratulations on completing the Energy Pyramid with me! I am happy you come along this journey with me and I hope you learned something.
Next up, I will talk about Energy Storage.
If you are already working on a project, maybe you need some help collecting your utility data, this article can help you out.
Do you already have a solar system? Are you maintaining it?
I know this article definitely had a lot of info, so let me know in the comments what your take away was. Do you have a question? What did you find most interesting?