Transcript ELECTRICITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT www.veep.org

ELECTRICITY AND
THE ENVIRONMENT
www.veep.org
Using
Using heat
heatto
tomake
makesteam
pressurized steam, which turns the
turbine.
“Thermal Electricity Generation”
How does oil or natural gas generate electricity?
How does coal generate electricity?
How does wood generate electricity?
How does nuclear generate electricity?
Vermont Yankee – 510 MW
How does a river generate electricity?
Above the dam and below the dam and from space
The Moore Hydro Dam on the Connecticut River – 140 MW
A Very Large Hydro Dam
How does wind generate electricity?
Searsburg VT wind turbines – 6 MW total output of 11 turbines
Even though wind does not produce greenhouse gases, it
does have environmental impacts. What are they?
2 MW turbine
~500kW –
1 MW
–
2 MW
~400 ft tall
Searsburg<-----------------> Newer wind farms
3 MW turbines now being installed in Lowell
Vermont have a total height of 459 ft!
6 MW turbine ~700 ft total height!
How can the sun turn a turbine to make electricity?
An array of mirrors shine sunlight on a target to
make steam
300 mega-Watts (MW)
Spain
Solar power tower from a distance
Parabolic mirrors focus the sun on a tube to make steam
How can the sun make electricity without a turbine
or magnets and coils?
Photovoltaic panels use sunlight to move electrons
Photovoltaic panels use sunlight to move electrons
How can geothermal heat make electricity?
How can we generate electricity from dairy farms?
How can we generate electricity from garbage in landfills?
Human power!
How many watts
can you generate?
This Habitat house in Charlotte uses 1/20th the energy of a
typical house in Vermont – LOTS of insulation plus windows
on the south side make this possible
The greenhouse effect: Who needs it?? (life on earth!)
The greenhouse effect magnified: What causes it?
The greenhouse effect magnified: What are the effects?
The greenhouse effect magnified: What are the effects?
Climate Change
Climate Change:
What can you do to help?
www.veep.org