Introduction to Technology

Unit 2: Energy and Power Technologies

WebQuests

Renewable Energy

Introduction
How much fossil fuel do you use every day? Your house might be heated with electricity. Electricity is primarily generated from the burning of fossil fuels. You probably traveled to school in a car that uses fossil fuels. There is a limited supply of fossil fuels. Someday Earth will run out of such energy sources.

Even though we are using up our nonrenewable energy sources, there are things we could do to make them last longer. Conservation is one way to extend the life of our fossil fuel supply. Because electricity is primarily produced through the burning of fossil fuels, conservation can be as easy as remembering to turn off the lights when you leave a room. Turning off the air conditioning in your house when no one is home is another good way to conserve energy.

Although conservation is a good way to extend the supply of fossil fuels, there is still a limited supply of them. A more appropriate step is to turn towards renewable resources to satisfy our energy needs. A renewable resource is a resource that has an unlimited supply, such as wind and solar energy. Approximately every hour the sun sends as much energy to Earth as people use in one year. The challenge comes in harnessing this energy.

Why should we look towards renewable sources of energy? What are the dangers of relying on fossil fuels? How can we harness the power of the sun? What is the government doing to rectify the situation? In this WebQuest you will explore these and other questions related to renewable energy.

Task
Your job in this WebQuest is to learn about renewable energy sources. You will also learn about nonrenewable energy resources such as fossil fuels. You will also discover the ways to harness renewable energy, and the difficulty involved. Finally, you will learn about the steps that are being taken to get the U.S. off its dependency on foreign sources of oil.

Process
Read through the following questions. Then research the Internet sites that are listed after them. As you explore each site, look for answers to the questions. Keep a record of the sites where you find answers.

Questions about Energy Resources
1. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons that formed from the fossilized remains of plants and animals. What are three examples of fossil fuels?

2. Why is the reliance on fossil fuels an issue? If there was an unlimited supply of fossil fuels would it still be wise to rely on them for our energy needs? Why or why not?

3. Renewable resources are energy resources that are replenished naturally at least as fast as they are used. What are some examples of renewable resources?

4. Renewable resources are not as perfect as they might seem. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the renewable resources you listed in question 3?

5. Biomass is organic material made from animals and plants. Converting such resources into fuel is one alternative to fossil fuels. What are some examples of biomass fuel?

6. In 2006, in the State of the Union address President Bush discussed the Advanced Energy Initiative to solve our addiction to foreign oil. What is the Advanced Energy Initiative?

7. Getting off fossil fuels completely might be the ideal situation, but doing so will take some time. While we are moving in that direction it would be wise to look at the ways we use oil. What are some steps that could be taken to improve the efficiency of our oil usage?

8. One type of biomass fuel is ethanol, which can be produced from corn. What are some of the disadvantages of ethanol fuel?

9. The wind could prove to be a good source of energy. However, in some areas the wind is not strong enough, or consistent enough, to be useful in energy production. In what areas would wind energy be the most productive?

10. The sun is constantly sending energy to Earth. The sun is responsible for heating Earth. The challenge lies in harnessing the sun's energy. What are some of the technologies used to harness solar energy?

11. One of the fossil fuels that this country uses a tremendous amount of is oil. How much oil does the United States consume each day?

Resources
Look at these Web sites to find the information that will enable you to answer the questions about renewable and nonrenewable energy.

Renewable Resources Basics This site provides a wide range of information about the different types of renewable energy resources.
http://www.nrel.gov/rredc/

Biomass Fuel You can find information about biomass fuels at this site. To learn about a specific type of fuel, click on the Alternative Fuels Information.
www.eere.energy.gov/biomass

Energy Policy This site provides links to some different types of renewable energy and the policies certain states have on the topic. Click on one of the energy types to learn more.
http://crest.org

Energy Statistics This site gives data about the usage of nonrenewable energy sources in the United States.
www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/world/country/cntry_US.html

Energy Initiative This site is a document that outlines the government's alternative energy policy. If you read through the document you will find information concerning how we could adapt existing technologies to meet our needs.
www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2006/energy/energy_booklet.pdf

Fossil Fuels This site has an explanation of fossil fuels and their uses.
http://home.clara.net/darvill/altenerg/fossil.htm

Conclusion
In the process of completing this WebQuest, you have become informed about renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy. You have learned about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of energy source. You have also learned about the technology required to harness renewable energy, and the policies of the government concerning renewable energy.

As you go through your daily life, look around you and notice what uses nonrenewable energy, and the amount of wasted energy you see. Try to conserve where you can and look into renewable energy projects in your community.