Unit 11 – Renewable Energy

Unit Review

Worldwide, the most widely used renewable energy resource is ________. A) windB) hydroelectricC) solarD) nuclearE) biomass

________ strongly influences the amount of energy generated from hydropower.

A) The volume of water released and the height of the fallB) The phase of the moonC) The temperature of reservoir waterD) LatitudeE) The temperature of water in the boiler and turbine

The run-of-river approach to hydropower often involves

A) the most expensive type of dams to build and maintainB) impounding water in reservoirs behind concrete damsC) the purchase of state-run dams by major corporationsD) diversion of a portion of a river's flow through pipesE) dams that are reliable but unsustainable

Biomass energy is energy contained in

A) waterB) firewood and other plant materialC) the Earth's heatD) the sunE) wind

In the near future, the benefits of biofuel production may be enjoyed while reducing the impact on the global production of grain. One such promising approach is to A) find ways to convert oil and natural gas into ethanolB) use the large amounts of animal wastes to produce ethanolC) gasify coal to increase the efficiency of coal power plantsD) bioengineer cattle and goats to produce ethanol in their milkE) produce biofuels from grasses instead of corn

The nation that currently has the most progressive renewable energy policies and also produces the greatest amount of electricity from PV solar is

A) BrazilB) GermanyC) the United StatesD) ChinaE) Spain

Wind will not be a major U.S. energy resource in

A) the NortheastB) the SoutheastC) the NorthwestD) CaliforniaE) Texas

U.S. geothermal energy is most available in

A) TexasB) the Florida KeysC) the SoutheastD) the NortheastE) the West

The chemical product of burning hydrogen or using hydrogen fuel cells as an energy source is

A) nontoxic ashB) water C) glucose and oxygenD) carbon monoxideE) acids

One major advantage of using hydrogen fuel cells is

A) methane is produced as a byproductB) that the cells are nonpollutingC) the potential for production of greenhouse gasesD) the energy efficiencyE) the low impact on atmospheric ozone

Whether a hydrogen‑based energy system is environmentally cleaner than a fossil fuel system depends on

A) the car drivenB) the source of oxygen used for the processC) the amount of fossil fuels that are invested in long-term storageD) the source of energy used to produce the hydrogenE) governmental incentives for research

One difficulty with the process of using hydrogen as a power source is that it

A) has highly volatile and explosive componentsB) is toxic to humans and wildlife C) requires a substantial energy investment to begin the processD) requires a fuel that is a nonrenewable resourceE) is less efficient than fossil fuels

The largest problem with adopting the new technology of renewable resources is

A) that the startup costs may be highB) in evaluating the scientific and economic impacts C) that technological advances have not been made in the last 30 years to meet our energy needsD) that energy production facilities are not located near consumersE) that long‑term maintenance costs are much higher than those for fossil fuels

Compared to the use of fossil fuels for generating electricity, wind energy

A) is more consistentB) is more widely used in the United StatesC) is not renewableD) produces no exhaust pollutants and contributes little to global climate changeE) requires no investment

A potential energy source from oceans is

A) ocean thermal energyB) chemoluminescent bacteriaC) magnetic field generatorsD) lightning strikes in salt waterE) solar reflection

The current practice of geothermal power generation may not always provide a practical renewable energy source because

A) in some instances, pollution emissions can be very highB) geologically heated groundwater is unsuitable for these plants and must be purified firstC) in many cases, the magma is used faster than it is rechargedD) in some cases, the heated groundwater is used much faster than it is rechargedE) power plants have high maintenance costs

One benefit of offshore wind farms is that

A) development of land for human use is pushing wind farms to open waterB) they are more aesthetically pleasing than wind farms on landC) wind speeds are higher and turbulence is lower over water than over landD) maintenance costs are less than they are on landE) unlike land-based wind farms, they do not interfere with bird migration routes

A major obstacle to the establishment of wind farms near populated and scenic areas is

A) the lack of infrastructure to support wind‑generated electricityB) not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) syndromeC) the lack of large land areas needed to construct wind farmsD) the lack of government support for the construction of wind farmsE) the lack of financial support for the construction of wind farms

Passive solar technologies

A) use mechanical devices to heat water and buildings or electrical devices to generate electricityB) use mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays on a tower or a series of pipes holding waterC) use the energy of sunlight without relying on electrical or mechanical devicesD) use photovoltaic cells to produce light energyE) use silicon wafers to generate light energy

Wind turbines are generally more productive if they are

A) higher, to minimize the number of birds that interfere with blade turningB) higher, to increase heat convection from the groundC) higher, to minimize turbulence and maximize wind speedD) lower, to increase heat convection from the groundE) lower, to minimize turbulence and maximize wind speed

A major disadvantage of solar power is

A) the uneven distribution of sunshine around the worldB) that there is a lack of knowledge on long‑term economic impactsC) that solar systems decentralize control over electrical energyD) its cost‑effectiveness compared to other types of powerE) its efficiency level compared to other types of power

A major advantage of solar power is that

A) pollution is highB) solar systems provide local, decentralized control over powerC) cost is prohibitive even in developed countriesD) there is a lack of knowledge on long‑term impactsE) not all regions are sunny enough to provide adequate power with current technology

Solar represents a minuscule portion of U.S. energy production because of

A) lack of scientific interestB) technological limitationsC) poor potential for this energy sourceD) air and water pollution from this source of energyE) lack of investment

Which of the following methods is considered a type of passive solar energy collection?

A) OTECB) using heat‑absorbing construction materialsC) rooftop flat‑plate solar collectorsD) rooftop solar panelsE) photovoltaic cells

Which one of the following is a type of "new renewable" energy? A) wind powerB) biodieselC) sustainably harvested fuelwoodD) "biogas" methaneE) ethanol

The primary motivation to develop the new renewable energy sources comes from

A) those who believe conservation is importantB) concerns over diminishing fossil fuel supplies and negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel use C) concerns that oxygen production by trees is endangered by fossil fuel useD) those who believe fossil fuel dependence is suicide because it makes us vulnerable to the Middle EastE) those who believe human health is impacted by smog and pollution

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is best described as

A) trapping sun's heat and storing it for various usesB) using mirrors to concentrate sunlight, in order to heat water and produce steam for electricity generationC) passive solar technologyD) using sun's energy to warm a room without mechanical devicesE) using sunlight to generate electricity

Currently, the fastest‑growing source of electricity generation using new renewable sources is

A) natural gas B) PV solar C) coal D) hydro E) wind

"New renewables" are

A) solar, wind, geothermalB) fusion, fissionC) wind, wood, alcoholD) coal, natural gasE) hydro, biomass

Both pyrolysis and gasification are ways of producing ________ from ________.

A) coal; biomassB) pesticides and fertilizers; biomassC) hydroelectric fuel; coalD) methane and diesel fuels; biomassE) biodiesel; limestone

Sugar cane-based ethanol is a major component in the energy resources of

A) TuvaluB) BrazilC) the MaldivesD) ChinaE) Mexico

Biofuels and nuclear power may prove useful as

A) pollution-free sustainable energiesB) stages in the development of fusion generatorsC) energies to bridge the time between fossil fuel depletion and new renewablesD) inexpensive technologies for developing nationsE) replacement fuels for motor vehicles

Although hydroelectric dams generate electricity without producing greenhouse gases, they

A) still produce more greenhouse gases per unit of electricity produced than coal power plantsB) alter water control in ways that make it more difficult to irrigate cropsC) eliminate farmland, wildlife habitats, and sometimes even villages in regions that are floodedD) are short-lived structures that have to be rebuilt about every 20 yearsE) contribute only about 5% of the electrical power throughout the world

Which of the following is a documented negative impact of dams?

A) alteration of river salinityB) decreased rainfallC) alteration of river sediment depositionD) increased atmospheric CFCsE) acid deposition

Biodiesel

A) is produced from ethanol and vegetable oil, grease, or animal fat B) produces more pollution than petrodieselC) can be used in vehicles with diesel engines without engine modificationD) is twice as expensive as petrodieselE) is produced from sugarcane

E-85…

A) is an ethanol—gasoline mixture used in flexible-fuel vehiclesB) was an international summit of 85 nations that met to determine vehicle fuel efficiency standardsC) was an international summit of 85 nations that met to restrict CFC useD) was an international summit of 85 nations that met to restrict greenhouse gas emissionsE) is an isotope of uranium used to generate electricity

One key advantage of hydropower is that

A) it produces no negative environmental effectsB) it is widely available to all countriesC) it is the most economically feasible of all the renewable energy resourcesD) it is the oldest of the renewable energy resourcesE) it does not rely on fossil fuel to generate electricity