Solar and Wind PowerMariah Negrillo-Soor

WHY USE SOLAR ENERGY??• Potential to supply energy for full year• BUT it’s expensive $$$ + difficult to store in large amounts• Reduce heating costs

learn more http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDZzAIcCQLQ

HOW?• Daylighting: buildings with a lot of windows = natural light =

low heating + electricity bills• Photovoltaic cells (energy storage like a car battery) absorb

direct sunlight, convert to electricity

WOWW

So many windowssssss

HOW?• Solar Towers: • Thousands of mirrors direct sunlight/energy @ tower which heats

a liquid to steam • Drives turbines; generate electricity

POTENTIAL VS. PROBLEMS• Could be greatest energy source BUT:• Need to find a way to concentrate, store, and make accessible• Produce little to no energy on rainy/cloudy days• Gov’t not into high costs, yet still subsidize or fund the use of

fossil fuel

NEW IDEAS• Cells compress + pump air into underground caves use to

drive turbines• HOT SALT: mirrors heat fluid in pipes heats molten salt;

retains heat use heat to produce steam steam powers turbines

TRANSPORTATION

• AC lines (alternating currents):• Loses power over long distances

• DC lines (direct current)• Doesn’t lose power over long distance• Expensive; as demand increases price decreases

OKOTOKS, AB• Solar panels heat glycol

solution• Solution flows through

pipes in home• Goes through more

pipes to Energy Center• Heat transfers to water• Cycle begins again• **EXCESS HEAT STORED

UNDERGROUND FOR WINTER**

WIND u feel it

WHY?• no CO2 omissions• no acid rain• Renewable• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niZ_cvu9Fts

Futuristic + pretty = WOWWW!?!

WIND FARMS• Onshore: fast winds to

get over hills + ridges• = more power• Little habitat destruction• Few trees @ high

elevations• Tall because velocity

higher @ high elevations• (e.g rooftop turbines in

Amsterdam and San Francisco)

WIND FARMS• Offshore: built on

continental shelves• More dependable no

trees or buildings in the way• Linked with cables to

on shore generation systems• More attractive?

(some peeps don’t like them?)

FUN FACT

• 2003: plan for wind farm cancelled by Premier Campbell (Liberals)• Favour private development• This prevents BC Hydro from producing new power• Wind power $$$ at first; private companies need

incentives; not willing to compete with BC Hydro

Wind Farms in BC• Clean Energy Act passed in 2010:• BC Hydro promises to buy energy from wind farms + other clean

energy projects• Haida Gwaii: off shore farm proposed 2009 BC Hydro decides

NOPE• But proposal for Tumbler Ridge farm in 6 years

Bear Mountain Wind Farm in Dawson Creek, BC

Wind Farms in Canada• Largest just outside of Toronto• Some in Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba

St. Joseph wind farm in Manitoba = one of the largest in Canada!

Wind Farms in World• Growing on people fossil fuel = $$ (no good)• Many advantages• BOOM in wind power = low cost• High demand = low price• **Encourages economic growth**• E.g offer money ($3-5000) to farmers to build on property

Can humankind learn to coexist with nature ?!?

NOT PERFECT• Not “aesthetically” pleasing; noisy (??)• Blades can kill birds + bats• May not be windy when needed use with another energy

source (*coughcough* solar)

Careful little birdies

BLEAK FUTURE IF WE CONTINUE TO RELY ON

FOSSIL FUELS

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