Module 11.2 Flashcards
(17 cards)
energy that comes from an infinitely available or
easily replenished source
Renewable energy
energy from renewable sources that are used no
more quickly than replenished and whose use has an acceptable
environmental impact
Sustainable energy
energy from biological material such as plants
(wood, charcoal, crops) and animal waste
Biomass energy
energy contained in the
motion of air across Earth’s surface
* Wind farms: areas containing dozens
of turbines
Wind power:
energy harnessed from the Sun in the form of heat or light
* Can be used in two ways:
* Active technologies
* Passive technologies
Solar power
mechanical equipment for capturing, converting,
and sometimes concentrating solar energy into a more usable form
Active solar technology
a technology that converts solar energy directly into
electricity
Photovoltaic (PV) cell
a technology that captures solar energy
(heat or light) without any electronic or mechanical assistance
Passive solar technology
the amount of time it takes to save enough money in
operation costs to pay for equipment
Payback time
heat stored underground, contained in either rocks or
fluids
Geothermal energy:
a large-scale facility that captures steam
produced from Earth’s internal heat to turn turbines which generate
electricity
Geothermal power plant
energy produced from moving water
Hydropower
efforts that reduce waste and increase efficient use of
resources
Conservation
measure of the
amount of energy needed to
perform a task; higher efficiency
means less energy is wasted.
Energy efficiency
fixed payments,
usually higher than the retail price,
made to owners of renewable
energy production equipment for
electricity they send to the grid
Feed-in tariff
a modernized network that provides electricity to users in a
way that automatically optimizes the delivery of electricity
Smart grid
