ENV100Y5 Lecture Notes - Renewable Energy, Active Solar, Hydrogen Fuel
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ENV100Y5 Full Course Notes
Verified Note
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Document Summary
Energy alternatives and utm"s green features: all energy use has environmental impacts (solar panels for example also have environmental impacts based on their energy consumption). A switch to renewable energy should increase employment: manufacturing, installing, servicing renewable energy is more labour-intensive than fossil fuels. Concentrating solar rays magnifies energy: power tower: mirrors concentrate sunlight onto receivers to create electricity. Inexhaustible: quiet, safe, uses no fuels, contains no moving parts, requires little maintenance. Local, decentralized control over power: appropriate applications for developing nations, net metering = pv owners can sell excess electricity to their local power utility, does not emit greenhouse gases and air pollution. Uneven sunlight and cost can be drawbacks of solar panels. Not all areas receive the same amount of sunlight, causing inefficient use of solar panels. Also cost of solar panels is can be a drawback as they are not cheap.
