ECOL 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Penstock, Tidal Barrage
27 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Advantages: renewable and pollution free, low cost of production. Disadvantages: ecosystem disturbance (highly productive marine ecosystems, tidal barrage systems need high tide amplitude, geographic limitations. Blade works like an airplane wing, and turns a generator. Geography and topography cause uneven heating of earth. Google is currently using renewable energy to power 35% operations. Goal is to power the company with 100% renewable energy. Google not only recognizes the environmental benefits (and marketing opportunities), but they understand that investing in renewable energy is a business opportunity. Currently produce less than 0. 5% of global electricity needs. But, fastest growing renewable sector (10x increase in last decade) Wind power: advantages, no fuel needed (no drilling, wastes, etc, no pollutants released (co2, no2, so2, domestic energy source, not subject to disruptions of single energy plants, disadvantages. Bird and bat deaths (may interfere with bird movement corridors) Capturing the energy of water moving under the force of gravity.
