Energy Assignment Part 3

Based on the potential to be implemented in my state, I would rank the energies in the following order for the state of Hawaii:

1. Solar energy
2. Coal energy
3. Wind energy

I ranked Solar energy as first because solar energy is not only sustainable but renewable which means that we will never run out of it. It is a natural source of power as it is possible to generate electricity. Hawaii is known to be a rich state because of tourism and since on average people make over $75,000 there which would make the cost of implementation of expensive solar panels possible. Initially solar energy panels are what are expensive however in the long term, the creation of solar energy requires little maintenance. The geography of my state is perfect for solar energy since the location on earth causes it to have a lot of available sunlight. There are many resources available to recharge the solar panels. The tropical location provides abundant sunlight and warm climate. The size of Hawaii is good since sunlight is able to cover it adequately. Hawaii’s government has been using solar energy for electricity and government has been using it more and more over the years. The government also uses it in ventilation of homes and buildings.

I ranked Coal energy as second because solar energy is the better option for Hawaii in particular but because of coal production in Hawaii, it is also a fair and good second option. The cost of coal mining and everything else is quite affordable for Hawaii because it is a rather rich state compared to other US states. Geographically, there are many coal reserves and areas for coal mining located in Hawaii. The size of the state is large enough for coal to be mined and used for electricity for the whole state. However there may be an issue of coal running out over the years if it is overmined whereas solar energy would not run out because of the abundant sunlight that is why it is ranked first. The government of Hawaii is already using coal for instance,  there are many coal mines in Hawaii and in 2009, 14.8 percent of Hawaii's electric power generation was provided by coal. They used 700,000 short tons of coal to generate 1.52 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. Hawaii ranks number 43 in coal use and and number 50 in energy affordability.  Government and the society is also helped out by coal mining as it brings out 730 jobs in Hawaii and about 20 million dollars in combined payroll.

I ranked wind energy as third because it is renewable and cost effective. Wind turbines can give energy to numerous homes which is a great economic advantage. The cost of implementation is relatively affordable. Geographically, Hawaii can be windy because of the coastal areas however I have ranked this third because winds are not always reliable. Winds don't blow reliably and turbines usually function at about 30 percent capacity or so. If weather doesn't support you, you may end up without power. Serious storms or high winds may cause damage to your wind turbine, particularly when struck by lightning. Hawaii can have unexpected weather in stormy seasons therefore wind energy may not be the best option. This is why solar energy and coal energy is better than wind energy for the state of Hawaii. Governments have been using wind energy since the 1980s because wind is a clean and sustainable source of energy. Governments have installed them for uses of electricity in the state of Hawaii.  

Energy Assignment Part 2

Primarily Energy used

The primarily type of energy used in Hawaii is solar energy. It is energy emitted from the sun which is converted to electricity. 

How is it used? 

It can be used in ventilation, in heating swimming pools, heating water, heating/powering homes/hotels/tourist attractions, power pumps,used for cooking, indoor/outdoor lighting,  battery charging and more. 

Costs?

Solar systems are typically quite expensive, they can end up costing between $15,000 and $40,000 however operating costs are relatively low. Solar systems primarily require energy from the sun,which is a free cost  and in the long term it is a good investment. 

Impacts?

There are many environmental impacts associated with solar power. There can be land use and habitat loss, water use, and the use of hazardous materials in manufacturing, it can vary greatly depending on the technology.  The solar panels also create a lot of shade and economically, it can be quite expensive to purchase them. 

Energy Assignment Part 1

I) Coal Energy- Most people know coal as a fossil fuel which is used to produce around 40 percent of the world's electricity. It’s a flammable black or brown sedimentary rock, and is made mostly of organic carbon. It is used primarily as an energy source, either for heat or electricity. It was once heavily used to heat homes and power locomotives and factories.The most significant uses of coal are in electricity generation, steel production, cement manufacturing and as a liquid fuel. Around 6.6 billion tonnes of hard coal were used worldwide last year and 1 billion tonnes of brown coal. Since 2000, global coal consumption has grown faster than any other fuel.

The coal-fired steam station, works much like a nuclear station where water is turned into steam, which in turn drives turbine generators to produce electricity. Basically, heat is created then water turns to steam, the steam turns the turbine and finally the steam turns back into water. The cooling water is returned to its source without any contamination, and the steam water is returned to the boiler to repeat the cycle.

Pros/Benefits:

-inexpensive

-abundant supply especially in industrialized countries

-low capital investment compared to gas or nuclear

-continuous power, good utilization, high load factor

-can be converted into a liquid or a gas, which burn cleaner

-can be made low carbon and clean with CCS and various scrubbers

Cons/Drawbacks:

-coal is nonrenewable. Finite supply

-coal contains lots of CO2 per BTU, largest contributor to global warming

-devastation of environment around coal mines

-high cost of transporting coal to centralized power plants

-coal ash is a hazard and a disposal problem

-severe environmental, social, health and safety impacts of coal mining

-second highest emitter of methane

-clean coal is not carbon free

-high levels of radiation

-coal burning releases SOx and NOx which both cause acid rain

-burning coal emits mercury and other heavy metals that pose health risks

-coal emissions linked to increased rates of asthma and lung cancer

II)Solar Energy- Is energy emitted from the sun which is converted to electricity for your home. It can be used in ventilation, heating swimming pools, heating water, heating/powering homes, power pumps, battery charging and more. Additional uses can be using solar energy for cooking, indoor lighting and outdoor lighting. 

 

It works by converting sunlight to electrical power. Solar power cells convert sunlight into electricity, using the energy of speeding photons to create currents within a solar panel. Photons are created in the centre of the sun by the fusion of atoms.

Pros/Benefits:

-renewable, no fuels required

-operating costs are low

-non-polluting. Carbon-free except for production and transportation

-can utilize thermal storage to better match supply with demand

-high efficiency

-scalable to the 100 MW+ level

-can serve as a drop-in replacement for conventional fuels to make steam

Cons/Drawbacks:

-intermittent

-low energy density

-construction/installation costs are high

-slightly more expensive than solar PV

-relatively new technology involved

-heavily location dependant 

-manufacturing processes often create pollution

-require lots of space

-hard to compete against very cheap natural gas

-some people find them unattractive

III) Wind Energy- Wind energy can be used for anything from power on boats, battery charging, or electricity to be used commercially. Wind energy is known to be used as early as 200 B.C. Original windmills were used in the Middle East in areas such as what is now known as Iran, and areas in Afghanistan.Wind turbines can convert the energy in the wind into mechanical power that can be used for a variety of activities like pumping water. Wind turbines can also use generators to convert wind energy into electricity.

 

Wind turbines operate on a simple principle. The energy in the wind turns two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity.

Pros/Benefits:

-renewable and sustainable

-costs are low and continue to decrease

-low life cycle carbon footprint

-power is essentially free once infrastructure is paid for

-abundant domestic supply

-can be used almost anywhere

-clean energy, no fuel to drill, mine, transport or burn

Cons/Drawbacks:

- wind is inconsistent, unsteady and unpredicatable

-wildlife impact for instance birds have experienced fatalities

-some people complain of noise from turbines

-wind power is not cheap and like other energy sources, rely on the government

-wind farms are generally located in rural areas that might be otherwise picturesque

-localized impact on night-time temperatures and weather

Case Study: Glacial Retreat

Part A) 
1-Look at the links related to the Himalayas, Glacier National park and Antarctica. 


Behaviour of Glaciers in the following areas:

I)Himalayas- Himalayas are the youngest and highest mountains of the world and have the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar caps. In the Himalayas, glaciers happily advance in a healthy climate and retreat in response to a warmer climate. For instance they've seen the Chhota Shigri glacier change in length due to change in temperature and the snowfall pattern in the Himalayan region from 1962 to 2008 for 46 years. 

II) Glacier National Park- A warming climate is becoming popular in Glacier National Park. Between 1900 and 1979, the Glacier Park area experienced an average of 181 days every year when the temperature dipped below freezing. Between 1980 and 2005, warming had reduced the number of below-freezing days to 152. The region now experiences, on average, eight more days each year when temperature tops 90 degrees. This causes the glaciers to behave by shrinking in size because of the heat. Over the past decade, the national park warmed at twice the rate of the overall planet. Many of the park's small glaciers are gone entirely and others are shrinking quickly. 

III)Antarctica- Antarctica has a summer melting season and since records began, 50 years ago, mean annual temperatures have risen rapidly. Warming does continue especially in the summer and it causes glaciers to behave and respond by melting. There have been many losses and shrinkage of glaciers. The rate of warming in Antarctica is among the highest seen anywhere on Earth in recent times.

2-Discuss the Social, Environmental, and Economic Impact of Glacial Retreat. 

Impacts of Glacial Retreat:

I) Social Impacts:
-tourists wont go glacier tourist attractions because glaciers are disappearing
-people may be displaced because of the rising sea level and rising rivers (happened in Bangladesh)
- people's crops will be destroyed
-people's homes will be destroyed

II) Environmental Impacts:
-can alter flow of downstream rivers
-can expand both land and marine habitats at the margins of glaciers
-can reduce pressure on the crust causing instability of existing faults potentially contributing to earthquakes.
-can cause natural disasters

III) Economic Impacts:
-economic loss to tourism
-destruction of property will come at a heavy cost from the destruction of rising waters
-need money to help rebuild city from possible destruction
-relief and recovery costs from possible destruction

Part B) Research the impact that glacial retreat will have on the tourism industry in areas that currently have glaciers. (think about Alaskan cruises, Banff, The swiss alps, etc) 

Glaciers are an important tourist attraction for instance with the Alaskan cruises, Alaska, Banff, Swiss Alps, Glacier national park and many others. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Alaska's glaciers each year. As they shrink due to global warming and other reasons, many of them are becoming less available to tourists. They are retreating from visitor centres,  retreating into shallow bays where cruise ships cannot follow them or no longer are calving into the ocean. Shrinking glaciers can lead to a reduction in glacier and cruise ship tourism resulting in a large economic hit. For example, in Montana's Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park, they make approximately $3 billion dollars each year. Without the glaciers, the tourism industry would be destroyed. Tourists would stop coming, and they wouldn't be making any profit. It would be a significant economic disadvantage. 

Part C) Discuss the impact that retreating glaciers will/have already had on your country. If you have a country that does not have glaciers specifically in it think about general impacts as a result. 

It is very rare for glaciers to be on the state of Hawaii. There have been a few cases but not many that is why I chose to discuss the general impacts of retreating glaciers. Retreating glaciers can cause sea level to rise by adding water to the ocean either in the form of melt water or calved-off icebergs. Rising sea level can negatively impact Hawaii by causing coastal erosion, flooding of low-lying areas and causing storms to occur . The melting of glaciers, could alter the flows of downstream rivers. It can also expand both land and marine habitats at the margins of glaciers. Glacier retreat can also lead to a series of natural hazards. As glaciers shrink, they can change and reduce pressure on the crust causing a decrease of stability of existing faults potentially contributing to earthquakes. These are some of the general impacts to a country or state from retreating glaciers.