No, wind power is not about trapping farts and using them as a source of energy—although you can make energy from methane! WHY would you want to make energy from methane?
Photographer : Todd Klassy |
The facts:
- About 90% of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. These fuels are used to heat water, which creates steam. The steam moves turbines, which generate electricity.
- The earth has limited fossil fuel resources and mining is quickly depleting them. Once resources run out, they can’t be regenerated and we will need to get our electricity in other ways. Limited resources also mean fossil fuel prices are frequently increasing.
- Mining processes can damage the environment and destroy animal habitats. This can lead to species loss.
- Greenhouse gases—like oxygen, carbon dioxide and methane—trap heat in our atmosphere. This keeps our climate warm enough to live in. Burning fossil fuels causes levels of greenhouse gases to increase. This accelerates the speed at which our environment heats up. Australia produces more damaging greenhouse gases per person than any other developed nation.
- Many countries have signed the Kyoto Protocol—an agreement to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we add to the air. Increasing the amount of electricity we get from sustainable methods of energy production will help us do this!
Farting contributes to greenhouse gases heating up our environment—but don’t let this cause you to hold it in! There are much less painful ways to help reduce the impact we have on the environment! One of these is to change the way we produce energy. Sustainable energy can be made from wind, sun, water, and even composting poo!
So, if wind power isn’t about farting, what is it? The facts:
- A wind turbine looks like a giant fan. The blades of the turbine sit high above land level and are rotated by the wind, generating energy.
- Wind turbines are up to 17% more efficient than traditional power plants. One turbine (depending on its size) can power up to 1000 homes.
- They can cost up to 3 million dollars to buy; but in the long term, wind power costs the environment much less.
- Only about 1% of Australia’s energy currently comes from wind power.
- Turbines often occur in ‘farms’ or groups and are quite visible on the landscape. Some people might complain about this but, in general, farms are pretty quiet and can be quite attractive.
- You can buy small turbines to sit on your rooftop for home use.
What’s all this fuss about Uranium?The facts:
- Uranium is a radioactive metal mined from the earth’s crust. It is used to produce nuclear weapons and as fuel for nuclear power plants, which use a chemical process called nuclear fission.
- In nuclear fission the atoms of uranium are split apart. This creates heat, which is used to turn turbines and create electricity.
- The World Nuclear Association believes that nuclear energy is the only alternative form of energy production that will be able to meet world demand. There are proposals for nuclear fission to replace fossil fuels and then be supplemented by other alternative sources.
- Uranium takes a very long time to break down and can be radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.
- The Australian Government currently stores nuclear waste at Lucas Heights in Sydney. There are plans to build a nuclear reactor there. Many people oppose this because of health concerns.
- There is a lot of argument about the safe disposal of nuclear waste. Once uranium enters the bloodstream it deposits in bones, increasing the risk of bone cancer and other illnesses.
- Some key environmentalists support the use of Uranium because, compared to fossil fuels, it uses less resources and doesn’t produce greenhouse gases. In October 2005, China asked Australia for the right to explore the Northern Territory for uranium for mining and export.
Ever heard of solar panels?The facts:
- Solar panels make electricity directly from the sun’s energy. Solar panels can exist in flat plates, as a thin solar film on windows or in large dishes that concentrate the sun’s rays using mirrors.
- Solar cells turn about 15% of the light that strike them into electricity.
- Solar panels can be quite expensive to produce and buy. In the long term, they are of benefit to the environment and can save you money.
- People can install solar panels on their own houses. Extra electricity produced can be sold back to the energy grid. In some countries, solar panels have to be installed in all new buildings.
- There is an annual race called the world solar challenge, where people travel across Australia in solar powered cars!
What about water?The facts:
- Water can be used to turn turbines in hydro-generators. The water flows through tubes and past turbines, creating energy. These sorts of generators can be large or small and they need a continuous flow of water in order to operate. This makes them less effective during droughts.
- Hydro-power doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases. Dams can be used to store drinking water and create spaces to fish and play; however they can also destroy animal habitat and greatly change the natural landscape.
- The Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme is the biggest in Australia. It took 25 years to build and had an enormous impact on the environment, particularly the NSW alpine river system. The government is hoping to correct these negative effects by allowing a higher volume of water to flow again.
Lets talk about poo!The facts:
It might not sound particularly nice but some amazing things have been done using poo as the energy source.
- Poo can be stored in giant airtight containers, like industrial compost bins. When it (and other compost) breaks down, it produces methane. This gas can be collected and burnt to create electricity.
- This is already being done on both big and small-scale projects worldwide, showing that it is a practical energy alternative.
- In Sweden, trials have been done running buses on biogas. In South Australia there are plans to run a pig farm on the poo the pigs produce! In Rwanda in Africa, whole prisons are running on poo power—they use the leftover compost to plant beautiful gardens and grow their own food!
How do I know this?Australian Government Culture and Recreation Portal: Snowy Mountains Scheme,
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/sn...Australian Greenhouse Office,
http://www.greenhouse.gov.au Australian Institute of Energy,
http://www.aie.org.au/links_index.htmAustralian Wind Energy Association,
http://www.auswea.com.au/WIDP/index.htmDirectorate-General for Energy and Transport, ‘Biogas production for the public transport network’,
managenergy, European Commission,
http://www.managenergy.net/products/R889.htmNational Renewable Energy Laboratory
http://www.nrel.gov/Origin Energy Australia,
http://www.originenergy.com.au/home/home_subnav.ph...Treehugger,
http://www.treehugger.comUranium & Nuclear Power Information Centre,
http://www.uic.com.au/faq.htmWorld Nuclear Association,
http://www.world-nuclear.org
