Mr. Lowrie's Science Site
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  • Environmental Systems
    • First Week Stuff
    • Key Terms Glossary
    • Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental Science >
      • Chapter 1: Science and the Environment >
        • Section 1: Understanding Our Environment
        • Section 2: The Environment and Society
      • Chapter 2: Tools of Environmental Science >
        • Section 1: Scientific Methods
        • Section 2: Statistics and Models
        • Section 3: Making Informed Decisions
      • Chapter 3: The Dynamic Earth >
        • Section 1: The Geosphere
        • Section 2: The Atmosphere
        • Section 3: The Hydrosphere and Biosphere
    • Unit 2: Ecology >
      • Chapter 4: The Organization of Life >
        • Section 1: Ecosystems: Everything is Connected
        • Section 2: Evolution
        • Section 3: The Diversity of Living Things
      • Chapter 5: How Ecosystems Work >
        • Section 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystems
        • Section 2: The Cycling of Materials
        • Section 3: How Ecosystems Change
      • Chapter 6: Biomes >
        • Section 1: What is a Biome?
        • Section 2: Forest Biomes
        • Section 3: Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes
      • Chapter 7: Aquatic Ecosystems >
        • Section 1: Freshwater Ecosystems
        • Section 2: Marine Ecosystems
    • Unit 3: Populations >
      • Chapter 8: Understanding Populations >
        • Section 1: How Populations Change in Size
        • Section 2: How Species Interact with Each Other
      • Chapter 9: The Human Population >
        • Section 1: Studying Human Populations
        • Section 2: Changing Population Trends
      • Chapter 10: Biodiversity >
        • Section 1: What is Biodiversity?
        • Section 2: Biodiversity at Risk
        • Section 3: The Future of Biodiversity
    • Unit 4: Water, Air, and Land >
      • Chapter 11: Water >
        • Section 1: Water Resources
        • Section 2: Water Use and Management
        • Section 3: Water Pollution
      • Chapter 12: Air >
        • Section 1: What Causes Air Pollution?
        • Section 2: Air, Noise, and Light Pollution
        • Section 3: Acid Precipitation
      • Chapter 13: Atmosphere and Climate Change >
        • Section 1: Climate and Climate Change
        • Section 2: The Ozone Shield
        • Section 3: Global Warming
      • Chapter 14: Land >
        • Section 1: How We Use Land
        • Section 2: Urban Land Use
        • Section 3: Land Management and Conservation
      • Chapter 15: Food and Agriculture >
        • Section 1: Feeding the World
        • Section 2: Crops and Soil
        • Section 3: Animals and Agriculture
    • Unit 5: Mineral and Energy Resources >
      • Chapter 16: Mining and Mineral Resources >
        • Section 1: Minerals and Mineral Resources
        • Section 2: Mineral Exploration and Mining
        • Section 3: Mining Regulations and Mine Reclamation
      • Chapter 17: Nonrenewable Energy >
        • Section 1: Energy Resources and Fossil Fuels
        • Section 2: Nuclear Energy
      • Chapter 18: Renewable Energy >
        • Section 1: Renewable Energy Today
        • Section 2: Alternative Energy and Conservation
      • Chapter 19: Waste >
        • Section 1: Solid Waste
        • Section 2: Reducing Solid Waste
        • Section 3: Hazardous Wastes
    • Unit 6: Our Health and Future >
      • Chapter 20: The Environment and Human Health >
        • Section 1: Pollution and Human Health
        • Section 2: Biological Hazards
      • Chapter 21: Economics, Policy, and the Future >
        • Section 1: Economics and International Cooperation
        • Section 2: Environmental Policies in the United States
        • Section 3: The Importance of the Individual
  • AP Environmental Science
    • First Week Stuff
    • Unit I: Humans and Sustainability: An Overview >
      • Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability
    • Unit II: Science, Ecological Principles, and Sustainability >
      • Chapter 2: Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems
      • Chapter 3: Ecosystems: What are They and How Do They Work?
      • Chapter 4: Biodiversity and Evolution
      • Chapter 5: Biodiversity, Species Interactions, and Population Control
      • Chapter 6: The Human Population and Its Impact
      • Chapter 7: Climate and Biodiversity
      • Chapter 8: Aquatic Biodiversity
    • Unit III: Sustaining Biodiversity >
      • Chapter 9: Sustaining Biodiversity: Saving Species and Ecosystem Services
      • Chapter 10: Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: Saving Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services
      • Chapter 11: Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
    • Unit IV: Sustaining Natural Resources >
      • Chapter 12: Food Production and the Environment
      • Chapter 13: Water Resources
      • Chapter 14: Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
      • Chapter 15: Nonrenewable Energy
      • Chapter 16: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
    • Unit V: Sustaining Environmental Quality >
      • Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health
      • Chapter 18: Air Pollution
      • Chapter 19: Climate Disruption
      • Chapter 20: Water Pollution
      • Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste
      • Chapter 22: Urbanization and Sustainability
    • Unit VI: Sustaining Human Societies >
      • Chapter 23: Economics, Environment, and Sustainability
      • Chapter 24: Politics, Environment, and Sustainability
      • Chapter 25: Environmental Worldviews, Ethics, and Sustainability
  • Chemistry
    • First Week Stuff
    • Matter

Chapter 16:  Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Section 1:  Why is Energy Efficiency an Important Energy Resource?

​Concept 16-1A:  Improvements in energy efficiency could save at least a third of the energy used in the world and up to 43% of the energy used in the United States.

Concept 16-1B:  We have a variety of technologies for sharply increasing the energy efficiency of industrial operations, motor vehicles, appliances, and buildings.


Section 2:  What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Solar Energy?

Concept 16-2:  Passive and active solar heating systems can heat water and buildings effectively, and the costs of using direct sunlight to produce high-temperature heat and electricity are coming down.


Section 3:  What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Hydropower?

Concept 16-3:  We can use water flowing over dams, tidal flows, and ocean waves to generate electricity, but environmental concerns and limited availability of suitable sites may limit the use of these energy resources.

Section 4:  What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Wind Power?

Concept 16-4:  When we include the environmental costs of using energy resources in their market prices, wind power is the least expensive and least polluting way to produce electricity.

Section 5:  What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Biomass as an Energy Source?

Concept 16-5A:  Solid biomass is a renewable resource for much of the world's population, but burning it faster than it is replenished produces a net gain in atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Concept 16-5B:  We can use liquid biofuels derived from biomass to lessen our dependence on oil-based fuels, but creating biofuel plantations can degrade soil and biodiversity, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and lead to higher food prices.

Section 6:  What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Geothermal Energy?

Concept 16-6:  Geothermal energy has great potential for supplying many areas with heat and electricity, and has a generally low environmental impact, but the sites where it can be produced economically are limited.


Section 7:  What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Hydrogen as an Energy Source?

Concept 16-7:  Hydrogen is a clean energy source as long as it is not produced with the use of fossil fuels, but it has a negative net energy yield.


Section 8:  How Can We Make the Transition to a More Sustainable Energy Future?

Concept 16-8:  We can make the transition to a more sustainable energy future by greatly improving energy efficiency, using a mix of renewable energy resources, and including the environmental and health costs of energy resources in their market prices.


Files:
APES Ch. 16 Presentation
File Size: 8004 kb
File Type: pptx
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APES Ch. 16 Student Notes
File Size: 33 kb
File Type: docx
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APES Ch. 16 Glossary
File Size: 14 kb
File Type: docx
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Key Terms:
  • active solar heating system
  • biofuel
  • biomass
  • cogeneration
  • combined heat and power (CHP) production
  • energy efficiency
  • geothermal energy
  • ​hydroelectric power plant
  • hydropower
  • mass transit
  • passive solar heating system
  • photovoltaic (PV) cell
  • solar cell
  • solar thermal system
  • superinsulated house 
  • wind farm
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