4th period: Energy Debate Notes

Wave

• Potential for wave energy is more so than for wind energy.
• If more research was done on wave energy, it could be developed to the point where it would be consistently and conveniently used. There is a lot more room to expand and develop this technology
• It doesn't take anything away from the ocean, as water is funneled back.
• Wave energy is predictable. Centuries in advance, you can tell from the positions of the moons what the tides will be like.
• Oregon would be the world's leader in wave power because we have good coastlines for the implementation of wave power, and it would bring lots of jobs to our state.
• The turbines/buoys wouldn't be noisier than the actual waves, so people can still enjoy their coastal experience. The can be built 130 feet deep in the ocean, meaning it would have little effect on people's visibility of the ocean.
• Cheaper than building wind turbines or dams, and wave energy has low costs for operation or maintenance.
• Wave energy is a renewable resource.

Nuclear

• Nuclear energy is currently 19% of the world's electricity supply.
• It does not pollute the air, as there are no greenhouse gases or dust emitted.
• Without nuclear energy, two million tons more nitrogen oxide would be emitted as a result of electricity usage.
• Waste is completely isolated from the environment, unlike coal.
• More concern about safety than there should be- .1% of unavoidable exposure to radition.
• Toxicity of nuclear waste decreases over time, unlike byproducts from coal, which never lose toxicity.
• Fusion (joining hydrogen atoms) would create lots of energy without any waste.
• A single power plant produces immense amounts of energy annually and easily pays for itself.
• It is a readily available technology.
• It currently supplies more electricity than oil, hydropower, or natural gas.

Wind

• Wind can always work because there is wind everywhere and every day. There are many vast open places where we can put wind farms, and currently 31 states have wind farms. The most popular places are Texas, California, Iowa, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. Windmills have also been placed in the ocean by countries such as Denmark and The Netherlands.
• Wind is a clean fuel, as the power plants produce no air or water pollution because no fuel is burned to generate electricity.
• 2008 wind machines in the US generated a total of 52 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, which is currently only about 1.3% of total US electricity generation. The technology is rapdily advancing, however, and will make wind energy more cost efficient.
• There are negative effects on bird populations and landscapes (such as birds flying into the blades or noise produced by the turbines).

Hydropower/Hydroelectric

• It is the most used source of renewable energy (60% of total US electricity and 67% of renewable energy in 2008).
• It is completely renewable, as it uses the water cycle to generate electricity.
• Non-polluting.
• Ther are low maintenance costs associated with hydropower. Dams are fairly resistant to wear and tear, making them last decades.
• Most dams aren't built to produce electricity. (not sure what you guys mean here)

Geothermal

• No notes turned in.

Biomass

• It's economical: it is wide-spread and anybody can have access to the raw materials needed to create biofuel. Biomass production provides 66,000 jobs across the US.
• Environmental: It does not emit any greenhouse gases when you're using it, it is a completely renewable resource, and reduces solid waste.
• Safety: no safety issues.
• Ethical: no obvious ethical issues.