Deck 23: Sustainable Energy for Stationary Sources- Fueled by the Sun: a Small Island Makes Big Strides in Renewable Energy- Sustainable Living in Community

Question 1

A criticism of wind turbines technology is that ____________________.

A) their electricity is not useful by the consumer
B) their use is not sustainable
C) they are unsightly to look at
D) they are unable to produce electricity at night
E) All of these answers are correct.

Answer 1

they are unsightly to look at

Question 2

In 2014, what state in the United States had the largest wind farm?

A) California
B) Oregon
C) Texas
D) Kansas
E) none of these answers

Answer 2

California

Question 3

The largest segment of renewable energy is ____________________.

A) solar energy
B) biomass
C) hydroelectric energy
D) geothermal energy
E) wind

Answer 3

biomass

Question 4

Infographic 23.1.

Refer to Infographic 23.1. Describe the patterns in world electricity generation from 2010 to 2040.

Question 5

A sustainable energy source has which of the following characteristics?

A) It is renewable.
B) It has a low environmental footprint.
C) It is affordable to the consumer.
D) A, B, and C are all correct.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 6

In 2013, how much energy used by the human population came from renewable resources?

A) 3%
B) 9%
C) 16%
D) 25%
E) 40%

Question 7

Choose the energy source that is most renewable.

A) coal
B) biodiesel
C) oil
D) natural gas
E) nuclear energy

Question 8

Wind turbines create electric energy by ____________________.

A) converting wind to steam to turn a generator
B) converting wind, through a series of gears, to turn a generator
C) allowing wind to blow directly into a generator to turn it
D) A, B, and C are correct.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 9

Why is the unit "barrels of oil equivalents" (BOE) used in examining energy patterns?

Question 10

Infographic 23.1

Infographic 23.1 describes the worldwide production of renewable energy by source in 2013. The best all-around source of renewable energy is ____________________.

A) solar energy
B) biomass
C) hydroelectric energy
D) wind
E) There is not enough information in the graph to make a choice.

Question 11

___________________ energy is replenished over short time scales or is perpetually available.

A) Sustainable
B) Reusable
C) Renewable
D) Fossil fuel
E) None of these answers

Question 12

Which renewable energy source has the greatest environmental footprint?

A) geothermal energy
B) biomass
C) wind
D) active solar energy
E) ocean (tidal)

Question 13

_____________________ energy is renewable and has a low environmental impact.

A) Sustainable
B) Reusable
C) Renewable
D) Fossil fuel
E) None of these answers

Question 14

__________________ cells convert solar energy directly into electricity.

A) Passive
B) Photovoltaic
C) Active
D) Thermoelectric
E) None of these answers

Question 15

Which of the following choices are involved in wind turbine technology?

A) the placement of long blades at a height that catches the wind
B) the designing wind blades to allow for maximum lift for rotation
C) internal gearing to convert the blade rotation into the turning of a generator
D) a spinning generator that produces an electric current
E) all of these answers

Question 16

Infographic 23.2.

Refer to Infographic 23.2. What is the correct order of the steps used to generate electricity in a wind turbine? I. Rotating blades turn a shaft inside the turbine.
II) A spinning generator produces electrical current.
III) Wind turns turbine blades.
IV) The shaft is attached to a higher-speed gear that turns the generator.

A) I, III, IV, II
B) I, II, III, IV
C) III, II, I, IV
D) III, I, IV, II
E) II, IV, I, III

Question 17

The 7772 wind turbines in Texas are able to provide power for roughly how many homes?

A) 1000
B) 500,000
C) over 1.5 million
D) over 3 million
E) over 1 billion

Question 18

What factors make wind energy imperfect as an energy source?

A) Wind is intermittent.
B) Wind turbines are expensive to build.
C) Wind turbines can create noise.
D) Some people think turbines are an eyesore.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 19

Which statement about wind turbines' threat to birds is TRUE?

A) Every year domestic cats kill more birds than wind turbines.
B) Wind turbines threaten birds but not bats.
C) Wind turbines kill more birds than communication towers do.
D) Because of their low risk to birds, engineers do not give much thought to how wind turbines are placed.
E) All of these answers are true.

Question 20

Biomass is a renewable energy source. Why isn't the use of biomass sustainable?

A) Burning biomass creates pollution.
B) Harvesting biomass reduces the amount of habitat available for other species.
C) Increasing world populations will require that more biomass be harvested.
D) Burning biomass releases gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 21

How is electricity produced in a dry steam geothermal power plant?

Question 22

How do run-of-the-river hydroelectric systems differ from giant dams?

A) They don't block all of the water flowing down a channel and only direct some of it through a turbine.
B) They literally "run" the river and take over the entire ecosystem.
C) They flood an area to create a reservoir.
D) They do not differ; they work the same way.
E) They are built close to shorelines, whereas giant dams can only be built farther inland.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT an example of passive solar technology?

A) greenhouses
B) photovoltaic cells
C) strategically oriented windows on a home to maximize sunlight
D) dark-colored walls and floors installed in a home to absorb more heat
E) a roof overhang used to let winter sun enter and block summer sun

Question 24

________________ energy is the heat stored underground, contained in either rocks or fluids.

A) Wind
B) Hydroelectric
C) Biomass
D) Geothermal
E) Solar

Question 25

Which statement about solar energy is correct?

A) Wind power is an indirect form of solar energy.
B) If just 4% of the world's desert were covered in photovoltaic cells, the world's electricity needs would be met.
C) Photovoltaic cells are becoming cheaper.
D) Solar energy can be harnessed through active or passive technologies.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT true of geothermal energy?

A) Geothermal projects can cause earthquakes.
B) Home-based geothermal projects can be expensive to install but have a relatively short payback time.
C) Geothermal projects are dangerous because they can release toxic fumes from deep inside the Earth.
D) Geothermal projects are entirely dependent on the locations of hot zones in the Earth's crust.
E) All of these answers are not true.

Question 27

Which of the following choices converts the energy of the sun directly into heating?

A) photovoltaic cells
B) wind turbines
C) biomass
D) solar thermal systems
E) none of these answers

Question 28

Which of the following electricity energy sources is least expensive for the consumer?

A) fossil fuels
B) solar energy
C) wind
D) geothermal energy
E) nuclear energy

Question 29

Explain why wind and water energy sources are considered an indirect form of solar energy.

Question 30

What are the differences between active solar approaches and passive solar approaches?

Question 31

Which renewable resource supplies more electricity to the human population than any other single renewable resource?

A) solar energy
B) wind
C) geothermal energy
D) biomass
E) hydropower

Question 32

Why does a run-of-the-river hydroelectric system have less impact on aquatic systems than a giant dam?

Question 33

Geothermal power plants harness ________________ released from hydrothermal reservoirs to spin turbines to produce electricity.

A) steam
B) natural gas
C) carbon dioxide
D) oil
E) radiation

Question 34

In terms of true cost, which of the following electricity energy sources is least expensive for the consumer?

A) fossil fuels
B) solar energy
C) wind
D) geothermal energy
E) nuclear energy

Question 35

Which renewable energy source has the greatest impact on the local environment?

A) solar energy
B) wind
C) geothermal energy
D) biomass
E) hydropower

Question 36

What areas are best suited for geothermal energy production, and why?

Question 37

What makes solar energy an unreliable energy source?

A) Photovoltaic cells have a lot of moving parts that produce noise.
B) Sunlight is intermittent, especially in high-latitude locations.
C) It has expensive start-up costs.
D) A, B, and C are correct.
E) B and C are correct.

Question 38

Geothermal energy is considered to be one of the most efficient methods to heat and cool a house since the ground temperature being harnessed to either heat or cool a house is always around _______________ Fahrenheit.

A) 10°
B) 25°
C) 55°
D) 90°
E) 125°

Question 39

Currently, fossil fuels meet most of the energy needs of the United States. Why do experts say that in the future no one renewable source will dominate as fossil fuels do today?

Question 40

How do geothermal power plants work?

A) They actively move heat from underground into an overlying structure in order to remove or add heat to the structure.
B) They utilize steam released from hydrothermal reservoirs to spin turbines and produce electricity.
C) They use the heat from hot rocks located in earthquake zones to heat coal.
D) They use heat from volcanic eruptions to boil water and create steam that can power a turbine.
E) They funnel hot steam into people's homes so that it can be used as a heat source.

Question 41

Why didn't Samsø choose to rely on electric or hydrogen-powered automobiles?

A) Electricity was too expensive.
B) The island is so large that the cars would run out of charge or fuel easily.
C) The technologies were too expensive and inefficient to be feasible.
D) The technology did not exist when they were proposing their plan.
E) No one drives cars on the island; it is too small.

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT a no-cost way to conserve energy?

A) washing clothes in cold water
B) taking shorter showers
C) closing the fireplace damper when it is not in use
D) insulating hot water pipes
E) lowering the thermostat

Question 43

Switching from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFL) provides a twofold benefit during the summer. Why?

A) CFL bulbs use less energy.
B) Incandescent bulbs produce excess heat.
C) CFL bulbs produce excess heat.
D) Both A and B are correct.
E) Both B and C are correct.

Question 44

Samsø's conversion to renewable energy has resulted in improved air quality on the island. Which of the following air pollutants has fallen to zero since Samsø's switch to renewable energy sources?

A) nitrogen
B) sulfur
C) carbon dioxide
D) A, B, and C
E) none of these answers

Question 45

What do energy advisors mean by the phrase "the greenest kilowatt is the one you never use?"

Question 46

According to energy advisors, what produces the "greenest" kilowatt of electricity?

A) photovoltaic cells
B) run-of-the-river hydroelectric systems
C) geothermal heat pumps
D) wind turbines
E) an "unused" kilowatt

Question 47

Turning off lights when you leave a room or switching to CFL or LED lighting is an effective conservation method because lighting usually accounts for ___________ of average home electrical costs.

A) 45%
B) 50%
C) 25%
D) 10%
E) 35%

Question 48

What is "Energy Star?"

A) an energy-efficiency rating system for automobiles
B) an energy-efficiency rating system for appliances
C) an energy-efficiency rating system for light bulbs
D) both A and B
E) both B and C

Question 49

What is the relationship between the wind turbines and the automobiles used on Samsø?

A) They only drive electric cars.
B) They only drive cars produced on the island by wind power.
C) The clean energy produced by the turbines offsets the fossil fuels used by the cars.
D) The cars run on wind power.
E) There is no relationship between the cars and the wind turbines.

Question 50

How does insulating pipes, using an on-demand water heater, and taking shorter showers save energy?

Question 51

Iceland uses geothermal energy to produce electricity and heat. Why didn't the people of Samsø choose this energy source?

A) It is very expensive to use.
B) It isn't a very efficient energy source.
C) It only works in areas close to hot zones or fault lines like Iceland is.
D) It can't be used to produce electricity.
E) It is too cold in Samsø to use geothermal energy.

Question 52

The people of Samsø discovered the best way to achieve energy independence is to____??________.

A) use solar energy
B) use wind energy
C) conserve energy
D) use geothermal energy
E) buy electric cars

Question 53

What percentage of Samsø's electricity comes from renewable energy sources?

A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 90%
E) 100%

Question 54

Infographic 23.7.

Refer to Infographic 23.7. What two methods do the citizens of Samsø use to heat their water in an environmentally friendly manner?

A) They use solar energy and also electricity from the wind turbines to heat their water.
B) They use solar energy and fossil fuels to heat their water.
C) They burn straw and use geothermal energy to heat their water.
D) They use solar energy and geothermal energy to heat their water.
E) They use wind turbines and hydroelectric power to heat their water.

Question 55

What is the most expensive form of energy from an economic standpoint?

A) coal
B) hydropower
C) geothermal energy
D) solar energy
E) wind

Question 56

Table 23.2

Why are renewable forms of energy so expensive when compared with fossil fuels? What are two cheaper ways to sustainably meet energy needs without such a huge financial input? Refer to Table 23.2 when answering this question.

Question 57

How much of Samsø's electric power is produced from the burning of fossil fuels?

A) 40%
B) 30%
C) 25%
D) 10%
E) 0%

Question 58

What alternative energy resources did Samsø choose to use in order to become a green community?

A) geothermal energy, solar energy, and wind
B) solar energy, wind, and biomass
C) geothermal energy, solar energy, and biomass
D) geothermal energy, solar energy, biomass, hydro energy, and wind
E) hydro energy, solar energy, and wind

Question 59

Table 23.2.

Refer to Table 23.2. What does "payback time" mean in terms of conservation of energy?

A) how long it takes to pay for an appliance or new technology at today's interest rates
B) how long it takes for the savings to equal the original cost of the technology
C) how long it takes to find investors for the new technology
D) the amount of money required for the development of the technology
E) the amount of time before the manufacturer starts to make a profit

Question 60

One of the main reasons why Samsø was able to convert fully to renewable energy sources is because of______________.

A) grants
B) citizen investors
C) government bonds
D) bank loans
E) foreign aid

Question 61

Has Samsø completely become independent of fossil fuels, and if not, what is the country doing to accomplish this goal?

Question 62

What are the advantages and disadvantages to using straw to heat homes versus other more conventional heating fuels?

Question 63

What is needed in order for a community like Samsø to switch to a greener lifestyle?

Question 64

What is the "take-home message" Samsø is sending to other communities?