Deck 16: Renewable Energy

Question 1

The Department of Energy's ____ Laboratory has developed maps showing the amount of solar exposure throughout the US, which can be used to determine the amount of energy you can expect to generate in any part of the country.

A) Solar Resource
B) National Renewable Energy
C) National Solar Mapping
D) Solar Energy

Answer 1

National Renewable Energy

Question 2

Manufacturers of solar panels and complete systems appeared in the ____ in response to energy shortages and government incentives for installing renewable energy systems.

A) 1950s
B) 1960s
C) 1970s
D) 1980s

Answer 2

1970s

Question 3

The general rule for effective wind power is having an average wind speed of at least ____ mph.

A) 5
B) 10
C) 20
D) 30

Answer 3

10

Question 4

A fuel cell is a device that uses fossil fuels such as natural gas or propane to produce electricity without combustion, extracting ____, which is used to create power similar to how a battery works.

A) nitrogen
B) oxygen
C) halogen
D) hydrogen

Question 5

Energy independent projects are referred to as ____, meaning that they are not connected to electric and natural gas utilities.

A) off-grid
B) grid independent
C) external-to-grid
D) out of grid

Question 6

A house that produces as much energy as it needs on a monthly or annual basis is referred to as a(n) ____ energy home.

A) net zero
B) empty
C) zero
D) zero sum

Question 7

The most current list of incentives for renewable power is available on the database called ____.

A) HELP
B) DSIRE
C) NRGY
D) DFRP

Question 8

Founded in 1980, the SRCC is a non-profit corporation that provides certification, rating, and labeling for solar thermal collectors and ____.

A) solar panels
B) parts for homemade solar kits
C) complete solar water heating systems
D) solar parts produced by all major suppliers

Question 9

In the northern hemisphere, solar collectors are most efficient when facing ____.

A) solar north
B) solar south
C) magnetic north
D) magnetic south

Question 10

NREL wind power resource maps classify every region in the US by Wind Power Class, ranging from ____, based on the average annual wind speed at heights of 33 ft and 164 ft above the ground.

A) 1 (poor) to 7 (superb)
B) 1 (poor) to 10 (superb)
C) 1 (poor) to 50 (superb)
D) 1 (poor) to 100 (superb)

Question 11

Hydropower requires the correct combination of stream flow, expressed in Gallons per Minute (GPM) and head, or vertical drop, expressed in ____.

A) inches
B) feet
C) yards
D) meters

Question 12

Active direct systems use pumps and ____ sensors to circulate water from the collectors to the storage tank as needed.

A) wind
B) solar
C) water
D) temperature

Question 13

____ systems use the natural tendency of hot water to rise to move heated water to the top of collectors and then to the storage tank from where it is circulated when faucets are turned on in the house.

A) Indirect
B) Thermosiphon
C) Active
D) Batch heater

Question 14

The most common solar thermal collectors are flat plate and evacuated tube. A third, less common type, ____ concentrating, uses U shaped troughs to concentrate sunlight on a tube that is placed on the focal line of the trough.

A) anabolic
B) parabolic
C) metabolic
D) hydrobolic

Question 15

Evacuated tube collectors have a heat absorber bonded to a heat pipe in the interior ____ tube.

A) glass
B) plastic
C) fiberglass
D) PVC

Question 16

In general, there should be ____ gallon(s) of hot water storage capacity for each gallon consumed daily.

A) one-third of a
B) one-half of a
C) one
D) two

Question 17

For solar hot water, there should be an area ____ adjacent to the conventional water heater in the utility room for the future solar hot water tank.

A) 3' x 2' x 6'
B) 3' x 3' x 8'
C) 4' x 2' x 7'
D) 4' x 3' x 8'

Question 18

Solar air collectors are mounted vertically on ____ facing walls or on a roof slope.

A) north
B) south
C) east
D) west

Question 19

Grid tied systems are classified as either ____ or net metered.

A) SIT
B) FIT
C) FID
D) DIS

Question 20

PV panels fall into two primary types: Wafered Silicon and ____.

A) Solar Film
B) Thin Plate
C) Thin Film
D) Solar Plate

Question 21

Using solar potential maps from NREL, the total energy available, measured in ____, can be determined for a specific location.

A) kWh/m²/hour
B) kWh/m²/day
C) m²/kWh/day
D) kWh/m/hour

Question 22

Preparing a house for a future solar array is not complicated and can simplify the eventual installation if done properly. Where there is a south or near-south facing roof, it should be designed to have a minimum of ____ square feet of unshaded area with no mechanical penetrations such as plumbing vents, wires, or other obstructions.

A) 100
B) 200
C) 300
D) 400

Question 23

Individual small scale turbines can, under the right conditions, generate between ____ kWh, depending on local wind speed, turbine size, and tower height.

A) 150 and 1500
B) 300 and 2000
C) 400 and 2500
D) 450 and 3000

Question 24

Residential fuel cells are expected to be able to produce in the range of ____kW from a unit roughly the size of a chest freezer, typically located on the exterior of a home.

A) 5 to 7
B) 15 to 20
C) 35 to 50
D) 75 to 125

Question 25

When passive solar design principles were being explored in the 1970s, one common design concept was a ____, a passive solar addition to a new or existing house to provide additional winter heat through solar energy.

A) sunspace
B) solar-unit
C) solarspace
D) sun-unit

Question 26

Match each item with a statement below.

-Systems that heat water and air

A)Direct solar thermal systems
B)Batch heaters
C)Photovoltaic systems
D)Solar thermal systems
E)Passive solar thermal systems
F)Solar potential

Question 27

Match each item with a statement below.

-Systems that create electricity

A)Direct solar thermal systems
B)Batch heaters
C)Photovoltaic systems
D)Solar thermal systems
E)Passive solar thermal systems
F)Solar potential

Question 28

Match each item with a statement below.

-A combination of the latitude, local weather conditions, and the amount of unobstructed southern sky

A)Direct solar thermal systems
B)Batch heaters
C)Photovoltaic systems
D)Solar thermal systems
E)Passive solar thermal systems
F)Solar potential

Question 29

Match each item with a statement below.

-Circulate potable water through collectors and into a storage tank from where it is piped to faucets

A)Direct solar thermal systems
B)Batch heaters
C)Photovoltaic systems
D)Solar thermal systems
E)Passive solar thermal systems
F)Solar potential

Question 30

Match each item with a statement below.

-The simplest direct systems, which use a large black tank installed in a box with a sealed glass cover

A)Direct solar thermal systems
B)Batch heaters
C)Photovoltaic systems
D)Solar thermal systems
E)Passive solar thermal systems
F)Solar potential

Question 31

Match each item with a statement below.

-Often referred to as thermosiphon systems

A)Direct solar thermal systems
B)Batch heaters
C)Photovoltaic systems
D)Solar thermal systems
E)Passive solar thermal systems
F)Solar potential