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RESOURCES |
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| HOME |
THE FACTS |
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LEADERSHIP ISSUES |
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ETHICAL ISSUES |
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| TECH ISSUES |
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Technical Issues |
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Overview:
The relevance of finding alternative sources which can generate energy has been increased with the production of new technical advances. It is practically imperative for more energy sources to be found, due to the constant depleting of fossil fuels by humans. With the bettering of technology and the increased education on these methods of energy production, comes an increased relevance of this topic, of finding alternative energy sources, to humans. Some technical challenges still exist, however, and will so until more technology is created to solve these problems. |
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TECHNICAL ISSUES RELATED TO WIND ENERGY |
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Many people who are located especially close to wind turbines are unhappy with ugly, loud, eye-sores in their backyards (aka the NotInMyBackYard concept) (Reeves, 2003). With technological developments in creating larger, slower rotating rotors, and painting the turbines to blend in with local surroundings, the turbines are slightly less eye-catching (Reeves, 2003). Ari Reeves, representing REPP, reported that a typical wind farm has a noise level, at 350 meters away, is between 35 and 45 decibals, but sound level increases with wind strength due to air moving against rotors (2003). As technological advancements are made in rotor technology and in better sound absorption in the gearbox and generator, sound pollution is decreased (Reeves, 2003). |
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TECHNICAL ISSUES RELATED TO SOLAR ENERGY |
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Current technical issues facing solar energy production include the amount of time that the sun is needed to be shining (what about dreary, stormy days?) in order to only get a percentage of the energy needed for a family of four. When IPS was asked about the efficiency of solar heating systems this was the reply: "Yes [solar heating is efficient]! Four hours of sun and an 8 ft. by 8 ft. section of roof area is all you need to supply 50% to 75% of all hot water needs for a family of four. With a 10 ft. by 12 ft. roof area, you can also heat your home" (IPS, 2006). In the future, an innovative, less bulky design which can work under less sunny conditions and produce more energy will be a must. People prefer that systems placed on their house, especially on their visable rooftop, be aesthetically pleasing. |
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TECHNICAL ISSUES RELATED TO TIDAL ENERGY |
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One of the biggest technical issues facing tidal energy systems at this time includes the system only being able to provide power when the tide is moving, which is for about ten hours each day (Darvill, 2006). In order to increase the use of this energy system, engineers should consider developing a way to store additional energy that can be used at a later time (i.e. when the tide is not moving in or out), such as solar panels store energy even when the sun is not brightly shining in the sky.
A technical concern of people used to be whether or not fish were harmed by the turbine's rotating blades. In reference to the turbine located in the Devon coast offshore tidal turbine energy project area, fish are not in danger because the blades rotate at a rate of about twenty revolutions per minute (BBC news, 2003). At the same site, researchers have developed a turbine that has an "11 meter-long rotor blade [which] will be capable of producing 300 kilowatts of electricity and will be a testbed for further tidal turbines" (BBC news, 2003). The Marine Current Turbines Ltd. and Seacore were aiming to make twin rotors by the end of 2004 and eventually produce a whole tidal farm in the Devon coast location. |
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TECHNICAL ISSUES RELATED TO FUSION ENERGY |
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The Los Alamos research facility is hoping to fully develop Magnetized Targest Fusion (MTF) "to work with the maximum possible magnetic field to insulate a relatively small volume of high-density fuel (approximately 10^20 cm^(-3) ). In this way the energy requirements and cost for achieving thermonuclear energy gain are made as small as possible" (Nuclear Fusion, 1998). With a lowered cost for energy gain, the prospect of using fusion energy is more enticing.
Other programs initiated to lower the cost of development of implementing fusion energy systems include the Penning Fusion Experiment, which creates a small volume where ion trajectories can fuse by regulating velocity distribution (Nuclear Fusion, 1998). Technological advances to this area of energy generation could aid fusion energy production in being a big part of the future. |
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