Energy sources:
1. Fossil Fuels - involves burning of coal or hydrocarbon fuels, extremely inefficient and non-renewable
2. Nuclear Energy - uses nuclear fission to generate energy, reduces carbon emission although the radioactive waste might cost contamination
3. Nuclear Fusion - Not yet fully developed
Examples of renewable resources
- Biomass, bio-fuels, & vegetable oils
- Geothermal, Hydroelectric energy
- Solar & Tidal power generation
Renewable energy can be defined as the energy that is obtained through natural resources such as the sun, waves, water, wind, etc. The advantage of using these kinds of energy is that they are available almost everywhere, and can be replenished easily. They are in most of the cases unlimited and produce a lot less pollution than fossil fuels. Examples of where such renewable energies are being used efficiently are Sweden, where the goal is to eliminate all dependence on oil as by 2020; Samso island where wind farms produce more energy than they use in the island; Japan and Germany, where solar panels are getting really popular, etc. Renewable energy have a lot more advantages as they also constitute a permanent source of energy and their price will only get lower as technology advances.
As for energy efficient heating & cooling practices, our trip to the MEC provided us with a few of the many benefits of the green roofs. Basically, the ground/soil functions as a shade from the sun's heat during the summer, (thus spending less on air conditioning systems) and as an insulation from the cold during winter (hence less heating needed). Not to mention the plants used in this small ecosystem are all native to Canada and are self-sustainable requiring very little maintenance. In addition, the practice of 'daylighting' (building windows or skylights), also helps reduce the need for artificial lighting. The use of occupancy sensors that control lights (see OCAD's yellow staircase) are also a great way of cutting energy costs regarding lighting.
No comments:
Post a Comment