Project Overview

Rubrics

Contact an Expert (renewable only) by following this link

Electric Energy Tutorial - introductory (college) materials for most plant types

Electricity Generation - simple descriptions of most plant types, with animations

Electricity Net Generation - this link will download a 1-page summary of the electricity generated by every power source (look for 2003).

Energy Kid's Page - scroll down or use command-F to locate information on types of electrical power plant by power sources: brief facts.

Energy Resources - links for most types, easy to use

Energy Sources - Energy Choices - scroll down or use command-F to locate the links for Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy sources - you will also find a definition of sustainability - there are brief descriptions of every type of power source

Energy Story - scroll to the bottom of the window to link to specific energy resources

How is Power Made? - pie chart showing the relative use of power sources

How TVA Makes Electricity - covers Coal, Nuclear, Hydro and turbines

Renewable Energy - covers basics of most energy resources

Renewable Energy - chart and discussion of the major types

Renewable Energy Production by State - will help you to compare your energy source output to that of other energy sources (renewable only)

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Biomass

• Biomass - advantages and disadvantages
• Biomass - introduction and advantages
• Biomass Energy
• Biomass Power - how it is generated, diagrams, advantages and disadvantages
• Biomass: Wood - clicking this link will down load a .pdf file. Scan to page 9+ to read about the Biomass Technologies and its advantages - there are no pictures, but there is a great deal of information that might clear up some questions for you
• Biopower - more challenging site that describes many types of power production
• Distributed Energy Program: Biomass Power - diagram and some description - use it with the other resources
• Kettle Falls, Washington - more challenging article about a specific working plant, includes a diagram

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Nuclear

• How Nuclear Power Plants Work - try the printable version - be sure to follow the links at the top and bottom of the window - a lot of text to read, but pro's and some generation information are here
• Nuclear Energy Fact Sheet
• Nuclear fuel - includes diagram of production, advantages and disadvantages
• Nuclear Plant Basics - simple animated diagram
• Nuclear Power - general overview with links to some terms (not easy!)
• Nuclear Power - advantages and disadvantages
• Nuclear Power Plant diagram
• Risks of Nuclear Power - this has a specific point of view, so be sure to use another source as well

Coal

• About Electricity - steps in electricity production
• Buick Coal Power Project - scroll down for the schematic of a plant and some information
• Coal - includes advantages and disadvantages
• Coal - includes disadvantages and also new technologies
• Coal Power Plant diagram
• Energy Planet: Coal Power - a brief description of how it works and advantages and disadvantages
• Fossil Fuel Plant Basics - simple animated diagram
• Fossil Power - follow link to diagram too
• How Do We Make Electricity - step by step, but no diagrams
• Hidden Benefits of Climate Policy - public health environment disadvantages of using fossil fuels

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Natural Gas

• Energy Planet: Natural Gas
• Hidden Benefits of Climate Policy - public health environment disadvantages of using fossil fuels
• Natural Gas Power Plants - brief description and advantages and disadvantages
• Oil and Natural Gas - includes advantages and disadvantages

Petroleum/Oil

• Hidden Benefits of Climate Policy - public health environment disadvantages of using fossil fuels
• Oil and Natural Gas - includes advantages and disadvantages
• Petroleum/Oil - facts, scroll to the bottom for environmental issues with burning (most of this page is about refining, not using as a power source)

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Hydroelectric

• How Hydropower Works - diagrams, information
• How Hydropower Works - another page, with additional information
• How Hydropower Plants Work - be sure to follow the links at the top
• Hydroelectric - short overview with advantages and disadvantages
• Hydroelectric Power - many links to help you understand
• Hydropower - types, some environmental issues
• Hydropower - short description and advantages
• Hydro Plants - simple animated drawing
• Hydroelectric Power - How it Works - diagram and info
• Shasta Lake - diagram of how the power generation work

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Wind

• How a Wind Turbine Works
• How Does a Wind Turbine Work? - image and text
• Wind - this link downloads a .pdf article - you will find advantages on pages 1-2 and a short description of the technologies on p.3.  Maine is mentioned on p. 11.
• Wind Energy Topics
• Wind Power - advantages and disadvantages

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Geothermal

• Geothermal Electricity Production - describes several methods - also find Issues at the bottom of the page
• Geothermal Energy - read the first paragraph, then scroll down to the plant diagram
• Geothermal Plant diagram - all three types of generation are described here with pictures
• Geothermal Power Plants - diagrams - also click on the Impacts link on the left for environmental issues
• Geothermal Turbine (could be any steam-driven turbine)
• Hot Rock Energy - includes Advantages
• Introduction to Geothermal Energy - PowerPoint type slides
• Mechanism of Geothermal Power Generation - diagram of Japanese plant

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Solar

• APS to Construct Solar Trough Power Plant - read for information and scroll down to schematic
• Concentrating Solar Power - you can download files with images - a lot of text here
• Energy In-Depth: Circuits - has a nice picture of the PV (Photovoltaic solar cell)
• Laboratory for Solar Technology - pictures, but it requires more work than other sites - you will need to look up some new vocabulary (like reactant)
• Solar - information about the photovoltaic cell and advantages
• Solar Electricity - how it works - be sure to follow the links to the left
• Solar Energy - be sure to click the link to Basics
• Solar Energy - this one takes a while to load - be patient because there is good information and good diagrams
• Solar Energy - summary notes for a lecture - covers both types and focuses on advantages and disadvantages

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Tidal/Ocean

• Ocean Topics - wave energy and tidal energy
• The Power of Water - good images and description here - describes a specific plant
• Tidal Power - find here (scroll down) a diagram from 1921 of a power plant and also, in the text, some advantages
• Tidal Power Systems - scroll down for more modern versions (there are two so keep going) of the same system, with an explanation of how the tides work

Hydrogen Fuel Cells

• Fuel Cell - description plus advantages and disadvantages
• Fuel Cell Plant Description - diagram and written description.  Find a diagram of an individual cell, with a somewhat complex description, here.
• Fuel Cells - a diagram of the principle behind it
• fuel cells for electricity
• How Does a Fuel Cell Work?  - diagram, a little hard to see but works well with the 2nd one on this list
• Hydrogen - short introduction, advantages
• Hydrogen: Fuel Cells

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Landfill Gas

• Landfill Gas
• Landfill Gas - an overview
• Landfill Reclamation - this link will download a .pdf report - the second page of this report has advantages and drawbacks of the technology