Renewable

Energy Basics
From A to Z
Written & Designed by Grace Jeffrey
Earth’s atmosphere changes our climate and our
weather. Renewable energy sources do not add
Carbon Dioxide to the atmosphere.
Biomass turns plant and animal materials, like crops,
wood, and other “wastes” into energy. Some of these
materials can be used to fuel a car, as biofuel.
Since we did not treat the Earth with respect, humans
have caused climate change. Earth has new weather
patterns, and we are not prepared for the future.
 Denmark wants to switch to only using renewable
energy by 2050. They will use less energy and release
less CO2, using mostly wind and biomass.
Earth’s core is so hot that it creates water and steam
that can reach Earth’s surface. The water and steam
are used for Geothermal heat and energy.
Feed-In Tariffs let normal people like you and me play a
bigger part in the energy system. People with solar
panels can get paid to share their energy with others.
Green Energy systems need countries to work together
and share their resources. Each country has different
resources and needs, so cooperating isn’t always easy.
 Heat pumps let people use geothermal energy to heat
and cool homes or other buildings. They are a cheaper
and greener alternative to standard AC & Heating.
A renewable energy system needs good infrastructure
to make sure that energy transport, storage, and
access are all as efficient and green as possible.
The Joule (J) is the standard unit of energy. Even bigger
than a joule is a kilojoule (KJ), which equals One
thousand joules! We need these to understand power.
We use Kilowatt Hours (Kwh) to measure the amount
of power we need and use. You can see these on a
power bill! KWH equal Kilowatts times hours.
 As the energy landscape changes, land needs to be used
in different ways. To grow more Biomass and biofuels,
more fields will be needed for growing crops.
 Grids are networks of power lines that store and
move energy. Microgrids do the same thing on a smaller
scale, so they can work on their own as “islands”
 Nuclear power is a growing alternative to fossil
fuels, but it is not renewable. It produces toxic waste
that must be stored away from people for many years.
 Oil, coal, and natural gas are all fossil fuels. These
are non-renewable energy sources. Burning them puts
co2 in the atmosphere and hurts the earth.
 The sun is our most abundant renewable energy
source. Photovoltaic cells capture the sun’s power
and turn it into energy, Even at your own home.
 The Status quo is the way things are now. If we do
not change how we use and capture energy, earth will
not survive. The status quo is not sustainable.
Rare earth Elements, including neodymium and lithium,
are important building blocks for renewable energy
technologies. These hold the power for the future.
Hermann Scheer was a German politician and writer.
His “Solar Manifesto” says we must switch 100% of
energy to renewables to save our world.
Water, water, everywhere! The moon creates tides that
can generate renewable energy. Thanks to the seasons,
this source is reliable and predictable.
The United Nations helps countries work together to
make decisions about global issues. They play a big
part in deciding the future of green energy.
 Some renewable sources, like wind and solar, are
variable. This means they cannot be controlled. Green
Energy systems variable and controllable sources.
 Wind Power is a valuable renewable energy source
with many Options. It can be on or off shore, large or
small scale, and It’s Denmark’s main renewable source.
Exports are important for renewable energy tech and
resources. Biomass can be easily transferred between
countries. Grids make exporting energy even easier.
Since you live on Earth, you are an important part of
renewable energy systems. What you buy, what you
do, and how you (will) vote will change the world.
Different countries have different claims to land, which
causes zones. Zones affect an area’s available energy
resources and what kind of laws are in place.