Renewable Energy Science and Basic Concepts

by Dr. Ahmad Noureddine Prepared for Arabsaleem Youth Groups July 2011

Introduction to Energy
In simple terms: Energy is the ability to do work (to make a change):
Example: a car filled with gasoline can take us to places (chemical energy)

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Definition of Energy by the Oxford English Dictionary: The power of doing work possessed at any instant by a body or system of bodies...

The same car empty from gas on top of the hill can take us down the hill a given distance has energy (potential energy) Blowing wind has (kinetic energy) When we put a wind turbine in the wind we allow the wind to turn the blades now we have a form of (mechanical energy) The sun rays have (radiation energy), when we use them to heat water we transform them into (thermal energy) When we put PV panel facing the sun we transform the radiation energy into (electrical energy)

Introduction to Energy (cont.)

We only change the state of energy from one form to another

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2nd Law of Thermodynamics states: Energy can only be transformed, it cant be created or destroyed!

In a typical power station we use petroleum (chemical energy) to heat water to create steam (thermal) which turns the turbine (kinetic). The blades turn the rotors (mechanical) which creates electricity (electrical) We then use electrical energy to cook (thermal) or to operate power tools (mechanical) or charge our batteries (chemical), etc,, At the end all energies turn into heat which dissipates into the atmosphere

Energy, Work, and Power

Work is the means of energy application. Work and energy have the same units. When the wind moves the blades it applies work on them causing them to move Power is the speed at which work is executed Example: 2 workers move 10 sacks of cement each from ground to 3rd floor, they execute the same amount of work If worker A accomplishes the task in hour and worker B in 1 hour, then worker A performed the work with twice as much power In general we can say a system has energy, it performs work at a given rate called power

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Units of Energy and Power

Units of work and energy are Joules (J) or Newton-meters (Nm) Calories are still used to describe enrgy content of foods Units of power are watts (w), 1 watt=1 J/s or 1 Nm/s Electric energy are conveniently expressed in KWh

Energy Units J WH Cal

J 1 3600 4.1868

WH .000278 1 .001163

Cal .2388 860 1

Appliances are rated in KW but the consumer is charges in KWH

If the electric water heater is rated at 1500 W, and it runs 6 hours a day then we consumed 1500w * 6 hours=9000 Wh or 9KWH The electric company then charges us 9 KWH * 0.12 $ /KWH = $1.08

Electric Bill Examples

USA

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Lebanon

Power Consumption of Most Appliances

17KW 5 KW 3.5 KW 2.3 KW 1.8 KW 1.5 KW

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500 W

300 W

150 W

100 W

50 W

20 W

10 W