Alternative sources of energy

Renewable or exhaustible The power plants can be divided in two great sub-groups: permanent (renewable) and weathers (exhaustible). In principle, the permanent fonts are those that have solar origin, of facts all we know that the Sun will remain by more time than the human species. Even so, the renovabilidad concept depends on the time scale that are used and the rate of use of the resources. Therefore, the fossil fuels consider nonrenewable sources since the rate of use is far beyond the rate of formation of the own resource. In the following table we provided information to you on the primary energy sources that are used at the moment. You complete the two last columns, marking with a cross the corresponding square. Renewable or Exhaustible?

Fossil energy:
The fossil fuels can be used in solid form (coal) or soda water (natural gas). They are accumulations of alive beings who lived million ago years. In the case of the coal one is forests of marshy zones, and in the case of petroleum and the natural gas of great masses of accumulated marine plankton at heart of the sea. In both cases the organic matter was disturbed partially for want of oxygen, so that they were stored molecules with connections of high energy.

Hydraulic energy:
The accumulated potential energy in the water jumps can be transformed into electrical energy. The hydroelectric power stations take advantage of energy the rivers to put into operation turbines that drag a generator ELT.

Energy of the biomass:
The biomass, from the power point of view, is considered like the set of the organic matter, of vegetal origin or animal, that is susceptible to be used with purposes energetics. It also includes the materials coming from the natural or artificial transformation of the organic matter

solar energy:
The pick up of the solar radiation serves so much to transform the solar energy into heat (thermal), like generating electricity (photovoltaic)

geometric energy:
Part of the internal Earth heat (5.000ºC) arrives at the terrestrial crust. In some zones of the planet, near the surface, the underground waters can reach temperatures of boiling, and, therefore, to serve to drive electrical turbines or to warm up.

Nuclear energy:
The atomic nucleus of heavy elements like uranium, can be disintegrated (nuclear fission) and to release radiating and kinetic energy. The thermonuclear power stations take advantage of this energy to produce electricity by means of aqueous vapour turbines.

Gravitational energy:
The attraction of the Sun and the Moon that originates the tides can be taken advantage of to generate electricity.