Sustainable Energy

Question 1

What happens when corn ethanol is added, by law, to the gasoline that powers your car?

Accepted Answer

It has a negative effect on your gas mileage., It makes corn (including for food use) more expensive.

Question 2

Worldwide, wind power is currently the most utilized form of renewable energy.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 3

A community shared solar array is called a

Accepted Answer

solar garden or farm

Question 4

Our energy future will probably involve

Accepted Answer

smart grids that respond quickly to changes in demand., multiple renewable energy sources., new high voltage power lines across long distances., widely interconnected grids that can share power.

Question 5

With some new technological innovations, we could potentially tap into ocean power with

Accepted Answer

ocean thermal electric conversion (OTEC), an ocean wave energy tidal station

Question 6

Distillation of biofuels from corn involves

Accepted Answer

use of land and resources that could otherwise produce food., generous taxpayer subsidies to corporate corn farmers., conversion of corn starch and sugars to ethanol.

Question 7

Insulation is the opposite of

Accepted Answer

a thermal bridge

Question 8

"In _?_ , deserts receive more energy from the sun than humans consume in a year." (p457)

Accepted Answer

six hours

Question 9

According to this map, which of these states has an especially high potential for wind power?

Accepted Answer

California, Texas

Question 10

Electricity and steam are produced simultaneously in a power plant.

Accepted Answer

cogeneration

Question 11

Wood chips, agricultural waste, and animal dung are called _?_ when burned (or used to produce methane).

Accepted Answer

biomass

Question 12

A home that produces as much energy as it consumes is called

Accepted Answer

net-zero

Question 13

Which is TRUE about hydroelectric stations like China's Three Gorges Dam?

Accepted Answer

Their construction displaces entire communities of people., Flooded valleys produce methane from rotting vegetation., They permanently disrupt local ecosystems., They produce a huge amount of power without interruption.

Question 14

An energy audit might use an image from an infrared camera to show

Accepted Answer

heat loss, heat gain

Question 15

A power company purchases excess energy from a homeowner with solar panels at a fair price.

Accepted Answer

feed-in tariff (net metering)

Question 16

Converting sunlight directly to electricity as shown here...

Accepted Answer

photovoltaic (PV) cells

Question 17

For a rooftop photovoltaic system in the US to work well, the panels should be placed on the

Accepted Answer

south side of the house

Question 18

A source of ethanol for biofuels that can be grown in a relatively small space, potentially utilizing captured CO2

Accepted Answer

algae

Question 19

A fuel cell runs on oxygen and hydrogen, and its waste products are limited to heat and water.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 20

Name a source of power with the advantage of being constant (rather than intermittent).

Accepted Answer

geothermal power, hydroelectric power

Question 21

The drop in cost of PV cells has made solar electricity much more affordable in recent years.

Accepted Answer

True

Question 22

The power produced by this system involves

Accepted Answer

biogas production, methane combustion, biomass digestion

Question 23

The MOST significant energy transition challenge that requires further technological innovation is

Accepted Answer

increasing energy storage capacity

Question 24

Which phrase accurately describes the features of this house?

Accepted Answer

passive house, active solar

Question 25

This figure shows a

Accepted Answer

geothermal pump

Question 26

These parabolic mirrors reflect and concentrate sunlight to heat fluid for a steam turbine.

Accepted Answer

concentrating solar power (CSP) system

Question 27

In the renewable energy transition, why do fuel cells lag behind wind and solar energy?

Accepted Answer

They take up a lot of room for the power they produce.

Question 28

Transition to sustainable energy sources will happen faster with legislative policies favoring

Accepted Answer

economic incentives to build solar and wind power systems., incentives to make existing infrastructure more efficient.

Question 29

You have set aside some money to make your home more sustainable. What should you do first?

Accepted Answer

Get an energy audit to find inefficiencies in your home.

Question 30

This solar thermal facility uses moving mirrors to heat water for a steam turbine.

Accepted Answer

concentrating solar power (CSP) system, power tower

Sustainable Energy

Questions 30

Sustainable Energy

Questions 30