Renewable Energy Living Lab: Exploring Regional Resources
Renewable energy resources are tied to the availability of solar radiation, water and wind movement, biomass supplies, and geothermal activity, so it is helpful to investigate their locational feasibility by viewing data through a map interface.Copyright (left to right) Warren Gretz, NREL; NREL, US Dept. of Energy via Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Center for Transportation Analysis; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US Dept. of Energy; US Fish & Wildlife Services
http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/02156.jpg
http://cta.ornl.gov/bedb/index.shtml
http://mhk.pnnl.gov/wiki/index.php/MHK_(tidal)
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/EastLansing/news/index.html
Students become familiar with the online Renewable Energy Living Lab interface and access its real-world solar energy data to evaluate the potential for solar generation in various U.S. locations. They become familiar with where the most common sources of renewable energy are distributed across the U.S. Through this activity, students and teachers gain familiarity with the living lab's GIS graphic interface and query functions, and are exposed to the available data in renewable energy databases, learning how to query to find specific information for specific purposes. The activity is intended as a "training" activity prior to conducting activities such as The Bright Idea activity, which includes a definitive and extensive end product (a feasibility plan) for students to create.
The opportunity to practice analyzing NREL/US DOE data (as provided through the Renewable Energy Living Lab) to solve problems and answer questions is much the same as what scientists and engineers do every day. The availability of natural resources used for electricity generation varies widely by region, which greatly impacts their cost-effectiveness and feasibility for use in any given area. Although water, wind, and other renewables may seem free, the cost comes in collecting and transporting the energy to the places where energy is needed, as well as other infrastructure requirements. For example, to utilize energy from water, a dam must be built or tidal turbines installed, together with electric generators and transmission lines.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Name four renewable energy types.
- Use the Renewable Energy Living Lab to collect data on various energy forms.
- Analyze available potential solar energy data to evaluate solar energy resources in different U.S. locations.
- Explain the factors contributing to renewable energy feasibility.