Bringing Alternative Energy into your Classroom
These Renewable Energy Technology Resource Maps for the United States are available form the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as PowerPoint slides: slides are available that show the theoretical potential for renewable energy resources in the US including solar, wind, biomass, and hydropower.
In addition, maps showing the county-level distribution of various biomass resources (crop residues, urban wood waste etc.) are also available.
This question was just considered by the NC Utilities Commission which concluded that yes, whole trees count as a renewable energy resource. The argument from those who oppose such a ruling is that counting whole trees as a renewable fuel would risk the state’s forests to over-harvesting. The N & O article, State: Whole trees count as renewable fuel, from October 11th, 2010 further discusses this ruling and its potential implications.
Pose this question to your students, divide them into two groups, one group in favor of whole trees counting as a renewable energy resource and the other group in favor of only wood waste like sawdust and other scraps counting as a renewable energy resource. Next, ask them to conduct research on the social, economic, and environmental consequences of their preferred biomass source (whole trees or wood waste) and come prepared to present their side and debate the issue.
This figure from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory comes with a descriptive text that is useful as one “walks” through the cycle. Perhaps such a figure could be used to guide your students into creating their own diagram for a local example of bioenergy use?
The North Carolina Biomass Roadmap: Recommendations for Fossil Fuel Displacement through Biomass Utilization is a 2007 report that contains recommendations that should be carried out by 2017 to increase biomass utilization in North Carolina. The stated goal is that by 2017, North Carolina should displace 10% of its gasoline and diesel needs and 7% of its power needs using North Carolina bio-based fuels and power.
FOR TEACHERS this report and its appendices represent a resource for NC-specific biomass data and graphics, such as a list of Key Biomass Resources in North Carolina as well as a list of biomass/ biofuel plants in NC and a glossary of key terms.
A four page abridged summary of this report is also available.
A printer friendly Biomass and Bioenergy Glossary is also available from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.
According to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, “the Southeast is the region with greatest growth potential for biopower.” Check out their webpage on biopower for an overview of this energy source, its benefits and its challenges.
Earlier this year,
UNC-Chapel Hill’s co-generation plant announced that it would be coal-free by 2020. As coal-burning power plants seek ways to reduce their environmental impact, some are turning to the use of biomass (plant material or animal waste) for the generation of steam, heat, and/or electricity.
Earlier this month, the co-generation plant, already one of the most efficient power plants in the nation, co-fired coal with biomass in the form of dried wood pellets and will continue to test wood pellets in addition to torrefied wood – aka biochar – a product that is similar to charcoal.
Here are some useful links to learn more about torrefied wood:
NPR Story: Roasted wood: An alternative to coal energy?
PPT Presentation: Using Torrefied Wood for Electricity, Briquette & Pellet Production
Pdf of a PPT: What is Woody Biomass Energy and What Will it Mean to Forestry in North Carolina?
In this June 2010 New York Times article, the advantages and disadvantages of using biomass to generate electricity are discussed in light of the increased scrutiny and opposition this renewable energy source is receiving. This article should give your students something to think about and to investigate further, especially if your community has a biopower facility or is considering one in the future.
Created for students by the US Department of Energy, The ABC’s of Biopower provides an overview of biopower and describes the four primary classes of BioPower systems: direct-fired, cofired, gasification, and modular.
Also be sure to check out the NC Sustainable Energy Association’s newly designed website and you will find a set of fact sheets with NC specific information on a variety of energy sources, including biomass.
For the past few months I have been keeping up with innovations in the renewable energy sector via the CleanTechnica blog. I thought a recent post, titled, “Frankenstein’s Yeast” Could Spur Biofuel Breakthrough would be perfect for sharing here given that it is biofuels month! This is also a post intended to give biology teachers an idea for one way to address biotechnology in the context of a current energy topic.
What I like about CleanTechnica is that it highlights science action, telling about current research initiatives and filling me with awe for the creative minds out there working on clean energy solutions. The entries can serve to inspire your students and will show them that their generation has a lot of work to do.
So biotechnology and biofuels do go together….if you are looking for a few additional resources on this topic, check out NREL’s Excellence in Biotechnology for Renewable Fuels and Chemcials document.
And if you really want to get deep into this topic with your students – “this topic” being the role of Research and Development and in some case biotechnology in advancing biofuels, you may want to start at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Biomass Program. Available fact sheets summarize various projects having to do with biomass feedstock generation and conversion technologies.
