Renewable Energy Online PD

Background Information

Renewable energy is electricity generated from sources that cannot be depleted, such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, bagasse, tidal, wave and hydro. Renewable energy sources generate fewer greenhouse gases than conventional power stations, making them a key element of Queensland's low-emission energy future. (http://www.dme.qld.gov.au)

This PD will investigate renewable energy installations in Queensland, including an in-depth look at solar energy, energy from water and geothermal energy.

Aims

Participants will:
  • develop an understanding of renewable energy in Queensland, methods for capturing energy from the Sun, water and hot rocks;
  • be made aware of teaching resources that exist to demonstrate each of these processes, and will be provided with teaching materials that can be incorporated into their teaching;
  • have the opportunity to contribute to a range of on-line activities designed to clarify their understanding of the main concepts, including webinars with industry experts.

Pre-Reading

A general understanding of the way in which electricity is generated is assumed.

Useful Sites
http://www.oresomeresources.com 
http://www.dme.qld.gov.au/Energy/renewable_energy.cfm
http://www.energyfutures.qld.gov.au/

Included Activities

Week 1 – Renewable Energy in Queensland

Queensland has a number of power stations which obtain their power from renewable means. Biomass energy describes energy derived from organic matter as it decomposes, is combusted or undergoes gasification. Large blades capture wind energy which drive a turbine to create electricity in wind installations.

Look at the Renewable Power Stations in Australia map.

Key for map
Yellow – Solar installations
Orange – Geothermal
Light Blue – Wind
Dark Blue - Hydro
Green – Biomass
Grey – Landfill Methane

Contribute to the forum. Why are the majority of Biomass (bagasse) power installations located along the coast in central Queensland? What is biomass? And what is the source of the biomass in this region?

Read the article: ‘Study backs coal over renewables’.

Vote in the poll.

Week 2 – Energy from Water

Energy can be obtained from water through a number of different ways. Falling water (hydroelectricity), tidal and wave energy can all be captured and used to generate electricity.

Read the information and watch the movie on wave and tidal energy.

A number of hydroelectricity installations operate in Queensland, with many part of Stanwell Corporation’s portfolio.

View the fact sheets on Stanwell’s hydroelectricity installations.

Now, vote in the poll.

Contribute to the forum by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of this source of electricity in Queensland and Australia.

Week 3 – Geothermal Energy Webinar

This webinar will clarify your understanding of Geothermal Energy.

Guest speaker for the Webinar will be Klaus Regenauer-Lieb from CSIRO

Date: 18 March 2010
Time: 3:30 – 4:00pm

Participants will be emailed URL and log on details prior to the webinar.

Week 4 – Let the Sun Shine

Read the article $1.9M surge for UQ solar discovery

The task this week is twofold:
The second part of the activity this week is to vote in the poll and contribute to the two forums.

FORUM 1
“Solar cells are widely viewed as an important pillar of the future renewable energy technology mix.”
(Professor Paul Burn, University of Queensland)

Energy from the Sun can be captured and converted into electricity using photovoltaic cells, solar thermal electric or solar gas technology.
  • How does solar gas technology work?
  • What are the benefits of this technology?

FORUM 2
What should Australia's future energy mix look like?
Add your suggestions to the Energy types that should be:
  • IN
  • OUT
  • More Research and Development needed
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