Key Terms
Energy
ENERGY is the capacity to do work.
It is the force we use to move something, heat or cool it, or change it in some way.
Coal
A combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits and widely used as fuel.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is the radiant energy from the sun that can be converted into electricity, heat, or used to cause chemical reactions. It's a renewable energy source that can be used in many ways, including electricity, cooling, heating, and lighting.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is the practice of using less energy to achieve the same result or perform the same task. It's a fundamental concept in managing the planet's resources responsibly.
Electricity
ELECTRICITY is the flow of tiny particles called electrons and protons. It can also mean the energy you get when electrons flow from place to place. Electricity can be seen in nature in a bolt of lightning.
Fossil Fuel
FOSSIL FUELS are the buried remains of once-living plants and animals that have been transformed into fuel over millions of years of exposure to intense heat and pressure.
Photovoltaic (PV) panels are used to produce electricity directly from sunlight. PV panels consist of a number of individual cells connected together to produce electricity of a desired voltage. Photovoltaic panels are inherently DC devices. To produce AC, they must be used together with an inverter.
Tightening the envelope
"Tightening the envelope" means to seal up or improve the insulation of a building's exterior, essentially making it more airtight by addressing gaps and cracks around windows, doors, walls, and foundation, thus preventing heat loss and improving energy efficiency, similar to how a tightly sealed envelope protects its contents; essentially, it refers to minimizing air leaks in a home to maintain a more controlled indoor temperature.
Petroleum
PETROLEUM also known as crude oil, is a fossil fuel. Like coal and natural gas, petroleum was formed from the remains of ancient organisms, such as plants, algae, and bacteria
Non Renewable Resources
Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that cannot be replenished in a short amount of time and are finite. They are extracted directly from the Earth and include fossil fuels, minerals and metal ores, and groundwater in certain aquifers.
Wind power or wind energy is a form of renewable energy that harnesses the power of the wind to generate electricity. It involves using wind turbines to convert the turning motion of blades, pushed by moving air (kinetic energy) into electrical energy (electricity).
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed.
Electrification
ELECTRIFICATION as we are using it refers to the goal of replacing fossil fuel energy sources with cleaner energy sources, in order to reduce our reliance on natural gas.
Particulate Pollution
Particulate pollution is pollution of an environment that consists of particles suspended in some medium. There are three primary forms: atmospheric particulate matter, marine debris, and space debris. Some particles are released directly from a specific source, while others form in chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
Wind Turbine
Wind turbines are the modern version of a windmill. Put simply, they use the power of the wind to create electricity. Large wind turbines are the most visible, but you can also buy a small wind turbine for individual use
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is heat within the earth. The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because heat is continuously produced inside the earth. People use geothermal heat for bathing, to heat buildings, and to generate electricity.
Fracking
FRACKING is the injection of a fluid at high pressure into underground rock formations to open fissures and allow trapped gas or crude oil to flow through a pipe to a wellhead at the surface. This technique is used in natural gas and petroleum production. Fracking sites release air pollutants that include chemicals that can cause severe headaches, asthma symptoms, childhood leukemia, cardiac problems, and birth defects.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is an odorless, gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons—predominantly made up of methane (CH4). Fossil gas, or “natural gas,” as it's been cunningly branded, is a fossil fuel that causes warming and is harmful to human health. Its mainstream name is nothing more than a clever marketing scheme by Big Oil to make the fuel sound natural, safe, and clean. It is none of those things.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is a renewable source of energy that generates power by using a dam or diversion structure to alter the natural flow of a river or other body of water.
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is a form of energy released from the nucleus, the core of atoms, made up of protons and neutrons. This source of energy can be produced in two ways: fission – when nuclei of atoms split into several parts – or fusion – when nuclei fuse together.