Renewable Energy - The Future

Coal, oil or gas may seem like an easy option for our energy but there are far more Greener Energies.
Renewable Energy is the future. Because Coal, oil and gas are fossil fuels they are not suitable to supply a growing population and will not be accessible in the future.

What is a Renewable Energy source?
Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural resources such as solar, wind, tidal and geothermal. Due to there ultimate source they are also known as Infinite Sources of Energy.

Sources of Energy:

• Solar
• Wind
• Tidal
• Geothermal

Solar

This is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. This is done by photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). The first commercial solar power station was first built and operational in the Mojave Desert in California US. It generated 354 MW SEGS CSP. More ecological and modern homes are now being fixed with compact solar panels. 

Wind

Ireland is a perfect nation to harness this energy. Due to our abundant wind source it is important that we learn how to avail of this energy. There is unfortunately a down turn to wind energy. Turbines would require a large amount of space to build large wind farms. The largest turbine can provide enough energy for 475 homes on full capacity. It is difficult to do this for large cities.


Tidal
Tidal Power or Hydropower is the conversion or energy of tides into electricity.As Ireland lies on the Atlantic ocean where waves are strong it is possible to harness huge amounts of energy. Turbines in the water generate energy while being moved by currents or tides. Unfortunately Government funding is lacking in the funding and development of thus energy.


Geothermal
This is the use of heat energy below the surface of the earth. Estimations believe that this energy can harness up to  2000 GW. The Earth's heat content  is 1000 joules. It is believed that 75% of the earth's heat may be used to generate power.

Different forms of Renewable Energy

Earthquake strikes Pakistan

A major Earthquake has struck South West Pakistan. At approximitly 1.30am local time a 7.2 magnitude quake with  epicenter located on the boarder with Afghanistan roughly 34 miles west of Dalbandin, a town sparsely populated in the Baluchistan.

Those who felt the quake believe it to have lasted between 20-30 seconds with some variation further or closer to the Epicentre. 

In this area it is quite common to have tremors. In 2005 a quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter magnitude scale killing  80,000 people. So far it is unknown if anyone has been killed. Pakistan authorities have issued a tsunami  caution as it is prominent as  the Indian subcontinent slams into Asia.

What causes an Earthquake?

Far below the grounds the Plates are constantly moving, thease are called Tectonic Plates. The movement of the Plates is known as continental drift. When plates colide they cause friction which sends shock waves up to the ground surface causing tremors. An earthquake which accur s under the sea floor is known as a Tsunami .

What is the Richter Scale?

It is a scale measuring seismic energy. It is calculated by the amplitude of  the largest displacement  from zero on a seismometer.  It ranges from 1-10+. The largest ever Earthquake was measured in Valdivia , China in 1960 where a quake of 9.5 was recorded

Flood and Mudslide crisis hits Brazil

A week of torrential rain on the south east of Brazil has led to Flooding and Mudslides. Since Christmas 432 people have been killed with many still missing.
Downpours of rain have submerged towns and suburbs beneath water. According to officials The Serrena mountain region north of Rio has seen a months rainfall in under 24 hours. Brazilian authorities have claimed that  in the town of Teresopolis 152 people have lost their lives along with 168 people in Nova Friburgo. Hundreds of Thousands of people have been made homeless and are taking shelter in centres and schools.

Brazil usually has a monsoon season in early Autumn but this year has seen a surge in rainfall. Similar to the recent floods in Brisbane the La Niña has affected Brazil.


What is La Niña?
It is the cooling of surface waters in central and eastern Pacific Ocean. El Niño is the opposite as it is the warming of surface waters.


How does it cause floods?
The changing of Atmospheric circulation redistributes the rainfall. High pressure reduces the normally heavy precipitation over the tropical and subtropical Pacific. Instead of the haevy rain falling on the sea it falls on the land (mainly coastal regions)


Climatologists are divided on the matter that La Niña is a result of Climate Change.

Flood chaos in Australia as water swamps Brisbane

Brisbane Floods

Australian authorities have declared that the current floods have bet recent records.

Since November to last week Floods have unfolded across Queensland but it has only recently become violent.
Floods have left towns virtual islands in a muddy inland sea, devastated crops, cut major rail and road links to coal ports, slashed exports and forced up world coal prices.


The Australian floods, which have cut off 22 towns, have been caused by a 'La Niña,' weather pattern, which produces monsoonal rains over the western Pacific and Southeast Asia.
During a period of La Niña, the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3–5 °C. The La Nina saw Australia record its third wettest year on record in 2010 and is expected to last another three months.


The flood disaster, say analysts, is forecast to shave around 0.4 percentage points off GDP, which equates to just over Aus$5bn of Australia's annual output of Aus$1.3 trillion.
Residents in flooded towns worked desperately to build sandbag levees in the hope of holding back the rising waters. Some 200,000 people have been affected by the floods and three have drowned. Apart from the risk of drowning, snakes and crocodiles are being washed into homes and shops.
Flood waters are receding in the Bowen Basin coal region, flooding continued further downstream.


Flood warnings have been declared for seven river systems, with one swollen river now 6km (4 miles) wide.

Eco Eye by RTÉ 1

http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1088133

Tree of Life with David Attenborough