Sci204 Week 2 Ilab

Alexander Nunez

SCI204

Prof. Kortright

1/21/2013

Week 2 iLab Exercises

Exercise A:

Q1. Compare/contrast commercial wind turbines "offshore" versus "on land". Compare the electricity created from a home wind turbine versus a home wind "spire". How many wind spires would your home (or use an average 2000 square foot home)? Need to cover your daily electrical needs?

Answer: On-shore wind turbines are installed in land-based applications, while off-shore wind turbines are installed over water. There are no fundamental differences between on-shore and off-shore. Off-shore turbines tend to have larger ratings. This is because:

A. The cost of an off-shore installation is greater, and a larger turbine is needed to justify that greater cost.

And

B. Winds tend to be steadier in off-shore applications, so larger turbines will generate more power.

The best thing about offshore windmills is the wind tends to be much more consistent and strong, which helps predict payback period and shorten it, for the cost of the turbine.

The bad thing about offshore is aesthetics, some people don’t like the looks of the ocean shoreline being filled with turbines. It is also difficult to get the power from the turbines and back to the land where the electricity can be used. It can also be difficult to maintain the windmills out at sea.

Q2. Geothermal heat is having another "revival". Explain how it works in a home and how much it would cost to add this to your home (determine your square footage or use an average 2000 square foot home)? Cite your references. How much would it cost to install enough solar panels on your roof to generate all your daily electrical needs? How many panels (size?) would you need? How can landscaping (trees/bushes) affect your heating and cooling bills?

Answer: Geothermal heating and cooling is having another revival due to rising energy and oil costs. Geothermal heating utilizes the natural temperature of the ground at about 10 feet and...