Chapter 3. Types of energy sources (виды источников энергии)
Exercise 1. Read and translate the text, using the words below.
There are two types of energy sources, Renewable and Non-Renewable sources. Renewable energy sources are sources that can be replenished or which are available naturally in excess. Non-Renewable energy sources are limited in their availability.
Acquisition and usage of Non-Renewable energy sources causes disruption. Renewable energy sources are more ‘Environment-Friendly’ as they do not cause any natural imbalances and disturbs the balance of environment.
Non-Renewable Energy sources are coal, nuclear energy, oil, and natural gas. Renewable Energy sources are air (wind energy), water (hydro-electric energy), sun (solar energy), biomass (alternative fuels), hydrogen, inner earth layers (geothermal energy).
Globally, the more preferred and large scale energy harvesting is through the non-renewable sources. It is the general convention as it is easier to harvest on a large scale. Renewable resources are also catching on in usage as new technologies are emerging to harvest energy from them. The non-renewable resource storage is getting used up rapidly and so the requirement of renewable resources based energy is quite critical these days.
Fossil Fuels, as the name suggests are formed by fossils, which are compressed by the pressure of the earth’s crust under the duration of thousands of years, and so they cannot be replaced as soon as they have been consumed. When coal is burnt, it releases a lot of energy, which is used to convert water to steam, and the steam is made to run turbines to produce electricity. Petroleum finds it place in the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine to power various machines. Also the usage of such fossil fuels also promotes emission of harmful greenhouse gases, increasing the volume of global warming.
Nuclear energy is harvested from Uranium-238, which is extracted from the sparsely present Uranium ores. The Uranium extracted from these ores is used in nuclear reactors, the heat from which produces steam, which runs turbines to produce electricity. Uranium is mined only 19 countries and comprises only 6% contribution of energy in the world. However, a downside of nuclear energy is radioactive waste. The mistreatment of radioactive waste leads to devastating consequences, which include cancer. Even damage to the reaction chambers by either natural or man-made disasters causes radioactive contamination in the surrounding area, which will last for a very long period. One such event was seen after the Japanese Tsunami, 2012.
Extraction of energy from renewable resources requires the extra effort, an extra touch to technology since the renewable resources, when compared to the non-renewable resources, are more unpredictable in their outcomes and also give an outcome on a lower scale.
Light energy from the sun can be harvested by solar panels, which capture the photons and convert it to electrical energy. But a very minor amount of electricity is produced from large amounts of sunlight, which is not available throughout the day. So, solar energy is not capable of providing large units of current. Another drawback is the installation of the solar panels, which needs direct sunlight causing an inconvenience of space. Mostly solar panels are used to run heaters. Modern day advancements in technology are promoting a wider range usage of solar energy to promote a greener environment.
Hydroelectric energy is harvested from the movement of water in streams, rivers or waves from seas and oceans. Hydroelectric power plants are also installed at damsto utilize the force of the water bodies. Specially designed turbines are placed under water to harvest the kinetic energy from the moving water. Hydroelectric energy can power larger units of electricity and is used in collaboration with energy produced from coal to reduce fossil fuel usage.
Wind energyis harvested by using wind currents to turn the fans ofwindmills in turn converted to electrical energy. Wind energy is quite efficient and one windmill can provide electricity to a small home. Windmills are usually used by farmers in the outskirts where there is more place to install a windmill. Windmills also require a climate, which is quite windy regularly.
Biomassis used to produce alternative or bio fuels from which energy can be extracted. Biomass is a collective term for biological waste such as garbage, animal excretes and biological by products of industries. Unlike the rest of the renewable energyresourcesbiomass is not restricted by climatic conditions, which makes it the front-runner of the renewable resources. Improvements in technology have seen the use of biomass fuels to power engines and generators.
Exercise 2. Find the proper Russian equivalents to the given English terms.
| 1. coal | 1. солнечная энергия |
| 2. nuclear energy | 2. нефть |
| 3. oil | 3. внутренние слои почвы |
| 4. natural gas | 4. биомасса |
| 5. wind energy | 5. природный газ |
| 6. hydro-electric energy | 6. водород |
| 7. solar energy | 7. уголь |
| 8. biomass | 8. атомная энергия |
| 9. hydrogen | 9. энергия ветра |
| 10. inner earth layers | 10. гидроэлектрическая энергия |
Exercise 3. Make up sentences from the following words.
1. Globally, and, harvesting, is, large-scale energy, through the non-renewable sources, the more preferred.
2. Acquisition, and, energy sources causes, balance of environment, disruption and disturbs, usage of Non-Renewable, the balance of environment.
3. The, of, leads to devastating, mistreatment, consequences, cancer, which, radioactive waste, include
4. But, which, day, very minor, a, of electricity, produced from, amount, large amounts of sunlight, is not available, is, throughout the
5. also require, climate, is, a, quite windy, Windmills, regularly, which
Exercise 4. Complete the sentences according to the text.
1. Hydroelectric energy is harvested from the movement ….
2. Biomass is used to produce alternative or bio fuels from which ....
3. The Uranium extracted from these ores is used in ….
4. Windmills also require a climate .…
5. The non-renewable resource storage is getting used up rapidly and .…
6. Renewable energy sources are more ‘Environment-Friendly’ as they .…
7. Wind energy is quite efficient and one windmill can .…
8. Mostly solar panels are ….
9. Also the usage of such fossil fuels also promotes emission .…
10. Improvements in technology have seen the use of biomass fuels to .…
Exercise 5. Find Russian equivalents for the following words.
Energy, source, balance, sun, coal, pressure, burn, electric power, nuclear energy,emission, uranium, disaster, river, power, course, windmills, farmer,excess, installation, outskirts, hydroelectric energy, contamination, mistreatment, utilize, animal excretes, replenish, acquisition, global warming, disruption, alternative fuels, extraction of energy, inner earth layers, renewable energy,energy harvesting, harmful, non-renewable energy,fossils, to release, steam, combustion chambers, internal combustion engine, greenhouse gases, radioactive waste,collaboration, current, garbage, restrict.
Exercise 6. Find the odd words.
Renewable Energy sources are air, water, natural gas, nuclear energy, hydrogen, geothermal energy,coal, sun, biomass, oil.
Exercise 7. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.