Energy Lesson 5 : Renewable Energy and Michigan

Safety Note: The teacher and students should wear goggles when conducting the demonstrations. Remind students to use caution around open flames and hot objects. Secure long hair and loose clothing.

1. Introduce use of renewable resources.

Ask students: Do you know anyone in Michigan who uses something other than fossil fuels (wood, solar, wind, or geothermal sources) to provide energy for their home? For examples, visit “Michigan Renewable Energy and Efficiency Success Stories” (http://www.michiganenergyoptions.org/education/renewableenergy- success-stories). Tell students they will be investigating renewable energy resources in this lesson.

2. Demonstrate effects of using renewable resources.

Direct students to complete the Observing Renewable Energy Resources student pages as the teacher conducts the following demonstrations:

A. Hold the model turbine from Lesson 3 in front of you. Gently blow on the model turbine to simulate the wind turning a wind turbine.

B. Hold the model turbine from Lesson 3 over a plastic basin or sink. Pour a thin stream (about the width of a pencil) of water on the model turbine to simulate water turning a turbine.

C. Place a glass of water with a thermometer in a sunny window. Students observe an increase in the water temperature.

D. Light a kitchen match to simulate burning wood. Use tongs to hold a clean beaker right side up just above the flame to test for particulates. Then place the beaker upside down just above the flame. Quickly right the beaker and place a few drops of bromothymol blue (BTB) in the beaker. Swirl to test for carbon dioxide. BTB will turn from blue to yellow/green in the presence of carbon dioxide.

Which renewable energy resource(s) produced particulates (soot)? [Wooden match, representing burning wood.]

Which renewable energy resource(s) produced carbon dioxide? [Wooden match, representing burning wood.] 

Which renewable energy resource(s) produced an odor? [Wooden match.]

Predict: Which renewable energy resource has the most negative environmental impact at the source? In transit? At the point of end use? [Answers will vary.]

3. Students read the Michigan Renewable Energy Cards.

What are the characteristics of our renewable energy resources?

Organize the students into groups of four to read and discuss the cards. Each student should read two cards and explain them to the other members of the group.

4. Complete the Renewable Energy Resources Summary Chart.

What are the environmental, economic, and social advantages and disadvantages of using different renewable energy resources?

Have students work in groups to place (Do not glue!) the advantages/uses, and the disadvantages/ limitations cards on the right squares in the chart using what they’ve learned about the energy resources from the teacher demonstration and the Michigan Renewable Energy Cards.

5. Check for understanding. Students check their predictions.

Which renewable energy resource has the most negative environmental impact at the source ? At the point of end-use? In transit? (Building dams and harvesting forests for biomass have impacts at the source. Windmills can have an impact on birds and bats and may have a negative visual impact at the source. Burning wood in a stove has an impact at point of end use. Biomass typically involves truck transport, but there is no significant environmental issue with accidents, as with oil transportation. All of the environmental impacts are less damaging than the impact of using of fossil fuels.)

6. Evaluate Michigan’s renewable energy potential.

Which renewable energy resources have the greatest potential in Michigan? Read and discuss Michigan’s Renewable Energy Potential student/teacher resource. Ask questions to ensure students understand the following points.

Michigan has:

a. Good biomass resource potential. Forestland for biomass is abundant in the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula; farmland is abundant in the Lower Peninsula.

b. Reasonable potential for residential solar heating, but limited potential for large-scale photovoltaic, at least at current prices and technology.

c. Significant potential for geothermal heat pumps, but limited potential for geothermal electrical.

d. Good wind resources, especially on the shores of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan and in the higher elevations of the northern Lower Peninsula and near Lake Huron in Michigan’s thumb region.

e. Good hydroelectric resources, but they are largely being used.

7. Compare renewable and non-renewable resources summary charts.

What do you think are the most important advantages? Identify which energy resources have those advantages. What do you think are the most important disadvantages? Identify which energy resources have those disadvantages.

Students complete the Comparing Nonrenewable and Renewable Energy Resources student activity with respect to different energy sources. For each of the following statements, put:

• REN by those that are associated with renewable energy resources.

• NON by those associated with nonrenewable fossil fuel resources.

• NUC by those associated with nuclear energy resources.

Discuss student answers with the class, using the answer key provided.

1. Which energy resource(s) tends to be more useful for widely dispersed use? (REN)

2. Which energy resource(s) can most likely decrease our dependence on large-scale electric generation? (REN)

3. Which energy resource(s) could decrease our nation’s dependence on foreign oil resources? (NUC, REN)

4. Which energy resource(s) provide an economical way to generate electricity? (NON, REN)

5. Which energy resource(s) is/are better adapted for the existing transportation infrastructure? (NON)

6. Which energy resource(s) has/have the greatest ability to provide sustained power over centuries? (REN)

7. Which energy resource(s) can reduce the production of greenhouse gasses and its related effects? (NUC, REN)

8. Which energy resource(s) diversifies our state and nation’s energy portfolios? (REN)

9. Which energy resource(s) will not run out if properly managed? (REN)

10. Which energy resource(s) will be eventually used up? (NON)

11. Which energy resource(s) tend(s) to have higher initial economic costs? (NUC, some types of REN and NON)

12. Which energy resource(s) tend(s) to have higher environmental costs? (NON, NUC)

13. Which energy resource(s) can be owned by individuals and provide off the grid living? (REN)

Given everything you’ve learned about the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non-renewable resources, what are your favorite energy resources and why? (Lead a student discussion, reminding students to respect all opinions as they will certainly vary.)

8. Consider energy and the role of government in Michigan.

Decisions made by local, state, and federal governments affect the energy resources we use and the choices available to us.

Have students develop a brief, one- or two sentence idea for an energy-related law or policy (e.g., There ought to be a law to….). Students should write out their proposals and list at least one reason for and against the proposal.

Distribute and discuss Energy and the Role of Government in Michigan student resource and overhead transparency. Discuss how citizens can influence whether such ideas become law (e.g., calling or writing your local legislator or contacting an interest group like the Michigan Environmental Council).

Should government policy support the use of renewable or non-renewable energy resources?

What can you do? Write a letter to your state legislators and governor urging them to support legislation for your favorite energy resource(s).

In your letter you should:

• state your position

• support your position by describing the economic, social, and environmental advantages and disadvantages of the energy resource(s), and compare the advantages and disadvantages to those of the alternatives.

9. Summary understandings. 

Our energy choices, whether renewable or nonrenewable, have direct and indirect economic, social, and environmental consequences.

Renewable energy resources along with energy efficiency and energy conservation can play a very large role in meeting our energy needs.

Homes, businesses, and communities throughout Michigan are successfully using renewable energy resources today.

The switch to clean energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric will decrease environmental pollution, decrease our dependence on foreign oil, and diversify our state’s energy resource mix.

Government plays a major role in controlling energy availability and cost, but we can make a difference by writing letters and making our voices heard.