Page 626 - Environment: The Science Behind the Stories

questions will you ask before deciding whether to make to encounter with each option. What further informa-
the investment in solar energy? tion would you like to know before deciding which to
6. tHINK It tHRoUGH You are the CEO of a company pursue?
that develops wind farms. Your staff has presented you • Option A: A remote rural site in North Dakota
with three options, listed below, for sites for your next • Option B: A ridge-top site in the suburbs of Philadelphia
development. Describe at least one likely advantage
and at least one likely disadvantage you would expect • Option C: An offshore site off the Florida coast

Calculating Ecological Footprints

Assume that average per capita residential consumption of Figure 21.11 on p. 612 and estimate the area and cost of the
electricity is 12 kilowatt-hours per day, that photovoltaic cells PV panels needed to provide all of the residential electricity
have an electrical output of 15% incident solar radiation, and used by each group in the table.
that PV panels cost $1000 per square meter. Now refer to

Area of Cost of 1. What additional information would you need to increase the
photovoltaic cells photovoltaic cells accuracy of your estimates for the areas in the table above?
You 2. Considering the distribution of solar radiation in the
A resident of United States, where do you think it will be most feasible
Arizona to greatly increase the percentage of electricity generated
A resident of Alaska from photovoltaic solar cells?
3. The purchase price of a photovoltaic system is consider-
Total for all U.S.
residents able. What other costs and benefits should you consider,
in addition to the purchase price, when contemplating
“going solar”?

STUDENTS INSTRUCTORS
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etext, and the Study Area with practice tests, videos, current graded activities, current events, videos, and reading questions
events, and activities. that you can assign to your students, plus Instructor Resources. CHAPTER 21 • N E w R ENE wA bl E E NER gy AlTERN AT iv E s

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