Renewable Energy Engineering Quiz

What percentage of the power used in the United States was supplied using fossil fuels in 2017?

• 90%

• 60%

• 80%

• 70%

Which renewable energy source uses the heat of the Earth deep underground?

• Hydropower

• Solar power

• Wind power

• Geothermal power

What is the biggest problem with setting up a geothermal power plant?

• Risk of radioactive waste

• High cost of drilling

• Limited availability of volcanic rocks

• Difficulty in controlling energy production

What is the main challenge in designing wind turbine blades?

• Controlling energy production

• Transporting power over long distances

• Efficiently extracting energy from air

• Withstanding stress

What is the most promising technology for harnessing solar energy?

• Photovoltaic cell

• Nuclear fission

• Hydropower

• Geothermal power

What is the efficiency of the very best solar cells in converting energy they absorb into electrical power?

• 50%

• 40%

• 30%

• 20%

What is the main challenge in storing extra solar power for later use?

• Transporting power over long distances

• Difficulty in controlling energy production

• Low efficiency of solar cells

• High cost of storage systems

What is the raw material used to make solar panels that can produce toxic byproducts during processing?

• Silicon

• Quartz

• Hydrogen fuel

• Tetrachloride

What is the biggest advantage of solar panels over other renewable energy sources?

• No environmental impact

• Easy deployment

• Low cost of production

• High efficiency

What has the National Academy of Engineering identified as a Grand Challenge for engineers in the 21st Century?

• Expanding hydropower production

• Making solar energy more economical

• Developing new fossil fuel sources

• Increasing nuclear fission efficiency