The Engineering Challenges of Renewable Energy: Crash Course Engineering #30

The video discusses the impact of engineering on the world, focusing on the reliance on non-renewable fuels and their environmental consequences. It highlights the need for renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal energy. The video explores the challenges and benefits of each renewable source, emphasizing the importance of engineering solutions to make them more viable. It concludes with a focus on solar energy and the future challenges engineers face in making it more economical.

What is a major drawback of non-renewable fuels?

• They are produced faster than they are consumed.

• They produce no harmful emissions.

• They contribute significantly to environmental pollution.

• They are abundant and cheap.

In 2017, what percentage of the United States' energy was supplied by fossil fuels?

• 50%

• 80%

• 30%

• 60%

Which renewable energy source uses the Earth's heat to generate power?

• Hydropower

• Geothermal power

• Solar power

• Wind power

What is a common challenge faced by both wind and hydropower?

• Dependence on weather conditions

• Limited availability of resources

• High operational costs

• High carbon emissions

Which renewable energy source is known for using turbines to convert kinetic energy into electricity?

• Wind power

• Solar power

• Nuclear power

• Geothermal power

What is the main component used in photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity?

• Aluminum

• Copper

• Silicon

• Iron

What is a significant advantage of solar panels compared to other energy sources?

• They require a lot of water to operate.

• They can be installed almost anywhere.

• They produce a lot of waste.

• They are the cheapest energy source.

What is a major challenge in making solar energy more economical?

• Abundance of raw materials

• High efficiency of solar cells

• Cost of manufacturing and storage

• Lack of sunlight

What is one of the experimental methods being developed to improve solar panel efficiency?

• Increasing the number of turbines

• Using nanocrystals

• Using larger panels

• Reducing the amount of silicon

What is a potential solution for storing excess solar energy?

• Reducing energy consumption

• Burning more fossil fuels

• Using batteries or pumped hydro storage

• Increasing solar panel size