Renewable Energy Resources
We hope the information below will help you understand the issues behind this Conrad Award category. Remember, if you don't find answers to your questions here, registered teams can ask our experts.
About Renewable Energy
Create a new, clean, carbon-free way of using renewable energy to change every-day life.
In 2008, Al Gore challenged America to become a clean, carbon-free society. Global warming is an ever increasing concern for all of humanity. We need new ways to utilize renewable energy sources and free ourselves from a dependence on fossil fuels. We are asking high school students to respond to Al Gore's Challenge by developing their own products that use renewable energy in some aspect of regular lifestyles. Signup your team to compete in creating the next generation of products.
Renewable Energy Resources
What is Al Gore's Challenge to Repower America?
The Alliance for Climate Protection and Al Gore challenged all Americans to make the United States 100% renewable energy based within ten years. The Pete Conrad Spirit of Innovation Awards asks our competitors to design products in response to this challenge. What new products can be created that use renewable energy to change everyday life? How can new products solve our energy crisis and answer Al Gore's challenge?
The Videos below are exerpts from Al Gore's speech where he announced the challenge to repower America. Also, view the Repower America Fact Sheet for more information about Al Gore's Challenge to America.
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Al Gore's Challenge to America - Remix 1 |
Highlights of Al Gore's Challenge to America |
| This video show's clips from Al Gore's speech announcing his challenge to re-power America and outlines the issues involving the current climate crisis. |
This is a second video with additional clips directly from Al Gore's speech announcing his challenge to re-power America. It includes more information concerning the details of our current climate crisis. |
What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy generally refers to energy sources that are essentially inexhaustible, unlike fossil fuels which are from finite resources. Renewable energy sources are, for the most part, carbon-free, and clean for the environment, while fossil fuels polute the environment with toxic chemicals that contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate crisis. Types of renewable energy include:
- Solar
- Geothermal (heat from inside the Earth)
- Wind
- Hydro-electric power (water power created from Dams)
- Bio-Deisel
- Wave power (using the natural motion of ocean waves to create energy).
And other innovative sources of renewable energy are being developed all the time.
Find out more about renewable energy by searching online, and using these recommended links:
- Home Power Magazine - shows current technologies and products for basing your home on renewable energy sources.
- Solar Energy Industries Association - find out about solar energy and how companies are using it here.
- United States DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - this government office provides many resources and good information on renewable energy products and uses.
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory - this research laboratory has an extensive list of great resources for students about each of the top types of renewable energy sources. Use this group to find out more about the various types of renewable energy.
- Renewable Energy Databook - has many statistics and usage information on various forms of renewable energy.
- Energy Information Administration - provides great information about ALL forms of energy, renewable, and fossil fuels.
- Union of Concerned Scientists - this organization has many great resources on energy throughout their website. Check out this page for information on renewable energy sources.
What is global warming or climate change?
Global warming is an average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earth's surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to changes in global climate patterns. Global warming can occur from a variety of causes, both natural and human induced. In common usage, "global warming" often refers to the warming that can occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities.
The term "global warming" is often used interchangeably with the term "climate change," but according to the National Academy of Sciences, "the phrase 'climate change' is growing in preferred use to 'global warming' because it helps convey that there are [other] changes in addition to rising temperatures."
Climate change refers to any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer). Climate change may result from:
- natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or slow changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun;
- natural processes within the climate system (e.g. changes in ocean circulation);
- human activities that change the atmosphere's composition (e.g. through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g. deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc.)
What is of concern is the climate change induced by human activities. This information about global warming and climate change was taken from the Environmental Protection Agency's website. You may want to visit their site to gain more valuable information about this subject before preparing your Conrad Award submission.
What's missing from the current energy debate? This video from the Science Debate 2008 initiative takes a look at sustainability issues. Science Debate 2008 Video
What products currently use renewable energy?
What programs and policies are currently in place to convert us to energy independence?