Renewable energy

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/renewable-energy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary renewable sources?Solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, tidal, and wave energy
2. What is the key conversion technologies?Photovoltaic cells, wind turbines, hydroelectric generators, geothermal power plants
3. Why do we need renewable energy instead of fossil fuels?Fossil fuels release gases that warm the planet and cause pollution. Renewable energy keeps the air clean and helps stop climate change.
4. How do solar panels turn sunlight into electricity?Solar panels have tiny cells that use the photoelectric effect to turn sunlight into direct current electricity. The panels then send the power to an inverter that changes it into alternating current for the grid.

Decarbonization: The process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from energy systems and industrial processes.
Intermittency: The characteristic of certain renewable energy sources (like solar and wind) that are not continuously available.
Photovoltaic Effect: The generation of voltage and electric current in a material upon exposure to light.