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Electricity is indispensable
in our daily lives. However, since fossil fuels on earth are
limited, people start exploring the use of "renewable energy".
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Wind Turbine
Photo Courtesy of DOE/NREL/PIX, Photo Credit, David,
Ray
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Renewable energy is energy derived from natural processes
that are replenished continuously.In its various forms, it
is derived directly or indirectly from the sun, or from heat
generated deep within the earth. Example of the definition
is energy generated from hydro, geothermal, wind, solar, tidal,
wave and ocean sources, etc.
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| How Many Types of Renewable Energy
are Available on Earth? |
| Why do We Need Renewable Energy?
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| Case Study - Building Integrated
Photovoltaic School Design in a Ma Wan School |
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| What are the Types of Renewable
Energy on Earth? |
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Hydro Dam
Photo Courtesy of DOE/NREL/PIX, Photo Credit, Hippe,
Duane |
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Hydropower: potential and kinetic
energy of water converted into electricity in hydroelectric
plants. |
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Geothermal energy: heat energy
from within the earth's crust, usually in the form of
hot water or steam. It is used directly as heat for district
heating, and agriculture, etc., or converted into electric
power. |
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Solar Panels
Photo Courtesy of DOE/NREL/PIX, Photo credit, SunLine
Transit Agency |
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Wind power: kinetic energy
of wind converted into motion of mechanical components
of wind turbines, used to generate electric power or used
directly for mechanical tasks. |
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Solar energy: solar radiation
absorbed for production of heat energy, and for generation
of electric power in solar power plants or photovoltaic
panels. |
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Tidal / Wave / Ocean Energy:
kinetic or gravitational energy derived from tidal movement,
wave motion, or ocean currents, used to generate electric
power. |
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| Why
do We Need Renewable Energy? |
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| Renewable energy is important because of the benefits it provides, such as: |
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Environmental benefits: renewable
energy technologies can have a much lower environmental
impact than the conventional energy technologies, and
alleviate global warming. Renewable energy technologies
can produce heat and electricity with very low impact
on global climate, and with the exception of combustion
of biomass, little or no impact on local or regional air
quality. |
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Resource conservation: given
that the earth's supplies of fossil fuels - our current
main sources of primary fuels for electricity generation
- are limited to what remains in the ground, renewable
energy can help reduce their use so that these supplies
can last longer. |
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Job creation
to local economy: renewable energy technologies can provide
opportunities for local employment in installation, operation,
servicing and marketing. Development of successful local
applications could open up opportunity in the international
markets. |
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| Case Study - Building Integrated
Photovoltaic School Design in a Ma Wan School |
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CCC Kei Wai Primary School (Ma Wan)
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Building
Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) is an emerging technology
that can serve as part of the building structure and as
electricity generation. From February 2001 to July 2005,
a research project on BIPV was conducted at the Church
of Christ in China Kei Wai Primary School (Ma Wan). The
project aims to enhance local knowledge in the design,
installation and performance of BIPV systems under the
Hong Kong context, and to leverage these facilities for
educational initiatives. CLP sponsored the project with
Hong Kong SAR Government Innovation & Technology Commission
under the university-industry collaboration programme.
The research is conducted by the Department of Architecture
of the University of Hong Kong. |
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To promote the concept and use of renewable energy
to schoolchildren, CLP Energy Innovation Fund, previously
known as the Renewable Energy Fund, also sponsored the
establishment of the Renewable Energy Gallery in the
School in July 2005 and other educational and promotional
initiatives undertaken by the school teachers and students.
To know more about CLP's initiatives in promoting renewable
energy, please visit our Social
and Environmental Website.
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Rooflight PV module |
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