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Glossary

  • Biomass energy:
    Changing farming wastes, grasses, trees, bark, sawdust, and other things into energy by burning it, changing it to a gas, or converting it to a liquid fuel.
  • Energy crops:
    Crops grown specifically for their fuel value, including food crops such as corn and sugarcane, and nonfood crops such as poplar trees and switchgrass.
  • Fossil fuels:
    Energy sources formed by the decay of plants, dinosaurs, and other animals over millions of years; coal, oil, and natural gas are fossil fuels.
  • Geothermal energy:
    Using the heat from the earth to produce power.
  • Hydropower:
    Using the energy in flowing water to make electricity.
  • Incineration:
    Using rubbish or garbage to produce energy by burning it.
  • Nonrenewable fuels:
    Fuels that cannot be easily made or "renewed." We can use up non-renewable fuels. Oil, natural gas, and coal are nonrenewable fuels.
  • Passive solar heater:
    A solar water-heating or space-heating system that moves heated air or water without using pumps or fans.
  • Passive solar home:
    A house that uses a room or another part of the building as a solar collector.
  • Photovoltaic energy
    A type of solar energy that converts sunshine into electricity.
  • Renewable energy:
    Types of energy that are "renewed" as we use them; solar, wind, and geothermal energy are forms of renewable energy.
  • Solar collectors:
    Boxes, frames, or rooms that trap the sun's rays to produce heat.
  • Solar energy:
    Energy from the sun. The heat that builds up in your car when it is parked in the sun is an example of solar energy.
  • Solar heating:
    Using the sun's energy to heat our homes and water.
  • Sunspace:
    A room that faces south, or a small structure attached to the south side of a house.
  • Wind power:
    Using the wind to produce electricity by turning blades on a wind turbine.
  • Wind power plant:
    A group of wind turbines interconnected to a common utility system.