Last week we all took a trip to the Museum of Science. The last time I had been was maybe in fifth grade for a field trip, so everything seemed pretty new. I started off in the reptile section, pacing by the dinosaurs and old fossils. I then read a little bit about space travel, and how much space ships have evolved since America’s first trip to space. This was all pretty much just for personal interest…it didn’t really relate to our class very much. Then, I went downstairs and this was where everything relating to sustainable energy was displayed. I spent a good 30 minutes in the area alone, just reading captions and taking pictures.
I read about a local power plant right here in Massachusetts called the Beacon Power Plant. This facility is located in Tyngsboro, and they use an electrical flywheel system to store excess electrical energy and then releases it when needed. The result is a more efficient electrical grid.
Another interested idea I found took place in Sheldon Vermont. Believe it or not, they used cow manure to generate electricity. What they do is collect the manure, store it and allow bacteria to break it down. This creates a methane-base mixture. Burning the gas powers an electric generator. Crazy, huh?
Here are just a some of the many snapshots I took:
Basically, the whole experience furthered my knowledge about powering our future. Our demand for energy is increasing everyday. However, our fossil fuel supply is decreasing and we are damaging our environment. The solution is all around us. Energy is everywhere…in the wind, the sun, the ground, the water etc. We now have the technology to turn this into usable energy.