WEBVTT 00:01.000 --> 00:08.000 What do you think is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gases in our atmosphere? 00:09.000 --> 00:16.000 What if I told you that energy accounts for 60 percent of the pollutants that enter our atmosphere? 00:17.000 --> 00:28.000 And yet, all of those pollutants could be prevented because we have sustainable energy developed, we just choose not to use it. 00:28.000 --> 00:38.000 In order to introduce why renewable energy is so important for a sustainable future, let's talk about the CO2 emissions from different energy sources. 00:39.000 --> 00:52.000 As you can see on this graph, normal energy techniques that we use in our society, such as coal or oil, emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 00:52.000 --> 01:06.000 However, if we were to make the transition to more sustainable energy such as solar, biomass, nuclear, hydroelectric, or wind, we could greatly reduce our carbon footprint. 01:06.000 --> 01:14.000 So let's learn a little bit more about that renewable energy that could revolutionize our society for the better. 01:15.000 --> 01:19.000 First, I'll tell you a little bit about solar energy and wind energy. 01:19.000 --> 01:31.000 Second, I'll tell you about renewable energy storage techniques that could greatly increase the amount of renewable energy we use in our daily lives. 01:31.000 --> 01:40.000 And third, I'll tell you about an exciting piece of federal legislation that could increase our investment and renewable energy storage for the future. 01:40.000 --> 01:47.000 Solar energy is a form of renewable energy where the sun's energy is captured and then turned into electricity. 01:47.000 --> 01:50.000 So how exactly does solar energy work? 01:51.000 --> 01:59.000 As shown in the diagram, photons are absorbed through the two layers of semiconductor material featured on the solar panel. 01:59.000 --> 02:03.000 Then, they are converted to electrons which form the electricity. 02:04.000 --> 02:07.000 There is two common locations for solar energy. 02:07.000 --> 02:15.000 First, are massive solar farms mostly located in southwestern states that supply electricity to the local area. 02:16.000 --> 02:21.000 The second is actually the option to install personal solar panels on your own home. 02:22.000 --> 02:26.000 Now let's talk a little bit about wind energy. 02:26.000 --> 02:34.000 The simple mechanics of wind energy are that it converts energy produced by the wind into electrical energy to be used in our daily lives. 02:34.000 --> 02:37.000 The mechanics of a wind turbine are pretty simple. 02:37.000 --> 02:47.000 Basically, the wind spins the propeller blades, which then spin the generator, which then create electricity to be used by the surrounding area. 02:48.000 --> 02:51.000 The size of wind turbines is incredibly impressive. 02:52.000 --> 02:57.000 A blade averages between 184 and 290 feet tall. 02:58.000 --> 03:05.000 And the most exciting piece about these wind blades is that the bigger they get, the exponentially more energy they provide. 03:06.000 --> 03:09.000 The location of wind turbines can greatly vary. 03:09.000 --> 03:14.000 Some are located offshore, whereas others are located in very remote locations. 03:14.000 --> 03:21.000 Some notable states for wind energy include Kansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, and even Texas. 03:22.000 --> 03:28.000 A super important part of renewable energy we must address is energy storage. 03:28.000 --> 03:33.000 How can we make sure that we can use renewable energy at all parts of the day? 03:33.000 --> 03:38.000 This graph is a good representation of why energy storage is so important for solar energy. 03:38.000 --> 03:50.000 As you can see in areas where solar energy is used, the area then begins to rely on unsustainable fossil fuels into evening hours when the solar energy is not directly accessible. 03:50.000 --> 03:56.000 If we were to make energy storage more accessible, we would be able to use solar energy at all parts of the day. 03:57.000 --> 04:00.000 This same issue is shown in wind energy. 04:00.000 --> 04:09.000 As you can see, the discrepancy between when energy is collected and when energy is used must be solved before we can fully rely on renewable energy. 04:10.000 --> 04:13.000 So many exciting forms of storage technology have been developed. 04:13.000 --> 04:22.000 Some last in the short-term, whereas others can provide sustainable long-term grid energy storage for a large portion of the population. 04:22.000 --> 04:28.000 Although I don't have time to describe these methods in this video, I would highly encourage that you look them up. 04:28.000 --> 04:32.000 Now I'm going to tell you about the best act. 04:32.000 --> 04:42.000 No, not because it's the best act of federal legislation to ever be introduced, but because it's literally called The BEST Act: 04:42.000 --> 04:54.000 The Better Energy Storage and Technology Act, which would invest federal money into making sure that we continue to research and develop renewable energy storage and technology. 04:55.000 --> 05:02.000 Outlined here is some of the specific ways that The Best Act would invest money into grid-scale energy storage research. 05:02.000 --> 05:11.000 It is so important that this act is passed, in order for us to continue to develop energy storage so that we can actually rely on renewable energy at all parts of the day. 05:12.000 --> 05:25.000 I would urge all of you to continue to support bipartisan legislation that invests in renewable energy storage and technology, and to continue the discussion about renewable energy in the future. 05:25.000 --> 05:34.000 So many companies are working to develop solar, wind, and energy storage and it is so important that we support these companies and legislation in the future. 05:34.000 --> 05:48.000 As you can see here, it is necessary that we move up our energy storage time scale not from the short-term, but to the day scale, to the week scale, and to the seasonal scale, so that we can continue to rely on renewable energy. 05:49.000 --> 05:50.000 Thanks so much for watching! 05:50.000 --> 05:59.000 I hope today you learned a little bit about solar energy, wind energy, and why it is so important that we invest in renewable energy storage.