Chapter 2
Fueling Our Energy Future
Goals
- List the primary sources of fuel used for generating electricity.
- Describe ways to evaluate and compare these sources.
CTE Energy & Natural Resources Career Subcluster
Clean & Alternative Energy
Conservation & Land Management
Ecological Research & Development
Environmental Protection
Resource Extraction
Utilities
Activities
What is the Cost of Inefficiency?
Students will learn about the concepts of work, power, and energy and how they translate to energy efficiency and cost savings.
160 min.
$$
Understanding Electric Power Generation
This lesson introduces students to the primary sources of energy used in the United States.
160 min.
Free
How Does Energy Affect Wildlife?
Students will research generation technologies and record their impacts on wildlife. They will then rank each technology based on its risks to wildlife.
60-90 min.
Free
Carbon Cycle
Students will complete a carbon cycle model and look at the balance of carbon among the systems.
60 min.
Free
NEED Energy Sources
Free downloadable curricula and infobooks on energy sources. These resources cover all grade levels.
Varies
Free
Goals
- Describe the reasons why demand for electricity changes throughout the day and the year.
- Define base load, peak load, load-following, and variable generation.
CTE Energy & Natural Resources Career Subcluster
Clean & Alternative Energy
Utilities
Activities
What is the Cost of Inefficiency?
Students will learn about the concepts of work, power, and energy and how they translate to energy efficiency and cost savings.
160 min.
$$
Understanding Electric Power Generation
This lesson introduces students to the primary sources of energy used in the United States.
160 min.
Free
PBS Power Grid Lab
Students take on the role of energy system designers tasked with building a clean, cost-effective energy for a U.S. city, exploring the trade-offs between different energy sources.
90-150 min.
Free
NEED Baseload Balance
Students explore the differences between baseload and peak demand power, and how power companies and grid operators maintain supply to ensure customers have power as they need it.
Varies
Power Grid Balance Sim
Students explore how decentralized energy sources can be managed through a power plant simulation. Acting as grid operators, they work to maintain grid stability.
45 min.
Free
Power Grid Flow Sim
Acting as system operators, students adjust generator outputs, manage substations, and respond to changing energy demands to prevent overloads and blackouts.
50-100 min.
Free
Power the Grid Game
Students manage a virtual power grid to maintain a stable and efficient energy supply while responding to fluctuating demand and limited resources.
60-90 min.
Free
Current Affairs: Understanding the U.S. Electrical Grid
Students will be able to identify why electricity is essential in their lives, how electricity reaches communities across the U.S., and limitations of the current U.S. electrical grid.
90 min.
$