HOW IS THERMAL ENERGY USED IN

NEW ZEALAND?

Thermal energy plays a key role in supplying

New Zealand’s electricity.

Genesis Energy’s Huntly Power Station is the

country’s largest power station. It has six

separate generating units: four conventional

boiler and turbine units that can burn coal

or gas and that each generate 250 MW of

power, one gas-­red turbine generating

48 MW and a 385 MW combined cycle gas

turbine (a 250 MW gas turbine plus a 135 MW

steam turbine) – a total capacity of 1433 MW.

Huntly is capable of producing nearly 13 TWhr

(13 million MWhr) of energy each year – about

20% of New Zealand’s electricity requirements.

Other fossil-fuel burning power stations are

located in Auckland, Taranaki and Hawke’s

Bay. New Zealand is a pioneer in the use of

geothermal energy. Wairakei is the oldest

operational geothermal power station in the

world. New Zealand’s other geothermal

power stations are all in the Taupo Volcanic

Zone and the Northland geothermal ­eld.

In total they account for 635 MW or nearly

7% of our generating capacity.

Pablo

How can affect the temperature to thermal energy.

Hi here is a video about how does the temperature affects to the thermal energy.
Alvaro, Pablo

Disadvantages of thermal energy

The hot fuels generates emissions of greenhouse gases and acid rain in the atmosphere, with flying particles that may contain heavy metals.
Some disadvantges are:
· When fossil fuels finite energy source, its use is limited to the duration of reserves and / or profitability.
· Their thermal and vapor emissions can alter the local microclimate.
· Adversely affect river ecosystems due to discharges of hot water in them.

Victoria.

Thermal energy: Definition

Thermal energy is essential in producing electricity, in industrial processes like oil refining, and in home heating, to think of just three applications. Disadvantages include producing greenhouse gases (except in nuclear heating). 
Thermal Energy is the internal or cinetic energy developed within a body, when its atoms or molecules are excited to the point where heat is generated, and the temperature is increasing. 

Victoria.

HEAT TRANSFER

There are 3 ways to transfer termal energy: - conduction
             - convection
             - radiation



Carlos.

Who discovered thermal energy?

While i was looking for some information to post, a question came to mind: Who discovered thermal energy?
thermal energy was discovered by James Prescott Joule was born on December 24^th, 1818 & died on October 11^th, 1889. He was an English physicist who recognised the transfer of energy  from a heat source into other materials such as water when it boils.
He found that when he agitated the fluid, its temperature increased. Joule performed mechanical work on the fluid and in doing so, converted that mechanical energy to thermal energy.
here´s a picture of James.

carlos.

How does the thermal energy works

Hi here i bring to you a very useful video about how does the thermal energy works.It explains how we use  fossil fuels to produce electricity.

Alvaro.

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THERMAL ENERGY

Heat (Thermal energy)

Thermal energy is what we call energy that comes from heat. For example, a cup of hot tea has thermal energy in the form of kinetic energy from its particles. When you pour some milk into your tea, some of this energy is transferred to the particles in cold milk. What happens next? The cup of tea is cooler because it lost thermal energy to the milk.

The atoms and molecules that make up a substance are in constant motion. This movement is what gives a material its temperature: the more the molecules are moving about, the higher the temperature. Thermal energy is simply the energy possessed by a substance due to the movement of its atoms or molecules. It is important not to confuse this with heat, which is energy that is transferred from one place to another. Thermal energy has long been exploited by humans for cooking, heating, power generation and industry.

Thermal energy facts.

- thermal energy is one of the oldest forms of energy that was harnessed by humans. It is widely believed that Archimedes' used this form of energy to burn invading Roman ships.
- thermal energy is one of the most affordable modes of energy. Is a renewable energy.
-It has been estimated that if used properly, businesses can save around 40% of their electricity bills by switching to solar thermal energy.
- thermal energy can be used in conjunction with other sources of energy, and can be used to lower the costs associated with fossil-fuels.
-It doesn't cause any pollution, and doesn't contribute to the greenhouse effect.
-According to research, one megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity produced due to thermal energy prevents the emission of a ton of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Carlos.