Environmentally friendly two-wheeled friend. Women's Bicycle Saddle Eco-Friendly Two-Wheel Vehicle

Energy is the heart of industrial and agricultural production and ensures a comfortable human existence. The main energy carrier of the 19th century was coal, the combustion of which led to an increase in emissions of smoke, soot, soot, ash, harmful gas components: CO, SO 2 , nitrogen oxides, etc. The development of scientific and technological progress has led to a significant change in the energy base of industry, agriculture, cities and other settlements. The share of such energy carriers as oil and gas, which are more environmentally friendly than coal, has increased significantly. However, their resources are not unlimited, which imposes on humanity the obligation to search for new alternative energy sources.

These include solar and nuclear energy, geothermal and solar thermal energy, tidal energy, river and wind energy. These types of energy are inexhaustible, and their production has practically no harmful impact on the environment.

Currently, the most developed nuclear power plants - nuclear power plants. The share of electricity generation using nuclear energy in a number of countries is very high: in Lithuania it exceeds 80%, in France - 75%, in Russia it reaches 13%. It is necessary to improve the safety of NPP operation, which was confirmed by the accident at the Chernobyl and other NPPs. The fuel base for their work is practically unlimited, the total reserves of uranium in the seas and oceans are approximately 4 10 9 tons.

Quite widely used geothermal and solar thermal energy sources. Water circulating at a depth of 2-3 km is heated to a temperature exceeding 100ºС due to radioactive processes, chemical reactions and other phenomena occurring in the earth's crust. In a number of areas of the earth, such waters come to the surface. Significant reserves of them are available in our country in the Far East, Eastern Siberia, the North Caucasus and other regions. There are reserves of high-temperature steam and steam-water mixture in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and Dagestan.

Technological processes for obtaining thermal and electrical energy from such waters are quite well developed, their cost is 2–2.5 times lower than the thermal energy obtained in conventional boiler houses. A geothermal power plant with a capacity of 5 kW operates in Kamchatka. It is planned to build such, but more powerful - 100 and 200 MW units. In the Krasnodar Territory, the heat of groundwater is used to supply heat to industrial enterprises, the population, livestock complexes, and numerous greenhouses.

Recently, it has been increasingly used solar energy. Solar power plants can be thermal, which uses a traditional steam turbine cycle, and photovoltaic, in which solar radiation is converted into electricity and heat using special batteries. The cost of such solar power plants is still high. For plants with a capacity of 5–100 MW, it is 10 times higher than the capital costs of a thermal power plant of a similar capacity. In addition, large areas of mirrors are required to obtain energy. Solar power plants are promising, as they are environmentally friendly, and the cost of electricity produced by them will steadily decrease as technological processes, equipment and materials used improve.

Water has long been used by mankind as a source of energy. HPPs remain promising and environmentally friendly power plants, provided that floodplain lands and forest lands are not flooded during their construction.

New energy sources include tidal energy. The principle of operation of tidal power plants is based on the fact that the energy of falling water passing through hydroturbines rotates them and drives electric current generators. A single-pool tidal power plant with double action, operating at high and low tide, can generate energy four times a day when filling and emptying the pool for 4-5 hours. The units of such a power plant must be adapted to work in direct and reverse modes and serve both for the production of electricity and for pumping water. A large tidal power plant operates in France on the English Channel, at the mouth of the Rance River. In Russia, in 1968, a small power plant was put into operation on the coast of the Barents Sea in Kislov Bay. The projects of the Mezen tidal station on the coast of the White Sea, as well as Penzhinskaya and Tugurskaya - on the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk were developed.

Ocean energy can be used by building wave power plants, installations that use the energy of sea currents, the temperature difference between warm surface and deep cold waters or under-ice layers of water and air. Projects of such power plants are being developed in a number of countries: the USA, Japan, and Russia.

Promising use wind energy. Wind turbines up to a certain limit do not affect the state of the environment. Parks of high-capacity wind turbines have been built in Germany, Denmark, the USA and other countries. The unit power of such installations reaches 1 MW. Sweden has the world's most powerful wind turbine with a capacity of 2 MW. In Russia, there are areas favorable for the construction of wind farms - in the Far North, the Azov-Black Sea region, where northeast winds constantly blow. The potential capacity of wind power plants that can be built in these areas significantly exceeds the capacity of currently existing power plants in Russia. The environmental feasibility of using wind energy for large-scale electricity production and the use of wind turbines in energy systems is not yet well understood. Studies conducted in the United States indicate that if the costs of building underground oil storage facilities with a volume of 1 billion barrels, together with the cost of this oil, are directed to the construction of wind farms, then their capacity can be increased to 37,000 MW, and the amount of oil saved will be 1.15 billion barrels. As a result, in addition to saving such valuable raw materials as oil, the harmful burden on the environment will be significantly reduced when it is burned in power plants.

Transport is a serious source of harmful substances in the environment. Currently, the possibility of replacing the currently used hydrocarbon fuel with pure hydrogen, the combustion of which produces water, is being considered. This would eliminate the problem of atmospheric pollution by exhaust gases from automobile engines. The use of hydrogen is hampered by the fact that at present the technology for its production, transportation and storage is not well developed, which leads to high energy costs in the production of hydrogen by electrolysis and its high cost. The improvement of these technological processes will make it possible to reduce the cost of hydrogen, which will become a fuel that can compete with traditional fuels in terms of economic indicators, and surpass them in environmental terms.

Replacing hydrocarbon-fuelled vehicles with electric vehicles will also significantly reduce the harmful burden on the environment. Studies by American and Japanese firms in this area show that their best electric vehicles powered by nickel-zinc batteries are twice as powerful as conventional lead ones at a speed of 80 km/h and have a driving range of about 400 km. The overall efficiency of such electric vehicles is currently low and amounts to 2% against 4.2% of vehicles running on hydrocarbon raw materials. As battery technology improves, electric vehicles will be used more and more to reduce environmental impact.

Environmentally friendly energy sources

Environmentally friendly energy sources

"Clean Energy" ("Green Energy")- energy from sources that, by human standards, are inexhaustible. The basic principle of using renewable energy is to extract it from processes constantly occurring in the environment and provide it for technical use. Renewable energy is obtained from natural resources such as sunlight, water currents, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are renewable (replenished naturally).

In 2013, about 21% of the world's energy consumption was met from renewable energy sources.

Biogas tank, photovoltaic panels and wind turbine

In 2006, about 18% of the world's energy consumption was met from renewable energy sources, with 13% from traditional biomass such as wood burning. In 2010, 16.7% of the world's energy consumption came from renewable sources. In 2013, this figure was 21%. The share of traditional biomass is gradually declining, while the share of modern renewable energy is growing.

Hydroelectric power is the largest source of renewable energy, providing 3.3% of global energy consumption and 15.3% of global electricity generation in 2010. Wind energy use is growing at about 30 percent per year, worldwide with an installed capacity of 318 gigawatts (GW) in 2013, and is widely used in Europe, the US and China. The production of photovoltaic panels is growing rapidly, with a total capacity of 6.9 GW (6,900 MW) produced in 2008, nearly six times the 2004 level. Solar power plants are popular in Germany and Spain. Solar thermal plants operate in the US and Spain, with the largest being the 354 MW Mojave Desert. The largest geothermal plant in the world is the California Geyser Plant, with a nominal capacity of 750 MW.

Brazil has one of the largest renewable energy programs in the world related to the production of fuel ethanol from sugar cane. Ethyl alcohol currently covers 18% of the country's need for automotive fuel. Fuel ethanol is also widely available in the US.

Renewable Energy Sources

Fusion of the Sun is the source of most forms of renewable energy, with the exception of geothermal energy and tidal energy. Astronomers estimate that the remaining lifespan of the Sun is about five billion years, so on a human scale, renewable energy coming from the Sun is not in danger of depletion.

In a strictly physical sense, energy is not renewed, but is constantly withdrawn from the above sources. Of the solar energy that arrives on Earth, only a very small portion is transformed into other forms of energy, and most simply escapes into space.

The use of permanent processes is opposed to the extraction of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas or peat. In a broad sense, they are also renewable, but not by human standards, since their formation takes hundreds of millions of years, and their use is much faster.

This is a branch of energy specializing in the conversion of the kinetic energy of air masses in the atmosphere into electrical, thermal and any other form of energy for use in the national economy. The transformation takes place with the help of a wind generator (to produce electricity), windmills (to produce mechanical energy) and many other types of units. Wind energy is a result of the activity of the sun, so it belongs to renewable types of energy.

The power of the wind generator depends on the area swept by the generator blades. For example, the 3 MW (V90) turbines manufactured by the Danish company Vestas have a total height of 115 meters, a tower height of 70 meters and a blade diameter of 90 meters.

The most promising places for the production of energy from wind are coastal areas. At sea, at a distance of 10-12 km from the coast (and sometimes further), offshore wind farms are being built. Wind turbine towers are installed on foundations made of piles driven to a depth of up to 30 meters.

Wind turbines consume virtually no fossil fuels. The operation of a wind turbine with a capacity of 1 MW over 20 years of operation saves approximately 29 thousand tons of coal or 92 thousand barrels of oil.

In the future, it is planned to use wind energy not through wind turbines, but in a more unconventional way. In the city of Masdar (UAE), it is planned to build a power plant operating on the piezoelectric effect. It will be a forest of polymer trunks covered with piezoelectric plates. These 55-meter trunks will bend under the action of the wind and generate current.

Offshore wind farm in the north of the UK

At these power plants, the potential energy of the water flow is used as an energy source, the primary source of which is the Sun, evaporating water, which then falls on the hills in the form of precipitation and flows down, forming rivers. Hydroelectric power plants are usually built on rivers by constructing dams and reservoirs. It is also possible to use the kinetic energy of the water flow in the so-called free-flow (damless) HPPs.

– The cost of electricity at hydroelectric power plants is significantly lower than at all other types of power plants

– HPP generators can be turned on and off quickly enough depending on energy consumption

– Renewable energy source

– Significantly less impact on the air environment than other types of power plants

– HPP construction is usually more capital intensive

– Often efficient HPPs are more remote from consumers

– Reservoirs often occupy large areas

– Dams often change the nature of fisheries, as they block the path to spawning grounds for migratory fish, but often favor the increase in fish stocks in the reservoir itself and the implementation of fish farming.

On ocean currents

In 2010, hydropower provides the production of up to 76% of renewable and up to 16% of all electricity in the world, the installed hydropower capacity reaches 1015 GW. The leaders in generating hydropower per citizen are Norway, Iceland and Canada. At the beginning of the 2000s, the most active hydro construction was carried out by China, for which hydropower is the main potential source of energy; up to half of the world's small hydroelectric power plants are located in the same country.

Ebb and flow energy

Power plants of this type are a special type of hydroelectric power plants that use the energy of the tides, but in fact the kinetic energy of the rotation of the Earth. Tidal power plants are built on the shores of the seas, where the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun change the water level twice a day.

To obtain energy, the bay or the mouth of the river is blocked by a dam in which hydroelectric units are installed, which can operate both in generator mode and in pump mode (for pumping water into the reservoir for subsequent operation in the absence of tides). In the latter case, they are called a pumped storage power plant.

The advantages of PES are environmental friendliness and low cost of energy production. The disadvantages are the high cost of construction and the power changing during the day, which is why the PES can only work in a single power system with other types of power plants.

Wave power plants use the potential energy of waves carried on the surface of the ocean. Wave power is estimated in kW/m. Compared to wind and solar energy, wave energy has a higher power density. Although similar in nature to tidal energy and ocean currents, wave energy is a different source of renewable energy.

Sunlight energy

This type of energy is based on the conversion of electromagnetic solar radiation into electrical or thermal energy.

Solar power plants use the energy of the Sun both directly (photovoltaic solar power plants operating on the phenomenon of internal photoelectric effect), and indirectly - using the kinetic energy of steam.

The largest photovoltaic solar power plant Topaz Solar Farm has a capacity of 550 MW. Located in California, USA.

SES of indirect action include:

Tower - concentrating sunlight with heliostats on a central tower filled with saline.

Modular - at these solar power plants, the coolant, usually oil, is supplied to the receiver at the focus of each parabolic-cylindrical mirror concentrator and then transfers heat to the water by evaporating it.

Solar ponds - are a small pool several meters deep with a multilayer structure. Upper - convective layer - fresh water; below is a gradient layer with a brine concentration increasing downwards; at the very bottom is a layer of steep brine. The bottom and walls are covered with black material to absorb heat. Heating occurs in the lower layer, since the brine has a higher density compared to water, which increases during heating due to the better solubility of salt in hot water, convective mixing of the layers does not occur and the brine can be heated to 100 ° C or more. A tubular heat exchanger is placed in the brine medium, through which a low-boiling liquid (ammonia, freon, etc.) circulates and evaporates when heated, transferring kinetic energy to the steam turbine. The largest power plant of this type is located in Israel, its capacity is 5 MW, the pond area is 250,000 m2, the depth is 3 m

Topaz Solar Farm

Power plants of this type are thermal power plants using water from hot geothermal sources as a heat carrier. Due to the absence of the need to heat water, GeoTPPs are much more environmentally friendly than TPPs. Geothermal power plants are being built in volcanic regions, where at relatively shallow depths water overheats above the boiling point and seeps to the surface, sometimes manifesting itself in the form of geysers. Access to underground sources is carried out by drilling wells.

This branch of energy specializes in the production of energy from biofuels. It is used in the production of both electrical and thermal energy.

First generation biofuels

Biofuel - fuel from biological raw materials, obtained, as a rule, as a result of the processing of biological waste. There are also projects of varying degrees of sophistication aimed at obtaining biofuels from cellulose and various types of organic waste, but these technologies are at an early stage of development or commercialization. Distinguish:

solid biofuel (energy forest: firewood, briquettes, fuel pellets, wood chips, straw, husks), peat;

liquid biofuels (for internal combustion engines, eg bioethanol, biomethanol, biobutanol, dimethyl ether, biodiesel);

gaseous (biogas, biohydrogen, methane).

Second generation biofuels

Second generation biofuels - a variety of fuels obtained by various methods of pyrolysis of biomass, or other types of fuel, in addition to methanol, ethanol, biodiesel, obtained from "second generation" feedstock sources. Fast pyrolysis makes it possible to turn biomass into a liquid that is easier and cheaper to transport, store and use. The liquid can be used to produce automotive fuel, or fuel for power plants.

Second-generation biofuel feedstock sources are lignocellulosic compounds that remain after food-grade parts of the biological feedstock are removed. The use of biomass for the production of second generation biofuels aims to reduce the amount of land used for agriculture. Plants - sources of raw materials of the second generation include:

Algae are simple living organisms adapted to grow and reproduce in polluted or salt water (contain up to two hundred times more oil than first generation sources such as soybeans);

According to the estimates of the German Energy Agency (Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH) (with current technologies), the production of fuels by pyrolysis of biomass can cover 20% of Germany's needs for automotive fuel. By 2030, with advances in technology, biomass pyrolysis could provide 35% of Germany's automotive fuel consumption. The cost of production will be less than €0.80 per liter of fuel.

The use of liquid pyrolysis products of coniferous wood is also very promising. For example, a mixture of 70% gum turpentine, 25% methanol and 5% acetone, that is, dry distillation fractions of resinous pine wood, can be successfully used as a replacement for A-80 gasoline. Moreover, wood waste is used for distillation: branches, stump, bark. The output of fuel fractions reaches 100 kilograms per ton of waste.

Third generation biofuels

Third generation biofuels - fuels derived from algae.

From 1978 to 1996, the US Department of Energy investigated high oil algae under the Aquatic Species Program. The researchers concluded that California, Hawaii and New Mexico are suitable for industrial production of algae in open ponds. For 6 years, algae were grown in ponds with an area of ​​1,000 m2. A pond in New Mexico has shown high efficiency in capturing CO2. The yield was more than 50 grams of algae per 1 m2 per day. 200 thousand hectares of ponds can produce enough fuel for the annual consumption of 5% of US cars. 200 thousand hectares is less than 0.1% of US land suitable for growing algae. The technology still has many problems. For example, algae love high temperatures (the desert climate is well suited for their production), but additional temperature regulation is required to protect the cultivated crop from nighttime temperature drops (“cold snaps”). In the late 1990s, the technology was not put into commercial production due to the relatively low cost of oil on the market.

In addition to growing algae in open ponds, there are technologies for growing algae in small bioreactors located near power plants. Waste heat from a CHP plant can cover up to 77% of the heat demand for algae cultivation. This technology of growing algae culture is protected from daily temperature fluctuations, does not require a hot desert climate - that is, it can be applied at almost any operating thermal power plant.

Measures to support renewable energy sources

At the moment, there are a fairly large number of measures to support renewable energy sources. Some of them have already proved to be effective and understandable to market participants. Among these measures, it is worth considering in more detail:

– Reimbursement of the cost of technological connection;

– Tariffs for connection;

– Net measurement system;

Green certificates are understood as certificates confirming the generation of a certain amount of electricity based on renewable energy sources. These certificates are issued only to manufacturers qualified by the appropriate authority. As a rule, a green certificate confirms the generation of 1 MWh, although this value may be different. The green certificate can be sold either together with the generated electricity or separately, providing additional support to the electricity producer. Special software and hardware tools (WREGIS, M-RETS, NEPOOL GIS) are used to track the issue and ownership of "green certificates". Under some programs, certificates can be accumulated (for later use in the future) or borrowed (to fulfill obligations in the current year). The driving force behind the mechanism for the circulation of green certificates is the need for companies to fulfill obligations assumed by themselves or imposed by the government. In foreign literature, "green certificates" are also known as: Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), Green tags, Renewable Energy Credits.

Compensation for the cost of technological connection

To increase the investment attractiveness of projects based on RES, state bodies may provide for a mechanism for partial or full compensation for the cost of technological connection of generators based on renewable sources to the grid. To date, only in China, grid organizations fully assume all the costs of technological connection.

Worldwide in 2008, they invested $51.8 billion in wind energy, $33.5 billion in solar energy and $16.9 billion in biofuels. European countries invested $50 billion in alternative energy in 2008, America - $30 billion, China - $15.6 billion, India - $4.1 billion.

In 2009, investments in renewable energy worldwide amounted to $160 billion, and in 2010 - $211 billion. In 2010, $94.7 billion was invested in wind energy, $26.1 billion in solar energy and $11 billion in energy production technologies. from biomass and waste.

Environmentally friendly energy sources - Main page

Environmentally friendly non-traditional energy technology systems

An economically viable source of concentrated energy is organic fuel: oil, gas, coal. In the last decade, nuclear power has become in line with thermal power. The environmental problems of these types of energy are well known. But not only environmental. NPP operation experience has shown that today there are important economic problems that were not taken into account in previous years. It turned out that the costs of maintaining environmental standards of environmental pollution with radionuclides are such that the near future of nuclear energy is not yet foreseen. This has forced in recent years to conduct an energetic search for alternative energy sources. Today, a lot of natural environmentally friendly energy sources are known. The main problem is the low quality (concentration) of all currently known alternative types of energy and, accordingly, the low economic efficiency of its conversion into a highly concentrated form.

Rice. 3.5. wind power generator

1 - electric generator; 2 - reducer; 3 - shaft; 4 - the basis of the electrical unit; 5 – blade regulator; 6 - blade; 7 - electric cable; 8 - control block.

When analyzing various possible alternative energy sources, it should be remembered that in all cases, without exception, in order to operate an energy supply technology, it is also necessary to consume energy of an appropriate quality to ensure its functioning. It is important to select the most rational energy source for each industrial facility, remembering that the greater the concentration of energy, the more expensive it is. Consider the conversion of alternative forms of energy that are used in agriculture today.

The problem of wind energy conversion is not so simple. First of all, the question arises of the quality of wind energy and its resource. It is generally accepted that on the territory of 1 million km 2 the energy resources of the wind are about 0.5 GW. But from the point of view of concentration, its use for the conversion of modern technology into electrical energy is small. In the former USSR, more than 200 wind power generators with a total capacity of about 1000 kW were operated. One installation of the AVEU-6 type (automatic wind electric installation) is able to pump out up to 20 m 3 of water from a well 50 m deep in a day or to light and heat the building. The power of modern wind turboelectric generators is 50 ... 100 kW (Fig. 3.5). Such installations are quite widely used, for example, in Denmark, where there are suitable climatic conditions with constant winds from 9.5 to 24 m/s. Of course, the widespread use of wind turbine generators to a large extent allows solving the problem of supplying electricity to various household facilities in rural areas and in everyday life. In the Sea of ​​Azov, the installation of turboelectric generators with a total total capacity of 50 MW is currently underway. As for solving the problem of industrial energy supply, it is not realistic to set such tasks yet.

Solar power plants

Solar energy is the universal driving force of all life on our planet in its optimal natural understanding. Today, humanity is striving to increase the use of solar energy by directly converting radiant energy into thermal and electrical energy, although its quantity is low (the concentration does not exceed 1 kW per 1 m 2 of the Earth's surface). In Ukraine, there is an experimental solar power plant (SES) in the Crimea. The principle of its operation is the concentration of solar energy with the reflection of the rays of the Sun from a large area to a smaller one using mirrors. Such a system includes 1600 so-called heliostats, each of which consists of 45 mirrors with a total area of ​​25 m 2 . Therefore, the total area of ​​the mirrors is 1600 x 25 = 40000 m2. The entire system of mirrors is aimed at the Sun with the help of automation and a PC and reflects its rays onto a relatively small area of ​​the steam generator panel, from which steam (250 ° C and 4 MPa) is sent to a steam turbine mounted in a block with an electric generator. The power of such a solar power plant is 5 MW, the efficiency is slightly more than 10%, the cost of electricity is much higher compared to a thermal power plant.

Given the environmental benefits of solar power plants, the design of more powerful stations continues. Since 1989, a 200 MW industrial solar power plant has been successfully operating in southern California in the United States. Such a power plant is able to meet the electricity needs of a 300,000-strong city. The price of 1 kWh of electricity from this station is about 10 cents. Although from a purely economic point of view, such a solar power plant cannot compete with thermal power, it certainly is an environmentally friendly alternative to modern energy.

geothermal power plants

In Ukraine, considerable attention is paid to geothermal energy, which is based on non-traditional renewable energy sources, i.e. on the heat sources of the Earth. The resources of this type of energy in Ukraine amount to 150 billion tons of standard fuel.

A geothermal power plant is a thermal power plant that uses the thermal energy of the Earth's hot springs to generate electricity and heat. The temperature of geothermal waters can reach 200 ºС or more. The geothermal power plant includes:

a) boreholes that bring to the surface a steam-water mixture or superheated steam;

b) gas and chemical cleaning devices;

c) electric power equipment;

d) technical water supply system, etc.

Geothermal power plants are cheap, relatively simple, but the resulting steam has low parameters, which reduces their efficiency.

The construction of geothermal power plants is justified where thermal waters come closest to the surface of the earth. In the former USSR, the first geothermal power plant with a capacity of 5 MW was built in Kamchatka, its capacity was increased to 11 MW.

In Ukraine, at present, the association "Ukrenergoresursy" has ordered pre-project work on two Geothermal power plants - in the Crimea and the Lviv region. The developments are carried out using a combined technology - geothermal energy preheats water, which is then converted into steam when fossil fuels are burned. In addition, Ukrainian specialists are trying to use the heat of water in depleted oil and gas wells (mini Geothermal power plants with a capacity of 4-5 kW).

Abroad - in Italy, New Zealand, the USA, Japan, Iceland - GeoTPPs are used mainly as cogeneration plants.

Environmentally friendly non-traditional energy technology systems

Clean energy sources

At present, the problem of nature protection and the rational use of its resources has become of great global importance. A person realizes that the time has come to take care of nature: she cannot give all the time, she is not able to endure the loads that a person requires from her.

Let's get acquainted with various types of energy production and experimentally explore two types of clean energy sources on models of a wind power plant and a solar power plant.

1. Environmental problems of energy sources

In geography lessons, we gain knowledge about natural resources, the conditions for their occurrence and mining methods. We will also learn about which countries have them in full, and which ones depend on supplies from abroad. In physics lessons, we study the possibilities of obtaining different types of energy and converting one type of energy into another. Biology gives us knowledge about how the world around us affects living organisms, and, in particular, humans. But man, by his activity, changes the world of nature, and not for the better.

Pollution, emissions of solids, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, hydrocarbons from industrial enterprises account for about 97% of total emissions. Water resources are polluted with sewage, the atmosphere is polluted as a result of the release of dust and gaseous substances. When organic fuel is burned, its entire mass is converted into waste, and the combustion products are several times higher than the mass of the used fuel due to the inclusion of oxygen and nitrogen in the air (Figure 1).

There are many significant changes in landscapes. Mining creates huge mounds of waste rock (Figure 2). They adversely affect the water regime of the surrounding lands within a radius of several tens of kilometers: wells dry up, vegetation becomes sparse during the formation of rock dumps.

Everything that is listed clearly indicates that the transition to renewable energy sources is inevitable.

1.1. Renewable energy sources.

Renewable resources - natural resources, the reserves of which are either restored faster than they are used, or do not depend on whether they are used or not.

In modern world practice, renewable energy sources (RES) include water, solar, wind, geothermal, hydraulic energy; the energy of sea currents, the energy of waves, tides, the temperature gradient of sea water, the temperature difference between the air mass and the ocean, the energy of the Earth's heat, the energy of biomass of animal, plant and domestic origin.

1.2.Non-renewable energy sources.

These are energy sources that use the natural resources of the earth, as a result of which their reserves are not replenished. According to experts' forecasts, even with the most optimistic approach, the reserves of the most convenient and relatively inexpensive types of fuel - oil and gas, at current rates of their consumption will be mainly used in 30-50 years. In addition, these resources are the main raw materials for the chemical industry, burning them, we actually burn a huge amount of products from synthetic materials.

Examples of non-renewable resources: oil, coal, natural gas, peat, methane hydrates, metal ores, timber.

The way of burning non-renewable fuel reserves has a negative impact on the environment. Oil spilling from tankers in distress destroys the world's oceans. extraction, and transportation, and processing of oil is associated with harmful effects on the environment. Oil spills often occur as a result of oil leakage from wells or during transportation. We see the damage that oil tanker accidents do to nature.

Fish and birds living on the coasts are dying. Oil spills close to the coast are especially harmful to seabirds, eggs and fish fry living near the surface in coastal waters.

Oil rigs are burning, polluting the atmosphere. When oil products are burned during processing, a large amount of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.

2. Renewable energy sources

Wind energy was first used on sailing ships, later windmills appeared (Figure 3). The potential of wind energy is calculated more or less accurately: according to the World Meteorological Organization, its reserves in the world amount to 170 trillion cubic meters. kWh per year. Wind power plants have been developed and tested so thoroughly that the picture of today's small windmill that supplies energy to the house along with the farm looks quite prosaic. The main factor in the use of wind turbines is that it is an environmentally friendly source and does not require the cost of protection from environmental pollution.

Wind power has several significant disadvantages. It is highly dispersed in space, so wind power plants (wind turbines) are needed that can constantly operate at high efficiency. The wind is very unpredictable - it often changes direction, suddenly subsides even in the windiest areas of the globe, and sometimes reaches such strength that it breaks windmills. Wind power plants are not harmless: they interfere with the flights of birds and insects, make noise, and reflect radio waves with rotating blades. But, these shortcomings can be reduced, if not completely eliminated. At present, wind power plants (WPPs) are capable of operating efficiently with the weakest wind. The pitch of the propeller blade is automatically adjusted in such a way that the maximum possible use of wind energy is always ensured, and if the wind speed is too high, the blade is also automatically transferred to the vane position, so that an accident is excluded.

So-called cyclone power plants with a capacity of up to one hundred thousand kilowatts have been developed and are operating, where warm air, rising in a special 15-meter tower and mixing with the circulating air flow, creates an artificial “cyclone” that rotates a turbine. Such installations are much more efficient than solar panels and conventional windmills. Wind energy is already being used to charge mobile phones (Figure 4).

To compensate for the variability of the wind, huge “wind farms” are built. At the same time, windmills stand in rows over a vast area. There are such “farms” in the USA, in France, in England, but they take up a lot of space; in Denmark, a “wind farm” was placed in the coastal shallow waters of the North Sea, where the wind is more stable than on land (Figure 5).

Wind power generation has a number of advantages:

a) environmentally friendly production without hazardous waste;

b) saving scarce expensive fuel (traditional and for nuclear power plants);

d) practical inexhaustibility.

WPP installation sites: in the fields, where there are good wind roses, on the seas, where the pressure difference prevails and air currents are created.

The efficiency of wind turbines depends on the mode and duration of operation, seasonal frequency, wind speed and direction.

We will check this on an experimental setup.

2) Experimental model of wind turbines.

It consists of two fans. One of them simulates the wind, and the other is a working wind turbine (Figure 6). Our wind turbine is connected through a computer to a converter of wind energy into electrical energy, into mechanical energy, radiotelephone communication energy of the receiver's oscillatory circuit. On the installation panel there is a toggle switch that switches all these functions.

a) The first experiment is as follows: with the help of a simulator fan, we set the wind strength by approaching and moving it away from the fan representing the wind turbine. On the computer, we get a table of the dependence of wind power and the resulting electric current voltage.

Based on the results of the experiment, we obtained a graph of the dependence of the power of the energy generated by the wind turbine on the strength of the wind:

We have found that it is potentially energetically beneficial to install wind turbines in places where the average annual wind speeds exceed a certain value and have a frequently repeating speed in the range from 4 m/s to 9 m/s.

b) For a more complete use of energy, the wind wheel must occupy a certain position relative to the wind flow, many types of wind engines are equipped with automatic orientation systems so that the plane of rotation of the wheel is perpendicular to the direction of wind speed.

In the experiment, the wind direction angle was changed by shifting the simulator fan at an angle to the wind turbine. At the same time, on the computer, we obtain a table of the power of the generated energy from the angle of rotation of the imitator fan.

Based on the results of the experiment, we obtain a graph of the dependence of the power of the energy generated by the wind turbine on the angle of the wind direction.

c) Another possibility of the experiment was to store the energy received from the wind turbine in batteries. To do this, the unit has a toggle switch for switching the power supply and batteries.

This is relevant in connection with interruptions in the operation of the wind turbine due to the absence of wind or a decrease in wind strength, and it is acceptable for the consumer to periodically use wind energy processed and stored in advance during the periods of wind turbine operation.

Photo 1. (Mechanism for lifting goods)

Photo 2. (The operation of the radio station)

Wind energy is converted into mechanical energy.

With good wind power, you can catch various radio stations.

Light sensors show the dependence of voltage on wind power. Today, a wind turbine is a wind wheel installed high enough (50-100 meters) above the ground, as the wind speed increases with height. The diameter of the wind wheel in design developments in various countries is 30-100 meters. Such large sizes are associated with the desire to get more power from one unit, since the cost of electricity decreases with increasing power.

Solar energy is environmentally friendly energy. Experts say the station can produce enough energy to power 8,000 homes. Rows of solar panels generating electricity cover an area of ​​about 60 hectares in Europe's sunniest valley in southern Portugal.

Solar panels are simple and convenient to use, they can be installed anywhere: on the roofs and walls of residential and industrial premises, in specially equipped outdoor areas in regions with a large number of sunny days (for example, in deserts) and even sewn into clothes (Figure 7) .

The Spanish company Sun Red has developed a project of a motorcycle that uses solar energy to move. Since there is little space for solar panels on a two-wheeled vehicle, Sun Red provided a sliding cover of photocells that covers the driver (Figure 8).

There are aircraft, such as the one called Solar Impulse by Bertrand Pickard, that fly solely on solar energy (Figure 9).

2) Experimental model of a solar station (SES).

It consists of a photocell, which is illuminated by a lamp imitating the sun. The photocell imitates the operation of a solar power plant (SES). We model all data using a computer (Figure 10) a, as well as for wind turbines.

We studied three dependencies and got the following results.

a) The power of the generated energy depends on the SES from the time of day. The angle of the lamp position can be changed, thereby simulating a change in the time of day.

b) The power of the produced energy of the solar power plant depends on the latitude of the area. By changing the distance to the photocell, we kind of change the latitude of the area where the solar power plant is located.

(distance to photocell)

c) The power of the produced energy of the solar power plant depends on the time of the year. By changing the brightness of the lamp, we seem to change the season.

Just like for VZU, solar energy can be stored in batteries and used for different purposes. Solar energy is converted into mechanical energy for lifting loads, into electricity for the operation of electrical appliances. You can also convert the energy to run the radio. In our experiment, the receiver catches the frequencies of radio stations.

3) Problems of using photocells.

Despite the environmental cleanliness of the energy received, the solar cells themselves contain toxic substances, such as lead, cadmium, gallium, arsenic, etc., and their production consumes a lot of other hazardous substances. Modern solar cells have a limited service life (30-50 years), and mass use will soon raise the difficult issue of their disposal, which also does not yet have an environmentally acceptable solution. However, in recent years, the production of thin-film solar cells, which contain only about 1% silicon, has begun to actively develop. Therefore, thin-film photovoltaic cells are cheaper to manufacture, more environmentally friendly, but so far they are less widespread.

3. Professions related to the use of clean energy sources

A modern person will have to change activities many times in his life, master new professions, so he needs to navigate the variety of professions.

Occupations are considered in four phases related to the implementation of the station:

– design(electromechanical engineer, aeronautical engineer, geodetic engineer);

– installation(installation technician, electrical engineer, rigger) (Figure 11);

– Maintenance(power system manager);

– station operation(operating technician).

A highly qualified specialist with deep knowledge of theoretical electronics, automatic control theory, industrial electronics and computer technology, is able to understand the most complex drawings and diagrams (Figure 12).

A surveyor is engaged in the preparation of maps and plans of the area. He sets up geodetic instruments, processes the survey results, performs the necessary calculations, determines the location of the wind turbines and solar stations.

3.2. Maintenance:

The power system manager ensures the trouble-free operation of the power system, monitors the panel that reflects the operation of the system and remains ready to eliminate possible accidents (Figure 13).

3.3. Operation of power plants.

Maintenance Technician .

The operating technician determines the potential for the operation of wind turbines, the wind regime, the economic conditions of operation, and the efficiency of the wind turbine.

Humanity needs now, without wasting natural resources, to switch to clean energy sources. They should be considered not from the point of view of competitive ability in comparison with traditional energy methods, but should be assigned the role of an important, sometimes auxiliary, direction that can effectively supplement and replace already used energy resources.

5. List of used literature

1. M.A. Stankovich, E.E. Shpilrein. “Energy. Problems and Prospects”. Publisher. Moscow, Energy, 1981.

2. B.M. Berkovsky, V.A. Kuzminov. "Renewable sources in the service of mankind" M: Publishing House "Mir". 1976. 295 p.

3. Global energy problem / Ed. ed. I.D. Ivanova.- M.: Thought, 198.

4. Krafft A. Erike. The future of the space industry M.: Mashinostroyeniye.1979

5. J. Twydell, A. Ware. "Renewable Energy Sources". Publisher: M.: Energoatomizdat, year: 1990.

6. B. Brinkworth “Solar energy for space”.

7. Ya.I. Shefter, Harnessing Wind Energy. Moscow: Energoatomizdat, 1983

8. Encyclopedic Dictionary A.B. Mygdala. Sofia: Science and Art, 1990.

Clean energy sources

A bicycle is a transport that is equally popular with both men and women. Adults ride it and kids ride it. Behind the wheel of an environmentally friendly two-wheeled vehicle today you can meet anyone - from a student, and an office clerk, and a builder, and a housewife.

However, in order for the bike to bring only pleasure and benefit, it is necessary to seriously approach the choice of not only the transport model as a whole, but every little thing in it. Moreover, some “little things” are not so insignificant in terms of health and comfort.

We're talking about a bike seat. And not just a "saddle", but a women's saddle, designed for the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity.

The “wrong” bicycle saddle as a real health hazard

Obviously, it is the pelvis in the human body that experiences the greatest load during cycling. And the female pelvis - especially. And therefore it is very important to choose a saddle that will allow you to pedal even long distances without pain and blisters.

Scientists from Yale University (USA) conducted a series of serious studies and found out that a bicycle saddle can become a threat to the sexual health of ladies! And if it was previously believed that the wrong bike seat causes erectile dysfunction only in men, now there is proven medical evidence of negative consequences for women as well.

You will learn about the harm that an improperly selected saddle can cause to your health by watching a video review:

Many ladies who regularly travel by bicycle or exercise bikes in the fitness room complain of numbness and discomfort in the perineum after trips and workouts. This means that the wrong saddle has already begun its "dirty deed". A little more, and these women will have (and maybe already have) a real reason to see a doctor.

Features of the design of bicycle saddles

A conventional bicycle saddle has an extremely simple design. It consists of:

1. Strong V-shaped frame, which can be made of steel, carbon fiber, titanium wire, chromium molybdenum, aluminum alloy, etc. The saddle frame is attached to the base at three points. Some frames are equipped with springs, which create shock absorption and wiggle when riding.
2. A saddle base, usually made of high-strength ultra-modern plastic - solid or with an opening in the middle (for greater comfort and ventilation).
3. Soft pad to reduce saddle stiffness. It can be made with foam or gel padding inside. It is the gel padding that guarantees maximum comfort to the cyclist even at very long distances.
4. External cover, which can be made of genuine leather, leatherette, synthetic materials or carbon. Naturally, the better the coating material, the longer the bicycle saddle will last, while maintaining a presentable appearance. The most modern, high-quality and comfortable for a cyclist today is considered to be a covering made of genuine leather with Kevlar inserts.

Those who buy a bike or simply change an old bicycle saddle for a new one should take into account that it will take some time, as they say, to “get used to” the new part under their own backside.

Bicycle saddle manufacturers

Now there is a large selection of quality bicycle saddles from different manufacturers. And the most famous in this area are such firms as "Selle Italia", "San Marco", "Fizik", "Specialized" and "Ritchey". In their model ranges, every cyclist or cyclist can really choose their own saddle, which will suit them perfectly in all respects.

It is known that a bicycle seat must be chosen taking into account its anatomical features and individual physiological structure (in particular, the width of the ischial bones). In addition, one must bear in mind one's own driving style and the nature of the terrain on which one has to move.

For road and cross-country bikes, as a rule, narrow and stiff lightweight saddles are chosen. And for urban and hybrid two-wheelers, experts recommend buying saddles that are soft and wide, which will be as comfortable as possible even on long trips.

Special mention should be made of the Tioga Spüder bicycle saddles, high-quality ultra-modern models that can please even the most fastidious cyclists and cyclists. The design feature of these saddles are many ventilation holes in lightweight elastic plastic.

Proper bike saddle adjustment

It is not enough just to buy a high-quality and individually suitable bicycle saddle, it is important to set it up correctly by adjusting the height and angle of inclination. This is easy to do, step by step performing the simplest operations:

1. The saddle itself is inserted into the clamps of the seat post (and the post itself is inserted into the seat tube of the bike frame).
2. The height of the saddle is selected (the cyclist sits in the saddle and is comfortably arranged so that the outstretched toes of the legs reach the ground). There is a mark on the seatpost below which this pin simply cannot be set.
3. The seat post is clamped with a seat clamp. And you need to make sure that the nose of the saddle is parallel to the frame tube.
4. The position of the saddle relative to the bicycle handlebar is adjusted. Here you need to focus only on the convenience of landing a particular cyclist.
5. Saddle height adjustable. The saddle should be parallel to the ground. If the nose of the seat is set too low, then the cyclist will constantly “move out”, but if it is too lifted up, then the saddle will begin to put excessive pressure on the pelvis.

• racing on cross-country models, when the saddle must be 5 or more centimeters higher than the steering wheel;
• during long tourist trips, when the saddle is set 2-5 cm above the steering wheel;
• during walks, when the saddle should be set flush with (or 2 cm below) the steering wheel.

Read more about saddle adjustment in the video review:

Perfect fit women's bike saddle

Women cyclists (even the most emancipated of them) are encouraged to choose women's saddles for three good reasons:

1. So it is better for "women's" health.
2. So correct from an anatomical point of view.
3. And finally, it's much more comfortable.

In the fair sex, the distance between the ischial tubercles of the pelvis is significantly greater than in men (132 mm versus 90-100 mm), so riding on a narrow male bicycle saddle will cause ladies discomfort, and even pain.

The women's bicycle saddle is shorter and wider than the men's. But every cyclist should choose it “for themselves” in order to avoid squeezing blood vessels in the perineal region during movement (including long-term) and, as a result, numbness of some parts of the body.

Manufacturers of bike saddles produce entire product lines for women. Their main difference from men's, of course, is in size and softness. But many firms also focus on a special “feminine” design.

To learn more about the differences between men's and women's bikes and their accessories, we recommend watching the video:

BMW has unveiled its own vision for an environmentally friendly two-wheeler: a concept scooter for the cities of the future has been named the Motorrad Concept Link.

According to the German concern, the novelty, in fact, unites the digital and analog worlds, focusing on the driver and his needs. The combination of functionality and the latest digital technology turns the vehicle into a communication device.

The Motorrad Concept Link is designed to use an all-electric propulsion system. Flat battery packs and compact rear wheel drive are used.

The concept meets the highest requirements of modern urban mobility and is characterized by fast acceleration and easy handling. The presence of reverse gear simplifies maneuvering and helps to park even on the tightest city streets.

Due to the small height of the scooter, landing will not be difficult. Thanks to its length-adjustable seat, the Motorrad Concept Link is suitable for transporting one or two people. There is a luggage compartment with a special sliding door that allows you to transport personal items and store a helmet.

The headlights, based on light-emitting electrochemical cell technology, are designed in a minimalist style. The rear lights are integrated into the side panels in the form of two C-shaped light elements.

The scooter provides the owner with all the necessary information while driving. The vehicle stores in memory all the events marked in the driver's calendar, as well as important points on the map.

Speed, navigation guidance and battery information are projected onto the windshield, directly into the driver's field of vision. Additional data is displayed on a widescreen screen located under the steering wheel. Programmable touch buttons provide quick access to frequently used functions, helping you stay focused while driving.

The concept was demonstrated at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2017 elegance competition.

Growing organic vegetables and fruits is not so popular even in villages. For some unknown reason, it is much easier to buy chemicals than to use natural (natural, natural) remedies and grow organic plants. The reason for this, in particular, is the lack of the Internet and the unwillingness to learn. Although there is not much information on plant protection without poisons and chemistry. Therefore, I decided to collect my collection of recipes:

Tips from Sergey Konin and from his magazine konin_ss :



Ivan Novichikhin, a Kuban eco-farmer who has certified his farm according to European Organic standards, recommends:

• to protect fruits from aphids - ladybugs


• to protect potatoes from nightshade thunderstorms - Colorado potato beetle - special insects (mites)


• cucumbers are protected by phytoncidal plants (calendula), which repel harmful insects with their smell

Vadim Sviridov wal_king_alone adds to this:
Marigolds, onions and garlic are good protection against harmful insects.

Masanobu Fukuoka - the founder of the philosophy of permaculture - proposed the principles of natural farming. Here are 2 out of 4 principles:

• Avoid weeding by plowing or herbicide treatment.
  Weeds play their part in creating soil fertility and a balanced biological community and should be contained, not eradicated. Straw mulch, white clover cover and temporary flooding provide effective weed control in Fukuoka's rice fields.


• Rejection of chemical plant protection products.
  Nature, left untouched, is in perfect balance. Harmful insects and plant diseases are always present, but in nature they do not spread to the extent that requires the use of chemicals.

Stéphane Sobkoviak, Quebec farmer, on permaculture:

permaculture
Planting base in threes: Nitrogen fixer, then apple, then pear or plum, possibly cherry. The nitrogen fixer fixes nitrogen and ensures fertility not only for trees on both sides, but also for shrubs and other planted plants. This design is remarkable in that if there are three different types of trees, when an insect lands on one of them, it cannot switch to a nitrogen fixer, because predators are waiting there. It cannot go to the pear. Even if it passes, it will not harm the pear. The next apple tree is at a decent distance. Every third tree is an apple tree, and the next apple tree is of a different variety. We had 12 varieties of apple trees, and now we have more than 100, 18 varieties of pears, several varieties of plums, 7 varieties of cherries, peaches, kiwi, grapes, mulberries, various berries: gooseberries, red and black currants, shadberry. We have planted both general and perennial plants in the permaculture garden. The goal is to plant everything so that it does not need to be replanted.

We take advantage of the illuminated areas. At the base of the honey locusts, our nitrogen fixers, we plant fruit vines and collect grapes and kiwis from them. At the same time, we can plant cucumbers, peas and beans. All of our climbers climb nitrogen-fixing trees. As soon as all this diversity is planted, grows and develops, insects and birds appear. We have snakes, frogs.

Many bees are dying. Of the 8 hives, 4 survived in the winter. By the summer, 23 hives had reached, because there is such an abundance of food, thanks to the alternate flowering and the variety of trees. Gledichia blooms almost until the end of June. Between May 1 and until the end of June, trees always bloom, alternately replacing each other. We have 60 days of different trees dying before the clover blooms.

Work, compared with monoculture gardens, is much less. I have never fertilized this area. 6 years did not make any fertilizers. The payoff is huge. This is not only a variety of products, but also their taste.

Everything in the store is set up for long-term storage, not quality.

The alley is organized according to the principle of 10-day periods. It's the beginning of September now. We collect everything that matures within 10 days. It's either apples, or pears, or plums. You walk along the road and collect everything that is there. You can collect in 2-3 different boxes.

It is necessary to share the surplus not only with people, but also with nature. We should not react to the fact that an insect or a bird eats fruit. It is necessary to share part of the harvest with them, because. they work day and night, taking care of your crops in the garden.

The English version of the encyclopedia Wikipedia offers a large list of plants that repel pests List of pest-repelling plants. Including the list contains plants that repel ants, the Colorado potato beetle, mice, rats, moths, mosquitoes, ... For example, catnip (catnip), coriander and eucalyptus repel the Colorado potato beetle. Translate the entire list into Russian?

In addition, plant compatibility (companion planting) affects pest control (pest control), pollination, providing habitat for beneficial creatures, maximizing the use of space, increasing yields.

Another useful table from Wikipedia - List of beneficial weeds - also contains a list of compatible plants and an indication of the pests (and not only) that these weeds attract or repel.

Do you have any advice on how to deal with pests without chemicals and poisons, only with the help of natural environmentally friendly products?

The importance of transport for humanity can hardly be overestimated. Since time immemorial, it has played an important role, constantly developing and improving. The scientific and technological revolution that took place in the 20th century, population growth, urbanization and many other factors brought its development to a whole new level.

However, at the same time, a problem arose: a huge number of vehicles caused a deterioration in the environmental situation on a global scale. That is why more and more attention is paid today to the development of ecological modes of transport.

Any transport for which energy generation is not associated with the combustion of hydrocarbons can be called environmentally friendly. The exception is atomic reactions, which are not used in land transport. Biodiesel, an internal combustion engine running on alcohol also burn carbon, so they cannot be classified as environmentally friendly modes of transport. It is most correct to classify eco-transport by types of engines.

Electric drive

At the moment it is the fastest growing type of environmentally friendly transport. A great future is prescribed for him, and all the major automotive concerns have already noticed this. Several thousand electric vehicles are already on the roads of the world. Moreover, the future electric car will not have such large dimensions and cost as the famous Tesla electric car. It will be, rather, a kind of rickshaw with a cab or with a conventional plastic car body. On average, in order for an electric car to compete with a gasoline one, it needs to weigh four times less. There are similar examples in the automotive industry.

The main problem with electric vehicles is batteries. They are already the only limitation to the mass production of electric vehicles. All other technical limitations were overcome 50 and 100 years ago. The electric motor has an efficiency greater than gasoline. Its resource is much higher, and the complexity of manufacturing is small. In addition, he does not need a checkpoint. Now most mass-produced electric vehicles are produced with lithium batteries. They have a very high cost. As an alternative, sodium sulfur batteries have been proposed. At the moment, stationary sodium sulfur battery stations with a capacity of more than 1 MW are used in Japan. Perhaps in the future they will appear on electric vehicles.

Hydrogen engines

Hydrogen is the most energy-intensive fuel in the world. The calorie content of one weight part of pure gaseous hydrogen exceeds gasoline by 2.5 times. This means that the weight of hydrogen in the balloon can be as much less. The combustion of hydrogen can take place in a conventional piston engine. However, there are technological difficulties. Due to the high combustion temperature, it is necessary to reinforce the cylinder block with ceramics, which is very difficult and expensive.

For this reason, catalytic converters are of particular interest - installations for the flameless combustion of hydrogen. However, they require bottled oxygen, and their cost is also high. When hydrogen is oxidized in the catalyst, an electric current is generated. Such installation works silently and with high efficiency. Unfortunately, the high price does not promise mass distribution of hydrogen cars. They are now on the road as well.

There are other solutions in the field of eco-transport: pneumatic motors, chemical batteries (heat or current is released during metal oxidation), mechanical energy storage, spring drive. While all of them are at the development stage, giving way to electric vehicles.

airmobile

Currently, air vehicles (pneumatic vehicles) are produced, the so-called cars with a pneumatic engine, for which compressed air is used. The accumulation of energy occurs by forcing it into cylinders. Then, passing through the distribution system, compressed air enters the air motor, which sets the machine in motion. Thus, when driving at low speed or for a short distance, such a car uses only air without harming the environment.

segway

In a number of countries, postal workers, golfers, police officers and many other categories of citizens move around using this type of transport, like a segway. It is a self-balancing scooter with two wheels on either side of the rider. Segway balancing occurs automatically and depends on the position of the rider's body: when it deviates back, the scooter slows down, stops or reverses, and when it leans forward, it starts moving or accelerates. Each of the wheels of the Segway has its own electric motor, which reacts to the slightest changes in the balance of the vehicle. The engine is powered by lithium-ion batteries, which are recharged automatically when descending the mountain. A full charge takes 8 hours. You can also use a conventional outlet - 15 minutes of charging is enough for about 1.6 kilometers.

Monowheel (segwill)

A monowheel (segwill) - an electric self-balancing scooter with only one wheel and footboards located on both sides of it, first appeared in 2012 in the United States. It is equipped with a powerful electric motor (250-2000 W) and gyroscopes necessary for automatic balancing. When the power is on, the gyroscopes align the wheel with the axle, thus maintaining balance. The scooter also has accelerometers and a variety of sensors.

The vehicle is controlled by changing the inclination of the body: when leaning back, the Segweel slows down or changes direction, and when the center of gravity is shifted forward, it accelerates. When the scooter stops, the driver must lean on the foot. This type of transport is most widely used in China.

Urban Ecotransport

Probably, everyone knows such types of ecological transport as a trolleybus and a tram. They are both powered by electricity and designed to carry passengers.

Tram - one of the first types of urban public transport, appeared at the beginning of the XIX century, then it was set in motion with the help of a horse carriage. The first electric tram appeared in 1881 in Germany.

The trolleybus appeared as the first experimental trolleybus line in 1882, also in Germany. And at first, trolleybuses were operated only as an additional transport to the tram. The first fully trolleybus line was opened in 1933 in Moscow.

Bicycle and scooter

There is probably no person who has never tried to ride a scooter or a bicycle. These wheeled vehicles are propelled by the subject's muscular strength. In a bicycle, foot pedals are used for this purpose, and in a scooter, movement is provided by repeatedly pushing off the foot from the ground. On a bicycle, a person takes a sitting position, while on a scooter, he stands, holding on to the steering wheel. Scooters are now used not only for entertainment by children, but along with bicycles, they are also used by adults: postal workers, police and even ambulances.

Many people in Europe and America prefer to get to work by bike, to Tokyo by scooter, because, on the one hand, there is no need to stand in traffic jams, and on the other hand, due to physical activity, the body becomes healthier.

Every year the need to use ecological transport is growing, as the functioning of the current transport system with the release of pollutants into the air is increasingly deteriorating the ecosystem of our planet.