>> WE ALL NEED ENERGY.

YOU, OUR CARS, OUR HOMES.

BUT HOW WE GET OUR ENERGY CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO THE EARTH.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

SCIENTISTS ARE HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT GREEN ENERGY.

EMAIL OR CALL IN.

"D4K," "DIALOGUE FOR KIDS" IS NEXT.

>> HELLO, I'M JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION AND ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB.

>>> GREEN ENERGY IS ENERGY PRODUCED AND USED IN A FRIENDLY WAY, FRIENDLY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?

TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU FIRST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE USUALLY GET OUR ENERGY.

THE ENERGY WE USE TO LIGHT OUR HOMES, HEAT OUR SCHOOLS, AND RUN OUR CARS, CORPS FROM -- COMES FROM MANY SOURCES -- COAL, NATURAL GAS AND OIL ARE CALLED NONRENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, BECAUSE ONCE WE USE THEM UP, THERE WON'T BE ANY LEFT.

THE STANDARD SOURCES PROVIDE DEPENDABLE ENERGY.

BUT THESE NONRENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES ADD POLLUTANTS TO THE AIR, INCREASE GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE, AND MANY ARE HARD ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET THEIR ENERGY.

GREEN ENERGY SOURCES ARE RENEWABLE, GENERALLY DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL WARMING, AND ARE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.

HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF GREEN ENERGY.

SOLAR POWER CAPTURES ENERGY FROM THE SUN.

THESE TURBINES CREATE ELECTRICITY WITH WIND POWER.

HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY IS CREATED WHETHER WATER FLOWS THROUGH PURR BINS TO MAKE ELECTRICITY.

GEOTHERMAL HEAT, THAT IS HOT WATER FROM DEEP WITHIN THE EARTH, CAN BE USED AS AN ENERGY SOURCE.

A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS IN BOISE ARE ALREADY HEATED WITH GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.

OTHER GREEN ENERGY SOURCES INCLUDE USING TIDAL WAVES IN THE OCEAN, OR BURNING WASTE OR PLANTS TO CREATE ELECTRICITY.

NUCLEAR POWER COULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED GREEN ENERGY.

AND THERE'S ONE OTHER POSH KIND OF GREEN ENERGY THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT -- CONSERVING ENERGY OR USING LESS ENERGY IS THE EASIEST AND CHEAPEST WAY TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT.

THERE ARE SOME SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE ENERGY.

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS WHEN YOU LEAVE A ROOM.

SET THE THERMOSTAT AT NO MORE THAN 68 DEGREES IN THE WINTER, OR NO LESS THAN 78 DEGREES IN THE SUMMER.

WALK TO SCHOOL.

RECYCLE.

AND CHANGE INCANDESCENT LIGHT BULBS TO COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHTS.

IF WE CONSERVE ENERGY AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE GREEN ENERGY SOURCES, THEN THE EARTH'S FUTURE WILL STAY BRIGHTER TOO.

JOINING ME NOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT GREEN ENERGY ARE TWO GUESTS.

IN OUR MOSKOW COSTATION, JON VAN GERPEN, PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO.

THANK YOU, SIR, I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, JOAN.

>> AND IN OUR BOISE STATION IS ROBERT NEILSON, WHO MANAGES THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY'S BIOFUELS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU, SIR, APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE.

AND OF COURSE WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

GIVE US A CALL, TOLL-FREE, AT 1-800-973-9800.

OR YOU CAN EMAIL US AT IDAHOPTV.ORG.

WHEN YOU SEND IN A QUESTION, AND YOU YOUR CLASS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN A D.V.D.

PLAYER AND OTHER PRIZES.

LET'S GET TO OUR EMAIL QUESTIONS FIRST.

THE FIRST CAME FROM GOODING ELEMENTARY.

PEDRO WANTS TO KNOW WHY IT IS CALLED GREEN ENERGY AND NOT SOME OTHER COLOR LIKE YELLOW, OR ORANGE, OR BROWN?

>> GREEN IS THE COLOR THAT MANY PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES AND ENVIRONMENTALLY KIND ENERGIES.

GREEN, LIKE PLANTS.

>> SEAN FROM IN GOODING ELEMENTARY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, HOW IS SUNLIGHT CONVERT IN ADDITION GREEN ENERGY?

>> I CAN TAKE A STAB AT THAT, I THINK.

SUNLIGHT IS REALLY THE SOURCE OF MOST OF OUR ENERGY, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.

SUNLIGHT IS WHAT POWERS THE WIND AND IT'S A SOURCE OF ENERGY THAT PLANTS USE TO SURVIVE.

AND THEN PLANTS ARE WHAT WE USE AS SOURCES OF ENERGY, EITHER DIRECTLY WHEN WE MAKE ETHANOL OR BIODIESEL, OR WHEN WE BURN WOOD, OR EVEN WHEN WE BURN PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS THAT'S COMING FROM FOSSILIZED PLANTS AND BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL THAT WAS LAID DOWN MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.

BUT IT'S STILL ALL ORIGINATING FROM THE SUN.

>> IN THIS CASE SOLAR PANELS, HOW DO THEY CONVERT THE SUN INTO ENERGY?

>> THE SUN -- PHOTO V.OLTAIC, SOLAR CELLS USE SPECIAL MATERIALS THAT WHEN THEY ARE PLACED IN SUNLIGHT, THE SUN CAUSES ELECTRONS TO MOVE AROUND IN THE MATERIAL.

AND THOSE ELECTRONS THEN ARE COLLECTED AND MADE INTO AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THAT CAN BE USED TO POWER A LIGHT BULB, OR A RADIO, OR TELEVISION SET.

>> HUGO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST PART OF IDAHO FOR A WIND FARM?

>> GENERALLY WHAT YOU SEE WITH WIND FARMS ARE AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE MOUNTAINS.

BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS LOOKING AT PLACES WHERE THE WIND EXCEL RATES AS IT MOVES PAST MOUNTAINS AND MOUNTAIN RIDGES.

SO THE SNAKE RIVER PLAIN, FOR EXAMPLE S. AN EXCELLENT CONDUIT FOR WIND BLOWING WEST TO EAST, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SOME OF THE WIND FARMENTS IN SOUTHEAST IDAHO TO PICK UP THE ENERGY AS IT RISES UP OVER THE MOUNTAINS IN THAT PART OF THE STATE.

>> IS THERE A PLACE WHERE YOU WOULDN'T PUT A WIND FARM?

>> GENERALLY YOU WOULDN'T PUT A WIND FARM WHERE THERE ISN'T MUCH WIND.

AND COMING FROM IDAHO FALLS, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW WINDY IT IS, BUT PEOPLE DON'T OFTEN REALIZE THAT FOR A WIND FARM TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY IT HAS TO BE REALLY PRETTY WINDY.

SO USUALLY WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IS NOT TYPICALLY WHERE YOU'D WANT TO PUT THE LARGE WIND FARMS.

>> OK.

ANOTHER QUESTION, HOW DOES RECYCLING HELP THE PLAN SUNSET.

>> I THINK RECYCLING REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THAT WE HAVE TO PUT INTO LANDFILLS.

IT ALSO -- MANY OF THE PRODUCTS WE MAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ALUMINUM THAT WE USE IN A CAN OF SODA TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY TO MAKE ALUMINUM, AND IF WE CAN RECYCLE THE ALUMINUM FROM LAST WEEK'S SODA CAN INTO MAKING A NEW SODA CAN, THAT SAVES A LOT OF ENERGY JUST IN THE COST OF PRODUCING THAT NEW ALUMINUM.

>> AND IS THERE A LOT OF ENERGY USED IN -- USED UP IN GETTING THE RECYCLING UP AND BACK AND REUSING IT?

>> WELL, THERE'S SOME ENERGY INVOLVED, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU TRY TO BAM ANSWER THE ENERGY REQUIRED TO DO THE RECYCLING AGAINST THE ENERGY THAT YOU SAVE.

AND THAT'S WHY I MENTION ALSO THE DESIRE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL WE PUT INTO LANDFILLS.

WE'RE JUST RUNNING OUT OF SPACE FOR LANDFILLS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF NEW MATERIAL WE HAVE TO PUT INTO THE LANDFILLS TO TRY TO MAKE THE ONES WE HAVE LAST LONGER.

>> LET ME GET SOME QUESTIONS FROM MRS.

HUNT'S FOURTH GRADE CLASS AT CYNTHIA MANN ELEMENTARY.

WHAT'S THE MAIN CAUSE OF AIR POLLUTION?

>> THE MAIN CAUSE OF AIR POLLUTION IS TYPICALLY FROM WHAT WE SEE NOW IS FROM THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS.

AND TYPICALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT HYDROCARBONS GOING INTO THE AIR, YOU'RE NOW TALKING ABOUT CARBON MONOXIDE.

BUT THEN OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PETROLEUM AND THE COAL-BASED PRODUCTS.

SO THEY'RE BURNED, LIKE THE MERCURY THAT WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE STATE NOW.

>> LET'S GET TO OUR FIRST CALLER.

MIKAYLA, WHAT SCHOOL ARE YOU CALLING FROM?

>> Caller: VICTORY STAR SCHOOL.

I HEARD THAT ETHANOL IS ACTUALLY MORE POLLUTANT TO THE AIR THAN GASOLINE IS.

IS THAT TRUE?

>> BASICALLY IT'S NOT.

THE COMPONENTS THAT GO INTO THE AIR WHEN YOU BURN ETHANOL ARE TYPICALLY MORE FRIENDLY THAN THE COMPONENTS THAT WHEN YOU BURN GASOLINE IN A CAR.

NOW, THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT SOME OF THE COMPONENTS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SO WHEN YOU BURN ETHANOL, YOU DO GET SMALL CONCENTRATIONS OF SOME CHEMICALS GOING INTO THE AIR THAT YOU DON'T TYPICALLY SEE WITH GASOLINE.

>> IS IT A SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH DIFFERENCE IN THE POLLUTANTS THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE USING ETHANOL VERSUS GASOLINE?

>> WELL, THE THING PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN TERMS OF ETHANOL IS NOT ONLY JUST TO REPLACE GASOLINE, WHICH IS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND, BUT ALSO SINCE ETHANOL COMES FROM GROWING PLANTS, IS BASICALLY A WAY TO CONVERT SOLAR ENERGY INTO LIQUID FUELS.

AND WHEN YOU DO THIS, YOU BASICALLY, THE PLANTS ARE TAKING CARBON MONOXIDE OUT OF THE -- CARBON DIOXIDE OUT OF THE THE AIR, SO WHEN YOU PRODUCE MORE CARBON DIOXIDE, BASICALLY IT BALANCES OUT, PRETTY MUCH WHAT CARBON DIOXIDE COMES OUT INTO THE AIR WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING YOUR CAR IS ABOUT THE SAME AS THE CARBON DIOXIDE THAT THE PLANT TOOK OUT OF THE AIR WHILE IT WAS GROWING.

SO WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CARBON DIOXIDE IS A GREENHOUSE GAS, AND WHAT ITS EFFECT MAY BE ON CLIMATE CHANGE, THE MORE WE DOCK TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTRODUCED IN THE AIR, THE BETTER.

>> SARAH WOULD LIKE TO KNOW -- SHE'S ALSO FROM MRS.

HUNT'S CLASS, CAN ENERGY RUN OUT?

JON, CAN WE RUN OUT OF ENERGY?

>> WELL, WE NORMALLY WHEN WE THINK OF ENERGY RUNNING OUT WE NORMALLY ARE THINKING OF SOMETHING LIKE PETROLEUM.

CERTAINLY THE ENERGY THAT WE GET FROM DAMS THAT PRODUCE ELECTRICITY, WHAT WE CALL HYDROPOWER, THAT DOESN'T RUN OUT, BECAUSE IT'S CONSTANTLY REPLENISHED EVERY TIME IT RAINS.

BUT PETROLEUM WE THINK OF BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PURPOSE OUT OF THE GROUND THAT MAY BE SOONER OR LATER WE ALL HAVE PUMPED OUT OF THE GROUND EVERY BIT OF PETROLEUM THAT'S DOWN THERE.

NOW, WE TYPICALLY SAY, THOUGH, WE'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO PURPOSE OUT EVERY BIT OF OIL THAT'S DOWN THERE, IT JUST BECOMES MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND THE OIL AND MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO PUMP IT OUT BECAUSE IT MAY BE -- IT MAY BE DEEPER IN THE GROUND, OR IT MAY BE UNDER THE OCEANS.

IT'S JUST HARDER TO FIND.

SO IF WE WANT TO PAY $15 A BARREL FOR OIL, THERE MAY NOT BE VERY MUCH OF THAT OIL LEFT.

BUT IF WE'RE WILLING TO PAY $90 PER BARREL FOR THE OIL, THERE'S A LOT MORE OIL THAT'S -- THAT WE CAN FIND IF WE'RE WILLING TO PAY $90 A BARREL TO FIND IT.

AND IF WE HAVE TO PAY $200 PER BARREL FOR THE OIL, THEN THAT -- THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF THAT OIL AVAILABLE.

SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY TO LOOK FOR AND TO FIND AND TO PUMP OUT THE OIL, AND THAT'S RELATED THAN TO HOW MUCH OIL IS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE FOR US.

>> YOU ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THE COST TO THE ENVIRONMENT TO GET IT AND ARE WE WILLING TO PAY THAT AS WELL.

>> SURE.

>> LET'S GO TO YANLEY IN CALDWELL.

GO AHEAD.

WHAT SCHOOL ARE YOU CALLING FROM?

>> Caller: VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>> GREAT.

>> Caller: MY QUESTION IS, IF YOU CAN GET ENERGY FROM THE SUN, CAN YOU GET ENERGY FROM THE MOON?

>> WELL, BASICALLY YOU PROBABLY CAN'T.

IN THE SENSE THAT AS WE HEARD EARLIER, THAT MUCH OR MOST OF THE ENERGY THAT WE CONSUME HERE ON EARTH ULTIMATELY COMES FROM THE SUN.

WHAT YOU SEE FROM THE MOON IS ACTUALLY -- WHEN YOU SEE THE MOON IN THE SKY, IS ACTUALLY REFLECTED SUNLIGHT.

THE PROBLEM IS WHILE THERE IS ENERGY IN THAT REFLECTED SUNLIGHT, THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY IN REFLECTIVE SUNLIGHT IS VERY SMALL.

SO, YES, YOU COULD GET ENERGY, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE TOO EXPENSIVE AND YOU WOULDN'T GET ENOUGH TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE.

>> LET'S GO TO CARLY IN POST FALLS.

CARLY?

>> Caller: HI.

>> WHAT SCHOOL DO YOU GO TO?

>> Caller: HOW MUCH ENERGY DOES THE -- REGULAR -- HOW MUCH DOES A ROWING FAMILY USE EVERY YEAR?

>> HOW MUCH ENERGY DOES A FAMILY USE IN A MONTH OR A YEAR?

>> WE USE A LOT OF ENERGY IN THIS COUNTRY.

WHILE WE'VE GOT 5% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION, WE USE ABOUT 25% OF THE WORLD'S ENERGY.

SO WE USE A HUGE AMOUNT OF ENERGY IN THAT REGARD.

THAT'S WHY IT'S INTERESTING IN THE INTRODUCTORY PIECE THAT YOU SHOWED THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIZING THE USE OF ENERGY.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GREEN ENERGY, THE CLEANEST GREEN ENERGY IS THE ENERGY YOU DON'T NEED TO USE.

>> HOW BIG OF A DIFFERENCE IS IT TO CHANGE THE LIGHT BULB FROM THE REGULAR INCANDESCENT, WHICH IS THE ROUND, TO THE CURLY -- >> IT'S REALLY EASY.

THEY FIT IN THE SAME SCREW-IN SOCKET.

SOME TABLE LAMPS YOU MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE HARP THAT SUPPORTS THE SHADE IF IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE SIZE OF THE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULB, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, ANY PLACE YOU CAN USE AN INCANDESCENT BULB YOU CAN REPLACE IT WITH A COMPACT FLUORESCENT.

>> HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

>> IT USE ABOUT ONE-QUARTER THE ENERGY OF AN INCANDESCENT BLIGHT BULB.

IT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF ENERGY.

PEOPLE HAVE TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH ENERGY YOU WOULD SAVE IF EVERY HOUSE JUST CHANGED ONE NORMAL LIGHT BULB TO ONE COMPACT FLUORESCENT.

AND THE NUMBER IS HUGE.

>> OK.

>> AND THEY LAST MAYBE FIVE OR SIX TIMES LONGER, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE THE LIGHT BULBS AS FREQUENTLY.

>> DO THEY MAKE FULL SPECTRUM COMPACT FLUORESCENT BULBS?

>> THEY'VE BEEN MAKING ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS NOW.

IT USED TO BE WITH SOME OF THE OLDER ONES YOU'D PUT THEM IN AND TURN THEM ON AND YOU DIDN'T LIKE WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT THE COLOR OF THE LIGHT.

BUT NOW THEY MAKE THEM WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOSS FERES THAT GIVE YOU DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIGHT.

YOU CAN GET THE VERY COOL BLUISH TYPE LIGHTS OR THE WARM YELLOWISH OR RED-TYPE LIGHTS.

AND THE TYPE OF LIGHT YOU WANT WILL DEPEND ON YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE, PLUS WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.

ARE YOU USING IT IN THE KITCHEN, OR THE BEDROOM, OR A READING LIGHT?

>> LET'S GO BACK TO MRS.

HUNT'S CLASS.

MAYBE IT'S TAKING A STEP BACK.

GABE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW DID FOSSILS GIVE US FUELS?

WE TALK ABOUT FOSSIL FUELS, HOW DID THE DINOSAURS END UP GIVING ME GASOLINE FOR MY CAR?

>> IF YOU LOOK AT FOSSIL FUELS, BASICALLY THEY WERE DERIVED FROM PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT LIVED MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO.

AND THESE PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE CASE OF PLANTS USED ENERGY FROM THE SUN THROUGH PHOTO SYNTHESIS TO GROW.

IN CASE OF THE ANIMALS, THEY AGREE AND -- GREW AND USED SOLAR ENERGY BY EATING THE PLANTS OR OTHER ANIMALS.

BUT WHEN THEY DIED AND WENT OVER LONG, LONG PERIODS OF TIME, YOU HAD SEDIMENTS, EARTH, DIRT, BASICALLY COVERED THEM UP AND BURIED THEM.

AFTER LONG TIMES BURIED UNDER THE EARTH AT TEMPERATURES THAT ARE HIGHER BECAUSE AS YOU GO DOWN INTO THE EARTH THE TEMPERATURES GET HIGHER THAN THEY ARE IN THE SURFACE, OVER MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF YEARS THAT ORGANIC MATTER CONVERTED INTO OIL, WHICH IS ANOTHER ORGANIC MATTER.

>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FUEL CELLS.

VERONICA FROM SHARON KERR'S CLASS WANTS TO KNOW, HOW DO ELECTRIC CARS USE OR SAVE GREEN ENERGY?

>> ELECTRIC CARS SAVE ENERGY OR ARE MORE GREEN BECAUSE THEY TYPICALLY DON'T USE GASOLINE OR DIESEL OR OTHER FOSSIL FUELS.

THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT KINDS, OR THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CARS THAT ARE -- THAT ARE PURE ELECTRICS, THAT JUST USE BATTERIES, HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES WHICH YOU HEAR A LOT ABOUT NOW THAT USE BATTERIES, AND ALSO HAVE SMALL GASOLINE ENGINES, SO THEY USE BATTERIES WHEN YOU'RE DOING STOP AND GO DRIVING IN THE CITY.

FUEL CELLS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY TYPICALLY USE HYDROGEN TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY THAT GENERATES THE POWER THAT TURNS THE WHEELS.

SO THEY'RE COMING.

>> THE OTHER THING WE MIGHT NOTICE ABOUT -- WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THE ELECTRICITY THAT YOU USE TO RECHARGE THE ELECTRICEHICLE MAY BE EVERY NIGHT OR AT SOME POINT, THAT ELECTRICITY HAS TO COME FROM SOMEPLACE.

AND IN MOST CASES IT COMES FROM THE ELECTRIC SOCKET IN YOUR HOUSE, AND THEN COMES FROM A POWER PLANT SOMEPLACE.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW, WHERE DID THE ELECTRICITY COME FROM?

DID IT COME FROM A DAM, A HYDROELECTRIC DAM?

OR DID IT COME SOME PLACE FROM BURNING COAL?

AND IF IT CAME FROM COAL, THEN REALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE ABLE TO RUN YOUR CAR ON ENERGY THAT ORIGINALLY CAME FROM COAL.

>> CODY FROM GOODING ELEMENTARY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHICH IS MORE USEFUL, THE SUN OR THE OCEAN MAYOR GREEN ENERGY?

>> PROBABLY THE SUN, BECAUSE THERE'S MORE DIRECT ENERGY THAT COMES FROM THE SUN.

THE ENERGY THAT YOU GET OUT OF THE OCEAN INDIRECTLY COMES FROM THE SUN TOO, BECAUSE IN THE OCEAN, TYPICALLY WHERE YOU GET MOST OF THE ENERGY WOULD BE EITHER FROM TAKING ENERGY OUT OF THE WAVES, OR TAKING ENERGY OUT OF CURRENT IN THE OCEAN, PUTTING WIND TURBINES BASICALLY UNDER WATER IN A SENSE.

IN ARE SOME OTHER TECHNOLOGIES YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE ENERGY, MAKE ELECTRICITY BASED ON THE DIFFERENCES IN WATER TEMPERATURES, SO YOU CAN LOOK AT WARM WATER NEAR THE SURFACE AND COLD WATER VERY DEEP IN THE OCEAN, AND MAKE ELECTRICITY BASED A THAT TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE.

BUT THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO DO, AND YOU CAN'T DO IT IN ALL PLACES.

>> PROBABLY NOT CHEAPLY.

>> AND THAT'S CORRECT.

>> LET'S GO TO MICHAEL IN MIDDLETON.

IS THIS MICHAEL OR MICHELLE?

>> Caller: THIS IS MICHAEL.

>> OK.

WHAT SCHOOL DO YOU GO TO?

>> Caller: I GO TO TO -- [INAUDIBLE] EDUCATION ACADEMY.

GO AHEAD AND ASK YOUR QUESTION.

MY QUESTION IS, WHICH KIND OF FUEL DO YOU THINK IS BEST TO USE, AND WHICH FUEL IS LEAST EXPENSIVE?

>> IN TERMS OF FUEL, WHAT KIND OF FUEL ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

FOSSIL FUELS, ARE YOU THINKING HYDROGEN, WHAT KIND OF -- OF -- >> Caller: I MEAN, FUEL SOURCE, OR -- POWER SOURCE.

>> OK.

>> ONE THING YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT, PEOPLE DON'T OFTEN REALIZE THIS, WE TALK ABOUT GREEN ENERGY, AND IN THAT CONTEXT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE WE NEWABLES, WE MAY TALK ABOUT THINGSIKE NUCLEAR ENERGY.

BUT NO MATTER WHAT YOU USE AS A FUEL, WHETHER IT'S FOSSIL FUEL, WHETHER IT'S NUCLEAR, WHETHER IT'S A RENEWABLE ENERGY, ALL FORMS OF ENERGY PRODUCTION HAVE THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

SO WHAT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO IS WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, AND IN SOME LOCATIONS, SOME KINDS OF ENERGIES ARE BETTER SUITED TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAN OTHER KINDS OF ENERGY.

>> HEIDI HOOPER'S FOURTH GRADE CLASS AT GOODING ELEMENTARY, WE'VE GOT -- JED WANTS TO KNOW HOW YOU TRANSFER GREEN ENERGY.

DOES TRANSFERRING GREEN ENERGY, WHEN WE MOVE ENERGY NOW OVER POWER LINES OR IN OUR CARS, OR -- IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE MOVE GREEN ENERGY AROUND?

>> WELL, I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO USE EXACTLY THE SAME MECHANISMS TO MOVE GREEN ENERGY AS WE USE TODAY FOR OUR OTHER ENERGY.

IT JUST MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO INTRODUCE THOSE ENERGY FORMS.

THE GREEN ENERGY INTO OUR CURRENT SYSTEMS.

IF WE CAN TRANSPORT ETHANOL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SAME TRUCKS THAT WE USE IN THE PAST TO TRANSFER PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY NEW TRUCKS.

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY NEW TANKS.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, USE OUR EXISTING SYSTEMS, OUR EXISTING PIPELINES AND OUR EXISTING TRUCKS, AND RAILROADS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO TRANSPORT GREEN ENERGY AS WE DO CURRENTLY WITH OUR FOSSIL-BASED ENERGY SOURCES.

>> AND BO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHICH WAY USING AIR, SUN, OR WATER, DO YOU MAKE MORE ENERGY PER HOUR?

>> HMM.

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

>> IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE POWER PLANT.

IN A LOT OF WAYS I WOULD PROBABLY SAY WATER IS THE WAY TO LOOK AT IN THAT REGARD.

THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME RATHER LARGE HYDROELECTRIC DAMS AND PLANTS.

NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT SUNLIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A VERY LARGE SOLAR CELL ARRAY, YOU CAN MAKE LARGE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY TOO.

TYPICALLY APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR ENERGY TEND TO BE SMALLER THAN THINGS LIKE THE LARGE HYDROPLANTS LIKE IN HELL'S CANYON.

>> FROM REBECCA GRISS'S CLASS AT HORIZON ELEMENTARY IN BOISE, TAI LOHR AND HENRY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, CAN PLANES RUN ON SOLAR ENERGY?

>> THEY CAN, AND IN FACT IT WAS I BELIEVE TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO THAT THERE WAS AN AIRPLANE THAT WENT AROUND THE WORLD, FIRST AIRPLANE TO GO AROUND THE WORLD USING SOLAR CELLS.

NOW, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT FALLS ON A GIVEN SURFACE FROM THE SUN IS RELATIVELY SMALL.

SO WHAT THEY DID ON THAT AIRPLANE, I THINK -- WELL, I THINK IT WAS CALLED THE GOSSAMER ALBATROSS.

THEY PUT SOLAR CELLS ON THE WINGS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THEY WERE ABLE TO GATHER WAS RELATIVELY SMALL, THE AIRPLANE HAD TO BE VERY LIGHT.

SO YES, YOU CAN DO IT, AND IN THE FUTURE WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO IT BETTER, BUT IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT A LOT MORE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT BIG PASSENGERS PLANES CARRYING LOTS OF CARGO TO RUN ON SOLAR.

>> I RECEIVED AN ARTICLE FROM OUR EARLIER FLIGHT PROGRAM, AN ARTICLE I'LL PUT ON MY BLOG ABOUT CURRENT ASIA PLANE THAT'S UP IN THE AIR NOW THAT THEY'RE TESTING AS AN UNMANNED PLANE.

SO CHECK OUT MY BLOG ON THAT ONE.

WE'LL HAVE THAT UP FOR YOU NEXT WEEK.A REAL QUICK QUESTION.

IF YOU'RE ON OUR PHONES, IF YOU'RE BRANDON OR AUBREY, HANG ON AND WE'LL CATCH YOU AT THE OTHER HALF OF THE HOUR WHEN WE DO OUR WEB-ONLY PROGRAM.

IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE NOW, STAY ON, AND I'LL GET THIS QUESTION.

JULIAN WANTS TO KNOW S. SOLAR ENERGY S. THERE SOLAR ENERGY IN FIRE?

CAN WE USE FIRE TO CREATE ENERGY?

THAT MIGHT BE MORE -- IF YOU'RE BURNING WASTE PRODUCTS.

>> IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW WE GET THE ENERGY FROM THE SUN, IT RELIES ON A NUCLEAR REACTION, A NUCLEAR REACTION CALLED FUSION.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT A FIRE IN TERMS OF, SAY, SOMETHING LIKE A CAMPFIRE, THE REACTION ACTUALLY COMES FROM COMBUSTION OF ORGANIC PROCESS.

PRODUCTS.

SO IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT PROCESS.

BUT THE ENERGY THAT COMES OUT OF THE FIRE IN A LOT OF WAYS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ENERGY THAT COMES OUT OF THE SUN.

IT HAS WAVELENGTHS THAT GIVE YOU HEAT, INFRARED ENERGY, SHORTER WAVELENGTHS THAT COME OUT OF IT TOO.

IN A LOT OF WAYS THERE'S SIMILARITY IN THE ENERGY THAT COMES OUT, BUT IT COMES OUT IN A DIFFERENT -- FROM A DIFFERENT PROCESS, AND IN A DIFFERENT AMOUNT.

>> WHAT ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY?

>> NUCLEAR ENERGY IS A LOT OF WAYS IS GREEN ENERGY ALSO.

PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, LIKE CARBON DIOXIDE.

AND REPLACING FOSSIL FUELS THAT PUT A LOT OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

>> OK.

LET'S TRY AND GET ONE OF OUR PHONE CALLERS THROUGH.

LET'S SEE.

BRANDON?

>> Caller: I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE CHEAPEST GREEN ENERGY IS.

>> THE MOST ENERGY FOR THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY?

GOOD QUESTION.

>> I THINK THE ANSWER IS EASY.

IT'S CONSERVATION.

YOU CANNOT USE THE ENERGY, IT'S ALWAYS A LOT CHEAPER THAN USING SOME FORM OF ENERGY.

AND SO THAT -- THE DIRECT ANSWER THERE.

BUT IF YOU ASKED WHAT'S THE CHEAPEST FORM OF ENERGY THAT WE MIGHT USE, I MIGHT VOTE FOR WOOD, BURNING WOOD, IF YOU CAN DO IT CLEANLY, IS ACTUALLY QUITE INEXPENSIVE.

LOWER IN COST THAN NATURAL GAS, SOME OF THE OTHER LOW-COST FOSSIL CHOICES.

>> AND IT'S INTERESTING IN THAT REGARD TOO, IF YOU TALK ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGIES, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE -- CHEAP HYDROPOWER.

BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE REASON THAT THE HYDROPOWER IS SO CHEAP IS THAT VERY LARGE, VERY EXPENSIVE DAM AND HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS WERE BUILT 40 AND 50 YEARS AGO.

NOW THEY'RE PAID OFF, BUT THEY'RE ROBUST IN THE SENSE THEY CAN OPERATE FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE ARGUMENTS TODAY WHERE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE COST OF NUCLEAR POWER, IT MAY WELL BE THE SAME THING.

THEY MAY BE EXPENSIVE PLANTS TO BUILD, BUT MAY GIVE YOU CHEAP POWER IN YEARS TO COME.

>> I'M AFRAID WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME.

AUBREY AND SHAY LA, HANG ON, WE'LL CATCH YOU WHEN WE TAPE OUR WEB-ONLY PROGRAM.

THANK YOU TO JON VAN GERPEN AND ROBERT NEILSON, WE'VE GOT LOTS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GREEN ENERGY ON OUR WEBSITE, GO CHECK IT OUT AT IDAHOPTV.ORG.

CLICK ON "D4K" AND GO TO THE GREEN ENERGY SITE.

OUR NEXT SHOW, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THAT ON OUR NEXT PROGRAM ON OWLS.

THAT'S TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15th, AT 2:00 P.M., 1:00 P.M.

MOUNTAIN.

WE'LL BE ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.

WHEN YOU SEND IN A QUESTION YOUR CLASS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN A D.V.D.

PLAYER AND OTHER PRIZES.

SO SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

LAST TIME'S WINNER IS FROM MRS.

McCAMMISH-CAMERON'S CLASS AT CYNTHIA MANN ELEMENTARY.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "D4K."

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