Wind, solar and geothermal

What is used to generate wind power?

What is used to generate wind power?

Lots of wind turbines in exposed places like moors or around coasts

How do wind turbines generate power?

Each turbine has a generator inside of it that produces electricity

What are the positives of wind turbines?

• No pollution

• No permanent damage to landscape

• Can be removed without damage being done

• No fuel costs

• Minimal maintenance costs

What are the negatives of wind turbines?

• Spoil the view: requires 1500 turbines to replace one coal station

• Noisy

• Impossible to increase supply when demand is increased

• Only produce electricity 70-85% of the time

• Expensive initial costs

How do solar panels work?

Generate electrical currents directly from sunlight

Where does solar energy work best?

• To charge batteries that don’t use much electricity

• In remote places to power road signs and satellites

What are the positives of solar panels?

• No pollution

• Very reliable in sunny countries

• Running costs are free

• Almost no running costs

• Still effective in cloudy countries

What are the negatives of solar panels?

• Only works during the daytime

• Can’t increase the power output according to demand

• High initial costs

• Doesn’t work effectively on a large scale

What is geothermal power?

Energy from volcanic areas, where hot rocks lie close to earths surface, and the slow decay of various radioactive elements

How is geothermal energy used?

To generate electricity or heat buildings directly

What are the positives of geothermal power?

• free

• reliable

• little damage tot he environment

What are the negatives of geothermal power?

• not many suitable locations

• Cost is high for the energy it produces