Energy resources

How is wind power harnessed ?

Turbines are connected to a generator via gears . Energy is generated directly from the wind turning the blades which turns the generator. Producing electricity.

Where are turbine located ?

Where they are exposed to the weather (e.g moors or coasts)

Advantages and disadvantages of wind power ?

• no pollution (after manufacturing)

• No permanent damage to the landscape

• No fuel costs

• Minimal running costs

• Spoil view

• 1500 turbines = 1 coal-fired power station

• Land consumption

• Noise pollution

• Reliability

• Cannot meet extra demand

• Can’t work in strong winds

• High initial costs

how is solar power generated ?

Solar cells generate electrical currents directly from the sun’s radiation

Advantages and disadvantages of solar power ?

• no pollution

• Free energy

• Low running costs

• Perfect for remote areas

• High initial costs

• Generate only in the day (when there is sun)

How can solar energy be stored ?

Solar cells can be plugged into electrical components (e.g batteries)

Where can solar energy be used ?

• Remote places where other energy sources are not viable

• In devices that don’t consume large amounts of energy

• Small scale : individual homes

How is geothermal power generated ?

Geothermal power uses energy in the thermal energy stores of hot underground rocks or the slow decay of various radioactive elements to generate electricity.

Steam and hot water rise to the surface and are used to drive a turbine which turns the generator. Producing electricity .

Advantages and disadvantages of geothermal power ?

• free energy

• Reliable

• Little impact on the environment

• Few suitable locations

• High initial costs

• Cost high in comparison the energy produced

Where can geothermal energy be used ?

• heat water or building directly (without the need to generate electricity)

How is electricity generated in Hydroelectric power stations (HEP) ?

Water is allowed out at a controlled rate through turbines which turns them , which in turn drives the generator. Producing electricity.

Advantages and disadvantages of HEP ?

• No pollution

• Immediate response to rising demand

• Reliable (except in drought)

• No fuel costs

• Minimal running costs

• Flooding a valley to build a dam

• Rotting vegetation release CH4 and CO2 (greenhouse gasses)

• Loss of habitat

• High initial costs

• Displacement of people

• Eye-sore

• Not practical or economical to connect it to the national grid

Where are HEP stations located ?

• In remote valleys (reduce impact)

• Small scale in remote areas

How is electricity generated in wave power ?

It is generated using the movement of water waves as they come in to the shore (up and down) harnessed by small wave-powered turbines located around the coast to drive a generator . Producing electricity.

Advantages and disadvantages of wave power ?

• no pollution

• No fuel cost

• Minimal running cost

• Disturb habitats (seabed)

• Eye-sore

• Hazard to boats

• Unreliable (waves driven by winds)

• High initial costs

Where can they be used ?

• provide energy on a large scale

• Small islands

How do tidal barrages produce electricity ?

Tidal barrages are big dams built across river estuaries , with turbines in them , which are connected to electrical generators which turn and generate electricity as water is allowed through the turbines at a controlled speed.

Advantages and disadvantage of tidal barrages ?

• no pollution

• No fuel costs

• Minimal running costs

• Reliable (twice a day to predicted height)

• Produce significant amount of energy

• Prevent free access by boats

• High initial costs

• Eye-sore

• Variable height of tide = variable energy

• Do not work if water level is the same either side (4 times a day)

• Altering habitats

Where can it be used ?

• only in the most suitable estuaries

How do bio-fuel generate electricity ?

Bio-fuels are created from plant or animal dung (in any state of matter) that can be burned to produce electricity.

Advantages and disadvantages of bio fuels ?

• reliable (crops can be grown year round)

• Can be stored

• Carbon neutral

• Cannot respond to immediate demand

• High cost to refine

• CH4 emissions

• Deforestation and Habitat loss

• Use is limited by the available farm land

• Growing crop for bio fuel reduces space and water to meet food demand

How is bio-fuel carbon neutral ?

• plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere

• When waste is burned CO2 is re-released into the atmosphere

  therefore it has a neutral effect if plants are grown at the same rate that the waste is burnt

How do fossil fuels produce electricity ?

Fossil fuels are burned within a boiler to heat water which produces steam that turns a turbine within in turn drives the generator which produces electricity .

Advantages and disadvantages of fossil fuels ?

• cost effective

• Can clean emissions and remove sulphur

• Large amounts of energy

• Readily available

• low running costs

• Low fuel extraction costs

• Reliable

• Can be stored

• Depleting resources

• Release CO2

• Releases SO2 → acid rain

  • effect ecosystem (trees and soil)

• Damages landscape

  • open cast mining

  • Oil spillage

How is nuclear fuels used to produce electricity ?

Nuclear fission of nuclear fuels releases the energy to heat water into steam which turn turbines which then drive generators - producing electricity

Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear fuels ?

• long start up time

• Nuclear waste (dangerous and difficult to dispose of as it stays highly radioactive)

• High initial construction and decommissioning costs

• Nuclear fallout

• Clean energy - no emissions

• Reliable

• Nuclear fuels are cheap

State 4 non-renewable energy resources ?

• Coal

• Oil

• (Natural) gas

• Nuclear fuels (uranium and plutonium)

State 7 renewable energy resources ?

• Wind

• Water Waves

• Tides

• Hydroelectricity

• The Sun(solar)

• Geothermal

• Bio-fuel

State 2 uses of energy resources ?

• transport

• heating

what 2 non-renewable and 1 non-renewable energy resources can be used for transport ?

• petrol and diesel - fuel created from oil used to power many vehicles (including most cars)

• coal - used in some old-fashioned steam trains to boil water to produce steam

• ( bio-fuel - some vehicles can run on pure bio-fuel or a mix of bio-fuel and petrol or diesel )

what 3 non-renewable and 2 renewable energy resources can be used for transport ?

non-renewable :

• natural gas - the gas is used to heat water , which is then pumped into radiators throughout the home

• oil - burning oil from a tank

• coal - burnt in fireplaces

renewable :

• geothermal energy - a geothermal (or ground source) heat pump can be used to heat buildings

• solar power - solar water heater use electromagnetic radiation from the sun to heat water which is then pumped into radiators in building

explain an alternative to non-/renewable energy resources ?

Electricity can be generated by both non-renewable and renewable to be used in transport and heating

(e.g. electric cars and electrical heaters)