Renewable and non-renewable energy resources: Energy: Physics: GCSE (9:1)

Energy resource

A useful supply or store of energy

Non-renewable

Energy sources that they are being used at a higher rate than they can be replaced so will eventually run out (finite)

Examples of non-renewable resources

Fossil fuels (coal, crude oil, natural gas), nuclear fuels (uranium, plutonium)

Finite

Something that has a limited number of uses before it runs out

Renewable

Energy sources that are (or can be) replenished as they are being used so will not run out

Examples of renewable resources

Bio-fuels, solar, wind, geothermal, wave, tidal, hydroelectric

Replenishing renewable resources

Human action, natural processes

Fossil fuels

Fuels formed from the remains of living organisms (coal, crude oil, natural gas)

Nuclear fuels

Radioactive materials used in nuclear reactors (uranium, plutonium)

Bio-fuels

Fuels made from plant and animal waste (wood; bio-diesel)

Resources used for transport

Fossil fuels, bio-fuels

Resources used for heating

Fossil fuels, bio-fuels, geothermal, solar

Resources used to generate electricity

Fossil fuels, nuclear fuels, bio-fuels, solar, wind, geothermal, wave, tidal, hydroelectric

Reliable (energy resource)

an energy resource that can supply enough energy to meet demand at predictable times

Examples of reliable resources

Fossil fuels, nuclear fuels, bio-fuels, tidal, hydroelectric and geothermal

Environmental impact

the damage to the environment caused by using an energy resource to produce electricity

Examples of environmental impact

Pollution, harmful waste products and loss of habitats

Pollution

Damage to the land, air or water caused by a toxic chemical or an object

Atmospheric pollution

Carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels and bio-fuels, sulfur dioxide released from burning coal

Carbon neutral

Burning bio-fuels can be considered a carbon neutral process because it releases the same amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as the crops absorbed for photosynthesis when they were growing