national and global energy resources (paper 1)

non-renewable energy

• coal

• oil

• (natural) gas

• nuclear fuels (uranium and plutonium)

fossil fuels are natural resources that form underground over millions of years. They are typically burnt to provide energy

renewable energy

• wind

• water waves

• tides

• hydroelectricity

• the sun (solar)

• geothermal

• bio-fuel

being made at the same rate they are being used so will never run out unlike non-renewables. Dont provide enough energy and unreliable because of weather.

use of energy resources

transport - petrol and diesel, coal

heating

what are the main energy resources available for use on earth?

the Sun (nuclear fusion), Earth’s internal heat (geothermal/radioactive decay), and gravitational forces (tidal energy)

wind power

we use wind turbines on moors and coasts because they are exposed to the most weather (wind)

they have generators inside them and the electricity is generated directly from the wind turning the blade

they produce no pollution and you need a lot of turbines to produce enough energy which can have an effect on the scenery

they can produce noise as well which can be disrupting

on avg, they produce energy 70-85% of the time

its impossible to increase the supply when there is extra demand.

solar cells

they generate electric currents straight from the suns radiation

cause no pollution but need alot of energy to manufacture in the first place

initial costs are high but cost nothing after

they produce energy on a small scale usually only powering on house

reliable in sunny countries

geothermal power

uses energy in thermal stores of hot rocks under ground to generate electricity

the source of much of this energy is the slow decay of radioactive elements inside the earth (uranium)

the heat produces steam which turns the turbine that generates electricity

not suitable for some places because building the power stations is very costly and only some locations are suitable

hydroelectric power stations

they generate electricity using hydroelectric power and usually requires the flooding of a valley by building a big dam, water is allowed out at a controlled rate through turbines

there is no pollution but it can effect the surrounding environment. The flooding can lead to rotting vegetation and there could be a loss of some species. Villages near by can also be evacuated.

Big advantage is they can provide an immediate response to an increased demand for electricity. No problem with reliability except in times of drought

initial costs are high, no fuel costs

good on a small scale in an isolated place but not economical or practical enough to add to the national grid.

wave power

place small wave powered turbines around the coast

as waves come into the shore, they provide an up and down motion which can be used to drive a generator

no pollution

main problems are disturbing sea bed and the habitat of marine animals and being a hazard to boats

unreliable since waves tend to die out when wind drops

big initial cost, minimal running costs

dont provide energy on a large scale but good on small islands.

tide barrages

tides are produced by the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon. They are used in lots of ways to generate electricity. The most common method is a tidal barrage

they are big dams built across estuaries, with turbines in them connected to generators

as the tide comes in it fills up the estuaries to a height and is held back by the barrage. This water can be allowed out through turbines at a controlled speed when there is a height difference of water between the two sides of the barrage.

no pollution

main problems are preventing free acsess by boat, spoiling view and altering wildlife

tides are reliable

initially high costs but no fuel costs

has to be in a specific place to generate a sufficient amount of energy.

bio-fuels

they are renewable energy resources - they are created from either plant products or animal dung.

they can be solid liquid or gas and can be burnt to produce electricity or run cars in the same way as fossil fuels

they are fairly reliable as crops take a short time to grow and different crops can be grown all year round however they cannot respond to immediate energy demands. To combat this, they are continuously produced and stored fro when they are needed.

bio-fuels made from plants are theoretically carbon neutral

• the plants that grow to produce the waste absorb co2 from the atmosphere as they are growing

• when the waste is burned, this co2 is re-released into the atmosphere so it a neutral effect on the atmospheres co2 levels

but it still creates methane emmisions

fossil fuels

most of the electricity we use today comes from fossil fuels

they are a cost-effective resource that produce a large amount of energy and is readily available

they are reliable

when they are burned for energy, they let alot of co2 into the atomsphere and it adds to the green house effect

nuclear fuels

a nuclear power station is mostly the same as the one used for burning fossil fuels but the fuel isnt burnt. Nuclear fission takes place

nuclear power is clean, it dosent release any harmful chemicals into the atmosphere

reliable so can increase with demand

dangerous and difficult to dispose of because stays radioactive for a long time

nuclear fuel is relativley cheap but the overall cost of nuclear power is high due to the power station and final decommisioning (shutting down the power station so its safe to people and the environment)

carrys the risk of a major catastrophe.

reliance on fossil fuel

the population has increased and so more electricity is being used

but the electricity use has been decreasing because appliances are more efficient

movement towards renewable energy resources

we know non-renewable resources have lots of negative effects on the earth so we try to use more renewable resources

people and governments are becoming more aware

governments have set goals putting pressure on energy providers to build new power plants that use renewable sources so they dont lose money or business

factors limiting change

political reasons

complexity of eco systems

socioeconomic factors

technological limitations

public perception and acceptance

short-term focus

regulatory challenges

funding and resources

unintended consequences

cultural and ethical considerations