Energy resources and electricity generation

What energy transfers take place when generating wind power?

As the wind spins the blades, energy from the KE store of the wind is transferred into KE store of the blades.

This kinetic energy is then transferred into electrical energy by the generator

What energy transfers take place when using solar cells?

It transfers light energy from the sun directly into electrical energy.

What are the common advantages of using wind and solar power?

• renewable

• very cheap to run once set up

• don’t release any pollutants, therefore no permanent damage to the environment

What are the common disadvantages of using wind and solar power?

• their sources are unreliable (wind and sunshine fluctuates)

• expensive to set up initially

What is geothermal energy?

It is the thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth.

It originates from:

• the original formation of the planet

• the radioactive decay of materials like uranium

What energy transfers take place when using geothermal resources?

Thermal energy from the Earth’s core is transferred into electrical energy

What are the advantages of using geothermal energy?

• reliable (always available)

• requires little maintenance

• doesn’t require large spaces

What are the disadvantages of using geothermal energy?

• they can only be built in certain parts of the world

• the geothermal power stations are expensive to build

What energy transfers take place when burning fossil fuels?

The chemical energy in the chemical bonds (hydrocarbons) of fossil fuels are transferred into electrical energy.

What are the advantages of burning fossil fuels?

• relatively cheap

• can be used in any conditions

What are the disadvantages of burning fossil fuels?

• a limited resource (finite)

• produce carbon dioxide (GHG - global warming)

• sometimes produce toxic gases (sulfur dioxide & carbon monoxide)

What energy transfers take place in nuclear reactors (nuclear energy)?

The nuclear energy in the atomic nuclei is transferred into electrical energy.

What are the advantages of using nuclear energy?

• do not produce any pollutants

• can be used in any conditions

• although finite, unlikely to run out as very little material are used at a time

What are the disadvantages of using nuclear energy?

• technically finite

• nuclear power stations produce radioactive waste (harmful)

• expensive

• small chance of nuclear meltdown

What energy transfers take place when using water (Hydroelectric dams)?

As water flows downhill, GPE is transferred into KE as water spins the turbines and then electrical energy in the generators

What energy transfers take place when using water (Tidal barrages)?

A tidal barrage allows water to flow into a bay or rive during high tide and releases it during low tide.

It uses the kinetic energy as the water rushes out to spin turbines which then is transferred into electrical energy by generators.

What are the advantages of using water (Hydroelectric dams and tidal barrages)?

• renewable

• running costs are fairly low

• do not produce pollutants

• higher electricity demands can be met be increasing water flow

What are the disadvantages of using water (Hydroelectric dams and tidal barrages)?

• upfront building costs are quite high

• can flood land upstream

• can alter fish migration patterns