8.5 - Wind & Solar

• How is wind power captured?

  Through the use of wind turbines
• Where are wind turbines generally placed?

  In exposed areas like malls or coasts
• What do wind turbines convert kinetic energy into?

  Electrical energy
• What is the role of the generator inside a wind turbine?

  To convert kinetic energy into electrical energy
• How is solar power generated?

  By solar cells in the form of solar panels
• What do solar cells generate from sunlight?

  Electric currents
• In what types of devices do solar panels work well?

  Low energy devices like watches and calculators
• Where is solar power particularly useful?

  In remote regions like the Australian outback
• What is a major use of solar energy today?

  Generating electricity for entire towns
• What are the pros and cons of wind and solar energy?

  Pros:

  • Very low running costs
  • No pollutants produced (no CO2)

  
  

  Cons:

  • High upfront costs
  • Production process can create pollutants
  • Weather dependent for energy generation
  • Require a lot of space
  • Aesthetic and noise complaints for wind turbines
• What is a significant drawback of both wind and solar energy?

  They are dependent on the weather
• What happens if the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn't shine?

  They don't generate any electricity
• What is a limitation regarding energy supply during peak demand?

  There’s no way to increase supply
• What is a common complaint about wind turbines?

  They don't look nice and are noisy
• How do wind and solar energy impact the environment?

  They do not damage the environment
• How are the costs of wind and solar energy changing?

  They are getting cheaper every year
• Wind power is generated by wind turbines which have blades that spin due to the wind. This spinning action turns a generator which produces electricity. 
• Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy from the wind into electrical energy.
• Solar power is generated by solar cells or solar panels which can generate electricity directly from sunlight.
• The technical name for a solar cell is photovoltaic cell.
• where are the places where you'd most likely to see solar cells?

  • Roofs
  • Large scale solar farms
  • On the front of calculators
• The pros of solar and wind power are:

  • They have low running costs
  • They don't produce any pollutants while operating
• The cons of solar and wind power are:


  • They have relatively high upfront costs
  • They take up a lot of land space
  • Their power production is dependent on the weather, and therefore inconsistent
• Read this.