National and global energy sources

• What is a renewable energy resource

  An energy source which can be replenished as it is being used up
• Give examples of renewable energy resources

  1. Wind energy
  2. hydro-electricity
  3. tidal energy
  4. solar energy
• Give an example of non-renewable energy resources

  Fossil fuels eg. Coal ,oil, and gas
• What the advantages of generating power using gas rather than coal

  • Flexible generation: gas power stations have short start up times so can be switched on/off more readily
  • lower emissions of carbon dioxide
• State disadvantages of using renewable energy resources to generate power

  • Output often determined by external factors so supply is uncertain
  • generating power through other means is often more efficient and economically beneficial
• Explain the environmental impacts of burning fossil fuels

  • Carbon dioxide contributes to the green house effect and causes global warming
  • sulphur dioxide leads to acid rain which can damage buildings and crops
• State three advantages of fossil fuels as an energy resource

  • Reliable: not dependent on external factors so can generate power anytime
  • can produce large amounts of energy for a given quantity
  • still relatively abundant,so cost effective
• State three advantages of nuclear power

  1. Very large amounts of energy for relatively small quantities of fuel
  2. doesnt release greenhouse gases and so doesn’t contribute to climate change
  3. low fuel costs
• State three disadvantages of nuclear power

  1. Produces nuclear waste which is harmful to humans and must be safely stored for centuries
  2. non renewable energy source
  3. risk of nuclear accidents which have fatal consequences on humans and the environment
• How does hydroelectric power produce energy

  • Rainwater collects behind a dam
  • when this water is released it is used to turn a turbine
  • this turbine turns a generator which produces electricity
• What are some disadvantages of using biofuels

  • When plants are burned or decay they release CO2
  • in order to grow biofuels you need to destroy land which leads to problems because :
  • the land could have been natural habitats
  • destroying land may involve burning plants growing on it which would release CO2
  • growing biofuels reduces the land available for growing food
• What are the advantages of tidal energy sources

  • They don’t produce greenhouse gases
  • theyre quite reliable as tides happen twice a day
  • they’re cheap to run as tides are natural and so are free
• What are the disadvantages of hydroelectric power

  • The dam may cause flooding
  • it can cost a lot to install the required infrastructure
• What are some advantages of solar panels

  • They don’t cause harm to the environment
  • they’re a renewable resource
  • they can be used in remote areas where other types of energy are less accessible
• Give an example of a social factor which may act as a deterrent for certain types of energy production

  • Visual pollution
  • sound pollution
  • (these are both disadvantaged of wind farms )