alternatives to fossil fuels

• 3 alternative renewable and recyclable energy to decouple from fossil fuels?

  • wind power (renewable)
  • solar power (renewable)
  • nuclear power (recyclable)
• the 3 overarching alternatives to fossil fuels are recyclable/renewable energy, biofuels and radical technologies
• 2 advantages of solar power is that its non polluting and can be used in poorer countries

  2 disadvantages is electricity produced initially is more expensive and is not effective during the winter
• nuclear energy can be used to generate a large amount of energy from a small amount of fuel, the splitting of uranium atoms releases energy which can be used to generate electricity
• 2 advantages of nuclear energy is it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and small amount of fuel is needed to produce large amount of energy - reducing the price

  2 disadvantages are nuclear power plants are very expensive and nuclear waste is very radioactive
• 2 benefits of wind power is its cost effective and clean
• the case study for changing energy mix is the UK, coals have reduced by 30% since 1990 and biofuels and renewables are becoming increasingly popular. By 2035 UK gov is aiming to be 100% renewable
• biofuels are another alternative energy source and is created by biomass being burnt to produce heat energy or processed to make bioethanol and biodiesel
• 2 implications for food supply from biofuels?

  • growing more fuel crops instead of food crops due to competition means less food for a country to feed itself
  • growing biofuels can require heavy use of fertilisers and pesticides which can pollute water courses
• an implication on the carbon cycle from biofuels is growing crops needed to make biofuel reduces biodiversity as land space is needed - which leads to deforestation

  benefits of biofuels on the carbon cycle are burning biofuels releases carbon dioxide at a lower rate of release in comparison to traditional emissions and do not create devastating environment disasters as they are biodegradable
• • the case study for biofuels is Brazil where every year 34 billion litres of bioethanol is produced from sugar canes which provides fuels for vehicles and energy to homes
  • production of bioethanol has grew rapidly and cleared forest is used as intense cropping patterns
  • in 2005 over half a million people employed by bioethanol industry
• 3 types of radical technologies to reduce carbon emissions are hydrogen fuel cells, electric vehicles and carbon capture and storage
• hydrogen fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water - can be used as battery packs in cars.

  an advantage is there's no dangerous waste products

  a disadvantage is its highly volatile which can cause explosions
• a disadvantage of electric vehicles is they run on a battery pack that has limited distance so have to be recharged

  an advantage is noise pollutions is reduced
• carbon capture storage is when carbon dioxide produced from burning fossil fuels is captured inside a power plant before it enters the atmosphere, gas is then compressed through injection well then into natural underground chambers