Ads and disads of renewable and non renewable sources of energy

Question 1

Ads of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)

Answer 1

• provide a lot of energy (most of our energy)

- reliable (till run out)

Question 2

Ad of using natural gas above other fossil fuels

Answer 2

• fastest start up time
• so can meet surges in demand
• fewest co2 emissions

Question 3

Disads of fossil fuels

Answer 3

• non renewable (will all run out)
• damage environment (co2 emission -> global warming, greenhouse effect)
• burning coal and oil releases sulphur dioxide (acid rain)
• coal mining ruins landscape
• oil spillages

Question 4

Why is coal often used to provide constant supply of electricity (base load)

Answer 4

slow start up time

Question 5

How can acid rain be reduced?

Answer 5

• taking sulphur out before burning fuel

- cleaning up emissions

Question 6

What does carbon capture reduce?

Answer 6

• reduces amount of co2

- reduces strength of greenhouse effect

Question 7

Process of carbon capture

Answer 7

• co2 collected from power stations
• captured co2 pumped into empty gas fields or oil fields
• can also be dissolved in seawater (at bottom of ocean)
• can also be captured by algae

Question 8

Ad of using algae to capture co2

Answer 8

• used to produce oil

- oil can be used as biofuel

Question 9

Disads of nuclear power (7)

Answer 9

• longest start up time
• large set up costs
• large decommision costs
• long time to set up
• visual pollution
• noise pollution
• dangerous waste, explosions, contamination

Question 10

Ads of nuclear power (8)

Answer 10

• no greenhouse gases
• high energy density in fuel
• longer operating life
• reliable
• small volume of waste
• buy less fuel from other countries
• concentrated source of energy
• fossil fuels last longer (conserves fossil fuels)

Question 11

Ads of Wave Energy

Answer 11

• no polluting gases produced
• renewable
• min running costs, no fuel involved

Question 12

Disads of Wave Energy

Answer 12

• unreliable cuz weather dependent
• viusal pollution
• hazard to boats
• low amount of energy produced
• large set up costs (big power station)

Question 13

Ads of hydroelectricity

Answer 13

• no polluting gases produced
• renewable
• min running costs, no fuel involved
• can provide immediate response to high demand (cuz pumped storage)

Question 14

Disads of hydroelectricity

Answer 14

• flooding of valley by building big dam (rotting veg)
• may disrupt wildlife, destroy habitats
• visual pollution
• expensive set up costs
• dams may burst

Question 15

Ads of Tidal Energy

Answer 15

• not weather dependent
• renewable
• no polluting gases produced
• tides easily predicted
• energy can be stored for periods of peak demand

Question 16

Disads of Tidal Energy

Answer 16

• visual pollution
• can disrupt habitat of wildlife
• hazard to boats
• lower tides provide much less energy
• doesn’t work when water level same either side of barrage

Question 17

Ads of geothermal

Answer 17

• not weather dependent
• no polluting gases
• renewable

Question 18

Disads of geothermal

Answer 18

• not very many suitable locations
• large set up costs
• compared to energy output

Question 19

Ads of Solar cells

Answer 19

• no pollution
• reliable in sunny countries
• low running costs
• minimal maintenance
• renewable

Question 20

Disads of solar cells

Answer 20

• needs lots of energy to manufacture
• doesn’t work at night (weather dependent)
• large set up costs
• not very efficient, so not used large scale

Question 21

Ads of wind energy

Answer 21

• no greenhouse gases
• small plot of land, still used for farming (no perm damage)
• low running costs
• renewable
• energy source (wind) free
• conserves fossil fuels

Question 22

Disads of wind energy

Answer 22

• kills birds
• noise
• eyesore
• unreliable cuz weather dependent
• dilute energy source
• large initial cost
• times when not enough electricity generated
• co2 used in manufacture

Question 23

Ads of biofuels

Answer 23

• renewable
• plants carbon neutral
• relatively quick

Question 24

Disads of biofuels

Answer 24

• areas of forest cleared to make room for biofuel crops (disrupts habitats)
• decay and burning of biofuel releases co2 and methane
• farmland used for biofuel could be used to grow food (limited farmland availability)