Chapter 3 Energy Resources Flashcards
What are renewable energy sources
Energy that won’t run out and don’t provide much energy and some are unreliable
5 examples of renewable energy
Bi
Wi
Su
Hy
Ti
Bio fuels
Wind
Solar
Hydro electricity
Tidal
What are fossil fuels
Natrual reseouces that form underground over millions of years and are burnt to provide energy
3 main fossil fuels
Coal,oil,natural gas
Pros of fossil fuels
Reliable
Extraction costs and building infrastructure for it are cheap
Cons of fossil fuels
Environmental problems with co2 into air
Contributing to global warming
Oil spillages affect animals
Burning coal and oil releases sulfur dioxide causing acid rain
Pros and cons of nuclear power
Reliable
Dosen’t decompose
Expensive power plants
Hard to dispose waste products
What are bio fuels
Created from plant or animal products and can be burnt to produce electricity
Features of bio fuels
Reliability
Linking to carbon
Carbon neutral
Reliable as can be grown wherever but usual problems with plants
Cons of bio fuels
Very high cost as space needed and water
How do wind turbines produce electricity
Wind power rotates blades produced electricity
Costs of wind turbines
Initial costs expensive but running costs cheap
4 cons of wind turbines
Lots needed to produce good amount
Noisy
Spoil the view
Only work when windy
Costs of solar power
Initial costs high but no running costs
Cons of solar power
Weather dependent
How is hydro-electricity produced
Dammed water driving a water turbine and generator
Features of hydro electricity
Costs and reliability
Intial costs high with minimal running costs
Reliable energy source
Advantage of hydro electricity
Immediately respond to increased electricity demand as more water can be let through the turbine
What are tidal barrages
Big dams built across river estuaries with turbines in them
How do tidal barrages produces electricity
As tide comes in it fills the estuary then the water is left out through turbines at a controlled speed to generate electricity
3 disadvantages of tidal barrages
Affect boat access
They can spoil the view
They alter the habitat for wildlife
How reliable are tidal barrages
Tides occur twice a day so are quite reliable but the height of tide is a variable as barrages don’t work when the water level is the same on either side
Costs of tidal barrages
Initial costs are moderately high but there are no fuel costs and there are minimal running costs
