energy Flashcards
non renwable fossil fuels definition
a fuel that is either finite or non-sustainable
will eventually run out
renewable energy supply definition
can be used continually & won’t run out.
Wind, water, geothermal, wave, tidal, biogas, biofuels ( like ethanol) and solar energy are all renewable.
biofuels definition
Fuels produced from living organisms or from their by-products, such as food waste.
energy security definition
the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price
advantages of coal
- Will last another 118yrs at current rates of consumption.
- Improved technology, has increased output, making it cheaper to generate electricity, can be used for heating & making coking coal
- Energy dense.
disadvantages of coal
- Cheapest & most accessible used up – cost has risen.
- Air pollution – greenhouse gas ( C02) & produces acid rain.
- Open cast mining harms environment & deep mining dangerous to miners.
- Heavy & bulky to transport.
- Dirtiest fossil fuel.
advantages of oil and gas
- More efficient to burn, transport & distribute by pipeline & tanker.
- Energy dense.
- Less harmful to the environment than coal. Gas is cheaper & cleaner than oil.
- Can generate electricity.
- Oil provides the raw material for the petrochemical industry.
- Well established and ready to use.
disadvantages of oil and gas
- 2016 – oil may only last 50yrs & gas 80yrs.
- Peak oil has been reached – the world now consumes more oil than it finds in new oil fields.
- Danger of pollution through oil spills.
- Wen burnt both give off nitrogen oxide & sulphur dioxide = acid rain.
- Prices can fluctuate widely.
- Pipelines targets for terrorism.
- Political decisions can cause supply problems e.g. Ukraine war.
challenges to renewable energies
- Intermittent
- Costs
- Environmental impacts
- Local resistance
- Natural constraints
- Storage
- Infrastructure
intermittent of renewable energies
Solar & wind energy are limited to times of sunshine & wind. There are times it produces too much & times it produced too little.
costs of renewable energies
expensive and requires government support at the beginning. Infrastructure & storage remains expensive.
enviromental impacts of renewable energies
wind turbines kill rare birds of prey, solar farms trip area of ecology, HEP drowns valleys & biofuels cause monoculture.
local resistance of renewable energies
Eye sore & requires a large amount of land.
natural constraints of renewable energies
HEP & solar require water, which is scarce in some arid areas.
storage of renewable energies
Tech for storage of renewable energy is not developed well enough for the times when renewables produce an abundant supply.
infrastructure of renewable energies
existing is set up for fossil fuels. New infrastructure is needed, but this is costly.
opportunities provided by renewable energies
- Constantly available & will never be used up.
- Cause less environmental impact ‘green’ energy.
- Countries can become self-reliant as won’t have to import fossil fuels.
- Governments can avoid controversy & disadvantages of using nuclear power.
- Reduce carbon emissions and meet targets.
- Can create economic opportunities.
- Provide energy to billions who do not have modern energy services.
- Costs are falling & energy capacity is increasing.
benefits of geothermal
- Replenished by nature.
- Good for heating and cooling Individual houses can benefit.
- Partially built underground so little surface impact.
- Reliable and consistent supply once available.
- Very low carbon emissions from equipment.
advantages of wind
- Wind is free
- Once built no air pollation.
- Although tall, only takes up small amount of land Surface below can continue to be farmed.
- Useful in remote areas away from national electricity grid
- Various sizes and costs for use in MEDCs and LEDCS.
hydro electric power (HEP) advantages
- No pollution issues.
- Reliable once built as simple structures: few breakdowns reported
- Have a long life.
- Provides drinking water plus other opportunities, eg boating, fishing, a road across the dam, tourism.
- Can respond to supply and demand quickly.
- Can control flooding downstream.
wave and tidal power advantages
- Renewable while there are tides which rely on the sun and the moon.
- Very efficient in converting energy into electricity.
- Predictable unlike other renewables that rely on the weather.
- No greenhouse gas pollution.
solar energy advantages
- The sun’s energy is free,
- Renewable while there is a sun.
- No noise and no air pollution.
- Little maintenance-needed once set up
- Easy to install in individual homes or as solar farms.
- Can be used in remote areas away from a national electricity end
geothermal energy disadvantages
- Location-specific needs to have correct geology and access to the hot water underground
- Might cause small earthquakes.
- High set-up costs.
- Only sustainable if underground reservoirs managed carefully so that use of water equals replacement by rainwater.
wind energy disadvantages
- Needs reliable wind but this can range from zero to storms
- Storage of electricity problem. Visual issues of wind farms
- Can be as very noisy
- Manufacture produces some air pollution.
- Largest turbine can only produce electricity for 475 homes. Many needed for a town.
hydro-electric power disadvantages
- Site requirements mean often have to locate in remote mountain.
- High cost of building dam and electricity infrastructure.
- Requires large area for reservoir and may involve relocating people.
- Dam prevents seasonal flooding of ecosystems which affects widlife.
- Relies on rain/snowmelt
wave and tidal disadvantages
- Very high set-up costs.
- It takes 7 years to build and 2 years before it generates electricity.
- Storm waves can damage machinery
- Limited to sites with high tidal ranges to turn the turbines.
- Works for 10 hours a day during tidal surges - need back-up power source.
- Disrupts fish migration and can damage marine creatures.
solar power disadvantages
- Limited availability of sun in many areas.
- Very high set-up costs.
- Cannot be generating during cloudy days or at night.
- Limited storage capacity.
- Can take up large amount of land.
- Visual issues of solar farms.
benefits of biofuels
- Renewable & sustainable.
- Creates jobs in LICs.
disadvantags of biofuels
- deforestation
- loss of habitat
- soil erosion
- ‘Food vs Fuel’ debate
disadvantages of nuclear
- Dangerous if there is an accident: Chernobyl
- Waste can remain dangerous for 1,000years
- problems storing waste
- Cost of shutting down nuclear power station is very high
