Energy demands Flashcards
disadvantages of non - renewable sources
- they release a huge amount of carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change
- theyre not being replaced as we use them, so theyll eventually run out
- they can release other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide
examples of non - renewable energy sources
coal
oil
(Natural) Gas
what are renewable energy sources
resources that will never run out and can constantly be replaced
properties of renewable energy sources
never runs out
most can damage the environment, but not as badly as non - renewable
don’t provide much energy, unreliable as they depend on weather
examples of renewable energy sources
- the sun ( solar )
- wind
- water waves
- hydroelectric
- bio-fuel/ biomass
-tides
-geothermal
Common uses of energy resources
- Transport
- Heat
how are energy resources used for transport ( non - renewable)
- petrol and diesel powered vehicles use fuel created from oil
- coal is used in some old - fashioned steam trains to boil water to produce steam
how are energy resources used for transport ( renewable)
- vehicles that run on pure bio - fuels or a mix of biofuel and petrol are created using renewable sources
how are energy resources used for heating ( non - renewable)
- natural gas most widely used for heating water which is then pumped into radiators
- coal in fireplaces
- electric heaters
how are energy resources used for heating (renewable)
- geothermal heat pump
-solar water heaters - burning bio - fuel for electricity or heating
disadvantages of using fossil fuels
- coal, oil, gas release CO2 into atmosphere when burned, adds to the greenhouse effect, contributing to global warming
- burning coal and oil also releases sulfur dioxide, causes acid rain, harmful to trees and soils
- oil spillages can cause environmental problems, affecting birds, mammals, birds, sealife etc
-will eventually run out
advantages of ALL renewable energy
- will never run out
- once in place, renewable energy resources do not add any carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, they don’t contribute to climate change
disadvantages of wind and solar power
- unreliable
- weather dependent
pros and cons of hydroelectric power
- reliable
-but habitats are destroyed when dams are built and valleys are flooded - only useful in countries with lots of rivers
pros and cons of tidal power
- very reliable
- some argue tidal barrages may be harmful to wildlife
pros and cons of wave power
- reliable and has huge potential in the UK since we have an extensive coastline
- small scale and experimental
pros and cons of geothermal power
- reliable
- not used much in UK
what are biofuels
fuels made from waste and plants
pros and cons of biofuels
- produced from plant materials
- when we burn them we release co2, but the plants took in the co2 so we are not adding extra to the atmosphere
- however, if we use land to grow crops for fuel, it could push up the price of food
- used for transport
uses of energy
transport, generating electricity, heating
advantages of fossil fuels
reliable
cheap
abundant
they release a lot of energy
versatile
properties of nuclear power
theyre non renewable
- they run on elements uranium and plutonium
- cannot easily be turned on and off, are usually kept on all the time
advantages of nuclear power
once a power plant is running, it releases no carbon dioxide, so it does not contribute to climate change
- reliable, can generate a lot of electricity when we want it
disadvantages of nuclear power
- contains highly dangerous radioactive material, so if theres an accident, then these materials could be released into the environment
- at the end of a nuclear plants life, it needs to be decommissioned and this is veryyy expensive
- throughout its life, a power plant generates large amounts of highly radioactive waste which has to be stored for thousands of years before its safe
what was the most abundant fossil fuel up till the 1950s
coal
what percent of the uks electricity was generated by nuclear power in the 80s
20%
advantages of using gas over coal
- burning gas generates less carbon dioxide than burning coal, meaning it contributes less to climate change
- gas fire power stations can be switched on and off quickly during times of high demands, whilst coal fired power stations have very long start up times
what is a disadvantage of using all renewable sources
- a lot of energy used in the UK is for transport, including cars, and almost all cars in the uk run on petrol or diesel, which are fossil fuels
