Energy, generation and storage Flashcards
What are fossil fuels?
Fossil fuels are non renewable natural resources formed from the remains of organisms
How is electricity Typically produced?
Fossil fuels are usually burned in power stations
List the three main types of fossil fuel
Oil, coal and gas
What has led to a big shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable sources?
Declining reserves and links to climate change
Advantages of fossil fuels
1.generate large amounts of energy.
2. provide a reliable supply of energy
Disadvantages of fossil fuels
- Release greenhouse gases, which cause pollution and contribute to global warming
- Will eventually run out
What is renewable energy?
It is a non-finite making it the most sustainable form of energy.
What are the issues of renewable energy?
there are several issues concerning its reliability and initial set up costs.
How can wind be used to create energy?
Generators in wind turbines convert the winds kinetic energy into electricity
How can solo be used to create energy?
Solar panels are used to convert, the suns energy into electricity
How can tidal be used to create energy?
Turbines, convert kinetic energy in water, currents and tides into electricity
How can hydroelectric be used to create energy?
As trapped water is released from dams , it’s kinetic energy turns electric turbines
How can biomass be used to create energy?
Organic material, such as animal waste or crops are burned for energy or processed in to biofuel
What are the five main types of renewable energy?
Wind, solar, tidal, hydroelectric, and biomass
Advantages of wind energy
When produces no greenhouse gases once turbines have been set up, energy is cheap
Disadvantages of wind energy
Set up costs are high. Turbines are considered unsightly and cause noise pollution
Advantages of solar energy
Solar energy produces no greenhouse gases once panels have been set up.Energy is cheap.
Disadvantages of solar energy
No electricity is generated when there is no sunlight
solar panels are expensive
Advantages of tidal energy
Tides are guaranteed predictable and produce no greenhouse gases
Disadvantages of tidal energy
Tidal barrages are costly to build, and can disrupt ecosystems
Advantages of biomass energy
Biomass is affordable and renewable. Every sources are replaced e.g. trees are re-planted.
Advantages of biomass energy
Biomass is affordable and renewable. Every sources are replaced e.g. trees are re-planted.
Disadvantages of biomass energy
Burning biomass releases, CO2 also using with the fuel can lead to deforestation
Disadvantages of biomass energy
Burning biomass releases, CO2 also using with the fuel can lead to deforestation
How can energy be made by nuclear power?
Nuclear power stations work in a similar way to other power stations, but heat is generated by splitting uranium atoms in nuclear reactors
Advantages of nuclear power to create energy
Very efficient, generates a lot of electricity and produces far less greenhouse gases than fossil fuels
What are kinetic pump storage systems used for?
To manage energy supply
What happens when the demand for energy is low in kinetic pumped storage systems?
Excess energy produced by power stations is used to pump water from a low reservoir to a high reservoir
Why are energy storage systems needed?
To store electricity into required as demand for energy fluctuates
What happens when energy demand peaks in kinetic pump storage systems?
Water stored in the higher reservoir is released through turbines to generate extra electricity and the water is then back to the High reservoir when energy demand drops again
What happens when energy demand peaks in kinetic pump storage systems?
Water stored in the higher reservoir is released through turbines to generate extra electricity and the water is then back to the High reservoir when energy demand drops again
Eg of when energy demand is low….
At night time
Eg of when energy demand is high….
At breakfast time
Eg of when energy demand is high….
At breakfast time
What do batteries do to produce energy?
Battery store energy into chemical form and convert it to electrical energy when needed
Why are ordinary dry cell batteries not rechargeable?
Because the reactants inside of them are consumed in chemical reactions, the output from these batteries gradually falls
What happens to a battery once all of the reactants have been consumed
The batteries go flat and cannot supply electrical energy anymore
Describe alkaline batteries
Alkaline batteries are usually disposable and cannot be reused once flat delete less than other types of battery and lost a long time
What are alkaline batteries Best used for as they cannot be recharged.
They are best used in devices that do not use much power, e.g. clocks and smoke detectors
What happens to the output of alkaline batteries?
That output gradually falls over time
Describe rechargeable batteries
They can be recharged and reused, so they are better for the environment that alkaline batteries
What does charging a battery do?
It reverses the chemical reaction that occurred when it was used
Describe the output of rechargeable batteries
They maintain a constant output until they go flat and a best suited to high powered items. E.g. car, batteries and mobile phones.
What do batteries contain?
Toxic chemicals that can harm the environment. This is why it is important that they are recycled or disposed of correctly.
