Energy Resources Flashcards
What is biomass/bio-fuels?
It is created from either plant or animal dung and can be burned to produce electricity.
What are the advantages of biomass?
- carbon neutral
- fairly reliable
What are the disadvantages of biomass?
- expensive
- cannot respond to immediate energy demand
- not enough space or water to meet the demands for crops to be grown for food
What is wind power?
The wind turns the generator inside the wind turbine producing electricity.
What are the advantages of wind power?
- no pollution
- low running costs
What are the disadvantages of wind power?
- not reliable, only work when there is wind
- initial costs are high
- can be noisy
What is solar power?
Solar panels are made from a material that use energy transferred by light to produce electricity.
What are the advantages of solar power?
- no pollution
- no running costs
What are the disadvantages of solar power?
- only work when there is sunlight
- initial costs are high
- mainly generate electricity in a small scale
What is hydro-electricity?
It involves flooding a valley using a dam, rainwater is caught and is allowed through turbines to produce electricity.
What are the advantages of hydro-electricity?
- no pollution
- it can respond to immediate demand
- reliable
- minimal running costs
What are the disadvantages of hydro-electricity?
- impacts the environment because there is possible loss of habitat
- initial costs are high
What is the resource, tidal?
They are big dams with turbines in them, as the tide comes in it fills up and is then released.
What are the advantages of tidal?
- no pollution
- reliable
- no fuel costs
- minimal running costs
What are the disadvantages of tidal?
- affect boat access
- alter habitats
- initial costs are moderately high
