Evaluating Energy Flashcards
What are the disadvantages of fossil fuels?
Produces polluting/greenhouse gases and there are often waste products - mining damages environment - eye sore - destroys habitats - operating costs of power stations increase as fossil fuel supplies decrease (they are non- renewable)
What are the advantages of fossil fuels?
Fuel can be stored (increases reliability) - single power station generates large amount of electricity and are cheap to build - short start up and shut down times - gas power stations are 60% efficient as burning gases as well as steam is used to turn turbine - does not occupy large land areas
What are the advantages of nuclear energy?
Does not produce greenhouse gases - nuclear fuel can be stored (increases reliability) - single power station generates large amount of electricity
What are the disadvantages of nuclear energy?
Creates radioactive waste that must be safely stored - the cost of building is very expensive - nuclear power stations have longest start up and shut down times
What are the advantages of hydroelectricity?
It is renewable - generates electricity quickly if reservoir levels are maintained
What are the disadvantages of hydroelectricity?
Can cause large scale flooding - produces large amounts of greenhouse gases as vegetation rots at the bottom of reservoirs due to the water level change
What are the advantages of biofuels?
It is renewable - often carbon neutral - reduces need for landfill sites - can be stored
What are the disadvantages of biofuel?
Fields that could be used for growing crops are taken up - does produce greenhouse gases (although it is carbon neutral)
What are the advantages of wind power?
It is renewable - does not produce any polluting gases
What are the disadvantages of wind power?
Weather dependant so wind farms must be located in generally windy areas - produces fairly low amount of energy (lots needed) - each turbine is quite expensive to build - some see it as an eye sore - sometimes located out at sea (difficult for maintainence)
What are the advantages of tidal power?
It is renewable - does not produce polluting gases
What are the disadvantages of tidal power?
Can cause large scale flooding - change/disrupt water flow
What are the advantages of geothermal energy?
It is renewable
What are the disadvantages of geothermal energy?
Can release toxic gases from below the Earth’s surface - expensive and can be damaging to environment as deep hole needs to be drilled into the earth
What are the advantages of solar energy?
It is renewable - does not produce polluting gases
