Generating Electricity Flashcards
What are the advantages of nuclear fuel?
> lots of electricity
> no polluting gases
What are the advantages of a hydroelectric scheme?
> produces a reliable renewable energy source
> very little pollution caused
What are the disadvantages of a hydroelectric scheme?
> does not generate a lot of energy
> visual pollution to the landscape
> can disrupt natural habitats
Describe tidal energy.
> as the tide comes in the turbines are turned, providing kinetic energy for the generator
What are the advantages of tidal energy?
> reliable
renewable
no environmental pollution
What are the disadvantages of tidal energy?
> not a lot of energy produced
> visual pollution
What are the advantages of wave energy?
> not a lot of pollution produced (no polluting gases)
> renewable
What is a disadvantage to geothermal energy?
> needs to be built in a volcanic area of geothermal activity
What are the disadvantages of solar cells?
> not a lot of energy produced
- many needed to produce energy
only work during the day
What are the advantages of solar cells?
> after initial cost running cost is v. Low
> almost no pollution produced
What are the disadvantages of wind turbines?
> not very reliable as need wind constantly
> can be an eyesore and create a lot of noise
> not a lot of energy produced
What are the advantages to wind power?
> no polluting gases produced
> easily dismantled
What is carbon capture?
> CO2 produced by burning fossil fuels piped away deep under the ground
- to disused oil and gas fields underground
What are the disadvantages of nuclear fuel?
> produces radioactive waste
> is non- renewable
> requires decommissioning of power plants - high costs
Describe how a pumped storage system works.
> during the night when there is a surplus of electricity, the extra electricity can be used to pump water from a lower reservoir to a higher one
> during peak demand the water can be released to generate electricity to supplement that which is constantly created by the national grid
> way of storing electricity which has already been created
What is the job of the national grid?
> takes electrical energy from power stations to where it is needed in homes and industry
Why is electricity stepped up when it is carried along the national grid?
> to transmit a large amount of electricity you need either a high current or a high voltage
> vast amount of energy is wasted through the cables of the current is high, so instead the voltage is stepped up
What are the advantages to overhead cables compared to underground cables?
> lower set up cost
> easy to access
> easy to set up
> minimal disturbance to ground and land
What are the disadvantages to overhead cables compared to underground cables?
> ugly
> affected by weather
need maintenance
> unreliable
> risk of electric shock and risk to aircraft
