P1 - Renewable Energy

Question 1

What are the 8 types of renewable energy sources?

Answer 1

Wind, waves, tidal, hydroelectric, solar, geothermal, food, biofuels

Question 2

What are the 4 types of non-renewable energy sources?

Answer 2

Coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear fuels (uranium and plutonium)

Question 3

Describe how fuel power stations work

Answer 3

The fossil fuel is burned to convert its stored chemical energy to heat

The heat turns water to steam

The steam spins a turbine generating kinetic energy

The turbine spins a generator which generates electrical energy

Question 4

How does wind power work?

Answer 4

Wind spins large turbines which spin generators giving us electrical energy

Question 5

What are the 4 advantages of wind power?

Answer 5

Renewable

Electricity generated inside the turbine

No pollution

No permanent damaging to landscape because you can remove them and there will be no scarring

Question 6

What are the 4 disadvantages of wind power?

Answer 6

They spoil the view (1500 turbines needed to replace power station)

Can be very noisy

No power when the wind stops

Initial costs are quite high

Question 7

How do solar cells work?

Answer 7

The solar cell is joined in series to some electrical components so that when light hits the solar cell, an electric current is produced

Question 8

What are the 6 advantages of solar cells?

Answer 8

Can be very small for use in handheld devices

Can be used in remote places

No pollution

Very reliable in the summer

Running costs are very small

Can generate electricity for homes

Question 9

What are the 4 disadvantages of solar cells?

Answer 9

Don’t generate electricity at night time

Initial costs are high

Too expensive to connect to National Grid

Not visually appealing

Question 10

How does hydroelectric power work?

Answer 10

Water is stored in a dam and then all released so that it spins turbines so that electricity can be generated

Question 11

What are the 3 advantages of hydroelectric power?

Answer 11

No pollution because only rain water is used

Can provide immediate response to energy demand

Problems with reliability are rare (only in droughts)

Question 12

What are the 3 disadvantages of hydroelectric power?

Answer 12

Requires flooding a valley

Loss of animal habitats

Initial costs are high

Question 13

How does pumped storage work?

Answer 13

At night, the spare energy is used to pump water back up to the top so that it can be released when their is high energy demand

Question 14

How does wave power work?

Answer 14

When a wave moves in, it goes into a pipe and forces air out of the pipe and into a turbine

Question 15

What are the 3 advantages of wave power?

Answer 15

No pollution

Low running costs

Don’t look particularly ugly

Question 16

What are the 3 disadvantages of wave power?

Answer 16

You need a lot to produce enough energy

Hazard to boats

Unreliable because they depend on waves

Question 17

How does tidal power work?

Answer 17

The tide comes in and rises up to a pipe which it travels down and spins a turbine and is let out on the other side

The same happens when the tide goes out

Question 18

What are the 3 advantages of tidal power?

Answer 18

No pollution

Reliable because they give us energy twice a day

Minimal running costs

Question 19

What are the 3 disadvantages of tidal power?

Answer 19

Prevents free boat access

Spoils the view

Altering habitats of wildlife

Question 20

How does geothermal power work?

Answer 20

Cold water is pumped underground where it is heated by hotrocks and pumped back up

The heat causes the water to become steam that drives a turbine

Question 21

What are the 3 advantages of geothermal power?

Answer 21

No environmental problems

Can heat builings directly

Very reliable (consistent)

Question 22

What are the 2 disadvantages of geothermal power?

Answer 22

Not many suitable locations

Expensive to set up (excavation included)

Question 23

How do biofuels produce energy?

Answer 23

The same way as fossil fuels

Question 24

What are the 3 advantages of energy from biofuels?

Answer 24

Can power some cars

Fuels can be solids, liquids or gases

They are produced using very eco-friendly methods

Question 24

What are the 3 disadvantages of biofuels?

Answer 24

We still don’t know the full impact of biofuels on the environment

Large areas of forest have been destroyed to get to biofuels (loss of habitats, greenhouse effect)

Their use is limited to the amount of farmland that can dedicated to their production

Question 26

What are nuclear power stations?

Answer 26

Where nuclear fission of uranium or plutonium produces the heat to make steam to drive a turbine

Question 27

What are the 3 disadvantages of nuclear reactors?

Answer 27

Take a long time to set up

All costs are high

There is a possibility of nuclear disasters

Question 28

What are the 3 advantages of nuclear power?

Answer 28

Produces a lot of electricity

No pollution

Nuclear fuel is fairly cheap

Question 29

What is carbon capture and how does it work?

Answer 29

It is way of reducing carbon dioxide that leaves power stations

It is done by collecting the carbon dioxide before it leaves the power station and putting it into empty gas fields and oil fields under the sea

Question 30

What are the 6 factors that are considered when setting up a power station? (Give explanation for each)

Answer 30

Set-up costs (renewable power stations usually cost more to set up than non-renewable)

Set-up time (nuclear take longest, gas are quickest, sometimes discussions can go on for years)

Reliability (non-renewable are always reliable, renewable usually relies on weather)

Running and fuel costs (renewable have lowest running cost because there is no fuel)

Environmental issues (atmospheric pollution, visual, nuclear can have big problems, resources like oil, noise, habitats)

Location (needs to be located near the source of energy, nuclear needs to be away from people and near water for cooling)

Question 31

What are the 4 problems with non-renewable energy methods?

Answer 31

Most release carbon dioxide adding to the greenhouse effect

Burning coal and oil releases sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain

Coal mining scars the landscape

Oil spillages can cause serious problems in mammals and birds that live around the sea