Types of Energy* Flashcards
What are ‘flow’ resources?
Renewable energy resources which are constant without human interference and infinite as they are replenished at a similar rate to which they are used
Name examples of flow resources
Water (so tidal, HEP etc), wind, geothermal and solar
What are ‘stock’ resources?
Non-renewable resources that are finite and cannot be replaced
Name examples of stock reources
Coal, oil, gas, and nuclear
What is primary energy?
Energy released from a direct source (eg. heat released from burning coal)
What is secondary energy?
Energy created when primary energy is converted into a different form (eg. heat energy from coal used to generate electricity)
What is the energy security of a country?
The access a country has to reliable and affordable sources of energy
What is the energy mix of a country?
Shows the sources of energy used by a country, so a pie chart can show the percentage of each energy source used by the country
What was the UK’s energy mix in 2013?
38% coal 28% natural gas 21% nuclear 11% renewables 2% other
What was China’s energy mix in 2008?
71% coal 3% natural gas 1% nuclear and other 6% hydroelectric 19% oil
What was Angola’s energy mix in 2011?
5% natural gas
6% hydroelectric
30% oil
59% solid biomass
How is the UK’s energy mix predicted to change in the future?
Up to 40-55% the energy mix will be lost, due to the powering off of all coal-powered stations by 2023
Why is the UK’s energy mix changing?
New regulations put in place by the EU, want to cut down emissions from coal by introducing more gas stations, which are cleaner (producing 30% less CO2 than oil, and 45% less than coal)
How will the UK introduce more gas into the the UK’s energy mix?
Gas discovered underground to be exploited by fracking
How does fracking work?
Cracks in ground that hold gas are enlarged by the injection of slick water (water, chemicals and sand), so when sand holds holes open, gas can escape and be burned for energy
What are the arguments against fracking in the UK?
Environmental effects haven’t been fully examined
Lots of water needs to be transported there
Drilling process can cause small earthquakes
Chemicals might get into and contaminate water supplies
What are other options to account for loss of coal powered stations?
Using biofuels, nuclear power, wind power, and micro schemes
How are biofuels used to produce energy in the UK?
Drax power station (North Yorkshire) burns wood pellets
What are the disadvantages of Drax power station?
Wood comes from America, 3,800 miles away
Wood produces 1/3 of the power that coal does
Cost of burning wood 2 1/2 times more than coal
How might nuclear power be used to produce energy in the UK?
Hinkley Point, Somerset might become a nuclear plant, which is controlled by EDF and predicted to cost £18 million
Why is nuclear power controversial?
Can cause major disasters (Eg, Fukushima 2011, caused by an earthquake)
How are wind farms used to produce energy in the UK?
Onshore wind farms produce 60% total wind energy, more land near the coast available for expansion
What are the disadvantages to using wind farms in the UK?
Considered unsightly by locals
Depend on weather
Need electricity to keep going when weather not windy
This, plus maintenance, construction and power down can be very expensive
What is the micro scheme suggested by Tesla?
Using a powerwall: a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, to power homes in the evening, with an 6.4 kWh energy storage capacity
