9 ways of generating electricity

1. Wind power/energy

2. Hydroelectric energy

3. Tidal energy

4. Wave energy

5. Solar energy

6. Nuclear energy

7. Geothermal energy

8. Biomass energy

9. Fossil fuels

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Putting lots of wind turbines in exposed places. Creating wind farms on moors 

Rotating blades inside each turbine generate electricity. 

Advantages:

Renewable. No pollution. No fuel costs and minimal running costs, so fairly cheap. No permanent damage to the environment.

Disadvantages:

Causes pollution when it is being manufactured. Spoils the view. Very noisy. Initial costs are high- expensive. Doesn't constantly produce electricity- no wind, or very strong winds means turbines stop. Impossible to increase supply when demand increases. Has to be built in specific places e.g. moorlands.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Transfers energy from the kinetic store of falling water. 

Flooding a valley by building a dam. Rivers fill a lake behind a dam, and this rainwater/water goes out and turns the generators.

Advantages:

Renewable. Can provide immediate response to an increased demand for electricity. Reliable. No fuel costs and minimal running costs. Small scale in remote areas.

Disadvantages:

Floods a valley, which has rotting vegetation that releases methane and carbon dioxide. Loss of habitat. Doesn't look good when reservoir dries up. High initial costs

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Tidal barrages/big dams are built where river meets the tide (river estuaries) along with generators. Tide comes in a fills up the estuary, the water turns the generators when it is allowed out.

Uses Moon's gravitational pull to cause tides.

Advantages:

No pollution. Reliable. No fuel costs and minimal running costs. Generates a good amount of energy.

Disadvantages:

Few areas suitable. High initial costs. Spoils the view. Alters the habitats. Heights of tides vary, lower tides generate less energy. 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Lots of wave powered turbines placed around coasts and the up-and-down motion of the waves drives the generators.

Advantages:

Renewable. Minimal running costs. No pollution. Very useful for small islands.

Disadvantages:

High initial costs. Spoils the view. Hazardrous for boats. Quite unreliable as if wind drops, then wave level will also drop. Disturbs the seabed and marine life. 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Solar panels/cells generate electricity by absorbing the Sun's energy/sunlight. (Abosrbed Sun's energy can heat water.)

Generates electricity on a small scale.

Advantages:

Renewable. Energy is free, very little running costs. No pollution.  Very reliable in sunny countries

Disadvantages:

 High initial costs, although in some cases solar panels will be paid for by someone else to have them on your roof. Cannot increase power output during high demand. Continuous sunshine is ideal. Not very useful in nighttime!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Radioactive material naturally release heat. Nuclear reactions can speed up this process. Heat is used to generate electricity.

Advantages:

Reliable. Meets current demand. Cost-effecive- low running costs and low fuel-extraction costs.

Disadvantages:

Produces radioactive waste that is difficult to dispose of. Non-renewable. Finite. Carries risk of a major catastrophe. High initial costs.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Underground thermal energy stores. Water heated by hot rocks. Rocks present miles underneath Earth's surface. Heat in rocks come from naturally occuring radioactive materials.

Advantages:

Renewable. Huge quantities of energy available. Free energy. Few environmental problems.

Disadvantages:

Only possible in volcanic areas. Not many suitable locations for power plants. Cost of building power plant very high in comparision to amount of energy produced.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Biofuel is created from plants or animal dung. Solid. liquid, or gas and can be burnt to produce electricity.

Fast-growing plants can make alcohol, which could then be used as fuel.

Advantages:

Carbon-neutral??? Reliable. Renewable. Less greenhouse gases produced compared to fossil-fuels.

Disadvantages:

Cannot respond to immediate energy demands, therefore bio-fuels are constantly produced and stored for when they're needed. Costly. Some worry that growing crops for biofuel will reduce the amount of crops we have for food as space and water are being reduced. Loss of natural habitats. Decay and burning of vegetation increases carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Huge areas of land required.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Coal, oil, natural gases. Formed in past from remains of organisms. Release thermal energy when burned.

A lot of our energy is produced like this and with nuclear power. Although, countries are slowly turning to more renewable resources and looking for more efficient and environmentally friendly ways of generating electricity.

Advantages:

Reliable. Plenty to meet current demand. Power plants can respond quickly to changes in demand. Efficient. Low running costs. Very cost-effective.

Disadvantages:

Non-renewable/ Finite resource. Slowly running out. High initial cost. Releases carbon dioxide into atmosphere, so contributes to global warming. Releases sulfur dioxide, causing acid rain. Spoil views. Coal mining destroys landscapes. Oil spillages cause environmental problems. Public health issues. Polluting