Renewable Energy Sources 0.0 / 5 ? PhysicsRenewable energy sourcesGCSEAQA Created by: revising.sn613Created on: 15-05-15 18:15 WIND POWER How it works: each turbine has its own generator genertor is used when the wind blows which turns the blades the generator is used to make electricity Advantages: no pollution no permanant damage no fuel costs Disadvantages: very noisy spoil the view the inital costs are high some pollution large number needed no power when wind stops 1 of 8 SOLAR CELLS How it works: generates electricty from the suns light panels are used Advantages: no pollution in hot countries solar power is a very reliable source energy is free running costs are almost nil great in remote places good for a small scale Disadvantages: inital costs are high not practical to connect to the national grid too expensive only works in the daytime some pollution does not work at night 2 of 8 HYDROELECTRIC POWER How it works: use a flooding of a valley with a big dam rainwater is caught and allowed through turbines turbine is connected to a generator which produces electricity Advantages: no pollution no problem with reliability great for remote small scale areas provide an immediant response Disadvantages: inital costs are high big imapact on enviroment loss of habitat doesnt work in droughts(looks ugly when dried up) 3 of 8 PUMPED STORAGE How it works: surplus electricity generated during night used to pump water from top reservoir to bottom reservoir water available to use to generate electricity at peak time Advantages: pumped storage is one of the best soloutions store spare energy SAME AS HYDROELECTRIC Disadvantages: effects the enviroment SAME AS HYDROELECTRIC 4 of 8 WAVE POWER How it works: waves come in on shore up-down motion turns the turbines used to drive generator Advantages: no pollution no fuel costs very useful on small islands Disadvantages: inital costs are high hazard to boats fairly unreliable(wave die out/wind syops) spoils the view you need lots of small wave-powered turbines 5 of 8 TIDAL BARRAGES How it works: (source of gravity& sun/moon) big dam built across river estuaries(with turbines) waves come in and fills up the esturary water allowed through turbines which produces electricity Advantages: pretty reliable excellent for storing energy and can store for peak demand no fuel costs & minimal running costs no pollution Disadvantages: prevents access to boats & alters the habitat for wildlife height of tide changes costs are high not all esturaries can be used 6 of 8 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY How it works: used in volcanic areas where hot rocks are used steam and hot water rise to the surface which is used to drive a generator source of heat is the slow decay of various elements e.g. uranium Advantages: brilliant free energy no envirmental problems used to heat buildings directly without being converted to electrical energy Disadvantages: aren't many suitable locations cost of building of a power plant is often high compared to the amount of energy we use. 7 of 8 BIOFUELS How it works: they're burnt to heat water biofuels are burnt(e.g. solids:straw,nutshells and wood ships or liquids: ethanol or gases:methane, 'biogas from sludge digesters' or dead oragnisms) which then turns a turbine which the turns a generator Advantages: it uses carbon neutral quick and 'natural' source of energy renewable and won't run out Disadvantages: large forests have to be cleared to make room to grow biofuels lots of species lose their natural habitats the decay and burning of the vegetation increases Co2 and methane 8 of 8
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