Energy Resources Fossil Fuels (coal, oil, gas): Summary - Coal, oil and gas are called fossil

fuels. These fuel sources are non-renewable energy sources which mean it will eventually run out. They are burnt to heat water into steam, which turns a turbine, which drive generators to create electricity. How it works - Coal is crushed into a fine dust and burnt, whilst oil and gas can be burnt directly. This heat causes the water to create steam which then turns the turbines, which then turns the generators to create electricity.
Burn Fuel => Heats water to make Steam => Steam turns Turbine => Turbines Turn Generators => Creates Electricity

Advantages - Large amounts of electricity can be produced - Transportation of oil and gas to power stations is easy - Gas-fired power stations are efficient - Fossil-fuel power stations can be built almost anywhere Disadvantages - Creates vast amounts of pollution such as greenhouse gass. - Mining coal is difficult and dangerous. - Coal-fired power stations need huge amounts of fuel. Not a renewable energy source. Nuclear Power (uranium): Summary - Nuclear power stations use uranium as fuel. This non-renewable energy source works like fossil fuels as it creates heat to turn water into steam, which drives a turbine, which drives generators to create electricity. How it works - A reactor uses uranium rods, and heat is generated by nuclear fission: neutrons smashing into the nucleus, which splits it roughly in half. This releases the heat energy stored in it. Nuclear Fission => Heats water => Steam turns => Turbines turns => Creates electricity to make steam Turbines generators Advantages - Nuclear costs about the same as coal - Does not create pollution - Creates vast amounts of energy - Produces small amounts of waste - Reliable Disadvantages - Very dangerous as it is radioactive - Very expensive to make it safe Not a Renewable energy source. Solar Power: Summary - Solar power is a renewable energy source, which means it will never run out. It uses the suns light to heat up water panels to lower the use of electricity, or to convert the light to electricity. How it works - 1: Solar Cells - Converts light directly into electricity. 2: Solar water heating - The sun heats water in glass panels in roof which reduces the use of gas and electricity to heat water.

3: Solar Furnaces - Uses huge amounts of mirrors to concentrate the suns energy into a small space. Advantages - Solar energy is free - Used to lower bills Disadvantage - Doesnt work at night - Very expensive to build solar stations - Unreliable as we dont control the weather. It is a renewable energy source.

Wind Power: Summary - Wind power is a renewable energy source that uses the wind to spin its turbines, which drives a generator to create electricity. How it works - When wind is created, we can use this energy to create electricity. This is done by building wind turbines. The turbines move when wind is blown against it, which moves the generator to create electricity. Advantages - Free - Does not create pollution or waste - The land beneath can still be used for farming - Good method to supply energy to remote areas Disadvantages - Not reliable as we do not control the weather - Suitable areas for wind farms are near coast, which costs a lot to buy land. - It looks ugly - Noise pollution It is a renewable energy source. Tidal Power: Summary - Tidal power is a renewable energy source that uses the tides to rush through a tunnel in a barrage to spin a turbine, which drives a generator to create electricity. How it works - A huge dam(barrage) is built across a river estuary. When the tide goes in and out, the water flows thru a little tunnel in the barrage. The water passing through the tunnel spins a turbine to create electricity. Advantages - Once built, tidal power is free - No pollution or waste is produced - No fuel is needed - Reliable Disadvantages - Very expensive to build a barrage - Very few sites where barrages can be built - Can only provide energy when there are tides It is a renewable energy source.

Hydro-electric power: Summary - Hydro-electric power is a renewable source that means getting energy from flowing water. How it works - It works exactly as Tidal power but it is built in a smaller body of water. Advantages - Once the dam is built, the energy is virtually free. - No waste or pollution produced. -Much more reliable than wind, solar or wave power. -Water can be stored above the dam ready to cope with peaks in demand. -Hydro-electric power stations can increase to full power very quickly -Electricity can be generated constantly. Disadvantages - Very expensive to build - Can cause flooding in areas - Very few sites where it can be built - Water quality and quantity can be affected It is a renewable energy source. Pump Storage Reservoirs: Summary - It is a way of storing energy for when you need it in a hurry. How it works - Water is pumped up to the top of the reservoir at night. When needed, huge taps are opened which then causes the water to travel down tunnels to spin the turbines to create electricity. Water is then pumped back up to the top to reuse again. Advantages - Very useful when city is low in power - Little effect on landscape - No pollution or waste Disadvantages - Expensive to build - Once used, it cannot be reused until pumped back up to the top. It is not a power station, so we cannot really say if it is renewable or not. Wave Power: Summary - It uses the waves energy to create wind to spin a turbine, to drive a generator to make electricity. How it works - At a wave station, waves arriving causes water in a chamber to rise and fall. This causes the air to be forced in and out of a hole in the top which contains a turbine. The turbine is turned by the rushing air, which then turns a generator to create power. Advantages - Energy is free. - Not expensive to maintain - Can produce a lot of energy. Disadvantages - Unreliable as we dont control the tide - Needs a suitable site - Very noisy - Needs to withstand weather.

Geothermal Power: Summary Geothermal energy means getting heat from hot rocks underground. When hot water comes up from underground, the heat is used to create steam as an energy source. How it works - Hot rocks underground heat water to produce steam. Holes are drilled down to these hot regions, which forces the steam to come up. The rushing of the steam to the surface spins a turbine, which then turns the generator to produce electricity. Advantages - No pollution or fuel - The power station does not take up much room. - The energy is free Disadvantages - Not many suitable areas to build power stations - May run out of steam - Hazardous gases and minerals can come up from underground. It is a renewable energy source. Biomass: Summary - Biomass means burning wood, dung, sugar cane or something similar. It is like burning fossil fuels, but it is a renewable energy source. How it works - It works exactly like fossil fuel power station, but instead, bio-fuels are burnt. Biofuels are made from two sources: 1 - Growing crops such as corn, sugar cane, soya or rapeseed. 2 - Growing algae Advantages - Uses waste materials - Fuel is cheap - Less demand on fossil fuels Disadvantages - Collecting or growing fuel is difficult - Burning of bio-fuels causes greenhouse gases - Some waste materials are not available all year round. It is a renewable energy source