Energy Resources and Electricity Generation

Key Issues

Titles

Chapters

• Advantages and disadvantages of different methods of electricity production
• Appreciate the effect on the environment of the generation of electricity by nuclear fuel limited to nuclear waste
• Appreciate the effect on the environment of the generation of electricity by the use of fossil fuels limited to the contribution of burning fossil fuels to the greenhouse effect
• Appreciate the effect on the environment of the generation of electricity by waves and tides on the use of land and sea
• Appreciate the effect on the environment of the generation of electricity by wind farms on the use of land and sea
• Common energy sources include coal, oil and gas, which are burned to produce heat and uranium/plutonium, in which nuclear fission produces heat
• describe the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy sources
• describe the environmental implications of the use of energy resources, limited to generation of electricity by fossil fuels
• describe the environmental implications of the use of energy resources, limited to generation of electricity by nuclear fuel
• describe the environmental implications of the use of energy resources, limited to generation of electricity by waves and tides
• describe the environmental implications of the use of energy resources, limited to generation of electricity by wind farms
• distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable resources
• Effects On The Environment
• Electricity can be produced directly from the Sun's radiation using solar cells
• Energy from renewable energy sources can be used to drive turbines directly
• Energy Sources
• ENERGY, TEMPERATURE AND THE TRANSFER OF HEAT ENERGY
• evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using various energy resources to generate electricity
• evaluate the use of different fossil fuels given data
• evaluate the use of nuclear fuels and disposal of waste in terms of scientific, environmental and ethical issues
• explain how energy sources, such as wind and fossil fuels, are ultimately dependent on the sun's energy
• explain the terms nonrenewable and renewable energy source
• explain why electricity is an important way of supplying energy to the home
• Geothermal Energy
• Heating or cooling of objects by transfer of electromagnetic radiation
• In most power stations an energy source is used to heat water
• In some volcanic areas hot water and steam rise to the surface. The steam can be tapped and used to drive turbines. This is known as geothermal energy
• Insulation can reduce the transfer of energy
• know that scientists are looking for other solutions to alleviate energy shortages e.g. fuel cells, nuclear fusion
• list the factors that need to be considered in the use of fossil fuels (energy value, short and long term availability, storage, cost, pollution, ease of use)
• recall examples of renewable energy sources (e.g. wind farms; solar cells; hydroelectricity; wave; tidal; biomass; biofuel)
• recall that energy can be in many forms (heat, electricity, sound, light or movement) and can be transferred from one form to another
• recall that fossil fuels are nonrenewable
• recall that many consumer roducts are made from chemicals from crude oil
• recall that some elements are radioactive and give out energy and that these are called nuclear fuel
• recall that the energy within fossil fuels can be released by burning them in oxygen
• recall that the wind, sun, water and biomass can be used as renewable energy sources
• recall that using nuclear fuel saves the use of fossil fuels but may cause other pollution problems
• recognise that some areas in the use of renewable energy are uncertain, e.g. projected costs; recycling and toxicity of solar cells
• recognise that there is a significant energy waste in the production of electricity at a conventional power station
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Renewable energy sources used in this way include wind, the rise and fall of water due to waves and tides, and the falling of water in hydroelectric schemes
• Solar Power
• state an advantage and a disadvantage of using wind, sun, water and biomass as energy sources
• state that radioactive materials emit radiation and that obtaining energy from nuclear fuels produces radioactive waste
• The advantages and disadvantages of using fossil fuels, nuclear fuels and renewable energy sources to generate electricity. These include the cost of building power stations, the start-up time of power stations, the reliability of the energy source
• The steam produced drives a turbine which is coupled to an electrical generator
• there are a variety of energy resources including biomass
• there are a variety of energy resources including coal
• there are a variety of energy resources including gas
• there are a variety of energy resources including geothermal
• there are a variety of energy resources including hydroelectric
• there are a variety of energy resources including nuclear
• there are a variety of energy resources including oil
• there are a variety of energy resources including solar
• there are a variety of energy resources including tidal
• there are a variety of energy resources including wave
• there are a variety of energy resources including wind
• This evaluation should take into consideration how quickly the different types of power station can respond to changes in demand
• This evaluation should take into consideration reliability
• This evaluation should take into consideration the costs of building, operating and decommissioning power stations and any additional information, including quantitative information with which they are provided
• understand that biomass energy and biofuels are CO2 neutral
• understand that stepping up the voltage reduces energy losses in the grid
• Using different energy resources has different effects on the environment. These effects include the release of substances into the atmosphere, noise and visual pollution, and the destruction of wildlife habitats