3.4.2 Physical Factors Determining the Supply of Energy Flashcards
• Geological factors including physical reserves of fossil fuels and active areas for geothermal energy • Climatic factors including insolation rates and wind strength and reliability • Relief factors including suitable locations for dam construction and hydropower • Locations with favourable conditions for sustainable energy generation from waves, tides and biofuels (12 cards)
1
Q
What is the Shams 1 in Abu Dhabi?
A
- World’s largest concentrated solar power plant
- Will provide electricity to 20,000 homes
- Cost an estimated $600 million
- Will make up 7% of Abu Dhabi’s electricity from renewable sources
- Over 250,000 parabolic mirrors
- Hope that energy produced will save 175,000 tons of CO2 every year
- Use specially designed trucks which are on dusting duty to protect reflectors from sand (which would compromise efficiency)
2
Q
What are the physical factors that influence the location of Shams 1?
A
- Receives 2285kWh/m2
- Around 9-11 daily sunshine hours
3
Q
What is the Dogger Bank in the North Sea?
A
- World’s largest offshore wind farm
- 130km off the Yorkshire coast
- Generates renewable energy for UK homes and businesses
- Global pandemic, conflict in Europe and challenging weather events hindered the journey to first power
- Hundreds of kilometres of cables onshore and offshore
- More than 2,000 UK roles created or supported
4
Q
What are the physical factors that influenced the location of Dogger Bank?
A
- 9-12m/s wind speed 100m above sea level
- UK has a high income/population density so energy is close to source
- Engineering experience from oil rigs in North Sea
- Shallow continent shelf (roughly 50m deep) means easier and cheaper construction, lower maintenance costs and no land constraints
5
Q
What is Heillisheidi in Iceland?
A
- 1 of the world’s 10 biggest geothermal power plants
- Primarily supplies aluminium refineries Reykjavik, which is located 20km W
- Flash steam combined heat and power plant (CHP)
- Generates 303MW of electricity and 400MW of thermal energy
- 13000m2 area located at Hengill (1 of the largest high-temperature geothermal fields in Iceland)
- Combination of 6 high-pressure turbines and 1 low-pressure steam turbine
- World’s biggest direct air CCS plant (Orca project) began operating at the plant in September 2021)
6
Q
What are the physical factors affecting the location of Hellisheidi?
A
- Magma near the surface
- Underground water
7
Q
What is the Threes Gorges Dam in China?
A
- World’s largest power station over the Yangtze River near Sandoupling
- 2.3km long and 185m high above sea level
- Blades spin at 75 revolutions per minute
- Cost $30 billion
- Total electric generating capacity is 22500MW
- Produces 10% of China’s energy demand
- Reduced potential for flooding (protects from Wuhan to Shanghai)
- Increase shipping down river (improves navigation and connects Wuhan to world trade)
- 600km2 reservoir created by the dam
- Flood/destroyed at least 1300 archaeological sites and 13 cities
- Millions of people relocated by the Chinese government
- Impacted ecosystems and more landslide (migrating fish species by colder water, killed 95% of fish upstream, pink dolphin is extinct)
8
Q
What are the physical factors influencing the location of the Three Gorges Dam?
A
- Maximum vertical drop of 110m
- High rainfall
- Fast, big river
- Built in a narrow gorges
- Built in an area of tectonic/seismic activity which leads to potential for breaking
9
Q
What is the Severn Tidal Barrage in the UK?
A
- Could be an incredible source of clean, environmentally friendly energy
- Excessive costs of £30 billion
- Risks for taxpayer and energy consumer, compared to other low-carbon energy options
- Would interrupt migratory fish species
- Could become silted up and require frequent flushing
- Output could be approx 25 TWh per year (1/3 of UK electricity)
10
Q
What are the physical factors influencing the location of the Severn Tidal Barrage?
A
- World’s 2nd largest tidal range of up to 14m
11
Q
What is Vaxjo in Sweden?
A
- City on a path to be fossil-fuel free by 2030
- Leading the world in locally sourced renewable energy
- Biomass-based CHP produces district heating and renewable energy
- 90% of heating and 50% of electricity is sourced from forestry by-products
- Largest CHP plant in Sandvik
12
Q
What are the physical factors influencing Vaxjo?
A
- Half of city is covered by forest (mostly wood chips, sawdust, bark and peat)
- Low population density of 26 people per km2
