Energy(1)- pt 3 Flashcards
1
Q
What are the advantages of non-renewables?
A
- fossil fuels and nuclear energy are reliable, there’s enough to meet current demands
- they’re extracted at a rate so that power plants always have fuel in stock
- so they can respond quickly to changes in demand
- using fossil fuels is cost effective
- acid rain produced from coal and oil can be reduced by taking out the sulfur before the fuel is burnt
2
Q
What are the disadvantages of do non-renewables?
A
- they’re running out, may round out within a hundred years
- coal, oil and gas release CO2 when burnt. adding to the greenhouse effect and to global warming
- coal and oil release sulfur dioxide when burnt, causing acid rain (harmful to trees and ecosystems)
- coal mining damages landscapes (especially ‘open cast mining’)
- oil spillages cause environmental problems, effecting animals in the sea
- nuclear fuel is cheap but the overall cost of nuclear power is high due to the cost of the power plant and final decommissioning
- nuclear power always carries a risk like Fukushima in Japan
3
Q
Why re sone energy providers reluctant to use renewable energy?
A
- it’s more expensive
- people don’t want to live near power plants
- some aren’t as reliable (eg. Wind)
- research into improve the reliability would cost money and time
