Comparing Different Power Stations 2 Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is an advantage of Nuclear power generation?
No CO2, reliable, generate large amounts of electricity and uses small amount of fuel.
Nuclear power is considered a low-emission energy source, which is significant for reducing greenhouse gases.
What is a disadvantage of Nuclear power generation?
Radioactive waste produced which needs to be stored for a long time, high commissioning and decommissioning costs and risks with terrorism.
The long-term management of radioactive waste poses significant environmental and safety challenges.
What is an advantage of Coal, Oil and Gas power generation?
Generate large amounts of electricity. Can be built in many locations.
The flexibility in location allows these power plants to be situated near demand centers.
What is a disadvantage of Coal, Oil and Gas power generation?
CO2 (global warming) and SO2 (acid rain for coal) produced, transport of fuel is difficult and getting a secure supply.
The combustion of fossil fuels contributes significantly to climate change and air pollution.
What is an advantage of Hydroelectric power generation?
No CO2, generate large amount of electricity, no fuel costs and start up time is short.
Hydroelectric power is renewable and can provide a stable output of energy.
What is a disadvantage of Hydroelectric power generation?
Need to flood large area of land, destroy wildlife habitats and building of large dams.
The environmental impact of damming rivers can lead to significant ecological changes.
What is an advantage of Wind power generation?
No fuel, no air pollution.
Wind energy is a clean source of power that contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
What is a disadvantage of Wind power generation?
Eye-sore, unreliable, generate small amount of electricity.
Wind turbines can be seen as visually unappealing and their output can be variable due to wind conditions.
Fill in the blank: Solar power generation needs a lot of panels to generate fairly reliable, no air _______.
pollution.
Solar energy is a sustainable resource but requires significant infrastructure for effective energy generation.
What is a disadvantage of Solar power generation?
Does not work at night.
Energy storage solutions are necessary to provide power during non-sunny hours.
What is an advantage of Geothermal power generation?
No air pollution, reliable.
Geothermal energy utilizes the Earth’s internal heat, making it a dependable energy source.
What is a disadvantage of Geothermal power generation?
Ground source heating needs large area.
The land requirement can limit the feasibility of geothermal projects in urban areas.
What is an advantage of Biomass power generation?
Can generate large amount of electricity and carbon neutral.
Biomass energy can help reduce reliance on fossil fuels if managed sustainably.
What is a disadvantage of Biomass power generation?
Large areas of land needed to grow trees and plants.
The cultivation of biomass can compete with food production and natural ecosystems.
What is an advantage of Wave and tidal power generation?
Tidal predictable. No air pollution.
Tidal energy benefits from consistent patterns, making it a reliable source of renewable energy.
What is a disadvantage of Wave power generation?
Wave more unreliable as it depends on the wind. Tidal could cause loss of wildlife areas.
The ecological impact of tidal installations needs careful consideration to protect marine life.
True or False: The decommissioning cost for a nuclear power station is often underestimated.
True.
Estimates suggest that decommissioning costs can reach around £50 billion, highlighting the long-term financial implications of nuclear energy.
