Renewable And Non-Renewable Sources Of Energy Flashcards Preview

Edexcel A2 Product Design - Sustainability > Renewable And Non-Renewable Sources Of Energy > Flashcards

Flashcards in Renewable And Non-Renewable Sources Of Energy Deck (20)
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1
Q

Who are the ‘Sandals’?

A

Believe in the back-to-nature approach, where humanity should be woven more deeply into the natural world through the use of renewable energy sources

2
Q

Who are the ‘Nukes’?

A

Less conventional green thinkers who believe that technology is the way forward, therefore reducing our dependency on the planet’s natural resources

3
Q

Outline how we can use wind as a renewable energy source

A

Power of wind turns turbines, which generates electricity

4
Q

Give 4 advantages of wind as a renewable energy source

A
  • Flexibility (Can be used in large-scale wind farms or individual turbines)
  • Use of wind turbines is non-polluting (Produces 50 x as much energy over its lifetime as is consumed by its construction)
  • Produces low-cost power if developed commercially
  • Could be installed offshore to minimise visual impact and maximise efficiency
5
Q

Give 5 disadvantages of wind as a renewable energy source

A
  • Can only provide a small proportion of total energy needs
  • Unsightly onshore wind turbines spoil landscape
  • Infrastructure required damages landscape
  • Controversial (Noise and vibration of moving)
  • Affects environmentally sensitive coastal sites
6
Q

Outline how we can use water as a renewable energy source

A

Running water turns turbines and generates hydroelectric power (HEP)

7
Q

Give 5 advantages of water as a renewable energy source

A
  • Fuel is not required so eliminates fuel cost and production of CO²
  • HEP plants are highly efficient with minimal running costs
  • High initial set-up costs recovered after only a few years
  • Reservoirs provide improved leisure and tourism
  • Large dams can control flooding downstream
8
Q

Give 5 disadvantages of water as a renewable energy source

A
  • Extremely expensive to construct dams and power plants
  • Flooding of vast areas to create reservoirs, displace residents
  • Dam failures can cause massive destruction
  • HEP projects can disrupt aquatic ecosystem
  • Can produce lots of greenhouse gases in tropical locations
9
Q

Outline how we can use solar as a renewable energy source

A

Hot water and/or electricity generated from solar energy via solar panels and photovoltaic cells

10
Q

Give 5 advantages of solar as a renewable energy source

A
  • Huge amounts of free energy available
  • Pollution free during use
  • Low operating and maintenance costs
  • Produces enough energy for national grid to cope at peak demand
  • Economically competitive, especially in remote regions
11
Q

Give 4 disadvantages of solar as a renewable energy source

A
  • Relatively expensive set-up costs for domestic or commercial
  • Solar electricity is currently more expensive than other sources
  • Solar heat and electricity are not available at night
  • Energy lost by converting DC current to AC current for national grid
12
Q

Outline how we can use biomass and biofuels as a renewable energy source

A

Plant materials are either incinerated to produce heat and electricity or biogas is produced from anaerobic digestion

13
Q

Give 4 advantages of biomass and biofuels as a renewable energy source

A
  • Relatively inexpensive source
  • Large amounts of waste biomass material available from agriculture
  • Production of biogas reduces the release of methane into the atmosphere
  • By-products of biogas production can be sold and used as compost
14
Q

Give 3 disadvantages of biomass and biofuels as a renewable energy source

A
  • Ecological damage, including deforestation
  • Currently, expensive processing costs of converting biomass into fuels with low yield
  • Incineration causes CO² pollution
15
Q

Outline how we can use nuclear as a non-renewable energy source

A

A controlled nuclear chain reaction creates heat, which is used to boil water, produce steam, and drive turbines which in turn generate electricity

16
Q

Give 5 advantages of nuclear as a non-renewable energy source

A
  • Uses uranium, which is abundant
  • Controlled chain reaction creates heat that also heats power station
  • Mitigates greenhouse effect if used to replace fossil-fuel-derived electricity
  • Passively safe nuclear reactors use new technologies, increasing safety
  • Future development of fission reactors, which are cleaner and more efficient
17
Q

Give 4 disadvantages of nuclear as a non-renewable energy source

A
  • Unpopular/mistrust with public due to media coverage of incidents such as Chernobyl
  • Problem of storing radioactive waste with thousands of years of decay
  • Potential for severe radioactive contamination and proliferation of nuclear weapons
  • Mining of uranium causes damage to environment and pollution
18
Q

Outline how we can use fossil fuels as a non-renewable energy source

A

The burning of hydro-carbons (oil, coal and gas) to produce heat and power

19
Q

Give 3 advantages of fossil fuels as a non-renewable energy source

A
  • Economies of scale (Large amount of electricity produced meaning low-cost supply)
  • Gas-fires stations are very efficient
  • Power stations can be built almost anywhere
20
Q

Give 5 disadvantages of fossil fuels as a non-renewable energy source

A
  • Finite resource
  • Largest source of emissions of CO², contributing to global warming
  • Generates sulphuric, carbonic and nitric acid, which cause acid rain
  • Mining of coal and extraction of oil and gas cause damage to environment and pollution
  • Regional and global conflicts triggered over oil reserves