Renewable energy

Question 1

Name five forms of renewable energy

Answer 1

• Wind
• Solar
• Biomass
• Geothermal
• Tidal

Question 2

Describe solar energy and name the leading producers

Answer 2

Photovolactic cells convert sunlight to electricity

Japan, Germany and USA

Question 3

What are the advantages of solar energy?

Answer 3

• Effective on small scale
• Easy to install and low maintenance
• Long lasting
• No greenhouse gas emissions

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of solar energy?

Answer 4

• Dependent on climate and so no night generation
• Need a lot for large scale production
• High initial cost

Question 5

Give an example of solar energy production

Answer 5

Mildura Solar Power Station in Australia to be the biggest in the world at a cost of $420 million for 45,000 homes and reduce emissions by 400k tonnes a year

Question 6

Describe wind energy and name the leading producers

Answer 6

Turbines convert kinetic to mechanical energy to a generator for electricity
Germany, Spain and Germany

Question 7

What are the advantages of wind energy?

Answer 7

• Effective large and small scale
• Agricultural land undisturbed
• Suitable for remote locations
• Cheap running cost
• No gas emissions

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of wind energy?

Answer 8

• Eyesore and noisy
• Climate dependent
• Threat to birds
• High initial cost
• Public dispute

Question 9

Give an example of wind energy?

Answer 9

By 2007, Germany had over 18,000 turbines producing 6% of electricity and employed 64,000

Question 10

Describe biomass energy production

Answer 10

Organic mass with high energy potential

Question 11

What are the advantages of biomass?

Answer 11

• Low technology and cheap
• Range of crops and waste products used
• Quick to grow
• Carbon neutral

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of biomass?

Answer 12

• Needs large land areas that could be used for food
• Crops vulnerable to pests
• Harvesting and processing requires a lot of energy

Question 13

Give an example of biomass

Answer 13

Brazil is leading producer of ethanol made by distilled sugar cane

Question 14

Describe geothermal energy production

Answer 14

Natural heat from the crust heats water so the steam powers the turbine or hot water for central heating

Question 15

What are the advantages of geothermal energy?

Answer 15

• Cheap
• Produces an abundance of energy
• Reliable
• Little environmental degradation

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of geothermal energy?

Answer 16

• Only available in certain locations

- Releases sulphur for acid rain

Question 17

Give an example of geothermal energy

Answer 17

USA has plants in Alaska, California, Hawaii and Navada producing 0.37% of electricity

Question 18

Describe tidal energy

Answer 18

Most common method is building barrages across estuaries and bays with great tidal range when collected water is released it drives turbines

Question 19

What are the advantages of tidal energy?

Answer 19

• Reliable
• Low running costs
• No air pollution

Question 20

What are the disadvantages of tidal energy?

Answer 20

• Limited suitable sites
• Damage to estuary ecosystem
• Expensive construction

Question 21

Give an example of tidal energy

Answer 21

Brittany has the largest barrage opened in 1966 generating 24 turbines but supplies only 0.02% of France’s electricity

Question 22

Give advantages of nuclear power

Answer 22

• Decrease in raw material use
• Uranium costs 20% of the cost of electricity generation
• Continuous energy production
• No greenhouse gas emissions

Question 23

Give some disadvantages of nuclear power

Answer 23

• Transport use makes costs not much cheaper than fossil fuels
• Takes years for radioactivity to dissolve
• Health risk