In some power stations an energy source is used to heat water
which produces steam that can be used to turbine coupled to an
electrical generator
Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) which
are burned to heat water and air
There supply is limited
Coal and oil release sulphur dioxide
which causes breathing problems for
animals and contributes to acid rain
Fossil fuels, when burnt, produce carbon
dioxide which adds to effective of global
warming
A system called carbon capture allows carbon to be captured
and can be stored underground
Uranium and plutonium, when
energy from nuclear fission is used
to heat water
Nuclear energy does
not produce carbon
dioxide or sulphur
dioxide
Nuclear energy is a
non-renewable energy source
and is hazardous to health for
thousands of years
Biofuels that can be
burned to heat water
Water and wind can be used to drive
turbines directly
Wind turbines are
renewable,don't
produce toxic gases
and have no fuel costs
Wind farms produce noise and visual pollution and the amount of power
they make is dependent to the amount of wind; if there is no wind, there is no
power
Water energy is a renewable source
and produces no harmful gases- they
are reliable and easily switched on
Water energy does not produce large amounts of energy, destroys
the habitat of estuary species, floods farmland and drives people
from their homes- it also produces rotting vegetation which
produces methane a green house gas
Electricity can be produced directly
from the sun's radiation
Solar energy is renewable, produces no
harmful gases and have no fuel costs
Solar energy is unreliable, inefficient,
expensive and doesn't work at night
In some volcanic areas hot water and steam rise
to the surface which can be tapped and used to
drive turbines (geothermal energy)
Geothermal energy is renewable,
produces no harmful gases and has no
fuel costs
Most places in the world
have these rocks
Small-scale production of electricity may be useful in some
areas and for some uses, e.g. hydroelectricity in remote areas
and solar cells for roadside signs
The National Grid
The national grid is a network of
cables which distributes energy
from the power stations to homes
and buildings
Increasing the voltage reduces the current required and this
reduces the energy losses in the cables
The voltage is then decreased to make the energy safe for domestic uses