Electricity Generation By Tom Mills

Solar Power Some Facts about solar energy: - It would take only around 0.3 per cent of the world's land area to supply all of our electricity needs via Solar Power. - The Earth receives more energy from the sun in an hour than is used in the entire world in one year.

Hydro Electricity Hydro-power is the worlds biggest renewable energy source.

Wind Power One wind turbine can produce enough electricity to power up to 300 homes. It occupies less land area per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated than any other energy conversion system apart from rooftop solar energy.

Coal Power Roughly 21 to 22 gigajoules of energy is produced per tonne of coal. Australia is the 8 th highest consumer of coal in the world.

Coal-Fired Energy vs. Solar Power Advantages: Affordable Reliable Fairly efficient Newer plants have filters that eliminate 99% of smoke particles and 95% of carbon released Disadvantages: Limited supply (non-renewable resource) Older plants (without emissions filters) generate large amounts of pollution Generated smoke can cause health conditions such as emphysema Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen emissions can bind to water creating acid rain Advantages: Inexhaustible fuel source No pollution Often an excellent supplement to other renewable sources Versatile--is used for powering items as diverse as solar cars and satellites Disadvantages: Very diffuse source means low energy production--large numbers of solar panels (and thus large land areas) are required to produce useful amounts of heat or electricity Only areas of the world with lots of sunlight are suitable for solar power generation