What is it? Where does it come from?

Energy – What is it? The capacity of a body system to do work or a measure of this capacity, measured in joules (Collins Dictionary)

Where does it come from? All energy comes from a raw material. However, energy is split into two categories; renewable and non- renewable source. The term ‘Fossil Fuels’ is used to describe non- renewable sources of energy such as coal and oil as these take millions of years to form. Whilst renewable sources are sources of energy which do not extract minerals from the ground but use raw materials which will not run out. For example Wind and Wave power. Our energy in the U.K. come from a variety of sources. The main sources are Coal, Gas and Nuclear sources. These all have their advantages and disadvantages which will be looked into greater depth over this topic.

Energy Production

What types of energy are there? Energy Source1970Amount generated in 2007 Coal88%34% Gas0.4%40% Nuclear10%20% Others (including Oil, Solar, Wind, Hydro, Biomass) 1.6%6% Draw a Bar Graph to show the differences between each of the sources of Energy

Coal Advantages of using coal  Coal is one of the cheapest ways to make electricity at the moment.  Power Stations can be built anywhere provided there are good transport links and plenty of water for cooling.  There are many coal reserves worldwide.

Coal Disadvantages of Coal  Coal is not renewable and will run out eventually.  When burned Coal emits a large amount of Carbon Dioxide (C0 2 ) and Sulphur Dioxide (S0 2 ). S0 2 is found in Acid Rain.  Coal fired power stations need large amounts of energy to operate.

Extra Information  Coal costs about 2.5p to 3p per kWh  Carbon Footprint - 700kg per mWh  17 Power Stations which are 100kWh or above in the U.K.  Coal reserves are predicted to run out by the end of the 22 nd Century (2199)

Gas  Gas is light and easy to transport by pipeline  Large amounts of electricity can be generated from one gas-fired power station  Gas-fired power stations are normally built near rivers and the gas pipeline network but they can be built anywhere.

Disadvantages  Burning gas produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to the greenhouse effect  Gas is not renewable. There is a limited supply, which will eventually be used up.  The UK is importing most of its gas. This means that our energy supplies may become quite costly if wholesale prices rise

Extra Information  Gas costs about 2p to 3p per kWh  Carbon Footprint - 370kg per mWh  36 Power Stations which are 100kWh or above in the U.K.  Gas reserves are predicted to last to the end of the 21 nd Century (2099)

Oil  Oil is easy to transport by pipeline or ship  Oil-fired power stations can be built anywhere where there are good transport links and where there is a plentiful supply of cooling water  A large amount of electricity can be generated from one power station quickly

Oil  Burning oil produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to the greenhouse effect  It also produces other emissions eg sulphur dioxide  Oil is not renewable. The world’s supply of oil is running out quickly  Using oil is very expensive compared to coal and gas

Extra Information  Oil costs about 4.8p to 6p per kWh  Carbon Footprint – 580 kg per mWh  2 Power Stations which are 100kWh or above in the U.K.  Oil reserves are predicted to last until the middle of the 21 nd Century (2050)

Nuclear - Advantages  Uranium is readily and cheaply available, and nuclear fuel is easily stored  A small amount of nuclear fuel produces a lot of electricity  Nuclear power stations do not produce any carbon dioxide from nuclear fission

Disadvantages  Nuclear power stations may be unpopular with people who are concerned about how safe they are  Nuclear energy is not renewable. When uranium runs out it cannot be replaced  Nuclear energy produces radioactive waste which must be buried in sealed containers for a long time  Nuclear power stations cannot be switched on and off easily

Extra information  Coal costs about 2.5p to 4p per kWh  Carbon Footprint - 0kg per mWh  11 Power Stations which are 100kWh or above in the U.K.  Nuclear power stations will be shut down by Unless more are built in the near future.

Renewables Hydroelectric Power (HEP) Solar Wind Wave BiomassGeothermal Tidal Hydrogen Fuel CellsGround Source

Advantages  The source of the energy will not run out.  Carbon footprints are reduced considerably as no raw materials are burned in making power and therefore lower C0 2 and S0 2 emissions  Running Costs are low

Disadvantages  Large sites are required for this form to be effective and make an impact on the national grid.  Ecosystems can be damaged as a result of the development.  Large amounts of research need to be done to make this type efficient.