The demand for energy increases all the time.

Different types of energy resource for

generating electricity
 Electricity is not an energy resource, because it has to
be generated using other resources of energy

Fossil Fuel
non-renewable
energy resource is
one that effectively
renewable energy cannot be replaced
resource is one once it has been
that will not run used.
out.
 Generation of Electricity
• Electricity is not an energy resource, because it has to be generated
using other resources of energy.

Principle of power station

 Generating electricity

• In the boiler fuel

burns to heat water.
The water turns
into high pressure
steam .
• Fuels used may be
coal, oil or gas.
 Generating electricity

• Steam travels along

pipes and makes
the turbine spin.
 Generating electricity

• The turbine turns a

generator.
• Inside the generator
there is a magnet
inside a coil of wire.
• As the magnet
spins, electricity is
generated.
KE  Electricity
GENERTORS
Let’s just repeat the basics:-

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine
Energy
source
The generator
converts the
movement of the
turbine (kinetic
energy) into
electricity.
 Fossil fuels
In a fossil fuel power station coal, oil or
natural gas burn, releasing heat energy which
is used to turn water into steam.

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

• Fossil fuels include coal, oil and natural gas

are non-renewable energy
The generator
• They have been formed in the ground converts the
from dead vegetation or tiny creatures by movement of the
a process that has taken millions of years. turbine (kinetic
energy) into
electricity.
 Fossil fuels
Advantages:
 fuels are readily available,
 they are relatively cheap, and
 they are not reliant upon the weather.

Disadvantages:
 highly polluting,
 contributing to global warming
 climate change.
 Burning fossil fuels can produce acid
rain.
 Oil spillages cause serious damage to
the environment.

CO2  global warming (greenhouse)  world's climate

 melting of the polar ice caps.
Fuel burns

sulphur dioxide  Acid rain (Sulphur dioxide in atm + water)

 Nuclear energy

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

 Nuclear fission, involving the splitting of

atoms of a nuclear fuel (eg. Uranium) The generator
releases a lot of heat energy.
converts the
 Water is used as a coolant to take away movement of the
this heat energy, which is used to produce turbine (kinetic
steam to drive a turbine which then turns energy) into
the generator.
electricity.
 Uranium are non-renewable resource
Nuclear energy
Disadvantages
• The main disadvantage of a nuclear power station is that
radioactive waste is produced. This can be very dangerous
and difficult to dispose of.
• Long lasting risk of accidents to living things

Advantages
 Power generated from nuclear processes has the advantage
of being 'clean‘ because the process does not involve the
production of greenhouse or other polluting gases.
 The cost per unit of electricity is very low, but nuclear
power stations are expensive to build.
 Advantages: no pollution, no fuel costs,
minimal running costs. Immediate response
Hydroelectric Power to increased demand, and fairly reliable.
Disadvantages: flooding a valley has a big
impact on the environment, with much loss of
habitats for wildlife. Initial costs are high.
Adversely affected during times of drought.

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/06/global_energy/htm
l/hydrowind.stm

 Hydroelectric power usually involves flooding a The generator

valley to form a reservoir behind a big dam. As converts the
water is released from the reservoir it falls movement of the
through the dam and turns the turbines, which
then spin the generators which in turn produce
turbine (kinetic
electricity. energy) into
 (GPE) of water in high reservoirs is transferred to electricity.
kinetic energy (KE) as the water flows down and then
transfer into electrical energy by generator
 Tidal Power

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

Tidal barrages are big dams built across river

estuaries. As the tide comes in it fills the
estuary – the water is released so that the The generator
turbines are turned at a controlled speed. converts the
The source of the energy is the gravity of
the Sun and the Moon. movement of the
turbine (kinetic
energy) into
electricity.
Tidal Power
Advantages: no pollution, no fuel costs, minimal running costs.
Tides are reliable, and barrages are excellent for storing
energy.

Disadvantages: initial costs can be very high, environmental

impact. Height of the tide is variable, so energy output
varies.
 Wave Power

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/Q&A/KS3/energy/Sources/Q5.html

As waves come in to the shore they provide The generator

up and down motion which can be used to converts the
directly drive a turbine which is linked to a movement of the
generator. turbine (kinetic
The waves force the air through the turbine,
causing it to spin. energy) into
electricity.
Wave Power
Advantages: Power is clean, no pollution, no green house gases or
unwanted waste products, no fuel costs, minimal running costs. Can
be very useful on small islands.

Disadvantages: initial costs can be very high, environmental impact.

Height of the tide is variable, so energy output varies.
 Geothermal Energy

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

http://polizeros.com/2010/09/02/geothermal-power-gaining-
attention/

The generator
 Used where hot rocks lie quite near to the converts the
surface. Cold water is pumped in pipes down to
the hot rocks, and returns as steam to drive
movement of the
the turbines. turbine (kinetic
 In some areas of the world, like Iceland energy) into
geothermally heated water is readily available electricity.
in springs and geysers.
Geothermal Energy

Advantages: free, renewable energy source. No real environmental

problems.

Disadvantages: high cost of drilling down several km to the hot rocks.

 Wind Power
Advantages: energy generation is clean, no
pollution. Energy is free, and running costs
are almost nil.
Disadvantages: No power is produced when
the wind drops. Some noise pollution, and may
kill birds and bats.

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

http://www.newhomewindpower.com/wind-power-generators.html

Wind turbines are put up in exposed places, The generator

such as hilltops and around the coast. Each converts the
wind turbine has its own generator, so movement of the
electricity is generated directly.
turbine (kinetic
energy) into
electricity.
 Solar cells

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

http://etap.com/renewable-energy/photovoltaic-101.htm

 Solar cells generate electricity directly The generator

from sunlight. Solar cells are usually used
to provide electricity on a relatively small converts the
scale, such as for individual houses. Solar movement of the
cell ‘farms’ are being developed, but turbine (kinetic
connecting to the National Grid can be energy) into
expensive.
 Solar cell transfer light energy from sun electricity.
to electrical energy with 15% efficient.
 Solar cells
Advantages: renewable energy source, no pollution, a very reliable source in sunny
countries. Energy is free, and running costs are almost nil.

Disadvantages: initially very expensive, and a developing technology, thousand of square

meters of solar cells spoil the countryside. Only produce electricity in daytime.
 Solar panels

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

http://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=22430

The generator
 Solar panels use the Sun’s thermal
radiation to warm up water for the house. converts the
A blackened layer behind the pipes helps movement of the
the absorption of the radiant energy and turbine (kinetic
the warming of the water flowing through energy) into
the pipes.
electricity.
 Solar panels

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine

 Electricity can also be generated The generator

using solar heating. Curved
mirrors are used to focus
converts the
thermal radiation onto a boiler movement of the
or pipes containing water to turbine (kinetic
produce steam. energy) into
electricity.
Solar panels

Advantages: no pollution, a very reliable source in sunny countries.

Energy is free, and running costs are almost nil.

Disadvantages: Only heats water in daytime. Initial costs can be very

high
 Advantages: relatively quick and natural

Biofuels
sources of energy and are renewable source.
Biomass energy has abundant availability
Disadvantages: greenhouse gas emission and
some food crops may be lost and can cause
higher food prices.

The steam (or

water / wind)
turns a turbine
http://www.climatetechwiki.org/technology/agriculture-biofuel-
production

Biofuels are renewable energy sources. They

can be solids (eg. Straw, woodchip), liquids
The generator
(eg. Ethanol) or gases (eg. Methane biogas
from sludge digesters). converts the
They are burnt to turn water into steam, movement of the
which drives the turbine and producing turbine (kinetic
electricity in the generator.
energy) into
electricity.
 SUPPLY AND DEMAND
The demand for electricity varies from hour to hour. day to day and season
to season.

 Some demand varies can be predicted.

For example, there is a rise in demand in the early morning as people
wake up, turn on lights and heaters and start to make breakfast,
winter the demand for heat is much greater than in summer

 Some sudden rises in demand are less predictable.

A popular TV programme with an exciting episode can keep millions of
viewers in front of their televisions - if they all decide to make a cup of
tea as soon as the adverts come on. electricity usage will suddenly
increase (electric kettles use a lot of power).
sudden change weather , e.g sudden cold spell
Nuclear Power
Clearly nuclear power stations cannot meet sudden variations in demand.
The process of starting the fission reaction and heating up the core of the
nuclear reactor is a long one.

fossil fuels
fossil fuels can be started more quickly but can still take many hours to
start producing electricity. Coal-fired stations take longer than oil-fired
stations to develop the heat required to drive steam through the
turbines. Gas-fired stations can respond most quickly to rises in demand.

Hydroelectric power
Hydroelectric power stations provide a very reliable energy resource to
respond very quickly to changes in the national demand for electricity.
Unlike other types of power station. This is the only realistic way of
'storing' large amounts of extra electrical energy as they are able to
operate in reverse (electrical energy to gpe of water in reservoirs)

Wind power is dependent on the strength, direction and frequency of

wind. Although wind farms are located in windy areas, they cannot be
relied upon to produce electricity at the times when it is needed most.
Tidal power is not available continuously