Solar energy
- sunlight which is captured in solar panels and converted into electricity.
- renewable.
- expensive.
Wind turbines
- wind energy turned into electricity.
- clustered together in wind farms.
- renewable.
- costly.
- locals object to onshore wind farms as they argue they spoil the landscape.
Nuclear energy
- generated from energy that’s released when the atoms of mined uranium are split in nuclear reactors.
- small amount produces a lot.
- cheap, lasts long.
- no atmospheric pollutants.
- expensive to mine.
- nuclear waste is highly toxic.
- non renewable.
Fossil fuels
- non-renewable.
- Coal, oil and gas are fossil fuels.
- burnt to provide heat/electricity.
- cheap to mine and convert into energy.
- Coal lasts longest.
- when coal is burned atmospheric pollutants (greenhouse gases) are released.
Renewable energy
a form of energy which WILL NEVER RUN OUT. environmentally friendly and does not add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere
Non Renewable
is energy which WILL RUN OUT. Some of it may run out in our lifetimes. often polluting and adds greenhouse gases to the
atmosphere.
Impacts of the 2020 Australian bushfires?
- 33 people killed
- More than 3,000 people lost their properties
- More than a billion
animals killed - Roughly 42 million acres were burned and destroyed, including rainforests and unique ecosystems
causes of the 2020 Australian bushfires?
Climate change:
Extreme heat and dryness, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, less heat escaping.
Natural weather: dry land, intense heat and wind. smoke and lightning from bushfires
generates its own fire and storms.
Hazards reduction burns:
controlled burns becoming harder to control.
Emissions: The Australian government coal industry have been slow to act on
reducing emissions.
natural greenhouse effect
the atmosphere and ozone layer trap heat inside the earth to make it warm enough to survive on but most heat still escapes into space.
enhanced greenhouse effect
because too many gases are being released into the air, the earth is warming and the ozone layer is thickening, trapping all the heat and gases in the earth not allowing enough heat into space.
why is energy consumption increased?
- overpopulation/larger population
- more electronics being used each day
- 20x more energy consumed from 1900
renewable energy sources
- hydro-power
- solar
- geothermal
- biomass
- wind
non-renewable energy sources
- coal
- natural gas
- nuclear
- oil
advantages of renewable energy
- won’t run out
- won’t add to greenhouse gases
- save money in the long run (expensive upfront costs)
disadvantages of non-renewable energy
- runs out
- adds to greenhouse gases
