Renewable Energy
Growth that doesn’t cost the earth.
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Wind Energy
• Wind turbines turn wind energy into
electricity
• and is a potentially infinite energy
supply.
• The best turbine design is a tall tower
with three blades.
• The wind makes the blades spin. The
moving blades create electricity.
• They are usually built in groups called
wind farms.
Whitelee Wind Farm
UK's largest onshore wind farm, located south of Glasgow. Its 215
turbines generate enough to power just under 300,000 homes.
Growth that doesn’t cost the earth.
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Wave Energy
• Waves are a result of the
effects of wind on the oceans
and seas.
• Waves are not as consistent
as the tide and therefore
there can cause issues trying
to match the UK’s supply and
demand for power.
• Wave power tends to be small
scale schemes rather than
large scale commercial plant.
Wave Energy
There are different types of wave energy collectors.
One of the systems is called the
Oscillating Water Column.
It uses the movement of the
seawater in and out to compress
the trapped air, which then drives a
turbine and creates energy.
There is currently a device
generating and supplying 0.5MW of
power to the grid on the Island of
Islay off the west coast.
Wave Energy
Another system is called the Hinged
Contour Device.
This snake like devise moves with the
waves. The wave movement causes
pressure within different sections of the
devise which then drives the motors,
generating electricity.
Theses devices are currently being
developed and tested in Scotland.
Tidal Energy
• Tidal Energy is generated from the
movement of the tides in and out
which drives turbines.
• A tidal barrage (a kind of dam) can
be built across an estuaries which
forces the water through the gaps.
• A tidal barrage can double as
bridge, and can help prevent
flooding.
• Construction of barrage is very
costly.
• Not all estuaries are suitable.
Biomass
• Biomass fuels come from organic
materials, primarily wood.
• Biomass can be a long-term,
sustainable energy source.
• It is a cheaper and more readily
available source of energy.
• Wood can be chipped or made into
wood pellets
Photovoltaics
• Solar cells are devices that convert light
energy directly into electrical energy.
• Panels absorb solar rays of heat and
light.
• Potentially infinite energy supply.
• Single dwellings can have own
electricity supply
• Manufacture and implementation of
solar panels can be costly.
• Larger arrays of solar cells are used to
power road signs, and even larger
arrays are used to power satellites in
orbit around Earth.
Solar Panels
• Solar panels are different to solar
cells.
• Solar panels do not generate
electricity. Instead they heat up
water directly.
• A pump pushes cold water from a
storage tank through pipes in the
solar panel.
• The water is heated by heat
energy from the Sun and returns
to the tank.
• They are often located on the
roofs of buildings where they can
receive the most sunlight.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
The heat of the earth warms pipes of water buried
underground.
Hydro Power
• Hydroelectric power schemes
store water high up in dams.
• The water has gravitational
potential energy which is released
when it falls.
• As the water rushes down through
pipes, this stored energy is
transferred to kinetic energy,
which turns electricity generators.
• Creates water reserves as well as
energy supplies.
• Can cause the flooding of
surrounding communities and
landscapes.
• Dams have major ecological
impacts on local hydrology.