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What are renewable energy
sources?
Renewable energy sources are those energy sources
which are not destroyed when their energy is harnessed.
Fossil fuels are not renewable energy sources
because they cannot be easily replaced. Renewable
energy requires technologies that harness natural
phenomena, such as sunlight, wind, waves, water
flow and geothermal heat.
1.) Solar Energy
Solar power is energy from the sun this comes
in the form of sunlight. Solar energy (energy
from the sun) can be captured by solar panels.
There are two types of solar panels these
use different technology to harness the energy
from the sun.
• The first is Solar Water Heating collectors:
These panels absorb energy from sunlight and
transfer it to heat up water for showers,
radiators, etc.
• The second is Photovoltaic or solar
electric panels: These panels transform the
sunlight directly into electricity.
Solar panels should be roof mounted and not
obscured so they can collect the most amount
of energy from the sun. Solar power cells
are still relatively expensive to manufacture.
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Solar panel energy station |
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2.) Biomass Energy
Biomass is a collective term for all plant
and animal material. A number of different
forms of biomass can be burned or digested
to produce energy. Examples include wood,
straw, poultry litter. Some tips burn
waste plant material and use it to generate
electricity. Biomass is a very versatile
material and can be used to produce heat
(for space and water heating), electricity
and a combination of heat and power (electricity).
The UK has some of the largest examples
of the use of Biomass to generate electricity
in Europe.
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3.) Hydropower
Moving tides of
the sea can be harnessed to produce electrical
power. This energy potential of moving water
has been harnessed for thousands of years,
originally using water wheels to drive mills
and machinery. Hydropower currently produces
2% of the UK electricity needs. Whilst most
of this comes from large dam projects installed
many years ago, there is still an untapped
small hydropower potential in certain parts
of the UK. |
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4.) Wind Power
People have
used the power of the wind for many years
to produce mechanical power for milling
grain, pumping water and travel e.g. -
sailing boats. In recent times wind turbine
technology has enabled us to harness wind
to generate electricity. The electricity
is then sent to peoples homes or is used
to power a stand alone device.
This renewable source of energy has great
potential in both onshore and offshore.
A collection of wind turbines is known
as a wind farm. Wind power is one of the
cleanest and safest of all the renewable
commercial methods of generating electricity.
The UK has the largest wind resource in
the whole of Europe. There is the potential
for wind to provide 10% or more of our
power requirements over the next twenty
years.
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5.) Geothermal
Geothermal energy is the heat of the Earth,
which can be tapped into to produce electricity
in power plants, and to use its warm water
for industry, agriculture, bathing and cleansing.
Although in use worldwide, its potential as
an energy source is not fully utilised, thus
geothermal offers a real option in future
environmentally-friendly energy supply. |
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Mr DT says 'Read the text above and then
answer these questions below'. Write your
answers on a sheet of paper, don't forget
to write your name on the sheet!:-
1). Name five renewable energy sources?
2.) What is solar power?
3.) Name the
two types of solar panels?
4.) What is Biomass energy?
5.) Explain in your own words what hydropower
is?
6.) People have used the power of the wind
for many years to produce mechanical
power, give three
examples?
7.) What is a collection of wind turbines
called?
8.) What is Geothermal energy?
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