But what’s the best Way to make it ???

Energy Sources Stock Resources Stock Resources (Finite) Flow Resources (Renewable)

Thermal fuels Use the fuel to turn WATER to STEAM which drives a TURBINE which GENERATES electricity Coal Oil Gas Nuclear Wood Biomass (some) Solar (some) Primary Energy : When energy is extracted from a fuel source directly e.g burning oil, coal, gas, wood…and using the heat directly, or getting energy from the sun, or using wind to turn a grinding wheel in a traditional windmill. Secondary Energy: Sometimes primary fuels are converted into a different form of energy – which is more versatile, the best known being ELECTRICITY. It’s a type of energy that is made from transforming a ‘primary’ energy fuel into a different energy.

Coal – fired Power Station : Drax, Yorkshire.

Gas – fired Power Station : Killingholme, S. Humber

Oil – fired Power Station : near London

Nuclear Power Station

Solar Power (reflective thermal)

Direct Energy Directly drive a TURBINE which GENERATES electricity Hydro Electric Power Tidal Wind Geo-thermal

Hydro Electric Power (HEP)

Wind Power

Produce a combustible fuel Biomass (methane gas / ethanol)

Produce direct Energy Solar : Photovoltaic Cells

UK Energy Demand

The UKs Energy Mix

UK Sources of Electricity

Coal in the UK The main use of coal in the UK is in power stations for electricity. It is our main fuel for electricity. In the past it was used for heating in homes, factories and for steam power (steam engines / factory engines) The UK has OPEN-CAST mines and DEEP PIT mines. Many of the deep pit collieries have been closed down as the coal is too expensive to produce. There are only 13 coal mines still operating in the UK – most are open-cast mines in the Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire coalfield The UK imports cheaper coal by sea from Poland, Australia and South Africa With the country committed to reducing carbon emissions, many people argue that coal-fired power stations should be closed down and we should rely on wind, tidal and nuclear power. But the coal industry argues we should retain our coal industry for STRATEGIC reasons – and new clean-coal technology means much of the pollution is removed from power stations before it is released. There are also attempts to ‘bury’ carbon dioxide from coal-fired power stations but this has yet to be successful.

Oil and Gas Britain has the largest reserves of oil and gas than any other EU country – mainly located in the N. Sea. Oil reserves are in the northern North Sea around Shetland and Orkney. Gas reserves are in the southern North Sea off the coast of Yorks/Lincolnshire. These supplies have made Britain not only self-sufficient in oil and gas for the last 25 years, but also a net exporter of them – generating much wealth for Britain. However, the exploitation is now faster than the discovery of new reserves and the supplies are fast running out. We passed the peak production for N. Sea oil in the 1990s. A new long-range oil pipeline from Norway to Easington will provide Britain with gas for the next 25 years. We are likely to have to import oil in the next few years as N. Sea oil will not be sufficient to meet our demands for oil. Both of these will start to cost the country increasing amounts of money.

Nuclear energy Britain had the world’s first operational nuclear power station at Windscale (Calder Hall Cumbria) in the 1950s. The building of 15 nuclear power stations was seen as the ‘fuel of the future’ in the 1960s-70s – with no polluting emissions or carbon dioxide However the nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island in the USA (1979) – and Chernobyl in the USSR (Ukraine ) shocked everyone and no new nuclear power stations were built since Major concerns have developed over what to do with radioactive waste – and the danger of terrorists obtaining nuclear fuel/waste Nuclear power stations produce nearly 20% of the UKs electricity – the 2 nd largest fuel after coal. Many of the 15 nuclear power stations will come to the end of their lives and are to be closed down in the next 15 years or so There is now a major debate about the future of nuclear power in the UK. Some argue that they are too dangerous and should be closed in favour of renewables. Others argue that no other carbon-free energy source can realistically meet our future electricity needs & reduce carbon emissions so we should build new ones fairly soon.

Renewable Energy The oldest form of renewable energy in the UK – besides ‘wood’ is HEP. Generated since the 1870s it provides a very small amount of energy for Britain. Most HEP sites are in mountainous, high rainfall areas –highlands of Scotland and North Wales. The problems of flooding valleys for reservoirs limits the opportunity to create more large-scale HEP sites in the UK Wind turbines are increasingly seen as a carbon-free solution. However the landscape impact of them creates considerable public outcry – along with the fact that you need 4000 of them to replace one coal-fired power station. And that’s if the wind’s blowing. Latest plans are to build large off-shore wind farms – particularly in the North Sea Tidal power has the potential to generate vast amounts of power. A barrage (dam) across the River Severn is proposed. Biomass is increasingly seen as having potential. Crops are grown to burn in power- stations, but are seen as ‘carbon-neutral’

Comparing Energy Demand How does the demand for Energy in Canada compare with that of the UK. Look for similarities and differences. Account for your observations.