Energy Resources (Cambridge O Level Physics)

• Non-renewable energy sources are finite and will run out. These include:
  • Fossil fuels
  • Nuclear

• Renewable energy sources are infinite and will not run out. These include:
  • Hydroelectric
  • Wave/tidal
  • Wind
  • Solar
  • Geothermal
  • Biomass/waste
• Once set up, these renewable resources do not produce any greenhouse gas emissions (except for biomass/waste)
• However, greenhouse gases may be emitted in the production, construction and transport of the equipment

Increase in Renewable Energy

• Renewable energy is increasingly important in the global energy mix
• Supplies of fossil fuels will not last forever, so they will need to be replaced by more sustainable energy sources
• The use of non-renewable fuels is damaging to the environment
  • For example, burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming, and sulphur dioxide, which causes acid rain
  • In addition, mining and drilling for fossil fuels can contribute to the destruction of habitats and the environment

• Increasing awareness of the negative impacts of using fossil fuels has resulted in:
  • International pressure to reduce fossil fuel use globally
  • An increased focus on improving technology to extract energy from renewable sources
  • Countries reducing their reliance on other countries to import energy sources from

Table of renewable & non-renewable energy sources

Energy Resource	Renewable?	Advantages	Disadvantages
Fossil Fuels	No	Highly reliable. Can produce large amounts of energy at fairly short notice.	Produces significant greenhouse gases and pollution. Obtaining fossil fuels can cause significant destruction to wildlife habitats
Nuclear	No	Highly reliable. Produces no greenhouse gases or pollution. A large amount of energy is produced from a small amount of fuel.	Produces dangerous radioactive waste that can take thousands of years to decay to safe levels.
Bio-fuels	Yes	The CO2 produced while burning the fuel is balanced by the CO2 absorbed whilst producing it.	Can take up a lot of land and consume resources that are needed for food production.
Wind	Yes	Produces no greenhouse gases or pollution. Land can still be used for farming.	Not reliable. Turbines can be noisy and ugly. Weather dependent, so not everywhere is suitable.
Hydroelectric	Yes	Reliable and can produce large amount of energy at short notice. Produces no pollution or greenhouse gases.	Can involve flooding of large areas, and destruction of wildlife habitats
Tidal	Yes	The tides are very predictable, and a large amount of energy can be produced at regular intervals.	Very few suitable locations. Can cause environmental harm to estuaries and disrupt shipping
Geothermal	Yes	Reliable in some locations. Produces no greenhouse gases or pollution. Geothermal stations are usually small. Good for producing energy in remote places.	Can result in the release of harmful gases from underground. Not many places are suitable.
Solar	Yes	Reliable in some locations. Produces no pollution or greenhouse gases. No fuel input is required Solar panels are cheaper to produce and maintain than other energy sources	Not reliable in some locations as it only works during the day when there is little cloud cover. For large scale electricity production, solar panels require large areas of land