What do you know?
Which types of transport help to reduce energy use?
Walking and cycling require no fuel at all. Public transport is also good, in that many people can travel in the same vehicle and so less fuel is used per person. Where cars are the only option, buying smaller or electric and hybrid cars reduces energy use.
Key Points
- We can use energy in a more sustainable way by increasing our use of Something that can be replaced quickly. For example, there is a continuous supply of wind which makes it a renewable form of energy. energy or by using A resource that cannot be replaced very quickly and so could eventually run out. For example, oil takes millions of years to form and so we cannot replace it as quickly as we are using it. energy more efficiently.
- We can reduce energy When something is used, such as water or food. in the home by installing A layer put around a building or in a roof space to retain heat during colder weather or to keep a building cool during warmer weather., using energy-efficient appliances and turning off electrical and light sockets.
- We can reduce the amount of energy we use for A way of moving people from one place to another. For example, a car or a train. by walking, cycling, using public transport and driving electric or hybrid vehicles.
How can we increase energy supplies?
Video: Renewable energy production
Find out about renewable energy production
Sam: Renewable energy production.
Hello, I'm Sam and I'm a wind turbine technician apprentice.
Wind turbines produce renewable energy to power homes and businesses and I'm learning how to look after them.
Renewable Energy can come from converting wind or the Sun, or waves into electricity. Or from material that can be replaced, like biomass.
And different renewable energy sources work better in some places than others.
The UK is a good place for onshore and offshore wind farms because it's an island so it's quite windy.
When wind blows, it catches the blades of the turbine.
This movement turns a generator, creating electricity which is then fed through the National Grid and into your home.
LIGHT MUSIC
Fossil fuels like coal and gas are also sources of energy but they are non-renewable.
Not only will they run out, but they release carbon emissions which cause global warming.
The good news is that in the UK, over one third of our electricity now comes from renewable sources.
CLANK
And as we increase our use of renewable energy we reduce carbon emissions, helping tackle climate change.
LIGHT MUSIC
So, my work is helping power your home sustainably.
MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING
Renewable energy solutions
There are several ways to increase renewable energy supplies. They include:
- Using Animal or plant waste that can be burned to generate electricity. 鈥 animal or plant waste that can be burnt to generate electricity. Materials, such as Natural materials, such as wood, plants and food waste. These materials can be burned to produce energy. waste from homes, can be used to produce energy. Heat from burning biomass is used to turn A device that is designed to spin and create an electrical current..
- Generating The generation of electricity using heat from within the Earth. uses the heat stored within the Earth. A system that takes heat from the upper layers of the Earth and uses it as an energy source. can extract energy stored within the upper levels of soil and rock in the UK.
- Increasing A structure that is designed to turn when the wind blows. As the structure turns it generates electricity., A panel designed to convert the heat from the sun to heat water or generate electricity. and A method of generating electricity using the power of water in motion. This is usually done through building a dam and allowing water to flow through part of the dam, where it is turned into electricity. stations to generate more renewable energy.
How do hydroelectric power stations work?
- First, a suitable site is found - a river flowing through a valley is an ideal location.
- A dam is built across the river, trapping its flow.
- Water from the river collects behind the dam, creating a reservoir.
- Water from the reservoir passes through the dam and flows downstream.
- The flowing water passes through turbines and the spinning turbines generate electricity.
- The electricity is then fed into the National Grid. From here, it can be transported into people鈥檚 homes.
Quiz: How hydroelectric power (HEP) works
Non-renewable energy solutions
There are also some ways to increase non-renewable energy supplies. These include:
- A power station that diverts any waste heat back into the system and uses it to generate even more power., which re-use waste heat from a fossil fuel power station. These can generate almost double the amount of energy of A power station that loses any waste heat. The alternative would be a combined-cycle system, where waste heat is diverted back into the system, where it can generate even more power..
- When a power station uses more than one type of fuel. This is commonly found when biomass is burned alongside a fossil fuel, such as coal. - when power stations burn biomass alongside A natural fuel such as coal, oil or gas found within the Earth鈥檚 crust. Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of living organisms.. Some power stations now generate much of their energy from biomass, only using coal during times of high demand. Less non-renewable fuel is required for the same amount of energy.
Question
What is a combined-cycle power station?
Combined-cycle systems re-use the waste heat from a fossil fuel power station. This means they can produce more energy from the same amount of fuel.
Harnessing ground source heat
A - Soil absorbs heat from the Sun.
B - Beneath the surface, soil is protected from things like cold air, frost and snow. It stays relatively warm all year round, even in the winter.
C - Ground source heat involves burying pipes in the ground. These pipes are in the form of a shallow loop or a deep borehole (a narrow hole drilled into the ground).
D - A special fluid containing water and antifreeze is circulated around the pipes. The fluid absorbs the heat from the ground.
E - The fluid then enters a compressor inside the home. This raises the temperature of the fluid so that it can heat water.
F 鈥 The hot water can then be used in taps or for central heating systems.
G 鈥 The cooled fluid goes back into the pipes in the ground. It then absorbs more heat and the cycle starts again.
Question
Why is the ground warm all year round?
Soil absorbs heat from the Sun. Only the surface of the soil is exposed to cold air. Beneath the surface, the soil is protected from cold weather and frost and so it stays warm all year round.
Quiz: Increasing energy supply
How can we reduce energy consumption?
Homes
There are changes that can be made to homes and transport that can reduce energy consumption.
- A layer put around a building or in a roof space to retain heat during colder weather or to keep a building cool during warmer weather. stops heat from escaping. This means less energy is needed to heat the home.
- Homes can also generateSomething that can be replaced quickly. For example, there is a continuous supply of wind which makes it a renewable form of energy. energy.A panel designed to convert the heat from the sun to heat water or generate electricity. reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy, by increasing the consumption of renewable energy from the Sun.
- Using energy-efficient A piece of equipment that performs a household task, eg a dishwasher. and turning off electrical and light sockets when not in use also reduces energy use. A+++ rated appliances are the most efficient. This means it requires less energy to run them.
Sustainability in the home
Transport
A way of moving people from one place to another. For example, a car or a train. is the biggest use of energy in the UK. Around 70 per cent of this energy is used for road transport.
- Cycling and walking require no fuel at all.
- Using A way of moving people without the need for private cars, eg trams, buses and trains. reduces energy use as the vehicle is being shared.
- Energy use can be reduced by driving smaller cars, or Methods of transport that run off a rechargeable battery rather than traditional fuels, such as petrol or diesel. and A car or other form of vehicle that has a petrol or diesel engine and an electric motor. The car is therefore part-electric.. The UK government encourages this through A sum of money paid to the government for the good of the country. For example, money from vehicle tax is used to maintain the country鈥檚 road network.. Drivers of large or inefficient vehicles pay more road tax.
Quiz: Reducing energy consumption
Play the Planet Planners game! game
Make decisions for the planet in this KS3 geography game.
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