AndreaChakma

12/25/14
TypesofEnergySourcesChart

TypeOfEnergy

Explanation

Pros

Cons

HydroElectricity

HydroEnergyistheenergyoffalling
water.Itistheproductionofenergyor
electricitythroughfalling,flowingor
movingwater.Themovingwateris
usedtomoveturbinesthatpower
hugegeneratorsthatinreturngiveus
electricity.Sometimesthewater
storedinareservoirbehindadamn.
Mosttimesthewateristhenreturned
backtothebodyofwaterthatitcame
from.

renewableresourcenatural
energyresourcethatis
unlimitedorcanbe
replenished
doesnotpolluteairorwater
veryreliable
adjustingthewaterflowscan
maketheuseof
hydroelectricityveryflexible
alotofenergyproducedfrom
onesmallamountofwater

artificiallycreatelarge
volumesoffallingwater
changesinecologyand
watershed
riversdontflow
migrationoffish
changes
buildingdamscostsalotof
moneyandresources
notalwayssuitablelocations

TidalGeneration

TidalGenerationisthegenerationof
electricityusingthetides.Thereare
twowaysthattidescangenerate
energy,fromthechangeofheight
andthentheflowofthetides.Since
thisisadevelopingenergysource
thereisalwaysnewtechnologysuch
asinstreamdevices,barragesand
tidallagoons.

producesnopollution
lowoperatingcosts
renewable
convertsmostoftheenergy
intoelectricalenergy
donothavetospinasfastas
windmillsbecauseofthe
density
bigpoweroutputwithsmall
amountofspeed

canonlyoperateasthetide
goesinandout
maynotgenerate
enoughelectricity
generatorscanonlybebuilt
nearcoastlinesthat
experiencesignificant
change
marinelifecanbeaffected
notmuchimplementationyet
oftidalgeneration

CoalEnergy

Coalenergyistheenergyofthe
fossilsthatareformedfromthe
decompositionoforganicmaterials.

relativelyeasy/inexpensiveto
mine
abundantandhascontinuous

producesairborneparticles
eg.ash,smoke
resultinginair

Thecoalneedstobeminedfrom
minesandthentakentopowerplants
whereitisburnedtoproducesteam
whichthenturnstheturbinesthat
powerthegeneratorsforelectricity.

power

pollution,smog,acid
rainetc
releasesmercuryandother
poisonswater
hazardousandtoxic
nonrenewable
containsalotofCO2
highlevelsofradiation

FossilFuelsEnergy Fossilfuelsaretheenergyformed
(OilandNaturalGas) fromthefossilizedorganicmaterials,
suchasplantsandanimals.The
threemainfossilfuelsarecoal,gas
andoil.Allofthemareburnt,then
theyheatwatertomakesteam,the
steamturnstheturbinesandthe
turbinesturnthegeneratorstoget
electricalpower.

SeeCoalformoreinformation.

welldeveloped
manytechnologies
made
cheapandreliable
havebeenusingitfor
manyyears

hasthesamepollutant
problemsascoalenergy
canspillwhenbeing
transported
limitedsupplyofnaturalgas
priceanddemandwill
increasegiantincreasein
thelast1020years
takesyearstoform
nonrenewable
manyaccidentsthatcan
happenresultingin
consequencestowardsthe
environmentetc
norealfuturepossible
technologies

RadioactiveEnergy

doesnotdirectlyproduceair
pollution

pollutionandhabitatlost
whenitisbeingmined
producesthermalpollution
produceslargeamountsof
radioactivewastes,
environmentalandhealth
consequences
cancausecancerandother

Radioactiveornuclearenergy
originatesfromthesplittingof
uraniumatoms.Theenergyis
releasedinaplacecallednuclear
reactorswheretheatomscollide
releasingheat.Theheatisturnedinto
steamandthenusedtoturnturbines
thatpowergeneratorsforelectricity.

seriousdiseases
veryexpensiveto
build/maintainconstruction
costs
ifaccidentsoccurtheyhave
consequencesto
environmentandrepairbills
nonrenewable
wastestaysformanyyears
dealingwithdangerous
explosives
BiomassGeneration

Biomassisanyformofplantor
animalmatter,decayingmaterials
andcontainsbiodegradablewastes.
Thecommonwaytoobtainenergy
fromthebiomassisbyburningitand
producingsteampower.Anewtype
ofbiomassgenerationisconverting
thebiomassintoliquidfuelwhichcan
reducemanyemissions.

renewablebecauseofthe
continuousplantingoftrees
andcrops
usedastypeofalternatefuel
abundant
manyairqualityadvantages
overfossilfuelburnings

growingcropsforfuelvsfor
food,shortageoflandfor
both
extractionprocessisvery
expensive
needstobemoreresearch
inordertoimplementthe
energysource

GeothermalEnergy

Geothermalenergyistheenergy
foundfromtheground.Itisthe
naturalheatthatisfoundfromthe
earth.Theheatispumpedoutusing
apumpthatwilltransferaroundthe
areausingpipes.Thisisforheat
pumps.Anotherwayistouse
geothermalenergyforelectricity
productionusinggeneratorsandalso
forthedirectuseofpeople.

producesnopollution
doesnotcontributetoclimate
change
reservoirsarenaturally
replenished
goodforheatingofhomesetc
renewable

canbehardtoobtain/locate
notenoughresearchto
implement
thestationsmustbebuiltin
placeswherethe
temperatureishighenough
toproducesteam
locationsensitive
manyupfrontcosts
floorsneedtobe
speciallybuiltifitis
direct

 differentpumpsetc
needtobebuilt
WindElectricity

Windelectricityismadefromwind.
Largewindturbinesareturnedbythe
windgusts.Theturbineconnectstoa
generatorandproduceselectricityfor
thecity.Windturbinesarebasically
largebladesmountedontalltowers.

installment/maintenancecosts
arecheaperthanthecostsfor
fossilfuels/uranium
windisfree
turbinescanbeaddedor
removedfromthegrideasily
canbelocatedclosetohomes
andbusinessoffices
transmissionlinescanbe
shorter,minimizeslossof
electricity
doesnotproduceanyairor
waterpollution
renewable

sometimesdifficulttogeta
constantflowofwindin
certainareasvariable
canbenoisyduringpeak
winds
canbedangeroustobirds,
birdsflyintotheturbines
maynotbeappealingtothe
eye

LightElectricity

LightEnergyistheenergyfromany
lightsource,specificallytheSun.This
typeofenergyiswhensolarpanels
capturetheenergyfromtheSunand
thenconvertitintoelectricalenergy.
Theradiationfromthesun,produces
heatcausingchemicalreactionsthat
generateelectricity.

doesnotproduceany
air/waterpollution
environmentallyfriendly
canoperateindependentlyof
powergrids,canbeconnected
maintenancefreeupto40
yearsifinstalledproperly
alwaysavailablerenewable
energyaswell
silent,thereisnoneedfor
dams,generatorsand
reservoirs
alreadyimplementedaround
theworld
technologyisimproving
renewableenergy

somepollutionisproduced
whilemanufacturingor
disposingthepanels
only30%efficientat
convertingsunlight
canbeexpensive
hardtodisposeofdueto
exoticmaterials