SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND DEFINITION

BIOMASS

• ALTHOUGH BIOMASS IS A RENEWABLE ENERGY, THIS SHOULD NOT BE

MISTAKEN FOR A CLEAN ENERGY SOURCE. ALTHOUGH BIOMASS IS
SIGNIFICANTLY CLEANER THAN MOST FOSSIL FUELS SUCH AS COAL AND
OIL, IT STILL PRODUCES SULPHUR DIOXIDE DURING ELECTRICITY
PRODUCTION.
HYDRO ENERGY

• HYDRO ENERGY, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS "HYDRO POWER", IS A VERY

CLEAN AND POWERFUL METHOD FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM A
TRAPPED WALL OF WATER.
• THE DISADVANTAGE TO HYDRO POWER IS THE COST TO THE SURROUNDING
ENVIRONMENT, AS LAND UPSTREAM NEEDS TO BE FLOODED, AND LAND
DOWNSTREAM WILL BE DRAINED DURING CONSTRUCTION. THIS CAN HAVE
DISASTROUS EFFECTS FOR WILDLIFE AND LIFE IN THE RIVERS.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IS A RELIABLE ENERGY SOURCE, DEPENDING ON

YOUR LOCATION. IT IS COMMONLY USED TO PROVIDE A SOURCE OF HEATING
OR HOT WATER FOR HOUSEHOLDS USING "GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS",
AND ALSO CAN BE USED AS THE ENERGY SOURCE FOR POWER STATIONS IN
APPROPRIATE AREAS.
SOLAR ENERGY

• SOLAR ENERGY CAN BE SOMEWHAT UNRELIABLE DEPENDING ON THE

PLACEMENT, LOCATION, AND SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT OF THE SOLAR
CELLS. THE GREATER THE SOLAR ENERGY SUPPLY, THE MORE EFFECTIVE
THE CELLS WILL BE, HOWEVER, THE MORE HEAT A SOLAR PANEL RECEIVES,
THE MORE UNRELIABLE IT CAN BE.
TIDAL ENERGY

• TIDAL ENERGY CAN BE USED TO CREATE ELECTRICITY FROM THE LARGE

ENERGY FORCE BEHIND THE TIDES. THE MAIN DISADVANTAGE OF TIDAL
ENERGY IS THE EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, AFFECTING
SEA LIFE, AND SHORE ACCESS.
WAVE ENERGY

• WAVE ENERGY IS SIMILAR TO TIDAL ENERGY, BUT INSTEAD USES THE FORCE
BEHIND THE WAVES (NOT THE TIDE) TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY. THE COST
TO SEA LIFE IS USUALLY LESS OF AN ISSUE, AS THE CONSTRUCTION TENDS
TO FLOAT ON THE WATER, AND NOT IN THE SEA. THIS IS A RELATIVELY NEW
TECHNOLOGY, AND IN MANY CASES, IS STILL IN THE RESEARCH PHASE.
WIND ENERGY

• WIND ENERGY CAN BE A VERY RELIABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE IF

THE WIND TURBINES ARE PLACED IN THE RIGHT LOCATION. THE MAIN
DISADVANTAGES OF THIS FORM OF ENERGY ARE; SIGHT AND NOISE
POLLUTION, AND THAT MOST DESIGNS OF WIND TURBINES CAN BE
HARMFUL TO BIRDS. 
WOOD ENERGY

• WOOD ENERGY TIES IN WITH BIOMASS, AS IT IS STILL RENEWABLE, BUT

MUST BE BURNT DURING ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION, WHICH MAKES IT
HARMFUL FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT.