Renewable Energy (AQA GCSE Design & Technology): Revision Note

A natural source of energy that will not run out

Only generates energy when there is wind, making it unreliable

Creates no CO₂ whilst generating electricity

Can be an eyesore for people if positioned on land

Relatively low maintenance cost

Creates noise pollution if near homes

Can create energy in remote places like the ocean, where they are less visible

Expensive to set up

Produce significant CO₂ during their manufacture

A natural source of energy that will not run out

Only generates electricity when the sun is shining, making it unreliable

Creates no CO₂ whilst generating electricity

Needs large amounts of space, making it hard to find suitable locations

Little maintenance cost once set up

Requires batteries to store energy, adding to cost

Can be used at small scale (homes) and large scale (solar fields)

Very high set-up cost

Silent, producing no noise pollution

Made from finite resources and manufacturing produces CO₂

A natural source of energy that will not run out

Expensive to set up

Tides are more predictable than wind or solar, providing a reliable energy source

Require specific conditions to work, making suitable locations difficult to find

Produces very low amounts of CO₂ during use

Can cause damage to local marine habitats

Power systems can last a very long time once set up

Can be challenging and expensive to maintain

A renewable source of energy that will not run out

Very high set-up cost

Produces very low amounts of CO₂ once set up

Causes damage to local habitats and ecosystems

Very reliable, providing a steady source of energy

Dams can only be installed in very limited locations

Can generate large amounts of electricity

Installations like dams are visually unappealing to local people

Low cost to maintain

Dams can cause unintended issues like flooding or drought if water is redirected

If there is a drought or lack of water, systems cannot generate electricity

Can be renewable if organic material sources are maintained over time (e.g. crops and trees replanted)

Requires materials to be burned, releasing CO₂ and contributing to climate change

Turning food and animal waste into biomass reduces the need for landfill

Production requires large amounts of space and can impact food crop production

A reliable energy source compared to wind or solar

Materials need to be transported, creating emissions and traffic

Materials can be sourced and used locally, creating jobs

If sources are not replanted, biomass materials will run out

Local sourcing reduces CO₂ from transporting materials

Inefficient, generating low amounts of electricity compared to the energy used to produce biomass materials

Sustainable and typically will not run out

Can be unreliable (e.g. solar and wind) as they depend on weather conditions

Produce low carbon emissions

Typically have high set-up costs

Typically have low running costs once set up

Require batteries to store energy

Good for the environment, producing little or no pollution during use

Installations (e.g. turbines, dams) can negatively impact the landscape or local habitat

Some produce low energy output, or are less beneficial if not maintained over time