Hi. I was just revising using the MYGCSE Science Revision Checklist for the P1 exams and this question came up which I don't know the answer to.(and his videos don't have any information on it) So I was wondering if you could tell me the advantages and disadvantages of using small scale production.Thanks
By 'small scale' I assume you mean stuff like solar panels, wind turbines, wave generators and so on, as opposed to coal power stations and nuclear power stations.
Advantages: - Generally are cheaper to build - power stations range within the hundred thousands to millions, whereas these can be as cheap as £50. - Take up a lot less space - the largest you will ever get will be a wind turbine, but compared to a hydroelectric dam, they take up no space at all. - They don't destroy the landscape or ruin habitats as badly - hydroelectric dams can drastically alter the river course and destroy habitats due to building, but small-scale ones can fit in nicely on a house. - These generally emit less greenhouse gas emissions - most of the small-scale are renewable.
Disadvantages - Longer payback time - generally the idea of these is that they have a small initial cost but a long payback time. Power stations have a huge initial cost but pay it back very quickly. - Generate small amounts of electricity - they generally cannot be solely relied upon unless they are in masses. - Can be limited in versatility - such as wind turbines being restricted to windy conditions. - Still emit greenhouse gas emissions - despite being otherwise harmless, it still requires energy to create these things and import them. So there's a lot of embodied energy.
Thank you. Out of interest did you know all of that off head or did you look up a source?
These are off the top of my head, I just thought of them. I am sure there are many more to be researched. But generally these are the three or four things the examiners will expect to be answered in a question. Perhaps excluding the last disadvantage, but all of them are probably valid exam answers.
By 'small scale' I assume you mean stuff like solar panels, wind turbines, wave generators and so on, as opposed to coal power stations and nuclear power stations.
Advantages: - Generally are cheaper to build - power stations range within the hundred thousands to millions, whereas these can be as cheap as £50. - Take up a lot less space - the largest you will ever get will be a wind turbine, but compared to a hydroelectric dam, they take up no space at all. - They don't destroy the landscape or ruin habitats as badly - hydroelectric dams can drastically alter the river course and destroy habitats due to building, but small-scale ones can fit in nicely on a house. - These generally emit less greenhouse gas emissions - most of the small-scale are renewable.
Disadvantages - Longer payback time - generally the idea of these is that they have a small initial cost but a long payback time. Power stations have a huge initial cost but pay it back very quickly. - Generate small amounts of electricity - they generally cannot be solely relied upon unless they are in masses. - Can be limited in versatility - such as wind turbines being restricted to windy conditions. - Still emit greenhouse gas emissions - despite being otherwise harmless, it still requires energy to create these things and import them. So there's a lot of embodied energy.
What do you mean by versatility?Do you mean reliability?
What do you mean by versatility?Do you mean reliability?
I would say reliability as you are relying on the conditions e.g. the weather- sunny for solar panels for maximum energy output, windy for wind turbines maximum energy output etc.