Chapter 9 Energy Resources Solutions

Points

Mineral oil

Solar energy

Availability

(i) Limited in nature as it does not last perpetually.

(i) Availability depends on the intensity of sunrays and the duration of sunshine.

Environment-friendliness

(i)  It is not environment friendly as its generation leads to pollution.
(ii)  Being highly inflammable it may cause damage to the environment.

(i) Being pollution-free this is an environment-friendly source of energy.

Advantages

(i)  Cheap source of energy.
(ii)  Aids in thermal and atomic power generation.

(i)  A solution to global warming.
(ii)  Cost effective, provides energy security.

Drawbacks

(i)  Pollutes the environment.
(ii)  Highly inflammable.

(i)  Solar panels stop producing electricity after sunset.
(ii)  Expensive to store this energy.

Points

Hydel power

Power from geothermal sources

Availability

(i) Obtained from the kinetic energy of running water which is easily available.

(i) Underground heat is utilized to generate power and it is inexhaustible.

Environment-friendliness

(i) Does not cause any degradation of the environment.

(i) It is an exhaustible energy resource that causes minimum pollution.

Advantages

(i) Reuse of water is possible. Easy availability of water in most places. Energy generation is pollution-free.

(i) If used on a large scale and more efficiently it may reduce global warming.

Disadvantages

(i) When water is not available it can’t produce electricity.
(ii) Humans, flora, and fauna may lose natural habitat when hydel power plants are set up.

(i) Only a few sites have the potential to establish geothermal power plants.
(ii) High installation cost is involved. (iii) The energy generation capacity is too small.