Renewable energy

NUCLEAR ENERGY (FISSION AND FUSION)

• Nuclear Power came into the second half of the 20th century. It requires very strict management because
even a tiny mistake may cause a major damage.

• The Fuel for a nuclear power station is Uranium or Plutonium. Inside a Nuclear Power station the decay of
this material is speeded up so that energy is released quickly. This process is known as Nuclear Fission.
• In Nuclear Fission we use Uranium 235 and Plutonium 239 isotropes.This is because they are very easy to
control.
• Nuclear fission is basically when we force a neutron into the stable Uranium 235 atom. This will make the
Atom unstable and hence the atom will split and form Krypton Nuclei, Barium Nuclei and 3 neutrons. The
neutrons will then keep splitting and when they split large amounts of energy is released. This energy
heats water into steam and the steam spins a turbine which produces carbon free electricity.
 DIAGRAM OF NUCLEAR FISSION

• USA and China have the most

nuclear power plants.
India’s Nuclear Program was
Started by Homi J Bhabha.
India’s first nuclear research
Reactor APSARA was the first in
Asia. It was designed by him.
 NUCLEAR FUSION

• Nuclear fusion works in the reverse.

• When light atoms like Hydrogen are exposed to high pressures and temperatures
they will fuse together to form heavy nuclei which will release mass amount of
energy. For example 2 H2 atoms will fuse together to form He. The Sun uses Nuclear
fusion and gets its energy.
• Nuclear fusion is several times greater than Nuclear fission but it hasn’t yet been
discovered to produce power.
 GEO THERMAL ENERGY

• The Core of the earth is very hot. This is a very useful energy if we could get it. The
rocks present at the core are very hot because radioactive substances are present at
the core. To make use of the energy Water is pumped down and its converted into
steam which is then used to generate electricity.
• USA Indonesia and Philippines use this energy the most.
 TIDAL ENERGY

• Tidal Power stations are similar to Hydro Electric power stations.

• The power is generated by moving water. As tides go in and out it passes through
turbines in the dam which creates energy
• It has the advantage of being renewable. However the dam can block shipping routes
and floods could destroy wild life.
• South Korea uses tidal energy the most.