gcsescience.com                                                    34                                                    gcsescience.com

Power Stations

Wave Power.

Wave power uses the rise and fall of the sea
as waves approach the coast.

A float on the water surface pushes air forwards and backwards
through a turbine on the land, as the waves cause the float to rise and fall.
The turbine generates electricity.

The original source of the energy is the Sun
which makes the wind blow causing waves.


Advantages of wave power.

1.  It is renewable.

2.  It does not cause pollution.


Disadvantages.

1.  It is unreliable.
When the wind drops,
the waves get smaller and less electricity is generated.

2.  An individual wave power machine
does not generate very much electricity.
You would need a lot of them to replace one fossil fuel power station.

3.  The natural beauty of an area may be spoiled.

back   Headings   Electromagnetism   Induced Current   Search   Questions   next

gcsescience.com              Contents             Index              Quizzes             gcsescience.com

Copyright © 2008 Dr. Colin France. All Rights Reserved.