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ENERGY (The nuclear power plants includes a nuclear fission reactor that…

- - - - Extration of natural resources
        The exploitation of fossil fuels and nuclear power means the depletion of resources,which makes it necessary to find new ones.
        Fuel extration processes are sometimes harmful to the environment.In particular,timber extration has led to the disappearence of large areas of forest,a process that is continuing even today.
      - Fuel transport
        Oil is transported by means of oil pipelines and oil tankers.
        Oil pipelines can suffer accidents caused by nature or human error,which result in uncontrolled spills.
        Oil tankers can have accidents at sea,with the risk of oil spills.Some spills have caused oil slicks that have taken years to clean up and dissipate and have affected the lives of many plant and animal species.
      - Electricity generation
        Large hydroelectric power plants require water reservoirs covering large areas,which profundly change the natural cycle of rivers,flood large areas and destroy ecosystems,in addition to increasing the risk of accidents.
        Conventional thermal power plants can cause numerous problems and environmental hazards.
        -They produce air pollution.
        -They emit large amounts of CO2.
        -They emit sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide
        -The water used in the cooling system is returned to the environment
        Nuclear thermal power plants are accompanied by the risk of nuclear accidents and the problem of nuclear waste,some of which remain dangerous for thousands of years.
      - Final energy use
        The fuels we use in vehiclesw and heating systems emit gases and particles similar to those generated by conventional thermal power plants.
        When we turn on an electric appliance, we're consuming energy that has already caused several environmental problems during its extraction,generation and transportation.
- - - - Household uses: The operating of electrical appliances,heating systems,hot water systems,heat for cooking and for means of transport.
      - Industrial uses:The operating of factories and companles,construction,agriculture and so on.
      - We can classify energy sources in several ways:
        
        By availability in nature and capacity for regeneration:
        
        Renewable or non-renowable
        
        By origin:
        
        Primary or secondary
        
        By use in each country:
        
        Conventional or non-conventional
        
        By environmental impact:
        
        Clean or non-polluting and pollutants
- - - - Photo-thermal power plant:
        In this type of power plant,the heat generated by solar radiation produces steam that is used to move the rotor in the generator.
        To do this,they use special mirrors,called heliostats,that reflect sunlight and concetrate it at one point,where it reaches a high temperature.
      - Photovoltaic power plant:
        In these power plant,solar radiation is transformed directly into electricity by panels of photovoltaic cells.
        These power plants consist of large areas of photovoltaic panels.
        There are also insolated power plants that are very small in size,which are used to supply electricity to homes in rural areas.
      - Geothermal power plants use the heat found at deep levels in the earth.This heat may reach the surface in the form of steam,gases or hot water.
        Geothermal energy may be used directly-for hot water and heating,industrial use and so on-and indirectly-the heat generates syeam,which produces electricity.
        
        Biomass consists of all organic compounds that are produced through natural processes.They may come from the following sources:
        -Forestry and agricultural wate.
        -Specific crops,such as sumflowers and sugar beet.
        -Waste from agri-food industries.
        Biomass is subjected to different pysical and chemical processes in order to produce fuel such as charcoal,alcohol or biogas.
        This type of fuel is burnt at biomass power plants.The steam taht is generated moves the turbine.
        These power plants produce energy from waste taht has no other potential uses.
        
        Ocean power plants use the enrgy from the seas and the oceans.The concept is to use 3 types of energy from the sea:
        -The mechanical energy from the tides.
        -The mechanical energy from the waves.
        -The energy from the ocean´s thermal gradient.
        These power plants are still in the experimental phase and their level of production is still very low.