Page 157 - SST Class 08

Solar Energy : The sun is the source of all USA. Other countries generating nuclear power
energy on the earth. In the tropical region, solar are Japan, Germany, Russia, France, Sweden,
energy is widely available. But, it has not been Canada, Australia and Spain.
fully developed due to lack of available technol- At present, a number of developing countries
ogy. Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly have opted for nuclear power as an alternative to
into electricity. At present, solar energy is being conventional methods of electricity generation.
employed in heating and cooling appliances. Among these countries are India, Pakistan, Iran,

Solar water heaters, street lighting, cooking, North Korea, Egypt, Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan
pumping and solar ponds are becoming popular and Argentina. In India, the main nuclear power
all over the world. India is making sincere efforts generating station are at Tarapur, Kalpakkam,
to use solar energy on a large scale. Rawatbhata, Narora, Kakrapara and Kota.
Wind Energy : Wind is an inexhaustible source
of energy. Wind mills have been used for grind-
ing grain and lifting water since times immemo-
rial. In modern time wind mills, the high speed
winds rotate the wind mill which is connected to
a generator to produce electricity. Wind farms
having clusters of such wind mills are located in
coastal regions and in mountain passes where
strong and steady winds blow. Windfarms are
found in Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, UK,
USA and Spain are noted for their wind energy Nuclear Energy
production.
Geothermal Energy : The energy derived from
hot springs, emission of dry or wet steam from
hot rocks at great depths is called geothermal
energy. This heat energy can be used to generate
electricity. USA and Iceland are the leaders in
generating electricity from geothermal energy.
Other countries are Italy, Japan, New Zealand,
Russia, Turkey and India.

A Geothermal Power Plant
Nuclear Energy : Nuclear power is obtained by
altering the structure of atoms. When energy is
released in the form of heat. This heat, is called
nuclear energy, it is used to generate electricity.
The first nuclear power station to generate
electricity on a commercial was started in UK,
in 1956. UK was soon overtaken in the field by Geothermal Energy

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