Energy for life (Educación Secundaria - School of stars - Pamplonetario)

www.escuela.pamplonetario.org
www.pamplonetario.org
SCHOOL OF STARS
didactic guide
ENERGY FOR LIFE
2º Ciclo ESO / Bachillerato

Table of contents
Activity 1 - The concept of energy
Activity 2 - Limited resources: Fossil fuels
Activity 3 - Nuclear power
Activity 4 - Renewable energy and sustainability
Activity 5 - Energy in Spain
Activity 6 - Energy and the Environment
Activity 7 - The origins of the different Energy sources
Extras: Find out more...
Useful links
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www.escuela.pamplonetario.org 2/25

ENERGY FOR LIFE - 3º y 4º de ESO / Bachillerato
Activity 1 The concept of energy
Energy for life is a planetarium show which explores the relationship between our civilisation
and the energy that we use. We have decided to take a broader perspective on this in order
to help us to analyse the current situation and the options that are available to us at present
and in the future.
Our ancestors used the natural resources that were within their
grasp, devising ways of controlling them for their own benefit.
The control of fire gave them a great advantage over the other
competing species within their ecosystem.
Throughout history, the progress of our civilisation has been linked to an increase in its need
for energy, but now that the production, distribution and sale of energy has become one of
the largest and most important businesses worldwide, more energy consumption doesn't
always mean that there is more development. The fact that the more advanced countries
possess the most efficient technology is proof of that. These countries are able to produce
more output while consuming less energy (vehicles, household appliances, buildings, industrial
processes, etc). On the other hand, the developed countries use more services which demand
more energy therefore, although they are more efficient (generally), they are also the biggest
consumers of energy.
If we look at the origins of the energy which is currently consumed by humanity we realise
that the majority of it comes from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas.
Stored within the molecules of these so-called fossil fuels is energy from the Sun which was
used millions of years ago by living organisms in their biological processes. The large scale
combustion of these compounds is upsetting the current ecological balance and the
consequences for the environment are already being felt.
For human civilisation to continue progressing, so that future generations can have a better
life and be able to further develop the technological society which we have already begun
to build, in order that this marvellous planet which has given us life can continue being home
to our species, it will be necessary to change the forms of energy and the way in which we
use them. Fossil fuels urgently need to be done away with and replaced with renewable
energy sources. We need to use energy in a sustainable way and be aware that we inhabit
a planet where everything is connected, in which the biosphere we are part of is made up
of all the different species that all depend on it to survive.
For the future of our civilisation there
will need to be a return to our origins:
by using the wind, the power of the
Sun, bio-mass..., all of the renewable
energy sources that were used by our
ancestors before us.
NOTE: We will now present the collection of activities related to energy, the main subject of this teaching
material. These activities are not designed to be carried out in any particular order, so you can choose which
ones are best suited to your subject matter, the interest of your students or current concerns.
We hope you will find it useful for your teaching work and helps to reflect upon the origins of energy and the
way our society uses it.

Answer the following questions
1) Try to define the word energy without looking it up in a dictionary. Then put the definitions
of each member of the class together: are they similar in any way?
2) Ask the teachers of different subjects what is energy: the idea is that they answer as
teachers of their given subject, not as physicists.
3) Look up the definitions of energy in the dictionary. Which one would you choose? Why?
4) Study these texts. What kind of energy do they refer to? Do you think that energy is
treated in these contexts as something subjective? Why? Does it actually exist as such?
"...The next level is even more impressive
when we consider that for Kardashev, a
type 3 civilisation is one that can manage
an amount of energy similar to that found
within an entire galaxy. If we bear in mind
that a typical galaxy such as ours, the
Milky Way contains around 200 billion
stars, we begin to grasp an idea of the
enormous capacity that a civilisation
reaching this level of advancement would
have..."
"...It is no mystery to anyone that positive
thinking is an excellent way to help bring
better results to our lives. It is proven
that a positive thought is 100 times more
efficient than a negative one, however if
you put more energy into your negative
thoughts, then the results would
obviously tend to lean towards the
negative side..."
"…It is something of a paradox that the
most effective form of energy today, is
how to save it and use it efficiency. It’s
not a case of reducing our quality of life
and committing ourselves to a future
which limits our use of energy. On the
contrary, if we are able to use energy
more efficiently and only use the amount
needed, when and where it is necessary,
we would have more resources available
to us in order to maintain this quality of
life for us and for the generations to
come.…"
"…El siguiente salto es todavía más
impresionante ya que Kardashev llamaba
civilizaciones de tipo III a las que gestionan
energías comparables a las puestas en
juego por toda una galaxia. Teniendo en
cuenta que una galaxia típica como la Vía
Láctea, la nuestra, contiene unos 200 mil
millones de estrellas, podemos hacernos a
la idea de la enorme capacidad de acción
de una civilización que alcanzara este
estadio de desarrollo.."
"...The positive energy released by every
human being is the result of a motivated
mind and a healthy body. Imagine if we
combine this positive energy with a smile,
one which reflects our well being, then
we have the key to getting even further
and reaching the goals and objectives
we have set ourselves and in this way
become a successful person. Our daily
lives require not only physical energy,
but also positive energy, considering that
our bodies reflect the way in which we
act and think, then it is only a question
of harmony; if we think positively,
maintain a healthy body and our attitudes
really are in accordance with what we
think and say, then our organism should
function properly..."
In any case, the definition of energy that we are interested in is this:
The capacity to do Work.
4/25

Answer the following questions
5) What would you associate energy with, cold or heat? What is cold? What is heat? What
is the difference between thermal energy and heat? What is the unit of measure for heat?
What is the unit of measure for energy?
6) What were the "basic" sources of energy used by our ancestors?
7) WORD SEARCH. Find 20 words (vertically, horizontally or diagonally) which have something
in one way or another to do with ENERGY.
WORD SEARCH
8) The main forms of energy transfer are radiation, conduction and convection. What do they
consist of? Explain how energy is transported from one place or medium to another.
RADIATION CONDUCTION CONVECTION

Activity 2 Limited resources: Fossil fuels
COAL, OIL, NATURAL GAS
INTRODUCTION. How was the coal, oil and natural gas found on this planet formed? Was
there a certain geological age in which most of these compounds were formed? Which one?
What are the main differences between coal, oil and natural gas?
COAL.
Answer the questions
1) Where in the world are the most important coal deposits found?
2) How many types of coal are there? Place them in order of their heat capacity.
3) During the Industrial Revolution carbon became the primary source of energy used. What
was its most common use? Was it later replaced? How?
4) Do the gases released through the burning of coal cause pollution? What kinds of problems
can arise from this widespread burning of coal, which is exactly what we have been doing
for the last 200 years? Is it harmful to our health?
5) Other than burning it, what other uses does coal have?
6) Is much coal consumed in the world today? What percentage of the total energy consumed
does it represent? Look up last year's statistics.
Energy that comes from what we call fossil
fuels is the energy obtained from the
combustion of oil, natural gas, coal and their
derivatives. Given that the formation of these
fossil compounds requires an incredible
amount of time and the fact that we consume
them at a terrible rate, means that these energy
sources are non-renewable. For the last 200
years our civilisation's progress has been
based on the use of fossil fuels.
Let us reflect upon and so understand the
current global panorama.
6/25

OIL.
1) What is oil? Is it a natural resource? Is it renewable? Why?
2) The process of separating the different derivative products of oil is known as "refining" Write a list
of the most important products which are obtained through this process.
3) Some of the derivatives of oil are used as fuel in different vehicles which transport people or goods.
On your previous list mark the ones that are used in each case.
Example: petrol cars
kerosene aeroplanes
4) Mark the oil derivatives which are used as fuel
to produce heat for buildings or electricity in power
stations.
5) Mark which of the oil derivatives are not used
as fuel. Write a list of products which are
manufactured using some of them. Do you think
that the best use for oil is to burn it? Look around
you: your clothes, the building you are in, your
classroom equipment...look for the "oil footprint"
in all of them.
6) A world without oil: Use your imagination to write a composition about what a day in your life would
be like if you were to use nothing that contained any derivatives of oil. Read out the different
compositions and discuss the subject in class.
7) Diesel or petrol. Create a table using the different types of diesel and petrol which you find in petrol
stations stating the proportion of hydrocarbons and the price. Although we don't use thousandths of
Euros in our everyday lives, thousandths of Euros do appear in the fuel prices shown at the petrol
stations. Why do you think that is?
8) Write a list of the oil exporting countries and mark them on this blank map.
Are the exporting countries also big consumers of oil? Are there countries that only import oil?
Do these latter countries consume large amounts? How do they get their supply? In general terms,
how does this affect their economies? What is the situation in our country?
7/25

9) THE UNIT OF MEASURE: BARRELS OF OIL AND OIL WARS
Regardless of the fact that oil is transported through pipelines and oil tankers, the unit of
measure for the trading of oil is the barrel, the volume of which is 42 American gallons,
approximately equivalent to 159 litres. Its price has varied a great deal over the last few
decades and there are numerous factors which influence these price changes: SPECULATION
plays a very important role among them. Answer these questions in your notebooks
- The rise in the consumption of oil has always been linked to economic development. What role
did oil play in the First and Second World Wars?
- In the 1970's there were two important oil crises. What happened?
- What is OPEC? Which countries are members? What role did it play in the so-called Oil Crises?
What role does it carry out today?
- Do any of the current armed conflicts have interests in oil as their basis? Name the most important
ones of recent decades.
- What is the function of the IEA (International Energy Agency)? Has it intervened in any of the
previously stated conflicts? In what way?
10) OIL SPILLS. Accidents involving the transportation of crude oil have exploded into the
headline news on several occasions. Despite the fact that the safety measures due to current
technology should be "practically flawless" reality shows us that unfortunately it is quite a
different matter. The accidents involving the transportation of oil that occur at sea produce
huge oil spills which affect vast expanses of seawater (coastlines and the sea bed).
- Search for the most serious oil spills occurring
in recent years: the causes, the consequences,
the areas affected, the current situation of the
coastlines, the impact on the local economies,
etc. Ah! And the names of the ships or the
infrastructures that caused them.
11) How much oil is consumed in the world today? What percentage of the total energy
consumed does it represent? Look up last year's statistics.
8/25
- What is the current price of a
barrel of oil? Search for the oil
price graph from the previous
month and the previous year. Is
it rising? Is it falling? Do you
think the price of oil is high?
Compare it to the price ten years
ago. You can find all this
information by clicking on OIL in
the price graph on the website:
http://www.24hgold.com/englis
h/home.aspx

12) The World's biggest companies and the GDP of countries. Activity for comparing
statistics. Study the following tables: The first shows the biggest companies in the world
according to their annual turnover for 2012 (http://tinyurl.com/bwf6rqc). The second shows
the nominal GDP of some countries for 2012 as obtained from this website:
(http://tinyurl.com/cmxybu3).
Answer the questions. (NOTE: mdd = millions of dollars. If you wish, you could create your
own tables updating the information according to the last financial year).
- What kind of companies have the biggest turnover?
- Add together the oil companies' annual turnover for 2012. Imagine that they were to merge into
one company: Their income would become higher than which countries?
- Compare the turnover of each oil company to the GDP of its country of origin. (You will need
more information than what is found in the table: use the previous links for your search).
- In 2012, how many companies made more money than the entire GDP of Portugal?
COMPANIES BILLING 2012
COUNTRY Nominal GDP 2012
EU
U.S.
China
Germany
France
Spain
Belgium
Poland
Chile
Portugal
17.070.011 mdd
15.653.366 mdd
8.250.241 mdd
3.336.651 mdd
2.580.423 mdd
1.340.266 mdd
476.796 mdd
470.354 mdd
268.278 mdd
210.620 mdd
1 Royal Dutch Shell
2 Exxon Mobil
3 Wal-Mart Stores
4 BP
5 Sinopec Group
6 China National Petroleum
7 State Grid
8 Chevron
9 ConocoPhillips
10 Toyota Motor
484.489 mdd
452.926 mdd
446.950 mdd
386.463 mdd
375.214 mdd
352.338 mdd
259.142 mdd
245.621mdd
237.272 mdd
235.364 mdd
9/25
ENERGY FOR LIFE - 2º Ciclo ESO / Bachillerato

GAS. FRACKING
There are conventional and non-conventional ways of extracting gas. We will be looking at
this latest technique.
1) Hydraulic fracturing or fracking refers to the non-conventional technique of extracting gas from
underground deposits. Explain what it consists of by answering the questions which appear in the
image.
Can it cause small earthquakes? Are greenhouse gases released?
2) Terminology. Gas... natural? We often find the adjective natural alongside the word gas. A well
known Spanish company has it as part of its name. What is meant by its use? Is it coincidental? What
is it trying to claim? Are there positive or negative connotations to the use of natural as the adjective?
What happens after its combustion? Does it cause pollution? Does that mean that oil and coal are
also natural? And also Uranium? Explain your answers
3) Look for news items about fracking in the media. Were they difficult to find? In which news sections
do they appear? Are there any fracking projects taking place nearby or around you local area? Has
it attracted your attention? Did you find any letters to the editor? Analyse the news items you found.
4) Do you consider hydraulic fracturing to be a safe technique for obtaining energy? What are its
advantages? What are its disadvantages? Write a list of pros and cons.
5) Imagine that deposits of natural gas have been found in your town or city. One day there is a knock
at your door and someone offers you some interesting benefits in exchange for voting in favour of
a hydraulic fracturing well being installed close to your home. How would you respond? What would
you think? How would you respond to the well being installed 100km away from your home? Share
your opinions with the rest of the class.
6) How much gas is currently consumed worldwide? What percentage of the total energy consumed
does it represent? Look up last year's statistics
Does it create air pollution?
Is the ground water polluted?
Is a lot of water consumed?
The gas is transported in lorries.
Many? Or a few?
10/25

Activity 3 Nuclear power
NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about nuclear power stations? More
often and inevitably we associate these power plants with nuclear accidents and radioactive
spillage, etc. But what do we really know about nuclear power stations?
The principle behind the basic function of a nuclear power station is the same as that found
in any thermal power plant be it oil, gas or coal: the heating of water to generate high pressure
water vapour that spins a turbine to generate electricity through induction.
The big difference in the case of each plant is the fuel which is used in order to heat the
water: the "traditional" power stations use fossil fuels, whereas the fuel used by the nuclear
power stations, just as the name suggests is nuclear. Both kinds of installations share common
elements, because part of the process is the same, but the fact that they use different sources
of energy means that each of them has its own particular way of functioning. All power plants
or stations cause pollution, but depending on the primary energy source used, they do it in
different ways.
In the previous section we have studied and worked on fossil fuels. Now we will be looking
at nuclear fuels. Answer the questions.
1) The word that changes everything: FISSION vs FUSION¿Qué diferencia hay entre ellas?
What is the difference between them?
In nature we can find examples of both. Where?
Which one is currently used in the reactors of nuclear power stations?
What is the ITER? Search for information about this project.
2) The main fuel used in nuclear power stations is uranium. Is it renewable? How is natural uranium
treated before it is able to be used as a fuel?
3) Explain what is meant by critical mass and chain reaction within this context.
4) One common element present in most thermal power plants (be it nuclear or not) are refrigeration
towers. What is released from the top of these towers? Identify them in the diagram below. Look for
similar images of towers from other thermal non-nuclear power plants.
5) Water is a fundamental compound in the functioning of a nuclear power station. List its main
functions.
General plan of the
Cofrentes Nuclear Power
Station (Valencia). Click on
the following link to see an
enlarged version:
http://tinyurl.com/cyqq7bc
11/25

NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS
6) Work in groups: divide the class into groups in order to work on the suggested topics. After
collecting information on the chosen topics, each group with the aid of a Power Point or similar means
will do an oral presentation explaining to the rest of the class what they have learned; each group
will then share the material compiled in their files with the others, so that each student will have
access to all of the information gathered. Try to be original in your presentations.
With help from the teacher, group 1 should present their work first, so that the other groups use it
as a guide.
Group1. Basic concepts
- Classification of nuclear accidents.
- The INES scale.
- Operational guidelines. The organisations
or bodies that come into play after a nuclear
accident.
- Activation of emergency plans: who defines
the incident, who gives the orders, who carries
them out.
Group 3. Chernobyl (1)
- Where and when did it happen? Why?
Effects in space and to the weather: Do the
consequences still exist?
- Media coverage: local, national,
international...
Group 4. Chernobyl (2)
- Classification according to the INES scale.
- The area affected (include a map).
- Population: fatalities, people affected, people
displaced...
- The role of the "Liquidators": Who were
they? Soldiers, firemen, volunteers,
engineers...?
- Consequences for nuclear safety protocols.
Group 5. Fukushima (1)
- Where and when did it happen? Why?
Effects in space and to the weather: Do the
consequences still exist?
- Media coverage: local, national,
international...
Group 6. Fukushima (2)
- Classification according to the INES scale.
- The area affected (include a map).
- Population: fatalities, people affected, people
displaced...
- The role of the "Fukushima 50": Who were
they? Soldiers, firemen, volunteers,
engineers...?
- Consequences for nuclear safety protocols.
Group2. Spain
- What nuclear incidents have there been in
Spain? When, where and the level reached
on the INES scale
- Repercussions of the incidents in the media.
Media coverage.
- Current situation of the power plants that
have recorded incidents.
- The documentary RADIOACTIVE WOLVES
won the "Cuidad de Pamplona" award at the
Telenatura film festival in 2011:
"25 years after the worst nuclear accident in
history, the explosion of the central reactor
at Chernobyl nuclear plant on the 26 of April
1986, the area uninhabitable for humans and
contaminated by radiation known as the
"exclusion zone" is now dominated by wolves.
Over the years a rich ecosystem has evolved
where the wolf population has thrived
unchecked."
Here you can find the documentary in
English: (http://tinyurl.com/d9o37fo):
after watching it what are your
conclusions?
Here at the Planetarium we have a
version of the documentary with
Spanish subtitles. It can be shown on
the day of your visit if required (with
prior notice).
12/25

NUCLEAR POWER IN SPAIN
Spain's nuclear power stations supply around 20% of all electricity consumed. In contrast
to other countries, Spain has not developed a decided policy for nuclear power. However,
since the 1960's there have been several nuclear power stations in operation. Let's look at
the current panorama of this energy in our country.
1) Make a list of the names of all the nuclear power stations found in Spain and their locations.
2) State whether they are in operation, are in the process of being shut down or are projects which have been
scrapped.
3) Where do Spain's nuclear power stations currently obtain their uranium from? Has this always been the
case? Find out about any old uranium mines in Spain, are there any still being worked today?
4) There is a huge difference between high level radioactive waste management and intermediate and low
level radioactive waste management, but in Spain they are all dealt with by which company?
4.1) INTERMEDIATE AND LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES. Define them. Where are they stored?
What kinds of installations produce these types of waste? Do they only come from nuclear power stations?
4.2) HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES. Define them. Where are these types of waste produced?
Where are they stored? Are there any cases in which the waste from a power station is stored outside
Spain? Which power station? Some years ago, a place for centralising the storage of these types of
waste was outlined. Look for information on the places that were considered as possible sites. Which
site was finally decided on for its installation? Look for information on the media coverage and social
repercussions that ensued. What exactly is the current location of this project? Where will the waste that
is to be stored there come from? Is this a final solution for this waste? What is the installation's storage
capacity? What percentage of its capacity is destined for the waste coming from Spain's nuclear power
stations? Will this installation contain waste from other countries?
Check out this application on Enresa's website: http://tinyurl.com/lhjt2ea
CLOSED FUEL CYCLE NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS
En un reactor nuclear de fisión tienen lugar reacciones que producen distintos núcleos
radiactivos. De todas ellas la que más interesa es la fisión del Uranio-235, pero también se
producen reacciones de captura neutrónica que dan lugar a núcleos más pesados. Estos
elementos, especialmente el plutonio, son potencialmente fisionables y por tanto contienen
energía que se puede aprovechar. En las centrales nucleares de ciclo cerrado, el combustible
gastado es reprocesado para separar el plutonio e introducirlo de nuevo en el proceso.
Search for and locate on a map the world's working and planned closed fuel cycle power stations. How many
are there in Spain? Which countries are opting for the closed fuel cycle? Which countries are doing away with
them?
The fuel used in open fuel cycle power stations is enriched uranium (which has a higher quantity of U-235 than
found in natural uranium). What is the fuel used in a closed fuel cycle? What is MOX fuel?
Search for and locate on a map the world's nuclear reprocessing plants. Are there any countries with closed
fuel cycle power stations which have no reprocessing plants? Where do they obtain their reprocessed fuel
from? Mark on the world map its shortest transport route. Search for the countries officially listed as possessing
the atom bomb. Are there any countries which are not on the list which have nuclear reprocessing plants?
Which is the only Muslim country which has nuclear power stations? Which other has them in the pipeline?
In a typical case it would take 4,000 years of confinement for non reprocessed radioactive waste to be considered
as non hazardous. What length of time in confinement would be necessary for the waste from closed fuel cycle
power stations? Does a permanent storage place for them actually exist? What is it like? Which civilisations
flourished 4,000 years ago? What kingdoms existed in the Iberian Peninsula? Could you imagine what the
world will be like when the reprocessed radioactive waste is no longer dangerous? And when the waste from
the open fuel cycle stations is safe too?
13/25

Activity 4 Renewable energy and sustainability
Renewable energies are those derived from natural sources which are naturally replenished
or those which do not run out for a considerable length of time. The following types of energy
can be considered as renewable: solar, tidal, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass.
Answer the following questions. You can consult the infographics on this website:
http://tinyurl.com/og8uu6e.
1) Where does tidal power come from?
2) What geographical characteristics are necessary for the installation of a tidal power station?
3) Look for different types of power stations that use the energy of the waves. Explain about one which you
find particularly ingenious.
4) How many metres are necessary between the high and low tides in order to make a tidal power station
viable? Check out this link www,tablademareas.com and name 5 places where it would be possible to install
a tidal power station and 5 places where it would not.
5) Where does wind power come from?
6) What is a wind turbine? How do they work? Where are they located? What kinds of winds can be utilised
with the current technology?
7) Hydroelectric power. What is the difference between run-of-the-river, conventional (dam), and pumped-storage
hydroelectric power stations? Which of them demands a more rational approach to the management
of resources?
8) Where in the world is the largest hydroelectric power station found? What do you think about it?
9) Solar power. What energies are obtained from the Sun?
10) Photovoltaic solar power. In photovoltaic solar panels the electricity is generated directly from sunlight.
Search for the advantages and disadvantages of this energy source in comparison to others. In what kinds of
installations does it have a particular advantage?
11) Solar thermal energy. These installations use the solar energy from sunlight in order to heat water. Search
for a diagram in order to help you understand how it works. Which applications use this method to harness
the energy from the Sun? Which countries have the largest potential for using it?
12) Concentrated solar power. These kinds of power stations concentrate the sunlight from a large area onto
a single point to heat water or other compounds in order to turn turbines which generate electricity. Find the
different power stations of this kind around the world. For which countries could this form of energy be a viable
alternative? Find out where they are located in Spain.
13) Geothermal energy. Where does this renewable form of energy come from? Give a short explanation of
what it is.
14) Ocean thermal energy conversion. Look up the basic principle behind these kinds of power stations.
15) Biomass. There are three basic kinds of biomass: natural, waste and produced. Explain what each of them
are. What are the different systems employed in the exploitation of biomass? What is the difference between
the emissions from biomass combustion and that released by fossil fuels?
16) Look up data on the concentration of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere. When was the last time in our planet's
history that the amount of CO2 was so high? Is there a general consensus on the origins of that increase
14/25

Renewable energy and sustainability are two concepts which more than often go hand in
hand; however they are not synonyms. Let us think a little about them.
Sustainable development is a term that was first used in 1713 by Hans Carl von Carlowitz,
the man in charge of forestry in Saxony, Germany at that time. His book Sylvicultura
oeconomica contained the first comprehensive concept of sustainable forestry: "If we only
cut down a few trees from a forest, then it will regenerate itself, but if we cut all the trees
down then that forest will disappear forever"
1) Sustainability indicators. What are they? Different sustainability indicators are used; list some of
them.
2) When is it possible to use the adjective sustainable? To which words can it be applied, and in each
case what does that imply? Make a list.
3) Te presentamos un esquema de sostenibilidad.
SOCIAL
equitable
SUSTAINABLE
ENVIRONMENTAL
ECONOMIC
livable viable
- e.g. Sustainable economy
- Sustainable city
- Sustainable school..
- Do you agree with this
diagram?
- Would you change it in
any way? Would you add
or remove anything?
- Change it in whatever
way you like. Now justify
those changes.
- How sustainable is the
building where you study?
Analyse it according to the
diagram.
4) Are renewable energies sustainable? All of them?
- Composition. With reference to the renewable energies that you know, write a composition in which
you expose their limitations, in response to the sentence when renewable energies cease to be so...
If need be, you can take the following points into account: Whether or not they pollute, in what
way they do pollute, whether they are silent or noisy, whether they are available throughout
the year, how their installation affects the environment, the consequences for wildlife, whether
or not their power is limited, whether their installation is expensive, the time it takes to become
viable...
5) Choose an existing renewable energy power station (of any type) and compare it with another
non-renewable one in terms of sustainability. Gather information and put the energy companies, the
socio-economic conditions of the area, etc into context.
15/25

Check this interesting European project about energy
ENERGY BITS 2020: http://www.2020energy.eu/es
ENERGY BITS is a cross-media project on sustainable energy and energy
saving, supported by Intelligent Energy Europe (European
Commission),with the aim to stimulate behavioural change and promote
innovative pratices among the 14-18 years old. Its ressource platform
propose a collection of 24 documentaries, a webdocumentary, participative
tools and a serious game in 9 languages.
The serious game 2020 Energy was designed within the framework of ENERGY-BITS a European
cross-media awareness programme for teenagers (14-18 years old) financed by the Intelligent Energy
Europe programme. Energy-BITS encourages more responsible and efficient behaviours in energy
consumption and promotes renewable energies.
ENERGY-BITS, for educators and the general public: 24 documentaries, 1 webdocumentarY, 1
serious game, 1 collaborative and social space
These resources were created by 13 partners across Europe and are available in 9 European
languages on the platform www.energybits.eu.
The serious game introduces energy issues with a sustainable development message in a fun way
through 9 interactive missions. It can be used as an introduction to the notion of sustainable
development or to assess the acquired skills at the end of a school programme.
The Energy-Bits documentaries are linked to each mission of the game. They show a concrete answer
by one European country to a question raised by the game. They can be used for case studies.
The Energy-Bits programme has a collaborative dimension and invites the young, individually or
collectively in their educative sphere, to get mobilized. After playing and watching the documentaries,
you can participate in the contest “Have your say” by directing a video with your class on the theme
of Energy.
16/25

ELECTRICITY. Red Eléctrica de España S.A. (www.ree.es), was founded in 1985 and is
the TSO (Transmission System Operator) of the Spanish electricity system. As the system's
operator, it guarantees the safety and permanence of our country's supply by maintaining
a constant balance between generation and consumption. It also manages the electricity
distribution grid and is the sole operator of this network in Spain.
¿HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY DO WE CONSUME?
Can we predict the consuption of the whole country? How is the energy consuption distributed?
Daily consumption. The consumption of
electricity drops drastically as from midnight
and reaches a minimum during the small
hours. From around 6 a.m. it begins to rise
again and reaches its maximum by mid
morning, there is a slight fall around lunchtime
and then a second peak in the early evening.
The curve on demand is due to a combination
of many different types of consumption:
domestic, industrial, for transport, etc. And
depends on many factors: temperature (electric
fires in winter and air conditioning in summer),
hours of sunlight, national holidays, etc.
peak hours
curve on demand
Because electricity cannot be stored in large quantities, it is necessary to constantly maintain
the base load, with a strategy that allows both the basic demand as much as the possible
peaks in demand to be met.
1) Make two lists: in the first include situations and products related to the base load; and in the
other those related to the peaks in demand.
2) Annual consumption. Do you think you can draw a graph which represents the approximate
annual consumption of electricity? At which time of year do we consume more energy? Why?
3) Which type of power station is most suited for the retaining of electricity during off-peak hours?
Why?
base load
valley hours
energy
surplus
00:00 6 a.m. 12:00 a.m. 6 p.m. 00:00
BASIC PEAK
- Refrigerator - Christmas Night
17/25
Activity 5 Energy in Spain

Next there will be some questions on the different kinds of energy we have studied until now.
Answer the questions using your notebooks and the blank maps whenever you consider it
necessary.
Note: this can also be carried out as a group exercise (1 group per type of energy). If you
want, you can also use Google Earth and its placemarks to mark the different locations. We
will use a different colour for each energy. You can also consult these websites: www.unesa.es/
www.minetur.gob.es/, www.ree.es/ etc.
FOSSIL FUELS IN SPAIN
OIL
1) Where are Spain's oil fields found? Are there many? Who administers them? Mark these
oil fields on the map.
2) How much oil was produced in Spain over the last year?
If we take the primary energy consumption in Spain into account, what percentage of the energy
we consume comes from oil? What percentage of that oil is produced in Spain?
3) To what extent does Spain depend on imported oil? Which countries do we import the oil
from?
COAL
1) Where are Spain's coal deposits found? Are there many? Who administers them? Mark the
deposits on the map.
2) How much coal was produced in Spain over the last year?
we consume comes from coal? What percentage of that coal is mined in Spain?
3) To what extent does Spain depend on coal imports? Which countries do we import the coal
from?
4) Mark the different routes through which the imported coal enters our country.
GAS + LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas)
1) Where are Spain's gas + LPG deposits found? Are there many? Who administers them?
Mark the deposits on the map.
2) How much gas + LPG was produced in Spain over the last year?
we consume comes from gas + LPG? What percentage of that gas is produced in Spain?
3) To what extent does Spain depend on imported gas + LPG? Which countries do we import
the gas + LPG from?
4) Mark the different routes through which the imported gas + LPG enters our country.
5) Find out which places in Spain have decided not to allow the procedures to go ahead for
the carrying out of hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
- What are the main uses for these energy sources? Write a list of examples
18/25

ELECTRICITY
We transform different energies into electricity. We obtain electricity through power stations
which are supplied by either renewable or non-renewable energies.
1) Which five big companies administer Spain's electricity? Look it up on www.unesa.es
2) What are the different kinds of installations that generate electricity? Approximately how many
of each kind of power station do we have? Where in the country are they located? Mark them on
the map.
3) What percentage of electricity is produced by each kind of power station?
4) The distribution of electricity.
4.a) When it comes to storage, what is the main difference between electricity and the other
types of energy? What does this imply?
4.b) How is electricity distributed through the national grid? Write a summary. Perhaps this
animation will help: http://tinyurl.com/cudoprs
4.c) Which countries does Spain exchange electricity with? Which predominates, import or
export? Mark them on the map.
5) On the Red Electrica de España website you are able to see Spain's demand for electricity in
real time: http://tinyurl.com/nf3wlx.
Red Electrica use very advanced
technology in the installations which
they have around the country in order
to obtain the precise information
needed to ensure that the electricity
grid functions correctly. This data
allows them to supervise the
availability of the power stations'
production, the possible restrictions
in the distribution network and the
international exchanges and also to
make previsions for demand as well.
5.a) Fill out a table in Excel (or similar program) with information from the website. Search
in the date picker box, and fill in information from the previous August and November (write
down the actual and the forecast data for both months).
5.b) Which days in each month was the actual consumption the highest? What day of the
week did these days fall on? When is most electricity consumed, in summer or in winter?
6) Electricity transmission networks. Find and draw Spain's high tension power lines and major
power stations (nuclear, thermal, etc) on the corresponding map below. Is there any relation
between the high tension lines and the power stations? Considering the information on your map,
which places consume the most electricity?
It is an undeniable fact that high tension power lines are a blot on the landscape, and nobody
likes them near their homes. Some people claim that these power lines produce negative
affects to our health. .. Is there any truth in this? Do some research and form your own
opinion. Do you think laying high tension power cables underground could be a solution?
What problems would it solve and what problems could it cause?
Find out about protest movements against the instalment of new high tension power lines.
Discuss it in class.
19/25

Energy deposits
Energy transportation routes
20/25

GLOBAL EXTINCTIONS. Our planet, the Earth, is a living and changing planet. It is constantly
evolving; there have been 5 mass extinctions throughout its history: the most well known
one happening 65 million years ago and which led to the end of the age of the Dinosaurs.
- Do some research and summarise the 5 mass extinctions.
- Think about: What the next one will be? Is the sixth extinction already underway? Are we responsible?
Study the following text from the WHO (World Health Organisation):
Today, humankind's activities are altering the world's climate. We are increasing
the atmospheric concentration of energy-trapping gases, thereby amplifying the
natural "greenhouse effect" that makes the Earth habitable. These greenhouse
gases (GHGs) comprise, principally, carbon dioxide (mostly from fossil fuel
combustion and forest burning), plus other heat-trapping gases such as methane
(from irrigated agriculture, animal husbandry and oil extraction), nitrous oxide and
various human-made halocarbons. In its Third Assessment Report (2001), the UN's
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated: "There is new and
stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is
attributable to human activities."
ROUND TABLE - QUICK DEBATE. Arrange the tables in your classroom into a circle so that
all the students are facing each other; the teacher will give the floor to whoever wishes to
speak and the rest of the class must listen attentively.
One of the students, instead of taking part in the debate will write down the ideas and opinions
of his or her classmates, these ideas will then be displayed in a mural done by the whole
class at the end. The topics to be discussed are as follows (some information will need to
be collected in advance). It is not essential that the teacher selects all of the topics in question.
Topics to be discussed:
Considering the different energies that we use, what does the future hold? What changes do
we need to bring about? Do we have enough willpower to achieve it?
What role do fossil fuels play in our lives? Do we benefit from them or not? Discuss their positive
and negative aspects. To what extent are we dependent on fossil fuels? Could this pose a
problem? Suggest possible consequences.
What role does nuclear power play in our lives? Do we benefit from it or not? Discuss its
positive and negative aspects.
What role does renewable energy play in our lives? Do we benefit from it or not? Discuss its
positive and negative aspects.
What energy model would you suggest for solving the serious problems arising from the waste
produced from the burning of fossil fuels?
What ideas and conclusions have you come to?
Debate current issues: You could organise a debate on a current energy issue: you will need
to look in the media for news items relating to different power stations.
RECOMMENDED READING:The Sixth Extinction. Patterns
of life and the future of humankind.
Richard Leakey. Roger Lewin.
Richard Leakey. Roger Lewin.
21/25
Activity 6 Energy and the Environment

As part of this teaching material we have dealt with renewable energy. To conclude, we would
suggest you take a moment to consider the concept of RENEWABLE, but from a much
broader perspective in time. You will come across some very surprising results when you
increase the time scale.
In the following table we give a description of the primary origins of the different energy sources which
are used by our society, as well as their ratings as renewable or non-renewable on different time
scales:
- Each line represents an energy source; and each column the different systems which contain
energy.
- The numbers refer to the chain which according to our criteria the energy source in each
line follows. Therefore a blue number one refers to the system which is that energy's primary
source of origin.
THE TABLE IS EXPLAINED AS FOLLOWS:
Biomass: On Earth, the energy from living organisms
derives foremost from the Sun through the process of
photosynthesis
Coal: The same as for biomass except for the
intervention of geological processes (of the Earth)
Wind: The Sun heats up the air which rises and is
displaced by the Earth's rotation.
Natural Gas: The same as for coal
Geothermal: The use of Earth's internal heat
Hydroelectricity: The Sun evaporates water that is
contained in rising hot air. Earth's rotation displaces
this water vapour which falls to the ground above sea
level. The kinetic energy produced by the water
descending toward the sea is utilised by turbines
Sea - the Tides: The gravitational pull of the Sun and
Moon deforms the surface of the sea producing low
and high tides
Sea – the Waves: Waves are formed due to the
interaction of the wind with the sea, therefore the
primary origin of this energy lies in the Sun
Study and discuss our suggested description in class and then make the changes that you
feel are appropriate and explain those changes.
Sea - Oceanic thermal energy: Due to the heat from
the Sun, the water on the surface of the oceans is
warmer than that of the ocean deep.
Nuclear from Fission: Uses the energy from the fission
of nuclei of Uranium found here on Earth
Nuclear from Fusion: Uses the energy from the fusion
of lighter nuclei with other heavier nuclei
Oil: The same as for coal and natural gas
Photovoltaic solar power: Sunlight is converted
straight into electricity using photovoltaic solar panels
Solar thermal energy: Sunlight is used to heat water
or other compounds
3
2
3
1
2
2
2-4
2
1
1*
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
*
**
Renewable or inexhaustible
(within this time)
Non-renewable or exhaustible
(within this time)
* the temperature of the Earth's core is
reduced by about 100º C every thousand
million years
** There is Hydrogen and other
"fusionable" nuclei within the Universe
FUENTE DE ENERGÍA
Planet
Earth
Gravitation
(Earth/Moon-
Sun/Earth)
Sun Wind
Fresh
water
Life Renewable
10.000 años
Renewable
1 m.. years
Renewable
500 m.. years
Renewable
10.000 m.. years
22/25
Activity 7 The origins of the different Energy sources
Biomass
Coal
Wind
Natural Gas
Geothermal
Hydroelectricity
Sea - the Tides
Sea – the Waves
Sea - Oceanic thermal energy
Nuclear from Fission
Nuclear from Fusion
Oil
Photovoltaic solar power
Solar thermal energy:

Extras: Find out more...
There are so many aspects to the subject of energy that we have decided to offer the following
sections in order to help broaden your knowledge even further. You can search for information,
create murals and diagrams, hot potatoes... approach them as freely as you wish.
THE KYOTO PROTOCOL:
What is it? Which countries are party to it? When was the last
meeting? Agreements, compliance, future...
ENERGY IN YOUR AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY
Find out about the places that produce energy in your autonomous
community: Classify them according to type and mark them on a
map.
WHO:
Climate change and human health. Risks and responses.
http://tinyurl.com/d6pzwfz
¿QUÉ ES LA HUELLA DE CARBONO?
Existen páginas web en las que puedes calcular aproximadamente
cuál es tu huella. Busca alguna de ellas y compara los resultados
entre los alumnos de clase.
ENERGY THROUGH FUSION:
Find out about the different international projects which are currently
investigating and testing this type of energy. What is ITER? Are there
any other designs for hydrogen fusion reactors?
WHICH ENERGY DO THEY USE?
Make the longest list you can of all the types of vehicles you can
think of and the energy source which drives them (car, bicycle,
submarine, rocket, space probes, train...).
THE ARFRISOL PROJECT: http://www.arfrisol.es/ARFRISOLportal/
Sustainable architecture.
NIKOLÁI KARDASHOV:
Look up references to the work of Nikolái Kardashov and more recently (Carl
sagan, Michio Kaku...).
Historia de los movimientos ecologistas en Europa
23/25

Useful links
Planetario de Pamplona:
www.escuela.pamplonetario.org , www.pamplonetario.org
Educative game - ENERGY BITS
http://www.2020energy.eu/es
Featured Links:
http://www.who.int/es/
maps.google.es
http://www.endesa.com/
http://www.iberdrola.es
http://www.enresa.es/
http://www.ipcc.ch/home_languages_main_spanish.shtml#.UgNqHKyAa3x
http://www.who.int/globalchange/es/
http://www.world-nuclear.org/
http://www.tablademareas.com/
http://www.vidasostenible.org/
Some images used in this tutorial come from the following websites:
http://www.fotosimagenes.org/imagenes/petroleo-5.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Meyers_b15_s0272b.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMeyers_b15_s0272b.jpg
http://www.sciencenews.org/pictures/090812/feat_fracking_footprint_zoom.gif
http://ahorralia.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/repostando.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Bateaux_comparaison2.svg
http://www.cosmonoticias.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/impacto-asteroide.jpg
http://static.blogo.it/ecologiablog/ecologiablog_walle_1786.jpg
http://img.scoop.it/MWef4-B9l5Dzh3EIpCZnujl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ
http://navarra.definde.com/_archivos/imagenes/galeria_21180_post.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yovr7lQtqhE/UAFDXCR2fgI/AAAAAAAASeQ/M9wAISaq-oU/s1600/mapa-espana-politico-mudo1.
jpg
http://www.certificadosenergeticosmalaga.es/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ENERGIA-RENOVABLE.jpg
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~tiern20l/classweb/climatechange/images/kyotoprotocol.jpg
http://www.tokamak.se/tokamak.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Tcv_int.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/krbjbsk
http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Kardashev.jpg
24/25

www.pamplonetario.org
Las actividades de divulgación y educación científica del Planetario de Pamplona
cuentan con el impulso de laObra Social "la Caixa" y la Fundación Caja Navarra
Este obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial 4.0
http://creativecommons.org/choose/?lang=es_ES

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