A quick Power Point presentation on some points about Coal and Wind Power! Sorry, there may be a number of grammatical errors.

1. Coal and Wind
Power

2. Coal Energy Wind Energy
Coal is a widespread source of energy, it is Wind Energy is used all over the world, the top
found on all continents. The largest areas countries which use Wind Power as an energy
which have Coal are Russia, USA, and China. source are China, US, and Germany.
Wind energy is a renewable energy source, it is
Coal is a non-renewable fossil fuel. It is
the process in which wind is generated into
created from dead and decayed matter which
has been formed millions of years ago. electricity with the use of wind turbines.
When coal goes through the process of It is a reliable, efficient, and clean source of
combustion, that heat released can be
energy producing no emissions. Wind farms
transformed into electricity, which occurs in a
Power Plant. There are different forms of coals cannot be built anywhere, they need a place
available, with some more useful than others. with wind.
The wind farm of Waubra is located in
While Coal is the major energy resource for Victoria, 35km north-west of Ballarat. Wind
Australia, it is the type of energy source that farms contribute little to the enhanced green
contributes greatly to the Green House Effect. effect but pose quite a few impacts on the
society and the environment around wind
Victoria’s Hazelwood Power Plant mines farms.
Brown Coal (This isn’t the most efficient coal).
Coal is cheap but using it as an energy
resource creates a great threat to the
environment as well.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/fil

3. Coal Energy
Coal is a combustible type of rock made out of carbon and hydrocarbons. It is a non renewable
energy source as it takes millions of years to create. Dead and decaying matter – mainly
plant, after years and years the decaying matter slowly became buried under water and dirt. This
trapped the energy of the dead and decaying matter. Heat and pressure from all the weight above
(soil and water) formed the remains into coal.
Electricity (The
Combustion (Burning turbine is connected
Mechanical Energy
Chemical Energy in a Boiler, which to a generator which
(Steam then rotates a
(Coal) created very hot changes the
turbine)
steam) Mechanical energy
into electricity) )
The efficiency of Coal as a energy source is 25%-30% efficient.
1) Coal is first mined (Open cut mines are common in Victoria and Australia) and then taken to a
Power Plant, such as the Hazelwood Power station, located in Lab Trobe Valley.
2) The coal then goes through the process of combustion which takes place in a boiler. Coal burns
in a boiler, the water in the boiler pipes create high pressured and hot steam.
3) The high pressured, hot steam then moves through pipes and ends up in a turbine.
4) The steam moves the blades of the turbine.
5) The turning blades of the turbine, turn a shaft which is connected to the generator.
6) The generator has big magnets which spin the coils of wire.
7) Electricity is produced through the wires.
8) This electricity is then transferred to a power grid, then through transformers which reach our
homes, buildings etc
Img: http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2011/02/21/1226009/610975-
hazelwood-power-station.jpg

4. Wind Energy
Wind is generated into electricity with the use of wind turbines. It is the process of:
Electricity
Mechanical Energy (Generator –
Kinetic Energy
(Runs through a transformation of
(Wind)
Turbine mechanical energy
into electricity)
This conversion of energy is around 35-45 % efficient.
1) Wind Power plants, such as Waubra Wind Farm use large spinning blades. Air pushes against
these blades, in which these blades rotate. Some of the air from this rotation is captured as Kinetic
Energy.
2) Kinetic Energy from wind which then goes through the process of Mechanical energy from turbine.
3) It is then is transferred into a generator which converts the Mechanical Energy into electricity.
4) It runs through an electricity grid, which makes the power available to households.
http://www.flickriver.com/places/Australia
/Victoria/Waubra/

5. Hazelwood Power Station Wind Farm of Waubra
Australia has around 38 Coal Power Plants in
total, of which 9t mines. Hazelwood Power Victoria has around 7 sites of Wind Farms.
Station is located in La Trobe Valley, 150km Waubra Wind Farm is located 35km north-west
east of Melbourne. It is owned by of Ballarat. It is owned by Acciona Power, and
International Power and was completed in was created in 2009. The wind farm consists of
1971. are located in Victoria. They are all 128 wind turbines in which each turbine has 1.5
open cu MW and provides a total capacity of 192 MW.
The power generated by Waubra Wind Farm
provides enough energy for 143,000
It provides 25% of Victoria’s energy needs households.
and 5.4% of Australia’s energy needs.
Hazelwood has also aimed to improve
efficiency with their energy production, this
has resulted into a decrease in Hazelwood’s
C02 intensity.
Google maps Google maps via

6. Environmental Impacts of Coal
Major contributor to the enhanced Green House Effect: Coal is mainly used to produce electricity, as coal goes through the
process of combustion, the generators release Carbon, including Carbon Dioxide - which is the largest contributor to
the Enhanced Green House Effect. As generators release carbon, all the carbon trapped within the coal millions of
years ago is now released back into the atmosphere again.
Hazelwood Power Station is not the Power Station that produces the most carbon Dioxide. This Power Station is releasing
around 16million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide a year (Second largest out of the La Trobe Vallery stations), this is 3% of
Australia's, and 13% of Victoria's emissions. Hazelwood has been aiming to improve their efficiency, and has reduced
it's the strength of green house released by 10% since 1996.
Dangers to miners: Workers mining coal are faced with the dangers of suffocation ( from Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen
Oxides), gas poisoning, roof collaspes, and gas explosions.
The illnesses of Pleural and Peritoneal Mesothelioma (form of cancer) were found to be seven times higher with people
who worked in the power industry than Australia's national average. In the past, miners working in La Trobe Valley
were exposed to asbestos as it was used widely in their construction. An estimated number of 146,000 employees of
1921-1980 of the Hazelwood Power station were exposed to the Absestos.
Disturbance of Land and wildlife:
Open cut mines (Hazel Wood Power Station) change the land (destroys the quality, sometimes making it useless for other
purposes) as the mining operations remove the soil and rock above all the coal. Mining operations also cause
disturbance to all the wildlife that live in the area.
Pollutants: Coal Power Stations release mercury - a toxic heavy metal into the atmosphere.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/
Rally_October_2010_Hazelwood_power_station.JPG

7. Enhanced Green House Effect of
Coal
As stated on the previous slide, Coal Power releases a great amount of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. It
has a 40% contribution to the Enhanced Green House Effect.
While Hazelwood Power Station does release Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere, they have been aiming to
improve their efficiency in running the station, this has resulted into a 10% drop into the strength of green
house being released. (Since 1996)
Hazelwood Power station has created a management appointment named, “IPR-GDF SUEZ” which aims to
have a reduction in green house gases. They have agreed on a “Green House Reduction Deed” with the
Victorian State Government. They have also signed a “Generator Efficiency Standard” Deed in which they
will continue to aim for thermal efficiency improvements during the time the power station is running.
The Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act of the US is a strategy that aims for industries to reduce the
pollution released into the air and water. With Coal Power Plants they have found a way through the use of
technology to reduce the Sulfur and nitrogen oxides. They have also found a way to clean coal after it’s
mined, in a way that doesn’t harm the environment as much. (Technology that cleans the coal and makes it
more energy efficient so less needs to be burned.)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons
/2/24/Rally_October_2010_Hazelwood_power_

8. EnvironmentalImpacts of Wind
Environmental Impacts of Wind
Power
There are a few issues that have been brought up with the use of wind farms.
http://www.flickriver.com/places/Australia/Vic
a/Waubra/
 Noise: There is a significant amount of noise generated from the use of wind turbines. But like all mechanical systems, they produce some amount of noise
Earlier wind turbines were much more noisier than the ones we have now as there have been improvements made to the overall design of wind turbines to
noise.
 Wildlife: Wind Turbines cause an affect to the wildlife, this is particularly common with bats and birds as they often fly into the turbines and get killed. Trees
also affected, as they are needed to be cleared for the creation of wind power plants.
To help reduce this, Acciona Power (Waubra WInd Farm) has put in certain monitoring programs for vegetation and species such as bats. In 2006 Acciona
organized a 'Bats and Avifauna management plan' to manage and monitor any possible impacts of bats during the wind farms operation. Studies also took
in which they came to the conclusion that the site risk of birds and bats was very low.
Every two years a monitoring program is required as part of the wind farm permit.
Acciona Power has also conducted a survey on the possibility of Brolgas living in the site. They surveyed the local land owners asking if there were any sig
of Brolgas around. The survey and previous surveys have found that it is unlikely for the Waubra Wind Farm site to be an area where they breed. They will
continue to monitor and manage Brolgas, though.
 Appearance: Some people find wind turbines unattractive. But some wind farms, actually have areas in which tourists can come and visit. Waubra Wind Fa
a viewing platform located off Sunraysia Highway in which tourists and view the wind farm.
 Safety: While wind farms do not produce pollution, they still may cause safety issues with their construction, operation and maintenance.
There is a risk when installing wind turbines, workers death are usually caused by falling or being caught in the machinery.
If a turbines break is doesn’t work. it can continue spinning freely and cause fire. Sometimes it is hard to stop these fires as the turbines are placed very hig
These fires can release toxic fumes. There are now designs in which when a turbine catches fire it will extinguish it automatically.

9. Enhanced Green House Effect of
Wind Power
Waubra Wind Farm’s energy production, and Wind Power in general, contributes very little to the
enhanced green house effect as it produces no pollution and emission. It does not release carbon
dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, mercury or any other types of air pollution.) into the air. Wind power does not
need the use of fuel and water, either.
"In 2010 estimated wind energy generation saved Australia 5,100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. That is
equivalent to the removal of 1,133,000 cars from our roads. As an additional environmental benefit, no
water is needed for wind farm operation. "
[http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/cec/technologies/wind.html]
Wind farms are able to help cut down green house emissions. Waubra Wind Farm offsets around
635,000 tonnes of green house gas each year.
http://www.flickriver.com/places/Australia/Victo
a/Waubra/

10. Disadvantages & Advantages
Coal Advantages Wind Power Advantages
 Cheap to produce compared to • Efficient and Clean - contributes
creating electricity from renewable very little to the Enhanced Green
energy sources. (Affordable) House Effect. Does not emit Carbon
 Reliable Dioxide.
• Does not use water.
 We have the technology
• Basically free energy, cost is all in
 Widespread (Available in many
places; each continent has reserves the construction of the Win
of coal) Turbines/Farms.
• It is a renewable energy source, as
long as there is wind. (It will not run
Coal Disadvantages out)
 Burning coal causes a large amount • A number of Wind Farms found in
of Carbon Dioxide released into the Victoria.
atmosphere contributing to the
Enhanced Green House Effect
Wind Power Disadvantages
 Burning it also produces pollutants.
 Wind is not available 24/7
 It is not an unlimited suppy. (Non-
renewable)  Cost is expensive in Building Wind
Farms.
 Miners are prone to health risks
(pollution and gases on site)  Wind Turbines cannot be built
anywhere, they need a to be built
 Land/Plant/Wild life destruction with a place with a lot of wind.
 Coal Power Stations is not limited in  Causes death to wildlife, such as
which areas in can and can’t be birds and bats.
built.
 Generates noise, which some
people do not like.

11. Resources Used
1. http://www.ipplc.com.au/uploads/2012/02/nr-CCS-plant-Hazelwood-final.pdf
2. http://web.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/TeachingSupport/2000%20PDF%20Files/102%20Lect%2029BW.pdf
3. http://www.iprplc-gdfsuez.com/
4. http://www.ipplc.com.au/uploads/2010/01/Myth-and-Facts-update-11.10.pdf
5. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/mar2001/asb-m20.shtml
6. http://www.blog4safety.com/2009/10/dangerous-job-coal-mining/
7. http://images.smh.com.au/2011/11/16/2777631/ipad-art-wide-renewableenergy--420x0.jpg
8. http://www.centreforenergy.com/AboutEnergy/Wind/Overview.asp?page=3
9. http://www.flickriver.com/places/Australia/Victoria/Waubra/
10. http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics
11. http://www.powerscorecard.org/tech_detail.cfm?resource_id=2
12. http://www.brighthub.com/engineering/mechanical/articles/18082.aspx
13. http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/discovermore/advantages.pdf
14. http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/advantages_and_disadvantages_of_wind_energy.html
15. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_using_coal_to_generate_electricity
16. http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/cec/technologies/wind.html
17. http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Electricity_from_Vic_RE_2010_public.pdf
18. http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/2011_Q1_and_Q2_Quarterly_Wind_Update1.pdf
19. http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/2099-operating-wind-generators-in-victoria.asp?intSiteID=4
20. http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/2087-renewable-energy-in-victoria.asp
21. http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/MMA_Report_ghg_Abatement_2010.pdf
22. http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/energy/sustainable-energy/wind-energy
23. http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/HowWindTurbinesWork.php
24. http://yes2renewables.org/
25. http://www.ipplc.com.au/commitment/environment/hazelwood/
26. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazelwood_Power_Station
27. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waubra_Wind_Farm
28. http://library.thinkquest.org/6075/coal.html
29. http://stelr.org.au/wind-energy/
Img: http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2011/02/21/1226009/610975-