A Year 12 student from Hawkesdale P12 College produced this slideshow as school assessed coursework for Unit 3 VCE Environmental Science.

1. U N I T 3 E N V I R O N M E N T A L S C I E N C E : S C H O O L
A S S E S S E D C O U R S E W O R K F O R A R E A S T U D Y 1
S A C 1 B
B Y A A R O N
VCE Environmental Science

2. Macarthur Wind Farm Mortlake Power Station

3. WIND ENERGY NATURAL GAS
 electrical energy obtained from
harnessing the wind with
windmills or wind turbines.
 Natural gas is a highly
flammable gas that contains
high amounts of methane.
What is it?

4. WIND ENERGY NATURAL GAS
 A wind turbine is made up of two or three
propeller-like blades called the rotor. The rotor
is attached to the top of a tall tower. As the
wind blows it spins the rotor. As the rotor spins
the energy of the movement of the propellers
gives power to a generator. There are some
magnets and a lot of copper wire inside the
generator that make electricity.
How is it converted to electricity?
 Like a jet engine, the turbines suck in air, mix it with
the fuel and ignite a fireball. The hot gases from the
fireball impact the blades of the turbine to cause
motion, creating mechanical energy. The
turbine, connected to a generator by a shaft, spins
and powers the generator. At this point, the
generator converts the mechanical energy into
electricity before it is transmitted for customer use.

5. Macarthur Wind Farm
-WIND ENERGY-
Mortlake Power Station
-GAS ENERGY-
 ADVANTAGES
 Wind energy is friendly to the surrounding
environment, as no fossil fuels are burnt to
generate electricity from wind power.
 Newer technology is making the extraction of
wind energy much more efficient.
 The wind is free, and we are able to cash in on
this free source of energy.
 DISADVANTAGES
 Wind turbines generally produce allot less
electricity than the average fossil fuelled power
station, requiring multiple wind turbines to be
built in order to make an impact.
 Very expensive to construct.
 Noise can be a problem and can send sounds
out that make people ill.
 ADVANTAGES
 Can be safely stored and burnt.
 Emits 60-90% less smog-producing pollutants.
 clean burning process, doesn't produce ash
after energy is released.
 Most of its natural reserves are still
underutilized.
 DISADVANTAGES
 It is a non-renewable source of energy.
Fossil Fuel vs. Non-fossil Fuel

6. WIND ENERGY NATURAL GAS
 The gas is found in layers of rock with tiny holes
, the rock holds the gas like a sponge. To bring it
to the surface, gas companies drill down
hundreds of feet and pump into pipes.
Where is it found?
 Wind energy is found in the
atmosphere and it is used to spin
the blades on the turbine. It's
caused because the sun heats the
planet differently, and over vast
areas. As a place warms up, the air
expands, causing a pressure
change. Wind is simple high
pressure air moving towards a low
pressure region to balance things
out. The boundaries are not
normally so definite that you could
notice the effect you described.

7. WIND ENERGY NATURAL GAS
HOW IS IT EXTRACTED.
 Wind turbines are used to extract energy from
the wind and turn it into electricity.
ENERGY CONVERSIONS INVOLED.
 Sun firstly heats the earths atmosphere
unevenly, which then produces wind. Turbines
are set up in places where there is wind a lot of
the time. The wind spins the turbine which
converts wind energy in electricity.
HOW EFFICIENT ARE THESE CONVERSIONS.
HOW IS IT EXTRACTED.
 Natural gas is extracted by drilling into the
earth. Once a hole is drilled, it is lined with a
pipe. The pipe is then connected to a series of
pipelines, that send the gas to a central storage
area.
ENERGY CONVERSIONS INVOLVED
 Natural gas was formed after millions of years
when tons of pressure was put on the decayed
remains of plants and animals layered under
rock and earth.
HOW EFFICIENT ARE THESE CONVERSIONS.
Extraction

8. MACARTHUR WIND
FARM
MORTLAKE POWER
PLANT
 The Macarthur wind farm uses a much more
significant amount of land compared to the
Mortlake gas plant.
 Mortlake power plant doesn’t need as much land
because it is only one big station, where as the
turbines have to be spread out everywhere.
How much land is used?

9. MACARTHUR MORTLAKE
 Some benefits for the
Macarthur wind farm is that it is
dual use, which means that you
can still run livestock on the
land around them. But at
Macarthur there might not
always be wind which means
that the turbines wont spin and
no electricity will be made.
 The benefit for Mortlake is that
you can turn the plant on near
instantly, but you cant run stock
around them so that is a
disadvantage.
Benefits and non benefits.

10. WIND NATURAL GAS
 Most countries have abundant
renewable energy
resources, including solar
energy, wind power, geothermal
energy, and biomass, as well as
the ability to manufacture the
relatively labour-intensive
systems that harness these.
 According to recent
assessments, the United States
has considerably more
recoverable natural gas in shale
formations than was previously
thought. Natural gas is said to
be plenty accessible and a lot of
natural gas is still around.
How abundant and accessible is it?

11. WIND ENERGY NATURAL GAS
 Transported through thick
cables to a power grid and then
powers through high voltage
power lines before reaching
houses at 240 Volts.
 For example: the turbines are
spun producing electricity
which travels down the turbine
through a thick cable that leads
to a power grid at the property
and then transported through
main power lines to houses.
 Transposrted through pipes to a
station.
 For example: pipes leading from
the otways all the way under
ground to the Mortlake power
station.
 This transport is very
dangerous and has to be done
properly because if there is any
leaks in the pipe then the gas
can get out and get into the
earths atmosphere which is
very bad.
Transport

12. WIND ENERGY NATURAL GAS
HOW IS THIS SOURCE USED HOW IS THIS SOURCE USED
 Natural gas is an essential item
for many common products,
such as paints, fertilizer,
plastics, dyes, photographic
film, medicines and explosives.
We also get propane, a fuel
used for BBQ’s
 Natural gas is also used for
heating.
Use
Wind energy is turned in to
electricity. So therefore the
electricity that is made is
used to power many different
appliances.
It powers about 2.4 % of
Australia.

13. Macarthur Wind Farm Mortlake Power Station
 They give the property owner
$5,000 per year for each turbine
that is located on there
property.
 Investment of approximately $1
billion.
 None that I can think of.
Financial Advantages.

14. Macarthur Wind Farm Mortlake Power Station
 Ongoing jobs for about 20
people.
 Money put towards upgrading
roads
 Money given to council.
 Community grants given out.
Social Impacts.

15. Macarthur Wind Farm Mortlake Power Plant
 Pollutant free.
 Bird kills
 Wild life and vegetation
 Puts CO2 in the atmosphere
 Greenhouse gas emissions
Environmental Impacts.

16. KYOTO PROTOCOL
 New commitments for Annex I Parties to the Kyoto
Protocol who agreed to take on commitments in a
second commitment period from 1 January 2013 to 31
December 2020;
 A revised list of greenhouse gases (GHG) to be reported
on by Parties in the second commitment period; and
 Amendments to several articles of the Kyoto Protocol
which specifically referenced issues pertaining to the
first commitment period and which needed to be
updated for the second commitment period.

17. WIND ENERGY NATURAL GAS
 Wind energy doesn’t
put any pollution into
the atmosphere. The
only pollution that is
put into the
atmosphere is the
transport of vehicles
and all the
construction
equipment from
building the turbines.
 Natural gas
contributes to the
greenhouse effect,
because although it
sounds like it is natural
it isn't and it produces
CO2 which isn't good
for the atmosphere.
But compared to coal
and oil if isn't doing to
bad.
Contribution to the greenhouse effect.

18. Australian Strategy
 The goals of the NGS are:
 1. To limit net greenhouse gas emissions, in particular, to meet our international
commitments.
 2. To foster knowledge and understanding of greenhouse issues.
 3. To lay the foundations for adaptation to climate change.
 To achieve these goals, the NGS includes ongoing measures, many arising from the 1992
NGRS, and new measures announced by the Prime Minister in November 1997.
 It also integrates greenhouse into other major policy initiatives, such as the Natural Heritage
Trust, and launches new measures to increase greenhouse emission reduction activities
across the Australian community. This document provides the strategic framework for an
effective greenhouse response and for meeting current and future international
commitments. It will provide a fresh impetus for action by governments, stakeholder groups
and the broader community and set directions for that action into the next century.

19. South Australian Policies
 It outlines the case for action, the wider international context and three
essential strategy requirements, which are:
 the need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions
 the need to adapt to climate change
 the need to innovate.
 Most importantly, the strategy sets out specific goals and targets for
South Australia, recommended ways to achieve them and key action
areas.

20. References/Bibliography
 http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/wind/wind-energy/advantages-and-disadvantages-
of-wind-energy
 www.exxonmobil.com.au/Australia-English/PA/energy_naturalgas.aspx
 www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/wind-power/
 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas
 www.sa.gov.au/topics/water.../south-australia-s-greenhouse-strategy
 jnevill.customer.netspace.net.au/Greenhouse_principles.htm
 https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php
 www.alliantenergykids.com