Home » Teaching Resources » UK Energy Mix

UK Energy Mix

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Print

In this activity students use current data to investigate  the UK’s energy sources.

Go to gridwatch.co.uk and use the table and the key at the bottom of the page to complete the following table. This website shows you where the UK’s electric power is coming from and what the total demand (use) is and has been over the past year.

(1 GW = 1 000 000 000W)

energy source table
  1. In some of the boxes, you may see a negative number – what does that mean?
  2. What is the total net amount of power we are currently getting from France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway?
  3. For the power generated in the UK, highlight all renewable energy sources.
  4. What is the total amount of power we are currently generating from fossil fuels in the UK?
  5. Looking at the graph headed ‘yesterday’, when would have been the best time to charge an electric car, if you wanted to use as much renewable power as possible? Why?
  6. Looking at the graph headed ‘last year’ which season(s) have the most energy generated by solar energy?
  7. Which season(s) have the most energy generated by wind energy?

Extension

By looking at the total energy demand, and the production by wind energy, what can you deduce is the purpose of gas turbines?

Can you see any correlation between wind output and gas turbine output?

Opportunity for Group Work

Make a poster or presentation showing what you have learned.

Start exploring

Latest from blog

Related resources …

Secondary Geography, Secondary Maths, Secondary Science
Suitable resources for Geography, Science and Maths
Secondary Science
A series of downloadable lesson plans and teacher’s notes for science GCSE based on using the Gravity field and steady state Ocean Circulation Explorer
Secondary Geography, Secondary Science
Flooding Flooding is caused by: a large amount of persistent rain rapid thawing of snow a storm surge a combination of high tides and
Secondary Geography, Secondary Science
The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, is the process by which water travels from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and
MetLink - Royal Meteorological Society
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experienceBy clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. More info

By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. More info