Resources: Class presentation and handout.
Handout: Summary of key information on renewable energy resources. The students can practice the application of maths skills to a question about solar panels, compare the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy resources and apply knowledge of energy transfers to explore the efficiency of a wind turbine. They can use information about geothermal energy to answer questions and apply their knowledge.
Show the pictures of 5 types of renewable energy resource. Ask the students: What types of energy resources do these pictures show? What do they all have in common? Which one do you think is most used in the UK? (It varies! However, it is often wind.) Use this to lead a discussion into what a renewable energy resource is.
Using the handout, reinforce the learning from the lesson. Discuss the latest global targets that have been set by COP26. Are they achievable? How much more do we have to do as a country - as a world - to achieve a carbon-neutral future? Is this achievable through renewable energy resources alone? Ask the students to complete the examination-style questions and then discuss their responses as a group.
Ask the students to research their local energy generation mix – how much depends on non-renewable sources as compared to renewable sources? Task them with practising writing full answers to written questions. Use part of the question to commence their answer and make a statement to conclude with evidence.
How is the UK going to meet the targets set at the Climate Change Conference – COP26?
Career Film: This is Colin Fairbairn. Colin works as a Senior Technologist for National Nuclear Laboratory.
Expert film: This is James Martland, who works as a Graduate Software Developer for National Nuclear Laboratory. James talks about renewable energy resources.
Using the handout, discuss the latest global targets that have been set by COP26. Are they achievable? How much more do we have to do as a country - as a world - to achieve a carbon-neutral future? Is this achievable through renewable energy resources alone?
Challenge Task: Ask the students: What is the most efficient source of renewable energy currently used in the UK? Why? Encourage them to list any sources of information and data they use in their answer.
Use the summative quiz to assess students' learning.
Class debate: Which renewable energy resource is the most important/should be invested in the most? Ask students to put 1 argument forward for each type of renewable energy resource. Then, take a class vote to decide which one would win.