Energy: location and requirements

GAS - located mainly on eastern side of UK e.g. around Humber Estuary. Case Study Killingholme
Requirements:
Large flat site in areas of low population density and where land is of little agricultural value - cheap
Access to gas fields – e.g. North Sea
Close to river for cooling water and als water needed to produce steam for generation

COAL - located on coalfields, close to collieries and existing open cast coal mines e.g. Selby, Case Study: Eggborough Humberside
Requirements:
Large flat site
Built on or near large supplies of coal (mine) because it is bulky and very expensive to transport

Often linked to pits by special railways that only carry coal. By locating close to mine and building rail links, transport costs are reduced

Located along major rivers because large amounts of water are needed to produce steam to drive turbines and need large amounts of cooling water

Many are near to urban areas many of the large conurbations developed on the coal fields during the time of the industrial revolution

NUCLEAR - scattered locations around the country. Case Study Heysham, Lancs
Requirements
Located away from large populated areas in case of accidents and also as there is less opposition to building plant
Large, flat site
Low value land
Stable bedrock
Located on the coast as vast amounts of water are needed for cooling purposes
Good transport links for both raw materials and waste products

WIND - farms - majority are located in west of country, in upland areas. No wind farms in National Parks. Case Study Lambrigg wind farm, Cumbria
because ....
Areas with high and regular wind speeds so often found in exposed coastal locations or in remote upland areas
The wind speeds are higher in the west of the country
In Britain there are more days when winds blow from the west than from any other direction so there are more days when the wind turbines can be operated.
At higher altitudes, wind speeds are faster and there are fewer obstacles to block the wind.
Wind farms are not built where they would detract from the natural beauty of a National Park

HEP - Found mainly in the north and west of the UK in upland areas. Case Study: Cruachan W. Scotland
Requirements:
Large and regular rainfall (> 1500mm pa) and low rates of evaporation in order to provide a constant supply of water.
Upland areas where narrow valleys which are ideal for dam construction and water storage
Strong and impermeable bed rock so water does not drain away through the rocks
Cheap land, sparsely populated
Steep upland gradients or former waterfall to give the necessary high head of water to turn the turbines