Energy Sources and Power Generation Terminology

Energy Vocabulary: Key Terms

• Barrage: Presa
• Wave: Ola
• Coal: Carbón
• Tidal: Marea
• Commissioned: Encargado
• Heating: Calefacción

Energy Classifications

• Renewable: Sun, water, wave, wind
• Non-renewable: Fossil fuels, coal, oil, petroleum, biofuel, plutonium, uranium

Types of Energy

• Electrical energy, fire, fossil fuels, gas power, geothermal energy, greenhouse effect, hydraulic power, hydroelectric energy, kinetic energy (energía cinética), magnetic energy, nuclear energy, solar energy, steam power (de vapor), tidal power (de marea), water power, wave power (de olas), wind power

Equipment for Energy Production

• Atomic energy plant, gas station, gasworks (fábrica de gas), generating station, generator, heat exchanger (termocambiador), hydroelectric scheme (esquema hidro), motor, nuclear plant, power station, powerhouse, solar cell, solar panel, tidal barrage (barrera de marea), tide mill (molino de marea), turbine, waterfall (cascada), waterworks (central depuradora), wind farm (parc eólic), windmill (molí de vent)

Definitions

• Commissioned: When a nuclear plant is put into action.
• Electrical: The flow of electrons produces this type of energy.
• Geothermal: This heat comes from the earth itself.
• Gasworks: This is where gas was made from coal in the past.
• Sun: Almost all the energy we use comes from this.
• Uranium: The reactor in nuclear power stations contains a nuclear fuel such as this.
• Solar cell: These turn the energy in sunlight into electricity.
• Kinetic: This kind of energy is in things that are moving.
• Scheme: This is a hydroelectric power station together with its dam and reservoir.
• Biofuel: This is made from plant or animal matter.
• Open coal fires: The main way of heating homes in the UK before central heating.
• Magnetic: This energy is associated with electric current.
• Greenhouse effect: Exhaust gases from vehicles and power stations, methane from oil and gas rigs, and CFCs in refrigerators all contribute to this effect.
• Transport: This type of fuel is used to power all sorts of vehicles.
• Hydraulic: This power comes from the pressure or movement of a liquid.
• Petroleum: Another word for oil.
• Solar: This type of energy comes from the sun.