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What job could nuclear power do in a low-carbon electricity system?

An electricity system needs power at the times people use it, as well as enough energy over the year. Nuclear generation can be considered alongside storage, flexible demand and other dispatchable sources in meeting that need. Its value depends on the scenario, costs and available alternatives.

5–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • Which hours would be hardest to supply in your chosen electricity scenario?

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How can a heat pump deliver more heat than its electricity input?

Energy4–5 minA heating device seems to promise something impossible when its heat output exceeds the electricity it uses. A heat pump's energy account includes another input: heat moved from its surroundings.

Energy

How does a photovoltaic cell turn light into electricity?

A solar cell can generate electricity without a turbine or other moving machinery. Light interacting with a semiconductor starts the process, but separating and collecting the resulting charges is what makes electrical output possible.

4–5 min

How does a photovoltaic cell turn light into electricity?

Energy4–5 minA solar cell can generate electricity without a turbine or other moving machinery. Light interacting with a semiconductor starts the process, but separating and collecting the resulting charges is what makes electrical output possible.

How does a wind turbine turn moving air into electricity?

Energy3–5 minA turbine's blades are only the visible beginning of the journey from wind to electricity. Their rotation drives a generator, though the machinery connecting those parts differs between turbine designs.

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