Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Method of Electricity Production

Typre Advantages Disadvantages
Biomass Renewable. No net CO2 produced. Often smelly
Fossil Fuels - Oil, Coal, Gas Cheap/ Power station cheap to build and quick to start and stop. Gas quickest, then oil, then coal Produces CO2 and other pollutants. Non renewable.
Nuclear Little fuel required. No CO2 produced. Suitable for baseload - power station always running. Expensive. Produces radioactive waste. Occasionally one blows up and contaminates a wide area. Power stations are very difficult and dangerous to dismantle.
Tidal Predictable power output. Renewable. No CO2 produced. Expensive. May result in habitat destruction of wildlife.
Wave/wind/Solar Renewable. No CO2 produced. Now becoming very cheap. Unsightly and unpredictable
Hydroelectric Controllable power output. Quick to turn off and on. Can act as energy store. Renewable. No CO2 produced. May result in habitat destruction of wildlife.
Geothermal Controllable power output. Quick to turn off and on. No CO2 produced. Deep drilling Required.