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The Electricity Distribution Debate Kit discusses whether building pylons should be allowed in order to connect new electricity generation infrastructure, such as windfarms, to the National Grid.
The aim of this debate kit is to show students just how complex the issue of electricity distribution is, and to encourage them to reflect and explore some of the main ethical, social and political issues surrounding this topic.
Introductory slide presentation
All the facts in the Electricity Distribution Debate Kit have been researched. This page is populated with references and additional information relating to the kit.
We have also prepared some slides to help you introduce the topic of electricity distribution.
A video of the slides with accompanying audio explanations is up on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z6p0D_G6JI
Or you can download the slides without audio: Electricity Distribution slides (PPT 3.1 MB )
Further reading and other resources
Imperial College & Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
UK electricity networks (PDF 1,988 KB)
Thesis dissertation on the distribution networks that the UK will require for an electricity system supporting a greater proportion of renewable energy generation.
- Go to page 9 for a brief history of electricity from 1878 until 1989.
- In page 30 you will find the origin and evolution of UK electricity networks.
- Scroll down to page 32 for a chart summarizing the characteristics of UK electricity transmission networks as in 1999.
- In page 41 you can find a map of UK electricity transmission network in 1999.
- Go to page 42 to see a map showing where electricity is generated and where it is consumed.
Gridwatch
UK National Grid Status
Real time data on what the UK electricity grid is doing right now.
Electrical Power Systems; University of Bath
Slide presentation (PDF 2,9MB)
Short booklet – summary of the previous presentation (PDF 269KB)
How could suppliers and customers dramatically reduce future electricity bill? – Professor Furong Li
UK Energy Watch
Map of UK Power Stations
Interactive map depicting UK electricity stations that generate a minimum of 400MW.
Western Power Distribution
Project So La BRISTOL
Project BRISTOL merges Buildings, Renewables and Integrated Storage with new Tariffs in order to Overcome the Limitations of low carbon energy sources.
FALCON (Flexible Approaches for Low Carbon Optimised Networks)
Project FALCON will determine the best ways to manage the network problems expected to arise from increased low carbon technologies.
Energy networks association
Environment briefing – transporting energy (PDF 297 KB)
Briefing looking at pros and cons of pylons and underground cables as energy distribution alternatives.
World Energy Council
Energy sources in the World (PDF 39 KB)
Review of the status of the world’s major energy resources: from fossil fuels to novel sources of energy.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Climate Change Report 2013 (PDF 9,209 KB)
Summary report on new evidence of climate change based on a wide range of independent scientific analyses.
European Union
European Landscape Convention
Convention that aims to promote landscape protection, and to organise European co-operation on landscape issues.
