Questions: Engineer: Can you think of a reason why this way of storing energy is not ideal for our solar power plant? a) Moving water around is not storing energy b) Potential energy is not as good as electrical energy c) Because the solar power plant is located in a desert, far from large bodies of water. d) Because it is a solar power plant and not a water power plant

Engineer: Can you think of a reason why this way of storing energy is not ideal for our solar power plant?
a) Moving water around is not storing energy
b) Potential energy is not as good as electrical energy
c) Because the solar power plant is located in a desert, far from large bodies of water.
d) Because it is a solar power plant and not a water power plant

Transcript text: Engineer: Can you think of a reason why this way of storing energy is not ideal for our solar power plant? a) Moving water around is not storing energy b) Potential energy is not as good as electrical energy c) Because the solar power plant is located in a desert, far from large bodies of water. d) Because it is a solar power plant and not a water power plant

Solution

Solution Steps

Step 1: Understanding the Context

The question is about identifying a reason why a particular method of storing energy might not be ideal for a solar power plant. The context suggests that the method involves moving water, which is typically associated with pumped hydroelectric storage.

Step 2: Analyzing the Options

Option a: "Moving water around is not storing energy" is incorrect because moving water to a higher elevation is a common method of storing potential energy.
Option b: "Potential energy is not as good as electrical energy" is subjective and not a strong reason against using potential energy storage.
Option c: "Because the solar power plant is located in a desert, far from large bodies of water" is a practical concern. Pumped hydro storage requires significant water resources, which are scarce in desert locations.
Option d: "Because it is a solar power plant and not a water power plant" is irrelevant because energy storage methods can be independent of the energy generation method.

Step 3: Selecting the Most Relevant Option

Option c provides a practical and location-specific reason why using water to store energy might not be ideal for a solar power plant located in a desert.