# Explain how a coal-fired power station and a wind farm each produce electricity, and state one difference between them in terms of whether the energy resource is renewable or non-renewable.

> OCR GCSE Physics A: Gateway Science (J249) — P6.2 Producing electricity · Explain · 4 marks

> A national energy report compares coal-fired power stations with wind farms as methods of generating electricity for the National Grid.

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. In a coal-fired power station, combustion of coal produces thermal energy (which heats water to produce steam).
2. The steam (or thermal energy) turns turbines which drive generators to produce electricity.
3. Wind directly turns turbines (which drive generators to produce electricity), with no combustion or steam required.
4. Coal is a non-renewable energy resource whereas wind is a renewable energy resource.

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