3.5 Energy Flashcards
Why do HIC use a wide variety of energy?
HICs tend to use a wide mix of energy sources as they are able to invest in domestic energy potential and to buy energy from abroad.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of coal?
Coal is a non-renewable fossil fuel.
There are high world reserves and can be sourced by highly mechanised mines.
The combustion of coal produces CO2: therefore it contributes to global warming, SO2: a gas responsible for acid rain. Coal is also difficult to transport.
Coal is mainly used by countries which have rich reserves of it and in NICs where other technological means aren’t as advanced.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of oil?
Oil is a non-renewable fossil fuel.
Oil is less pollutant than coal, it is fairly easy to transport, efficient, and has a variety of uses.
There a few oil reserves and there is a danger of spills and explosions.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of natural gas?
Natural gas is a non-renewable fossil fuel.
It is efficient, easy to transport, and the least polluting fossil fuel.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal energy?
Geothermal energy is renewable.
There are many potential sites as only a small land area is needed, there is a low environmental impact, and is reliable.
It is expensive to develop and the high heat can create maintenance problems.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of wind energy?
Wind is a renewable energy.
It is very clean, available everywhere on small and large scales, and is cheap to run.
It is unreliable, the turbines can act as a noise and visual pollutant in quite, rural areas, and many turbines are needed to produce sufficient energy.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of HEP?
Hydroelectric power is renewable.
It is very clean and the reservoirs and dams can control flooding and provide water.
It disrupts habitats as large areas of land is flooded and have a negative effect on ecosystems and aquatic life.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of wave and tidal power?
Wave and tidal are renewable.
They are more reliable, protect the coast from erosion, and large schemes can produce lots of energy.
It’s very expensive to build (there’s a long time until a return from the investment), there are few suitable sites, and it disrupts coastal ecosystems and shipping.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar?
Solar energy is renewable.
There are unlimited supplies, it’s clean, efficient, space effective, and could be used almost everywhere.
It’s expensive, somewhat unreliable, they require some technological development and reduction of costs.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of biofuels?
Biofuel is renewable.
It’s widely available (especially in LICs), has cleaner emissions, and can be used at local levels.
It can be expensive to set up, the waste cannot be recycled, there is some pollution, and there is a comparatively lower energy output.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy?
It produced fewer greenhouse gases, is efficient, uses few raw materials, produces little waste, is reliable, and not vulnerable to fuel price fluctuations.
Dangers of radiation, poor public reception, high costs of building and decommissioning power stations, problems over disposal of waste, and there are fears with weaponising it.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of fuel wood?
It’s easily available, free, and replanting is possible.
It’s time consuming to collect, the trees can be used up quickly, deforestation can lead to soil erosion and desertification, and replanting may not be able to keep up with consumption.
