3.5 Energy

Question 1

Describe the importance of non-renewable fossil fuels, renewable energy supplies, nuclear power and fuelwood; globally and in different countries at different levels of development

Answer 1

Energy sources in countries based on level of development:
LEDC: burning wood
NIC: fossil fuels; coal, oil, natural gas
MEDC: coal, oil, increasingly renewables

Question 2

Evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of nuclear power and renewable energy sources

Answer 2

Nuclear
Advantages:
- Generates large quantities of energy
- Not as air polluting
- Cheap once its built
- Uranium very available & generates lots of power

Disadvantages:

• Serious danger of radioactive pollution, could leak
• Requires hi-tech, skilled workers
• Lots of water for cooling
• Diff waste disposal
• Terrorism: radioactive material, nuclear weapons

Renewables:
Advantages:
- Infinite power source
- Non-polluting, na gases/fiumes
- Cheap after its built, cheap running costs
- Less damaging than nuclear/fossil fuels

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t generate lots of energy
• Still young, undeveloped technology
• Physical region related, sunny, windy, high tide
• Not reliable, always breaking

Question 3

case study

energy supply in a country or area

Answer 3

Germany

Key facts:

• 30% renewables
• 2000 renewable act feed in tariff laws
• Hard coal and lignite 40%

Key points:
- 1973 Worl Oil Crisis- needed alternatives: more coil, lignite, HEP, and expansion of nuclear

• 1986 Chernobyl disaster: changed mind about nuclear. Also started Green Movement: reduce fossil fuels
• Stated that all nuclear will be phased out by 2025
• Expanding on clean fossil fuels, e.g. natural gas
• Big push for renewables (solar in south, wind in north)
• Feed In Tariff Law: private people (mainly farmers) can build solar/wind farms and energy companies have to buy any surplus energy at a fixed price, very profitable
• Now GER biggest users of new-renewable energy in world
• Also more HEP and biomass