A-Level Geography: The Carbon Cycle CASE STUDY EXAMPLES Flashcards
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
URBAN CONSUMPTION IN LONDON
- OVER HALF OF THE WORLD LIVES IN CITIES
- CITIES CONSUME 75% OF THE WORLD’S ENERGY AND PRODUCE 80% OFITS GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
- CITY OF LONDON GENERATES 1.7 MILLION TONNES OF CARBON EACH YEAR
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
PHYSICAL AVAILABILITY: UK
- UK USED TO BE DEPENDED ON DOMESTIC COAL FROM SOUTH WALES AND NORTH-EAST ENGLAND
- GLOBAL LEADERS IN NUCLEAR TECH FROM 1950-1970
- LARGE RESERVES OF NORTH SEA GAS AND OIL
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
PHYSICAL AVAILABILITY: NORWAY
- MOUNTAINOUS AND PLENTY OF RAINFALL, GOOD FOR HEP
- OIL AND NATURAL GAS IS IN TERRITORIAL WATERS
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
COSTS: UK
- NORTH SEA RESERVES IS A SECURE SOURCE OF DEPENDENCY ON MIDDLE EASTERN OL AFTER PRICES ROSE IN THE EARLY 1970S
- NORTH SEA OIL IS EXPENSIVE TO EXTRACT, MEANING IF PRICES FALL (LIKE IN 2014-15), IT BECOMES LESS VIABLE
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
COSTS: NORWAY
- NORSK HYDRO RUNS OVER 600 HEP SITES, SUPPLYING 97.5% OF NORWAY’S RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY
- HEP COSTS ARE LOW ONCE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IS DONE.
- HOWEVER, THE TRANSFER OF ELECTRICITY FROM REMOTE TO URBAN POPULATIONS ARE EXPENSIVE
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES: UK
- 2015, UK COMMITTED TO A 40% REDUCTION IN DOMESTIC GREENHOUSE GASES BY 2030
- HOWEVER, UK ALSO ABANDONED ‘GREEN DEAL’ CONSERVATION AND INSULATION SCHEMES IN 2015
- IN 2015, CO2 EMISSIONS WERE 7.13 TONNES PER CAPITA (DOWN FROM PEAK OF 11.5 IN 1980)
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES: NORWAY
- 2015, NORWAY COMMITTED TO A 40% REDUCTION IN DOMESTIC GREENHOUSE GASES BY 2030
- NORWAY’S POLICY FOR CHANGE WAS LAUNCHED IN 2016 WITH A DOMESTIC TARGET OF BEING CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050
- IN 2015, CO2 EMISSIONS WERE 11.74 TONNES PER CAPITA (UP FROM 11.6 IN 1989)
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: UK
- GDP PER CAPITA = $41,200 (2015)
- ENERGY USE PER CAPITA = 2752 KG OIL EQUIVELANT (2014)
- AVERAGE ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD ENERGY COSTS - £1300 (2015)
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: NORWAY
- GDP PER CAPITA = $61,500 (2015)
- ENERGY USE PER CAPITA = 5854 KG OIL EQUIVELANT (2014)
- AVERAGE ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD ENERGY COSTS - £2400 (2015)
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
ENERGY TNCS: EXAMPLES
- BP (UK) AND SHELL (UK-NETHERLANDS)
- PETROBRAS (BRAZIL) AND GAZPROM (RUSSIA)
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
ENERGY TNCS: OUTPUT PER DAY (2014-15)
- ARAMCO - 12
- GAZPROM - 8.3
- NATIOONAL IRANIAN OIL - 6
- EXXON/MOBIL - 4.7
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
CONSUMERS: RENEWABLES
CONSUMERS UP UNTIL 2015 INSTALLED SOLAR PANELS IN THE UK BECAUSE OF LARGE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDISATION
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT: AIMS
- AIM TO FULFIL CO2 TARGETS AND FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCY
- UK GOVERNMENT ALLOWS DEVELOPMENT OF HINKLEY POINT C (MADE FROM TNC BACKED BY BOTH FRENCH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT)
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
OPEC: STATS AND AIM
- HOLDS 2/3 OF THE WORLD’S OIL RESERVES
- ACCOUNTED FOR 44% OF WORLD OIL PRODUCTION
- ATTEMPTS TO STABILISE OIL PRICES
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
OPEC: RESPONSE (2012-16)
IN 2012-16, IT MAINTAINED HIGH OUTPUT TO KEEP PRICES LOW TO COMPETE WITH THE USA’S INCREASED OIL PRODUCTION
CARBON CYCLE: THE ENERGY MIX
USA AND FRANCE EVALUATION
- In the USA, over 3/4 of energy comes from fossil fuels. The French energy mix is very different, with half its energy coming from fossil fuels and around 40% coming from nuclear energy.
- In terms of energy security, France is much less well placed than the USA, if only because nearly half of its primary energy is imported. The USA is much more self-sufficient.
CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES
NUCLEAR ENERGY: HINKLEY POSITIVES
- Will provide 7% of the UK’s electricity
- Privately invested in by EDF (85%)
- China general nuclear takes a 33% stake in the project
- 25 000 jobs
- Part of the plan to phase out coal by 2025
CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES
NUCLEAR ENERGY: HINKLEY NEGATIVES
- Costs to consumers (£92.5 per megawatt-hour)
- Safety and environmental concerns
- Delays and costs overrun £18 bn budget could be three times more than expected
- Takes 10 000 years to decay
CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES
UK ENERGY: STATUS
- HAS 150 YEARS WORTH OF COAL RESERVES
- ENERGY INSECURE DUE TO 60% BEING IMPORTED
CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES
UK ENERGY: EFFORTS TO BE DIVERSIFY
- SOLAR POWER IS GROWING RAPIDLY - UP BY 86% BETWEEN 2014 AND 2015. (HOWEVER, EXPANDED DUE TO GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES)
- HINKLEY POINT C WILL PROVIDE 7% OF THE UK’S ELECTRICITY
CARBON CYCLE: RENEWABLES AND RECYCLABLES
UK ENERGY: SOLAR POWER
- CHAPEL LAND SOLAR FARM, CHRISTCHURCH COSTS £50 MILLION TO COVER AND AREA EQUAL TO 175 FOOTBALL PITCHES
- SERVERS 60,000 HOUSEHOLDS
- HOWEVER, SUPPORTERS OF THE CPRE CLAIM IT MAKES ENERGY SOURCES EXPENSIVE AND CONSUMES PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND
- SOLAR PANELS CAN ONLY COLLECT 15-20% OF SOLAR LIGHT
