Carbon 2.4

Question 1

Fact about how people from contrasting locations use different amounts of energy?

Answer 1

As a developing country, the 23 million in Madagascar use little energy. By contrast, Manhattan Island, New York is home to 1.7m, each of who consumes more energy in a year than someone from Madagascar will in their lifetime

Question 2

What is meant by the term energy mix?

Answer 2

describes the range and combination of sources required to supply a country with energy

Question 3

What is meant by the term energy security?

Answer 3

Being able to access reliable and affordable sources of energy. These may be domestic sources, but can also include sources from ‘friendly’ countries

Question 4

What is meant by the term energy intensity?

Answer 4

a measure of how efficiently a country is using its energy. Calculated as units of energy used per unit of GDP

Question 5

What factors does the amount of energy consumption depend on per person?

Answer 5

• lifestyle - standard of living
• environmental priorities
• public perception
• economic development
• cost
• climate
• technology
• availability

Question 6

Why is energy security important for development?

Answer 6

-Powers most forms of transport
-lights our settlements
-warms and cools our homes and powers domestic appliances
-vital to modern communications
- drives most forms of manufacturing

Question 7

What are some factors which contribute towards energy security?

Answer 7

-energy mix dependent on domestic supply rather than an imported supply
-affordable and competitively priced supply
-accessible and available energy supply
- reliable and uninterrupted supply

Question 8

What’s the relationship like between economic development and global energy consumption?

Answer 8

Consumption rises as countries develop economically. The costs of energy may be seen as expensive in developing countries, but manageable in developed countries.
Although as countries become more developed, they may become more energy efficient as they can invest more into technology which makes energy efficient.

Question 9

What’s the relationship like between GDP per capita, showing wealth and standard of living, and energy consumption? Why?

Answer 9

There’s a close positive correlation between GDP per capita and energy consumption. This is because as GDP grows, people demand a better standard living through greater use of domestic appliances, greater use of technology, increased variety of foods like meat and tropical fruits and increased demand for transport like cars and planes

Question 10

What is the consumption of energy by cities like? Use examples

Answer 10

Cities consume 75% of the world’s energy and produce 80% of its greenhouse emissions. For example, London generates 1.7m tonnes of carbon per year

Question 11

How does technology impact energy consumption?

Answer 11

Modern technology helps to exploit deeper resources that were not previously available, meaning a greater supply.
However, at the same time, much of the modern tech that is part of everyday living is energy thirsty.

Question 12

How does physical availability affect energy consumption?

Answer 12

• subject to whether resources are available in the country or if they have to be imported. Imported energy means greater transport costs (although rising costs are likely to be a down-ward pressure on energy consumption)
• also subject to how difficult and expensive exploitation will be

Question 13

How is public perception affecting energy consumption?

Answer 13

• rise in interest groups like Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain showing some are becoming increasingly aware of energy consumption
• however few are willing to change their lifestyle in reality, continuing to use cars and planes
• increase in sustainable fashion and a rise in vegetarianism
• companies are using the fact their products are ‘green’ as a marketing technique, showing it’s something the consumer values

Question 14

How does the environmental priorities of governments affect energy consumption?

Answer 14

Some governments may not take the cheapest routes to meet energy needs and instead prefer to invest in eco-friendly renewable resources
However, some prefer to prioritise economic development over environmental priorities, meaning they have a high level of consumption

Question 15

How does the cost of energy affect the levels of consumption?

Answer 15

• The cost of exploitation
  -cost of delivery to consumer
• cost of processing from a primary to secondary resource
  The higher the cost, the less likely people are to consume high levels of energy

Question 16

What are primary energy sources?

Answer 16

Those which are consumed in their raw form. They include fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), nuclear energy and renewable sources

Question 17

What is a secondary energy source?

Answer 17

Primary sources can be processed to generate electricity which is a secondary energy source

Question 18

How has the UK improved in energy efficiency? What part of our energy mix has increased creating a positive impact on carbon emissions?

Answer 18

Despite economic and population growth, the adoption of energy saving technologies in the UK, such as LED light bulbs, resulted in the UK consuming less energy in 2015 compared to 1998.
More of its energy also came from renewable sources

Question 19

Between 1998 and 2015, how did the UK’s energy mix change in terms of domestic and foreign supply?

Answer 19

Declining domestic North Sea oil and gas reserves have made the UK increasingly dependent on imported energy. Because we now import more than we produce domestically, we have an energy deficit and are energy insecure

Question 20

What are the three different types of energy resources?

Answer 20

Non-renewable - will eventually run out
Renewable - continuous flows
Recyclable - reprocessed uranium and plutonium from nuclear power plants

Question 21

What was the UK’s use of renewable energy sources like in 2015?

Answer 21

In 2015, renewable sources accounted for 25% of the UK’s electricity generation. This was the first year in which renewable sources produced more UK electricity than coal did

Question 22

What were the UK’s main energy sources in 2015 and who was the main supplier(s) of these?

Answer 22

• a third of the UK’s fuel imports consisted of crude oil- and 50% of that came from Norway
• natural gas made up 29% of the UK’s fuel imports (Norway made up 60% of this). Most gas comes through pipelines under the North Sea.
  The UK also imports liquid gas - 98% from Qatar, which arrives by super tanker.

Question 23

How is the UK’s energy supply affected by physical availability?

Answer 23

Energy secure: until the 70s we used coal from Northern towns. However, this lost momentum after the discovery of large reserves of North Sea oil and gas

Question 24

How is Norway’s energy supply affected by physical availability?

Answer 24

Energy secure: Because Norway is mountainous, with steep valleys and plenty of rainfall, HEP is the natural energy of choice
-Much of their oil and natural gas as well as coal from Svalbard is exported

Question 25

How does technology affect the UK’s energy supply?

Answer 25

Energy insecure: There are 150 years worth of coal reserves left in the UK, but technology and environmental policy make its extraction unrealistic and expensive. The UK’s last deep coal mine closed in 2015 - the technology for clean coals exists but coal has lost its political support

Question 26

How does technology affect Norway’s energy supply?

Answer 26

Energy secure: Deepwater drilling has enabled Norway (and the UK) to develop North Sea oil and gas extraction

Question 27

How do political considerations affect energy supply in the UK?

Answer 27

Energy insecure: Increased reliance on imports.
Public concern is growing over the new proposed fracking
The privatisation of the UK’s energy supply industry in the 1980s now means that overseas companies (e.g. France’s EDF) decide on which energy sources are used to meet UK demand. They buy primary energy on international markets

Question 28

How does political considerations in Norway affect their energy supply?

Answer 28

Energy secure: The Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate manages the nation’s power supply. The government has an interventionist approach to prevent foreign companies from owning any primary energy source sites.
Royalties and taxes paid to the government from the sale of fossil fuels boost the standard of living through government spending, but profits also go to a sovereign wealth fund to prepare for a future without fossil fuels and invest in environmentally sustainable projects

Question 29

How does cost affect the UK’s energy supply?

Answer 29

Energy secure: North Sea reserves are a secure alternative to dependency on Middle East oil where prices have risen
Energy insecure: North Sea oil is expensive to extract, so if global prices fall, it becomes less viable. Also, stocks of North Sea oil and gas are declining, which is forcing the UK to import more

Question 30

How does cost affect energy supply in Norway?

Answer 30

Energy secure: Norsk Hydro runs over 600 HEP sites, which supply 97.5% of Norway’s renewable energy.
HEP costs are low once capital investment is complete
Energy insecure: The transfer of electricity from HEP production in remote regions to urban population centres and isolated settlements is expensive

Question 31

How does level of economic development affect the UK’s energy use per capita and household energy costs?

Answer 31

GDP per capita: US$41,200
Energy use per capita: 2752 kg oil equivalent
Average annual household energy costs: £1300

Question 32

How does level of economic development affect Norway’s energy use per capita and household energy costs?

Answer 32

GDP per capita: US$61,500
Energy use per capita: 5854 kg oil equivalent
Average annual household energy costs: £2400

Question 33

How does environmental priorities affect energy supply in the UK?

Answer 33

Energy secure: Want to broaden energy mix with more renewable sources and nuclear power. In 2015, the UK’s emissions of CO2 were 7.13 tonnes per capita (down from its peak of 11.5 in 1980).
Energy insecure: In 2015, we abandoned our ‘green deal’ conservation and insulation scheme. Labour also made a U-turn on their green policies of £28bn

Question 34

How does environmental priorities affect energy supply in Norway?

Answer 34

Energy secure: Commitment to 40% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. They are the third largest exporter of hydrocarbon.
Want to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Energy insecure: In 2015, Norway’s CO2 emissions were 11.74 tonnes per capita, up from 11.6 in 1989

Question 35

How has the UK’s energy mix changed between 1980 and 2012?

Answer 35

Large decline in coal from 34 to 15%
Large increase in gas from 19 to 40%
Oil remained fairly constant, but decreased slightly from 38 to 32.5%

Question 36

How has Norway’s energy mix changed between 1970 and 2010?

Answer 36

Hydropower remains fairly constant at 42.5%
Dramatic reduction in oil from 51% to 33.5%
Large increase in gas from 0-20%

Question 37

What is an energy pathway?

Answer 37

The flow of energy between a producer and a consumer, and how it reaches the consumer

Question 38

Who are the main players in energy?

Answer 38

OPEC
TNCs
Consumers
Government

Question 39

Who is OPEC and what is OPEC’s role in energy supply?

Answer 39

13 members who produce and control about 81% of the world’s oil reserves. Their aim is to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies, to ensure stabilisation of oil markets. This ensures a regular supply, steady income for suppliers and a fair return for those investing in the industry.

Question 40

What’s two examples of OPEC’s actions controlling the global energy market?

Answer 40

They have been accused of holding back production in order to drive up oil and gas prices.
In 2012-16, they kept prices low possibly to compete with the US’s increased fracking, which caused a collapse in global oil prices.

Question 41

What are TNCs role in energy supply and consumption?

Answer 41

-TNCs explore, exploit and distribute energy resources.
-They own supply lines and invest in distribution and the processing of raw materials into electricity.
- They respond to market conditions to secure profits for their shareholders
Examples in the UK include BP and Shell
Mobil in USA
Aramco in Saudi Arabia and Gazprom in Russia.
-Some are state owned and some are privately owned

Question 42

What’s the role of consumers in energy supply and production?

Answer 42

-Create demand
-Purchasing choices are often based off price
-Can place pressure on TNCs by boycotting them or choosing different methods like electric cars or solar panels
-widespread protests against fracking and oil extraction

Question 43

What role do governments play in energy supply and production?

Answer 43

-To meet international obligations, while securing energy supplies for population
-regulating the role of private companies and setting environmental priorities
-can influence the sourcing of energy for geopolitical reasons
-Role to reduce dependency on others as well as reduce reliance on fossil fuels
-backs certain TNCs e.g. EDF is backed in the UK in developing nuclear power plant Hinkley Point

Question 44

Where is production and consumption of coal prominent?

Answer 44

China and the US are the largest consumers and producers showing little mismatch. These align because of high transportation costs relative to a low energy density.
However consumption is falling

Question 45

Who are the prominent producers and consumers of gas?

Answer 45

Dominated by the USA and Russia as well as Middle East and Canada.
Has a global but uneven spread
Some of leading producers are leading consumers

Question 46

Who are the prominent producers and consumers of oil?

Answer 46

Over half comes from either OPEC or North America
A clear mismatch is shown in Europe’s low production and high consumption
-BRICs rank highly in oil producers
-High demand as it’s needed for transport fuel given there is no substitute, as there is with coal and gas. This means deeper global markets and differences between producers and consumers