Carbon EQ2

Question 1

energy security

Answer 1

Energy security is achieved when there is an uninterrupted availability of energy at a national level and at an affordable price.

Question 2

energy mix

Answer 2

The energy mix is the combination of different energy sources used to meet a country’s total energy consumption.

Question 3

challenges converting 100% to renewable

Answer 3

-currently 13% globally
-needs to be cheap and accessible
-need for infrastructure
-current battery technology needs replenishing

Question 4

how has uk energy mix changed

Answer 4

1970- mainly oil and coal
2012- huge reduction in oil, slight reduction in oil increase in nuclear power

Question 5

factors affecting energy consumption per capita (per person)

Answer 5

-physical availability
-cost
-standard of living
-environmental priorities (of governments)
for some, energy policy will be taking the cheapest route to meeting the nation’s energy needs, regardless of the environmental costs.
-climate
Very high levels of consumption in North America, the Middle East and Australia reflect the extra energy needed to make the extremes of heat and cold more comfortable (at home, at work and in public places)
-public perception
for some consumers, energy is perceived almost as a human right and therefore to be used with little or no regard for the environmental consequences. Others give priority to minimising the wastage of energy and maximising security
-economic development
-technology

Question 6

USA v France

Answer 6

The USA (2nd) and France (10th) are ranked within the world’s top ten largest energy consumers, However, there are significant differences between the two countries.
These differences can be explained by the following:
The USA has a significantly higher population of 334 million compared to 65.6 million living in France
The size of the USA results in the country experiencing extremes of heat and cold which requires huge amounts of energy (for heating and lighting) to counteract them

The energy mix of the USA is also significantly different from France
The USA only has 10% coming from renewable energy and 8% from nuclear
France has 10% from renewables and 41% coming from nuclear energy
The energy security of the USA and France differ too, with the USA being considered more energy secure than France because:

France relies on 46% of its energy supplies being imported whereas USA only relies on 15%

Question 7

why is demand for energy increasing

Answer 7

-Global population growth
-Development and rising standard of living
-The essential nature of energy to our everyday life

Question 8

primary energy

Answer 8

raw energy sources eg. fossil fuels

Question 9

secondary energy

Answer 9

energy produced from primary source eg.electricity

Question 10

energy pathway

Answer 10

the networks that transport energy in primary and secondary form from producer to consumer

Question 11

what is OPEC

Answer 11

OPEC has 12 member countries, which between them own about two-thirds of the world’s oil reserves. Because of this, it is in a position to control the amount of oil and gas entering the global market, as well as the prices of both commodities. supplies 40% of global oil

Question 12

TNCs role in energy

Answer 12

want to sell energy at competitive prices and provide profits to shareholders. TNCS provide link from where resources are situated to who wants to use them

Question 13

environmentalists role in energy

Answer 13

want to limit environmental damage and promote non damaging energy sources

Question 14

gazprom

Answer 14

russian owned energy company who provide most countries in EU with gas. 40% EUs gas and 30% EUs oil.
however tdue to conflict with ukraine energy bills have double/tripled

Question 15

how can government affect energy pricing

Answer 15

-changes to prices including taxes and tariffs- making prices higher
-price caps-a limit on how much companies can charge
-subsidies to consumer or producer- may hurt goverment spending

Question 16

strait of hormuz

Answer 16

inbetween UAE and iran
30% of global oil trade passes through Hormuz
Iran can threaten closure, driving up oil prices
Potential 10-15% price surge after any disruption

Question 17

the unconventional fossil fuels

Answer 17

Tar sands
Oil shales
Deepwater oil

Question 18

tar sand

Answer 18

Tar sands have to be mined and then injected with steam to make the oil less viscous so that it can be pumped out.

Question 19

oil shales

Answer 19

Oil-bearing rocks that are permeable enough to allow the oil to be pumped out directly.

Question 20

deepwater oil

Answer 20

Oil and gas that is found well offshore and at considerable oceanic depths.

Question 21

benefits of unconventional fossil fuels

Answer 21

These unconventional sources of fossil fuels provide countries that currently rely on imported energy with the possibility of greater energy security

May provide a source of fuel whilst renewable energy sources are developed further

Provides jobs and boosts the local economy

Question 22

costs of unconventional fossil fuels

Answer 22

The exploitation of these sources will continue to threaten the carbon cycle and contribute to global warming
Extraction is expensive
Extraction can cause environmental damage

Question 23

main sources of renewable energy?

Answer 23

hydro, wind, solar, geothermal and tidal

Question 24

benefits of renewable energy

Answer 24

‘green energy’
-Renewable energy will not run out and provides many environmental benefits e.g., reduction in greenhouse gases
-Will save money in the long term as operation and maintenance costs are lower
-Reduces a country’s reliance on importing energy sources from abroad
-Creates employment as more long term and labour intensive e.g., in the USA, the renewable energy sector employs three times the amount of people that the fossil fuel sector

Question 25

costs of renewable energy

Answer 25

-Many people will protest when there is a proposal made for a wind or solar farm close to their home -not all countries have coasts, strongly flowing rivers or climates with either long sunshine hours or persistently strong winds -When oil and gas prices are low, renewables become a more expensive option.

Question 26

costs and benefit of recyclable energy

Answer 26

nuclear energy Countries with high levels of energy consumption will often have no choice but to consider nuclear energy to generate electricity as high energy production relatively cheap once up and running however.... Safety - nuclear incidents such as Chernobyl (Ukraine) and Fukushima (Japan) Disposal of highly toxic radioactive waste, dangerous if it leaks (which has a long decay life) Technology used means that nuclear energy is only really open to the most developed countries Costs - despite operational costs being relatively low, the cost of building and decommissioning are high

Question 27

biofuels

Answer 27

Biofuels are derived immediately from living matter, such as agricultural crops, forestry or fishing products and various forms of waste, In the UK, the two main crops are oilseed rape and sugar beet. Most of these two crops are converted into ethanol or biodiesel, which are mainly used as a vehicle fuel. The downside- each hectare of farmland used to grow energy crops means a hectare less for growing much-needed food in an increasingly hungry world. They are supposedly carbon neutral, since the carbon dioxide they produce when burnt, is only that they took from the environment whilst growing, but there is uncertainty over how carbon neutral they actually are since what was on the land before them, e.g. a forest, is destroyed.

Question 28

biofuels in brazil

Answer 28

More recently, it has added biofuels to its energy mix. Although less than 5% of Brazil's energy comes from renewable energy sources, 90% of new passenger vehicles sold in the country have flex-fuel engines that work using any combination of petrol and ethanol. This has led to a significant reduction in the country's carbon emissions. The result though has been the displacement of other types of agriculture. The need to find replacement pastures has led to large-scale clearance of tropical rainforest in the Amazon Basin. This deforestation neutralizes the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions gained from the increasing use of ethanol.

Question 29

radical technologies to reduce carbon emissions

Answer 29

Radical technologies, including carbon capture and storage and hydrogen fuel cells could reduce carbon emissions but uncertainty exists as to how far this is possible.

Question 30

carbon capture

Answer 30

Carbon capture and storage involves ‘capturing’ the carbon dioxide released and burying it deep underground However, carbon capture and storage has significant challenges -It is expensive because of the advanced technology required -No one can be sure that the carbon dioxide will stay underground and that it will not leak to the surface and enter the atmosphere

Question 31

hydrogen fuel cells

Answer 31

These combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. They will produce electricity for as long as hydrogen is supplied and never lose their charge. The challenge with this technology is Hydrogen production, especially through electrolysis, is expensive and energy-intensive. Most hydrogen is currently produced from fossil fuels , contributing to carbon emissions.