Carbon EQ2 - Consequences of increasing energy demand Flashcards
What is energy security?
The uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price
What is the difference between long and short term energy security?
Long term - timely investments to supply energy in line with economic developments and environmental needs
Short term - ability of the energy system to react promptly to sudden changes in balance between supply and demand
What are the 4 important aspects of energy supply?
- availability
- accessibility
- affordability
- reliability
What is energy intensity?
A measure of how efficiently a country is using its energy - calculated as units of energy used per unit of GDP
How is energy consumption expressed?
Per capita in terms of
- kg of oil equivalent per year
- gigajoules per year
- megawatt hours per year
What is energy mix?
The combination of different available energy sources used to meet a country’s total energy demand, and important component of energy security.
What is consumption of energy rising?
Due to development, rising living standards and population growth
What factors affect access to and consumption of energy resources?
- physical availability (domestic vs imports)
- cost (physical exploitation, processing, delivery)
- technology
- public perception (based on level of economic development and standards of living)
- climate (colder places need more heating)
- environmental priorities
What is an energy pathway?
The route taken by any form of energy from its source to its point of consumption
Where do different players fit on the spectrum of energy supply and demand?
Energy supply - energy companies, governments of energy producing countries (OPEC)
Energy transport - TNCs, shipping companies, pipeline controllers
Energy demand - TNCs, energy companies, governments, consumers
Who are the 5 major players in the world of energy?
- TNCs
- OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum exporting Countries)
- consumers
- governments
- energy companies
What is the role of TNCs in the supply and demand of energy?
- explore, exploit and distribute energy resources
- own supply lines, invest in distribution and production of raw materials
- respond to market conditions to secure profits for their stakeholders
What is the role of the OPEC in the supply of energy?
Permanent IGO - 13 member countries who own between them 2/3rds of the world’s oil reserves
- co-ordinates and unifies petroleum policies of its members to ensure stabilisation of oil markets
What is the role of governments in the supply and demand of energy?
- guardians of national energy security
- influence sourcing of energy for geopolitical reasons
- provide legislation on emissions levels and costs for consumers
- protect energy pathways to and from the country (supporting economic growth)
What is the role of consumers in energy demand?
They create demand - purchasing choices often based on price/cost issues
- largely passive players in determining/fixing energy prices
What are the causes of mismatch between fossil fuel supply and demand?
- physical geography influences supply and where resources are found
- human development influences demand (consumption higher in more affluent urbanised areas)
How are supply and demand balanced/unbalanced for each of the 3 fossil fuels?
COAL: most of consumers are producers, so not a large mismatch. This reflects the fact that coal is characterised by high transport costs despite low energy density
OIL: main producers OPEC countries, mismatch between production and usage, high demand for it as a transport fuel
GAS: production dominated by USA and Russia, leading producers are often also consumers
How can energy pathways be disrupted?
- militant action
- geopolitical conflict
- disturbance at checkpoints
- piracy
- natural hazards
What makes a good energy pathway?
- good multilateral and bilateral agreements
- avoiding transit states to transport the energy
What is sometimes considered the underlying reason that energy pathways become prone to disruption?
Fossil fuel depletion initiates the pattern of energy supply and demand and therefore can lead to unstable energy pathways being set up
How are mismatches in energy supply and demand resolved?
Via the creation of energy pathways that allow transfers to take place between producers and consumers
How is energy transported along energy pathways?
Pipelines, transmission lines, shipping routes, road and rail
What are the issues surrounding the energy pathway of gas from Russia to Europe?
Russia supplies a quarter of Europe’s gas and 80% of this transits through Ukraine
2009 - pay disputes between Gazprom and Naftogaz led to Gazprom cutting off all supplies to Europe
2014 - Russia annexation of Crimea increased geopolitical tensions
Although Russia has tried to bypass Ukraine for gas supplies, the two countries are inextricably linked. The EU would be wise to not increase reliance on Russian gas due to the significance of the geopolitical situation
What are the 4 unconventional fossil fuel resources?
Tar sands - mixture of clay, sand, water and bitumen
Oil shale - oil bearing rocks that are permeable enough to allow oil to be pumped out directly
Shale gas - natural gas trapped in fine grained sedimentary rocks
Deepwater oil - oil and gas found well offshore at considerable ocean depths