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ESS > Climate change and energy production > Flashcards

Climate change and energy production Flashcards

1
Q

what factors affect the energy choices for a country

A
  • availability of supply (climate, products - oil)
  • politics (potential conflict can increase the price of energy sources)
  • technological development (wind power, shale oil)
  • economics (cheap/ expensive)
  • cultural attitudes (reluctance to change to electric cars)
  • sustainability (only renewable sources are sustainable making up a small % of the world energy supply)
  • environmental considerations
    (considerations of different resources, backlash against nuclear power)
  • infrastructure availability
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2
Q

what is energy security

A

the ability to secure affordable, reliable and sufficient energy supplies for the needs of a particular country

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3
Q

what is energy conservation

A

a factor that can limit growth in energy demand and contribute to energy security but it only has a small impact on total use at the moment

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4
Q

name 3 factors that give a nation greater energy security

A

Any 3 from:
- a windy climate
- An MEDC
- large oil fields in the country
- advanced knowledge of and tech for nuclear fission
- a sunny climate
- a nation with a wide coastline
- geologically active land

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5
Q

name 3 factors that give a nation lower energy security

A
  • most energy from fossil fuel imports
  • a cold climate: little sunlight and wind
  • most energy supplied via renewable from a slightly politically hostile nation
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6
Q

describe chinas energy mix

A
  • 1/3 is coal
  • 20% oil
  • largest renewable source is hydroelectric
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7
Q

why is china developing a strategic petroleum reserve

A

so they will be protected to a certain extent from fluctuations in the global oil price which can arise from a variety of reasons

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8
Q

describe uk’s energy mix

A
  • a wider range of energy sources
  • equal amounts of oil and gas usage
  • nuclear is the largest renewable source used (7.8%)
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9
Q

what factors have caused the UK’s energy mix to change in the past

A
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10
Q

what is the reason for the UK’s reliance on energy imports

A

🥚

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11
Q

what is the hydrogen economy + problem

A

when hydrogen is a fuel that provides energy for transport, industry and electrical generation. It is highly flammable and difficult to transport and store

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12
Q

what is nuclear fission + problem

A

involves extracting heavy water (deuterium) from water and 2 hydrogen atoms to make helium. In theory this works, but is not feasible yet

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13
Q

what is the rough figure for when we will run out of:
- oil
- coal
- gas

A

oil = 100 years
coal = 230 years
gas = 170 years

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14
Q

what is meant by energy crisis?

A

in the future, as non-renewable fuel reserves decrease, humans will have to source energy from other sources unless we can revert to other sources with a small population

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15
Q

what are the 4 non-renewable energy sources

A
  • coal
  • oil
  • natural gas
  • nuclear fission
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16
Q

Explain where coal comes from and how it is used

A
  • fossilised plants are laid down in the Carboniferous period
  • mined from seams of coal between other types of rock from mines or large pits
  • burned to provide heat directly or electricity to create steam-driven turbines in power stations
17
Q

3 adv of coal

A

adv:
- easy to transport as a solid
- relatively cheap to mine and convert into energy by burning
- plentiful supply

18
Q

3 disadv of coal

A

disadv:
- non-renewable (cannot be replaced once used)
- burning releases C02 which is a greenhouse gas
- Burning sulphur forms sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain and deposition

19
Q

Explain where oil comes from and how it is used

A
  • fossilised plants and micro-organisms that are compressed to a liquid and found in porous rocks
  • crude oil is refined oil from fractional distillation -> to give a variety of products
  • extracted by oil wells, or by underground oil fields through pipes that are drilled down to the sea bed
  • most for the world economy runs and depends on oil for transport and to generate electricity
20
Q

2 adv of coal

A
  • high heat of combustion, therefore it has many uses
  • once found, it is relatively easy to mine and to convert into energy
21
Q

3 disadv of coal

A
  • only limited supply
  • oil spill danger from tanker accidents
  • may run out in 20-50 years
22
Q

Explain where natural gas comes from and how it is used

A
  • methane gas and other hydrocarbons are trapped between seams of rocks
  • extracted by drilling
  • used directly in homes to produce domestic heating and cooking
23
Q

3 adv of natural gas

A
  • lot of energy gained from it
  • cleaner fuel than coal and oil
  • relatively cheap form of energy
24
Q

3 disadv of natural gas

A
  • only limited supply, but more that oil
  • also gives of C02, but less that coal and oil
  • about 7- years left of natural gas usage
25
Q

Explain where nuclear fission comes from and how it is formed

A
  • uranium is the raw material that is mined
  • this is radioactive and is split in nuclear reactor by bombarding it with neutrons
  • as it splits, massive amounts of energy is released
26
Q

3 adv of nuclear fission

A
  • raw materials are relatively cheap once the raector is built and can last a long time
  • small mass of radioactive material produces huge amounts of energy
  • no carbon dioxide or other pollutants released (unless there are accidents)
27
Q

3 disadv of nuclear fission

A
  • nuclear waste is highly toxic for a long time
  • needs to be stored for thousands of years, in mine shafts or under the sea
  • nuclear accidents are rare but are extremely detrimental (Chernobyl, Ukraine 1986)
28
Q

where does hydroelectric power come from and how is it used?

A
  • energy harnessed from the movement of water through rivers, lakes and dams to power turbines and generate electricity
29
Q

3 adv of HEP

A
  • created water reserves as well as energy supplies
  • high quality energy output, with low energy input
  • reservoirs used for amenity
30
Q

3 disadv of HEP

A
  • costly to build
  • have to relocate people to flood the area
  • have major environmental issues with the life cycles of marine animals
31
Q

where does biomass come from and how is it used?

A
  • decaying organic plant animal waste is used to produce methane in biogas generators and burned directly a dung/ plant material
  • more processing can give oils (palm oil, sugar cane oil) which can be used as fuel in vehicles instead of diesel fuel
32
Q

2 adv of biomass

A
  • cheap and readily available
  • if crops are replanted, biomass can be used for a long time
33
Q

3 disadv of biomass

A
  • maybe replacing food crops on finite cropland and lead to starvation
  • when burned, it still releases atmospheric pollutants
  • if crops are not replanted, it is now non-renewable
34
Q

where does wood come from and what is it used for

A
  • from felling or coppicing trees
  • burned to generate heat and light
35
Q

2 adv of wood

A
  • cheap and readily available
  • if the trees are replaced, wood can be a long term resource
36
Q

3 disadv of wood

A
  • low-heat of combustion -> not much energy released
  • when burned it releases atmospheric pollutants
  • if the trees are not replaced, wood can be a non-renewable resource
37
Q

how do we get solar energy?

A

from the conversion of solar radiation into energy via chemical energy

38
Q

3 adv of solar energy

A
  • potentially infinite supply
  • safe to use
  • single dwellings can have their own energy supply
39
Q

3 disadv of solar energy

A
  • need sunshine, do not work in the dark
  • need maintenance regularly
  • manufacture and implementation can be costly

ESS (8 decks)

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