Economic Activity And Energy Flashcards
How do you consume energy?
Electricity, Cars/Transport (petrol or diesel), Heating
These are the primary methods through which energy is consumed in daily life.
Why are we transitioning away from fossil fuels?
Environmental pollution, Fossil fuels are finite, Global Warming
These factors highlight the need for a shift towards more sustainable energy sources.
Why is more energy getting consumed?
Population growth, Urbanisation, Economic Development
These drivers significantly contribute to increased energy demand.
Explain why global energy consumption has changed over time.
Energy consumption has changed due to population growth, economic development, and a shift towards renewable energy sources.
Increased population leads to higher energy needs, while economic growth allows for more devices that require energy.
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy?
Renewable: Can be used again and again without compromising future supply. Non-Renewable: Once used cannot be replaced or consumed faster than it can be produced.
This distinction is crucial for understanding sustainability in energy sources.
List examples of renewable energy sources.
- Solar
- Wind
- Hydro
- Nuclear
- Biomass
These sources are essential for sustainable energy production.
List examples of non-renewable energy sources.
- Coal
- Oil
- Gas
These sources are limited and contribute to environmental issues.
Describe the UK energy mix.
Around 30% of energy is created by fossil fuels, around 50% by renewable sources, and the rest by other sources.
The highest percentage of energy production varies between solar and wind, with 92.8% produced in the UK.
Fill in the blank: Around ______% of energy in the UK is created by fossil fuels.
30
This indicates the reliance on fossil fuels in the UK’s energy production.
Fill in the blank: The highest percentage of energy in the UK is either ______ or ______.
solar, wind
These renewable sources are becoming increasingly significant in the UK’s energy strategy.
What is the overall trend in energy production?
The usage of all types of energy production has increased by 19,000 TWh, with coal being the most prevalent since 1985.
This reflects a significant rise in energy demand over time.
Which energy sources have been the most prevalent?
Coal, oil, and gas have been the most prevalent types of energy sources.
Coal has been the leading source since 1985.
What recent change has occurred in energy sources?
Most renewable types have only become significant recently.
This indicates a shift towards more sustainable energy production.
Why has the amount of energy produced increased over time?
The increase is due to a growing population that requires more energy for technology, driven by economic development.
Economic growth typically leads to higher energy demands.
What factors have contributed to changes in energy source contributions?
Increased awareness of sustainability and the finite nature of fossil fuels have led to a transition to renewable resources.
This transition is also motivated by the desire to prevent global warming due to greenhouse gases.
What type of energy contributed most to UK electricity production?
Renewables contributed the most, with approximately 36.9% of energy being generated this way.
Fossil fuels made 8% less than this, but still a significant amount.
Which non-renewable source of energy contributed the most?
The non-renewable source which contributed the most was gas, which made 98.9% of the non-renewable energy.
This indicates a heavy reliance on gas within the non-renewable sector.
Which renewable source of energy contributed the most?
Wind had the highest contribution of renewable sources, responsible for 30.4% of the UK’s energy.
Solar and Hydroelectric created the remaining 6.5%.
How does the UK’s electricity mix compare to the world’s electricity mix?
The UK’s electricity mix has a much larger ratio of renewable sources than the rest of the world.
This highlights the UK’s leading position in renewable energy adoption.
What is energy security?
Energy Security describes when a country has a reliable source of energy, that is both easily accessible and affordable.
Why is good energy security important?
It is important for a good standard of living and for economic development.
What are the factors affecting energy security?
- Reliability (supply always exceeds demand)
- Accessibility (sources of energy are available domestically)
- Affordability (the cost of energy is not too high)
What is primary energy?
Primary energy describes a source of energy that has not been processed or converted (e.g., oil).
What is secondary energy?
Secondary energy has been processed or converted (e.g., petrol/diesel or electricity).
