Energy

Question 1

Stats about global energy consumption in 2019?

Answer 1

• Non-renewable fossil fuels supplied around 84% of the world’s energy.
• Of the three main fossil fuels, oil provided 33% of world energy, coal provided 27% and natural gas 24%.
• Of the remaining 16%, nuclear energy provided 4% and hydro-electric power (HEP) provided 6.5%. -
• All the other renewable energy supplies combined provided less than 5.5%.

Question 2

Why has global primary energy consumption increased?

Answer 2

• Rapid world population growth has increased demand for energy supplies.
• As people become wealthier, their demand for energy grows with increased purchases of domestic appliances, leisure and recreation activities.
• Improved transport and accessibility of transport has increased the use of oil
• Global energy supplies will increase significantly in highly populated NEEs such as India, China and Brazil.
• Rapid industrialisation leads to the development of processing and manufacturing industries. Global demands for energy are increasing, fuelled by industrialisation in NEEs.

Question 3

Stat about global primary energy consumption increase?

Answer 3

Global primary energy consumption has increased 75% since 1950.

Question 4

Benefits of Higher Energy Consumption?

Answer 4

• Electricity makes daily household tasks easier – it provides heat, light in the evenings, and energy for computers.
• Modern transport systems are based mainly on oil (petroleum) use. They allow people to travel widely for work and also allow goods to be moved over great distances easily and quickly .
• Industry requires energy to make it work. Without it the economy cannot grow, wealth cannot be increased and people’s lives will not be improved.

Question 5

Disadvantages of Higher Energy Consumption?

Answer 5

• There are concerns that we are using non-renewable energy sources too quickly, and that supplies will soon be depleted.
• Use of fossils fuels is resulting in an increase in air pollution. This is associated with a heightened risk of lung conditions.
• The inter-dependence of countries on each other for energy supplies, e.g. of oil and gas, can lead to conflicts.

Question 6

Factors which affect split of energy consumption?

Answer 6

• Resource availability. For example, note the high percentages of oil and gas consumption in the Middle East.
• A country’s physical geography. Due to Iceland’s active location, for example, a large amount of their energy is produced by geothermal sources.
• Renewable energy opportunities depend on factors such as sunlight intensity, wind speeds, tidal water and deep glacial valleys (for hydropower).

Question 7

Why are renewable energy sources growing?

Answer 7

• Improvements in renewable energy technology has driven down the cost and thus increased its attractiveness.
• Pressure and commitments from climate agreements such as COP27 has increased funding of renewable energy supplies.
• Resource depletion of non-renewable sources of energy (such as coal).

Question 8

Why does this shift from non-renewable energy sources to renewable energy sources occur once the country has an established economy?

Answer 8

• Greater concern for the environment.
• Rising fossil fuel prices.
• The knowledge that fossil fuels are finite.
• Aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuel exporting countries.
• Improvements in renewable technology.

Question 9

Advantages of coal?

Answer 9

• The efficiency and the cleanliness of emissions of coal-fired power stations has improved.
• World reserves of coal will last at least 118 years at the current rate of consumption.

Question 10

Disadvantages of coal?

Answer 10

• It causes air pollution and acid rain.
• Greenhouse gases produced contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
• Mining can be dangerous and harm the environment.

Question 11

Advantages of oil?

Answer 11

• Easy to transport by pipeline or ship.
• Power stations can be built anywhere where there are good transport links.
• A large amount of energy can be generated from a power station quickly.

Question 12

Disadvantages of oil?

Answer 12

• Produces carbon dioxide which contributes to the greenhouse effect.
• The world’s supply of oil is running out quickly.
• Using oil is very expensive compared to coal and gas.

Question 13

Advantages of gas?

Answer 13

• Easy to transport by pipeline.
• Large amounts of energy can be generated from one power station.
• Power stations can be built anywhere.

Question 14

Disadvantages of gas?

Answer 14

• Produces carbon dioxide which contributes to the greenhouse effect.
• There is a limited supply of gas

Question 15

Disadvantages of nuclear energy

Answer 15

• It can be very dangerous if there is a nuclear accident. E.g. Chernobyl 1986.
• Nuclear waste has to be stored.
• High costs to shut down nuclear reactors.

Question 16

What is meant by a fossil fuel?

Answer 16

A fuel formed from the remains of former living things.

Question 17

How does the building of a hydroelectric dam affect the people and environment in the area?

Answer 17

• People made homeless.
• Roads flooded
• Dams disrupt fish migration
• Farmland flooded
• Deforestation
• Habitats destroyed
• Noise
• Water pollution caused by construction

Question 18

Why do some parts of the world use large amounts of energy?

Answer 18

• Some countries have a large amount of energy resources.
• Some countries can afford large amounts of energy
• Better access to technology
• Using more electronic home appliances
• Some countries have more factories
• Some countries use a lot of transport

Question 19

Why should a country not rely on fossil fuels?

Answer 19

• They will eventually run out
• They are expensive forms of energy to extract
• Transportation costs are high
• They pollute the air
• They give off greenhouse gases

Question 20

Why don’t renewable energy sources provide lots of energy in some countries?

Answer 20

• They don’t have the physical conditions required for its generation
• Many countries cannot afford to develop them
• lack suitable technology
• Cost of setting up is relatively expensive
• Political preferences

Question 21

Why renewable energy will increase in future?

Answer 21

• Exhaustion of fossil fuels/renewable will not run out
• Fossil fuels cause pollution
• Renewable do not cause global warming
• Global treaties/public pressure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
• Expense of buying fossil fuels

Question 22

Advantages of nuclear energy?

Answer 22

• Nuclear waste is very small and can be stored underground.
• It doesn’t produce greenhouse gases.
• There are large reserves of Uranium