Energy

Question 1

Reasons for increasing energy demand

Answer 1

• Population growth: population growth leads to increased demand for food, goods and technology all of which increase the need of energy. Most population growth is in LICs and NEEs which already have energy insecurity
• Economic development: more developed countries have a higher demand for energy. Increased wealth means people buy more technology which needs more energy
• Technology: technology has led to a greater number of appliances which use energy in both domesting and industrial use

Question 2

What is an energy gap and what does it cause?

Answer 2

• When a country cannot meet its demand for energy with its own resources
• When an energy gap is formed, countries have to import energy to meet the demand
• Having an energy gap means the country is not energy secure
• To be energy secure a country needs to have:
• Uninterrupted supply of energy
• Affordable supply
• Accessible supply

Question 3

Why does the UK have an energy gap?

Answer 3

• Has a widening energy gap and is not energy secure because:
• Renewable energy is not as efficient and so cannot fully replace fossil fuels
• It is cheaper to import fossil fuels than to exploit resources in the UK

Question 4

Physical factors affecting energy supply

Answer 4

• Geology: affects whether the energy sources are available
• Climate: extreme weather can effect the machinery used and transport
• Location: some oil and gas reserves are in very hard to access locations, such as underwater
• Water supply: areas with plentiful water supply are suitable for hydro-electric power

Question 5

Factors affecting energy supply - cost, technology and political factors

Answer 5

• Cost of exploitaiton: economic viability of an energy source is whether the cost of exploitation is less than the money it will make. The cost of renewables are higher than fossil fuels however, it is decreasing as new technology is developed
• Technology: new technological advancments means that additional reserves of energy can be exploited. Technology helps improve the efficiency and cost of renewable energy
• Political factors: conflicts can be caused between countries regarding who has rights to exploit energy reserves

Question 6

Impacts of energy insecurity - exploration of difficult areas

Answer 6

• Polar and tundra regions: the search for new energy sources has led to explorationof gas and oil in Siberia and Alaska
• Tropical forests: large areas have been deforested to grow biomass for fuel, increased soil erosion and CO2 lost due to loss of trees
• Wind and solar farms in areas of beauty
• Exploitaiton of gas and oil under the ocean

Question 7

Impacts of energy insecurity - food production, industrial output, conflict

Answer 7

• Food production: use of land for biofuels decreases the availability of land for crops
• Industrial output: energy insecurity leads to power cuts which affect industrial production. Industries may not be able to compete with those in other countries, leading to them closing and: loss of jobs, negative impact on GDP and economy
• Conflict: concerns about energy supply leading to conflict between two countries. Energy supply can be used as a bargaining tool by those with a surplus

Question 8

Strategies to increase energy supply

Answer 8

• Increase use of renewable energy and decrease use of non-renewable
• Increase use of nuclear energy and continue to use non-renewables

Question 9

Pros and cons of non-renewable energy

Answer 9

• Gas pros: efficient, least polluting. easy to transport, reliable
• Gas cons: risk of explosion, air pollution, price fluctuates
• Oil pros: efficient, less polluting than coal, reliable
• Oil cons: risk of oil spills, low world reserves, air pollution
• Coal pros: large world reserves, cheap, efficient, reliable
• Coal cons: mining accidents, air pollution, heavy and bulky to transport
• Nuclear pros: no greenhouse gas emissions, efficient
• Nuclear cons: nuclear waste is radioactive and expensive to dispose of

Question 10

Pros and cons of renewable energy (hyrdoelectric and tidal)

Answer 10

• Hydroelectric pros: no greenhouse gas emissions, controls flooding downstream
• Hydroelectric cons: large areas of land are flooded behind the dam, expensive to build and maintain
• Tidal pros: no greenhouse gas emissions, has potential to produce large amount of energy, reliable
• Tidal cons: expensive to build and maintain, few suitable sites

Question 11

Methods of achieving a sustainable energy supply

Answer 11

• Reducing waste
• Using energy supplies more efficiently
• Development of renewable energy
• Conservation of energy

Question 12

How to make individiaul energy use more sustainable and reduce carbon footprint?

Answer 12

• Individual carbon footprint can be reduced by:
• Walking or cycling instead of taking cars
• Reducing food miles by buying local and seasonal produce
• Buying an electric or hybrid car
• Switching off lights when leavina a room
• Homes can be made more sustainable by using:
• Solar panels
• LED lights
• Double glaze windows

Question 13

Methods of national reduction in energy demand

Answer 13

• Incentives used:
• Tax reductions for installing insulation or solar panels
• Financial incentives to swap to electric cars
• Regulations can be installed to ensure new building are energy efficient

Question 14

Methods of making transport more sustainable

Answer 14

• Encouraging use of electric cars - petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2035 UK
• Investment in public transport to reduce usage of cars
• Congestions charges - additional charge on cars that don’t meet emission standards

Question 15

Technoloy to increase the efficieny of fossil fuels

Answer 15

• Method of making energy more sustainable
• Combined heat and power: waste heat from power stations is used to heat homes
• Carbon capture and storage: removes carbon produced when burning fossil fuels