Energy Flashcards
Moving to modern energy use
The three main factors that control the transition are energy availability, energy affordability and cultural preferences
Influence of climate
Need for heating and air conditioning will vary, which will change energy consumption
Energy Demand
The need or desire for energy
Energy Consumption
The availability and use for energy
Why is consumption rising
population growth, economic growth and rising standards of living
Risks to energy security
Physical; exhaustion of reserves, disruption of supply lines
Economic; rises in price, increased imports
Geopolitical; conflict over ownership
ESI (energy security index)
The higher the score the lower the risk. Based on availability, diversity and dependency on fossil fuels
Levels of Risk on ESI
Extreme; most in northern Africa/south America
High risk; scattered across globe, includes japan and US
Medium risk; widespread in euope, south asia and Australasia
Low risk; Canada, Norway and middle eastern states. All exporters of oil and gas
Energy pathways
the flow from the producer to the consumer, includes pipelines, tankers and electricity lines
Oil and gas pathways
Oil has a complex patterns of pathways and players, russia and middle east exports mainly to Asia and Europe. Imports to the US come from all round the world. Gas pathways tend to be more localied
Why countries are concerned about risks associated with supply
growth in global demand has increased prices, rising concern about the security of supply infrastructure e.g risk from terrorism and the uncertain natues of energy markets
New energies
Rising prices doesn’t nesecarily mean switch to renewable but other ways of exploiting resources will be more attractive. e.g. oil shale
Players
Main playes are OPEC, other oil producing companies and TNC’s like shell and BP. Also new players have emerged in major consumers such as NIC’s
Factors that could cause oil supply catastrophe
rise in consumption, possibility of peak oil, unpredictabile actions of OPEC
Factors affecting global energy uncertainty
population growth, rise in living standards, size of undiscovered reserves and new technologies and future levels of demand.
Business as usual response to energy demans
if we do nothing, in the next 20 years;
theryll be a 55% rise in CO2 emmisions and over 70% of the increase in energy demand will be from developing countries
Multi energy solution to energy demand
Using a mix of renewable and non renewable sources, rich fuel mix is necessary to ensure security and maintain and affordable supply.
Energy conservation approach to energy demand
Based on decreasing amount used. Reduces cost, emmisions and promotes energy security
Key to security
making greatest use of domestic supplies, diversifying sources and ensuring guarantess of imports
geopolitical tensions
increasing competition for energy, producer countries can use there reserves as powerful bargaining tools. Also high levels of military tension and activity around oil related stress points
Oil and Conflict
Much of the conflict in the world since the end of the cold war has been triggered by strategic oil considerations. For example many consumers competing to secure access to African oil.
Global challenge of future energy needs
Set to grow by 55% by 2030. Demand needs to be met considering environmental impacts.
Meeting future demand
Stick and carrot measures, to reduce consumption and increase efficiency. Developing radical technologies that are sustainable
Stick and carrot
Emiision controls such as Kyoto, emmisions trading and green taxes
Radical new technologies
Offshore wind turbines, higher wind speeds
Carbon storage, trapping emmisions
Geothermal energy
Biofuels
Sustainalbilty
A lot of these schemes seem sustainable but more needs to be done to make them economically viable
