energy

Question 1

what is energy security

Answer 1

having access to reliable and affordable energy resources

Question 2

evaluate the use of gas

Answer 2

for:
reliable, cleaner than coal, low co2 emissions

against:
dependency on foreign reserves, vulnerable to rising prices

Question 3

evaluate the use of coal

Answer 3

for:
established, cheap, reliable, slower price rise than oil and gas, large reserves

against:
high emissions, expensive to mine

Question 4

evaluate the use of nuclear power

Answer 4

for:
minimal co2, not as vulnerable to price rise as oil and gas, efficient, effective, reliable

against:
high building cost, takes 10 years to complete, high emissions during construction

Question 5

evaluate the use of hydro power

Answer 5

for:
no co2, no vulnerability to price rise, cheap once the dam is built

against:
reliant on rainfall, vulnerable to drought, environmental and social impacts of large dams

Question 6

evaluate the use of landfill gas

Answer 6

for:
sites release methane which is 20 times as potent as co2 so burning it reduces contribution to climate change

against:
burning methane still releases co2 and nitrogen oxide

Question 7

evaluate the use of oil

Answer 7

for:
reliable technology, well established

against:
inefficient, price instability, co2

Question 8

evaluate the use of biofuels

Answer 8

for:
carbon neutral as carbon released is balanced by carbon absorbed during growth

against:
space is required which impacts landscapes, release of GHGs during transport and harvesting

Question 9

evaluate the use of wind power

Answer 9

for:
renewable, not vulnerable to price, emissions free, quick to build

against:
noise, expensive, fluctuating wind levels

Question 10

evaluate the use of solar power

Answer 10

for:
free, renewable

against: sunshine is limited and unreliable

Question 11

evaluate the use of tidal power

Answer 11

for:
renewable, strong potential

against:
development costs, vulnerable to environmental change

Question 12

what are continuous sources and what are some examples

Answer 12

renewable sources

solar,
wind,
tidal,
geothermal

Question 13

what are flow sources and what is an example

Answer 13

can be renewable if the flow is sustained

timber

Question 14

what are stock sources and what are some examples

Answer 14

non renewable sources that are altered or destroyed by use

fossil fuels,
nuclear

Question 15

what is energy conservation

Answer 15

meeting the increasing energy demands based on decreasing the amount of energy we use

Question 16

what are the reasons for individuals and organisations wishing to reduce their consumption and partake in energy conservation

Answer 16

reduce costs, reduce harmful emissions, promote energy security

Question 17

what is mineral availability determined by

Answer 17

location, form, purity, technology

Question 18

what is a resource

Answer 18

a naturally occurring substance that is known or thought to exist in concentrations

Question 19

what is a reserve

Answer 19

quantity of a resource that can be extracted profitably under existing conditions

Question 20

what is the base load

Answer 20

the core of electricity that keeps things running

Question 21

what are the energy futures in the UK

Answer 21

either using maximum wind or nuclear power

Question 22

what are the arguments for nuclear power over wind power

Answer 22

new smaller reactors,
government support to fill the energy gap,
safer modern power stations,
zero emissions after construction,
for 1GW of power there is only 20 tonnes of waste compared to 8 millions tons from coal

Question 23

what are problems of nuclear power which hinder its steps towards the UKs energy future

Answer 23

wind power has lower estimated co2,
it takes 10 to 20 years to set up,
emissions during construction

Question 24

what are the arguments for wind power over nuclear power

Answer 24

individual turbines can produce to isolated areas,
clean,
renewable,
widely distributed,
small footprint so land can still be farmed,
5 to 10 times more wind than we need,
In Germany the wind turbine industry hires 100,000 people

Question 25

what are the problems of wind power which hinder its steps towards the UKs energy future

Answer 25

It only accounts for 1% of the world’s electricity supply,
fluctuations in wind speeds,
scars landscape and creates danger to wildlife,
suitable areas are coastal which is expensive,
turbines affect signals nearby

Question 26

evaluate the success of the Kyoto protocol at reducing emissions

Answer 26

for:
global scale- 182 countries, fair cuts depending on use

against:
USA and China didn’t join although they emit 50% of the worlds emissions, also developing don’t have to cut and there is little punishment for the biggest emitters

Question 27

evaluate the success of emissions trading at reducing emissions

Answer 27

for:
incentive, accurate as it account for supply and demand

against:
can pay their way out (unfair), almost went bust in 2004, protectionism

Question 28

evaluate the success of green taxes at reducing emissions

Answer 28

for:
fair- polluter pays

against:
small scale

Question 29

who are the three main key players for oil

Answer 29

cartels (OPEC)
state controlled companies
TNCs

Question 30

how has the price of oil changed in the past 2 years

Answer 30

it is less than half of what it was 2 years ago (40 a barrel)

Question 31

outline the top 20 oil companies

Answer 31

11/20 are state owned,
3/8 privately owned are in the US,
UK has top European TNCs

Question 32

evaluate OPEC

Answer 32

advantages:
fair and stable prices for members, efficient supply

disadvantages:
prices are disproportionate for members and non members as they produce 45% of crude oil

Question 33

outline GAZPROM

Answer 33

Russian gas company
Turned off Ukraine’s supply in 2005/6 (dispute)
Pipeline from Russia to Germany
Gas is from Turkmenistan (Asia)- unstable
Controls 1/3 of gas supplies
Account for 92% of Russia’s gas production
Provides 25% of Eus natural gas

Question 34

outline Russia’s energy superpower status

Answer 34

World bank statistics show 20% GDP is from oil/gas
EU are reliant on Russian supplies
Production from 555cubic meters (1995) to 598 (2005)
Baltic states are 100% reliant
Germany is the largest buyer in absolute terms

Question 35

what is an energy pathway

Answer 35

transportation process/ energy route whereby energy is taken from key areas of supply (secure) to areas of demand (insecure)

Question 36

Outline the ESPO pathway

Answer 36

East Siberian Pacific Ocean pipeline

Japan is 80% dependent as 99% of oil is imported and it is the 3rd largest consumer of oil with the fewest reserves of any major economy in Asia

China is dependent as it relies on coal for 70% of electricity and 90% of supplies are foreign, energy is needed to fund rapid economic growth

Question 37

what are the problems of the ESPO pathway

Answer 37

Destroys habitats for Amur Leopard
Construction is likely to take 10 years
Rising steel prices lead to increased cost
The pipeline had to move North as it was too close to Lake Baikal which was costly

Question 38

what are tar sands

Answer 38

bitumen form petroleum,
a mixture of sand, clay and water,
high viscosity, sticky, dense

Question 39

what are frontier hydrocarbons

Answer 39

those grades of oil such as tar sands that are considered inferior to conventional oil sources

Question 40

who are the key players regarding the tar sands in canada

Answer 40

first nationers own the land
Fort McKay provide jobs
90 oil companies lease land from the government

Question 41

evaluate the environmental success of the use of tar sands

Answer 41

advantages:
mining companies reclaim land disturbed by mining

disadvantages:
largest co2 emitter on planet, cysts on fish

Question 42

evaluate the social success of the use of tar sands

Answer 42

advantages:
$1,00 a day, secure and sizeable source for the US and Canada

disadvantages:
Bad smell, kills edible fish, rare cancer forms caused

Question 43

evaluate the economic success of the use of tar sands

Answer 43

advantages:
1.3m barrels a day, production is set to double in 10 years, $500m a year for Fort McKay workers, 20% of total exports in Canada in 2007

disadvantages:
could run out in 200 years, 1 barrel of oil is needed to make 2 barrels of crude oil from tar sands

Question 44

Example question:
Discuss whether Canada should develop tar sands further

EXAMPLE INTRODUCTION AS FOLLOWS

Answer 44

Tar sands are a type of frontier hydrocarbon consisting of bitumen, soaked sands and clay. They are primarily found in large parts of Alberta, Canada covering an area roughly the size of England. At $25 a barrel to extract, these deposits are viable with even today’s low oil prices, offering a secure energy pathway to the USA and huge economic gain for Canada. However, the potential environmental impacts are enormous; these impacts will not be discussed along with the role of a wide variety of key players (from the 90 or so oil companies who extract here to the first nationers and local and national governments)