Energy (9) Flashcards
3 categories of energy sources + examples
Renewable: WIND, SOLAR, HEP
Non-renewable: FOSSIL FUELS
Recyclable: NUCLEAR, BIOMASS
Environmental impacts of Mining?
-Strips away large areas or soil, rock and vegetation, permanently scarring the landscape
-Habitats are destroyed to make way for mines - loss of biodiversity
-Clearing forests affects the water cycle - less vegetation to absorb water -> soil erosion
-Releases greenhouse gases (eg. CO2) -> global warming
Environmental impacts of Drilling?
-Land must be stripped of vegetation to make way for drills and roads (site access)
-Oil spills can cause major damage
-Extracting gas can cause methane to leak -> global warming
Environmental impacts of Wind Energy?
-Large numbers of turbines are required -> takes up a lot of space
-Produce a constant humming noise - noise pollution for residents
-Spinning blades on turbines can kill or injure birds
Environmental impacts of Solar Energy?
-Some solar farms use ground and surface water to clean panels -> water shortages
-Heat reflected from mirrors in solar farms can kill wildlife (eg. birds)
-Solar panels built on the ground can disrupt habitats
Environmental impacts of HEP?
-Use dams to trap water for energy, creating a reservoir which floods land
-The river on which the dam is built can be affected by changes in water flow (sediment is deposited in the reservoir rather than further downstream)
-A build-up of sediment can block sunlight, causing plants/algae to die (can’t photosynthesise)
What is access to energy affected by? (5 factors)
Technology
Geology
Accessibility
Climate
Landscape
Explain technology in ‘Access to energy is affected by many factors’
-Some countries are unable to exploit their energy sources as the tech required is too expensive or unavailable
-Eg Niger has large uranium reserves, but cannot develop nuclear energy plants
-Developing countries often have to rely on fossil fuels - more polluted
Explain Accessibility in ‘Access to energy is affected by many factors’
-An area may have large energy reserves, but be unable to access them
-Permafrost makes it difficult to access fossil fuels
-Some resources are found in protected areas (eg. Antarctica)
Explain Climate in ‘Access to energy is affected by many factors’
-Solar power requires large amounts of sunlight to generate energy
-Countries with sunnier climates (eg. Spain) can use solar power mire effectively than UK
Explain Landscape in ‘Access to energy is affected by many factors’
-Wind turbines are more effective in areas with reliable sources of wind (high ground/along the coast)
-HEP usually requires rivers (mountainous) and steep valleys (reservoirs)
Energy Consumption Distribution for all 3 types or country
Developed: Consume lots of energy - can afford to
-Most people have access to electricity and heating and use energy-intensive vehicles
Emerging: Consume less energy that developed, but more than developing
-Increasing wealth - buying more energy-intensive devices
-Large manufacturing industry - energy powers equipment
Developing: Consume least energy
-Less able to afford the energy
-Less energy available for their lifestyle
Factors affecting Oil Prices and Supply
Conflicts
Diplomatic Relations
Recessions
Economic Booms
How can energy demand be reduces (Homes)
Insulation
- Insulating walls, roofs and floors
- Double-glazed windows
Modern boilers:
- More efficient than older models - use less energy
Solar Panels:
- Provides renewable, low-carbon energy
How can energy demand be reduced? (Transport)
Hybrid Cars:
- Use electricity to run - resulting in less emissions
Regenerative braking:
- Devices can store energy lost under braking to be used later on returned to National Grid
-Public Transport Improvements
-Encouraging walking, cycling, trains, buses
-Reduces demand as more people use the same transport
Advantages (3) of reducing the use of Fossil Fuels?
Reducing Carbon Footprints
Improving energy security
Diversifying the Energy Mix
How is reducing carbon footprint beneficial?
-Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere -> global warming
-These emissions are measured as people’s carbon footprint
-By reducing the energy supplied by fossil fuels, people can reduce their carbon emissions
How is improving energy security beneficial (‘reducing use of fossil fuels’)
-Energy security is having a reliable and affordable supply of available energy
-Switching to renewable sources makes sure that energy is available when fossil fuels run out
How is diversifying the energy mix beneficial?
-Having a diverse energy mix reduces the reliance on a single source of energy
-Improves energy security - less affected by shortages of one type of energy
Difference between energy conservation and efficiency?
Conservation: changing consumer habits to reduce the use of energy
Efficiency: when an appliance does the same job, but uses less energy
What factors affect oil production?
Infrastructure
Domestic demand
Shrinking resources
How is shale gas (unconventional gas reserves) extracted
-Hydraulic FRACKING
-Liquid is pumped under high pressure into the rock
-This causes the shale rock to crack (fracture), releasing the gas
How is bitumen extracted from Tar Sands?
-Mining
-Surface mines collect tar sand and transport it to processing plants
-Water and chemicals are used to separate the bitumen from sands
How does Fracking affect the environment?
-Chemicals used in fracking liquid can pollute the groundwater and drinking water
-Land has to be cleared to build drilling pads for fracking - destroys habitats and ecosystems
How does surface mining (tar sands + bitumen) affect the environment?
-Large amounts of space are needed, devastating habitats - reduction in biodiversity
-Processing tar sands creates huge amounts of chemical waste, polluting water supplies (possibly, if not managed properly)
How does Conflict affect Oil prices and supply?
-Can disrupt oil production -> decrease in supply
-Oil shortages cause prices to increase
How do Recessions affect Oil prices and supply?
-Lowers demand as people have less disposable income (economic growth slows down)
-Prices fall
How do Economic Booms affect Oil prices and supply?
-Rapid economic growth leads to an increase in demand and consumption
-Prices rise
Name the 3 main reasons as to why Attitudes to Energy Futures are changing
Education
Rising affluence
Environmental concerns
Why does Rising Affluence affect Attitudes towards Energy futures?
- People with more money can afford to make a choice about energy use eg buying more efficient cars or investing in solar panels
- Governments in developed countries have more money to invest in public transport and renewable energy
Why does Education affect Attitudes towards Energy futures?
- People in developed countries have better access to education through school and the media, so they have a better understanding of the consequences of unsustainable energy use
- People can learn how to reduce their carbon footprint, so there’s more interest in using cleaner energy sources
Why do Environmental concerns affect Attitudes towards Energy futures?
- Increased access to education means more people are worried about permanently damaging the environment
- Developed countries can afford to invest in research into the environmental impacts of different energy sources
- In developing countries, economic development can overshadow environmental development
Costs and Benefits of BIOFUELS
Costs:
- growing crops for fuel reduces the food crops that can be grown
- requires lots of water to produce
- leads to deforestation in some areas to provide space
Benefits:
- less emissions that fossil fuels
- some are made from waste products, reducing total waste produced
Costs and Benefits of Solar Energy
Costs:
- environmental reasons
- panels manufactured from toxic metals eg. mercury
- unreliable source in places that have little sunshine
Benefits:
- no greenhouse emissions
- technology is widely available
- don’t require much maintenance
Costs and Benefits of Wind Energy
Costs:
- environmental reasons (stated already)
- wind can be unreliable in some areas - electricity varies
- costs a lot to transport the electricity produced from offshore wind farms
Benefits:
- relatively cheap method
- no greenhouse gas emissions
Costs and Benefits of HEP
Costs:
- environmental reasons eg deforestation, habitat loss
- methane may be released from rotting organic matter in the reservoirs
- expensive to build and require lots of water and land
Benefits:
- no emissions when H.E power plants generate electricity
- flow of water can be controlled - reliable source of energy
Costs and Benefits of Hydrogen fuel
Costs:
- dangerous to store as it is flammable
- rarely exists by itself on Earth - have to extract it using fossil fuels
- expensive technology that is not widely available
Benefits:
- no emissions, only waste product is water
What are the 2 main energy futures to remember?
Business as Usual
Move to Sustainability
What attitudes to future energy might Environmental Groups have?
- Want to stop people from relying on fossil fuels as their extraction and use damages environment
- Want to encourage people to move to renewable energy sources
MOVE TO SUSTAINABILITY
What attitudes to future energy might Climate Scientists have?
- They study climate and how human activities are affecting it
- Want to reduce reliance of fossil fuels to lessen the consequences of climate change eg. temperature rises and sea level rises
MOVE TO SUSTAINABILITY
What attitudes to future energy might Governments have?
- Want to secure future energy supplies - fossil fuels are cheap and reliable for short-term, but renewable energy is beneficial for the long-term
- In developed countries, governments are coming under pressure to switch to renewable energy to protect the environment
- Fossil fuels have helped countries to develop and governments of many emerging countries have concerns about whether sustainable energy use will continue to help them develop
What attitudes to energy futures might Consumers have?
- Consumers want secure energy supplies that won’t be disrupted in the future
- Consumers also want cheap power - sustainable energy requires investment, increasing price
- Many consumers favour BUSINESS AS USUAL as it is a cheap, secure supply
- As environmental awareness increases, some consumers favour SUSTAINABILITY
What attitudes to energy futures might TNCs have?
- Many TNCs are involved in extracting fossil fuels and invest a lot of money into the energy sector
- Controlling oil reserves gives TNCs a lot of wealth and power, so they may lose money due to renewable energy
- Sustainable energy is more expensive, which means that their costs will increase
Usually favour BUSINESS AS USUAL - requires less investment than fossil fuels
What 4 factors are used to calculate footprint (ecological + carbon)
Food
Lifestyle
Home
Travel
What is shale gas?
A form of natural gas trapped in shale rock underground
