Energy in the UK Flashcards
Traditionally the UK has relied on…
fossil fuels to produce energy. 91 percent came from coal and oil in 1970
The discovery of large…
gas reserves under the North Sea meant that in 1980 22 percent came from gas.
The use of nuclear…
energy has increased in 1990.
There is a shift from usage of fossil fuels to use…
renewable sources of energy.
In 2014…
19 percent of energy came to form renewable sources.
Wind and…
bioenergy is the biggest sources of renewable energy in the UK.
The UK is running…
out of coal, oil and gas.
Fracking
Used to extract gas. Fluid is pumped into shale rock at high pressure, causing it to crack. This cause the gas trapped in rock to flow out, where it is collected.
Extracting fossil fuels can be…
expensive and the cost of extraction increases as reserves are used up.
North Sea oil is especially…
expensive to produce.
The cost of producing electricity from nuclear and…
renewable energy sources are quite high.
Money is needed for research…
into alternative energy sources e.g. shale gas.
Many renewable sources do not…
provide a reliable supply of energy, so the UK needs to import electricity which is very expensive
Fracking may pollute…
underground water and cause mini-earthquakes
Accidents such as oil spills or…
nuclear disasters may happen.
