Energy - KQ2 (energy use and economic development)

Question 1

Explain ‘more economic development’

Answer 1

• More disposable income to spend on energy consuming products
• Increased demand from more industries
• Improved transport so more demand for diesel, petrol, etc
• Increased demand from agriculture = mechanisation

Question 2

Explain ‘more energy production or use’

Answer 2

• Increased foreign exchange earnings and foreign investment
• More employment
• Improved transport
• Growth of industries supplying energy industry (eg construction)

Question 3

Why is there energy demand from emerging economies?

Answer 3

• Increasing access to electric power
• More population = higher energy demand
• Living standard expectation rise = more demand from existing customers
• Increasing car ownership = petrol and manufacturing
• Increase in manufacturing industry
• Increase in construction which relies on concrete = responsible for 6% of global CO2 emissions
• Increasing heating and air conditioning

Question 4

Why does energy use remain low in LEDCs?

Answer 4

• Poverty = low disposable income for consumer products
• Limited government finance = cannot afford to import fossil fuels
• Distribution and supply routes of fuels can be disrupted by conflict
• Low tax rate/corrupt so do not invest in energy demanding industries (eg hospitals and schools)
• 2 billion people lack access to electricity

Question 5

What are the benefits of better access to energy resources?

Answer 5

• Better quality of life
• Health improvements = reduced indoor air pollution from biomass fuels = provide insufficient cooking
• Empowerment of the poor = access to communication = people are better informed, more independent and can educate themselves
• Increased income = mechanisation = more productivity

Question 6

What is the case study?

Answer 6

Mali, West Africa

Question 7

What are the key facts for Mali?

Answer 7

• Landlocked
• 13 million people = 48% under 15
• GDP per capita $1,200 (UK = $37,400)
• Labour = 80% primary, 20% industry/services
• Economy depends on cotton, gold/phosphate mining and fishing
• 23% of adults literate
• Female life expectancy 52 years
• Northern 65% of country = desert

Question 8

What is the energy mix in Mali?

Answer 8

• OIl and petrol = 14%
• Traditional sources (wood and charcoal) = 85%
• Electricity = 1%

Question 9

What are problems Mali has with energy?

Answer 9

• 17% of population have access
• Domestic energy comes from wood fires of small charcoal stoves = can cause respiratory probles and leads to deforestation = deforesting at 1% a year
• No fossil fuel reserves = dependant on petroleum from Senegal and Guinea = very expensive and not reliable (conflict)
• Imported petroleum = 8% of country’s trade balance

Question 10

What is the energy mix in the UK?

Answer 10

1972 to 2008

• Coal = 65% to 35%
• Oil = 25% to 5%
• Nuclear = 5% to 15%
• Gas = 4% to 35%
• Renewables = 2% to 5%

Question 11

What are the reasons for the UK’s energy mix?

Answer 11

• Use of renewables has increased environmental awareness
• Nuclear is fairly new
• Gas can now be extracted from much deeper waters due to method discoveries = more reserves