Energy resources in the UK

Question 1

what’s an energy mix?

Answer 1

the range of proportions of different sources used to generate the energy used by a country

Question 2

what was the UKs’ energy mix like in 2015?

Answer 2

coal- 31%
gas- 25%
nuclear- 19%
renewable- 22%
other- 3%

Question 3

what percentage of our energy comes from renewable resources in todays world?

Answer 3

about a half of our energy comes from renewable resources

Question 4

why is the UK energy mix changing?

Answer 4

Until recently the UK produced enough energy to power homes and industry. The UK had large reserves of oil and gas, but a reduction in these reserves and in the production of coal has led to an increasing reliance on imported fossil fuels. The production of coal, gas and oil as declined for many reasons. However, there are still significant supplies that could be exploited, often in less accessible areas.

Question 5

what are the different types of energy sources?

Answer 5

-fossil fuels
-nuclear
-renewables

Question 6

what are some economic advantages of fossil fuels?

Answer 6

-creates jobs
-brings money to an area (multiplier effect)

Question 7

what are some economic disadvantages of fossil fuels?

Answer 7

-found in hard to access areas
-needs to be imported
-causes environmental problems

Question 8

what are some environmental disadvantages to fossil fuels?

Answer 8

-creates green house gases
-waste heaps cause visual pollution
-access roads needed for these industries destroy wildlife

Question 9

what are some environmental advantages to fossil fuels?

Answer 9

carbon captive storage is more efficient

Question 10

what are some economic advantages of nuclear power?

Answer 10

-creates jobs in research and development
-after initial investment, energy generated is cheaper

Question 11

what are some economic disadvantages of nuclear power?

Answer 11

-cost of building a power station is huge
-enormous costs to store and transport nuclear waste

Question 12

what are some environmental advantages to nuclear power?

Answer 12

-nuclear power is considered cleaner

Question 13

what are some environmental disadvantages to nuclear power?

Answer 13

-waste from nuclear power stations must be stored safely to avoid contamination
-environment can be damaged if an accident occurs

Question 14

what are some economic advantages to renewables?

Answer 14

-creates jobs in manufacturing solar panels

Question 15

what are some economic disadvantages to renewables?

Answer 15

-high set up costs
-impact on visual environment can impact
tourism
-low profitability is a concern

Question 16

what are some environmental advantages to renewables?

Answer 16

-land used for wind turbines can also be used for farming
-offshore win turbines can act as an artificial reef

Question 17

what are some environmental disadvantages to renewables?

Answer 17

-many people consider wind turbines ugly
-can impact untouched lands
-noisy and disturbs people and wildlife nearby