Environmental Management Flashcards
Global trends in fuel consumption.
Total fuel consumption has increased globally.
Renewables are expected to account for half the growth of energy supplies over the next 20 years.
Fossil fuels remain dominant sources of energy accounting for 75% of global supply in 2017, down from 85% in 2015.
Fossil Fuels consumption
The global consumption of fossil fuels in 2012: 33% oil, 30% coal, 24% natural gas.
Nuclear power consumption
Nuclear energy is not used in the middle east. Only makes a significant contribution in Europe and eurasia, and North America. Nuclear power plants generate almost 30% of the electricity produced in the EU.
Japan produce 30% of electricity from nuclear in 2010. By 2014 1%.
Renewables consumption
Hydroelectricity accounts for 25% of consumption in South and Central America. But less than 1% in the middle east.
Renewables make the largest contribution to consumption in Europe and Eurasia. BUT consumption is rapidly rising in all regions.
Lack of infrastructure challenge in Africa
National Grids are non-existent, minimal or poorly maintained. Dispersal of population across promote areas exacerbates electricity scarcity.
Hence cost of expanding grid outweighs benefits of the few who receive electricity.
80% of urban areas in Zimbabwe have access to electricity vs only 21% of rural areas.
High systems losses challenge in Africa
Technical losses from poorly maintained grids and commercial losses from low revenue collection.
hence cot of generating/transporting electricity is v high = decrease in demand due to greater end user costs.
systems losses in sub-saharan Africa are double the global average at 18%
(when South Africa is excluded)
Micro grids solution to lack of infrastructure and high systems losses in africa
Micro Grids: small scale power generation and distribution systems that deliver electricity to multiple buildings in a village.
small investment but costs are still great enough to needed to be covered by NGOs or government.
uncertainty about long term role when main grid is eventually built out to remote area. hence should be designed to connect with main grid. (in motion in Kenya)
E.g PowerHive and PowerGen in Kenya are designing solar powered micro grids.
over reliance on fossil fuels challenge in Africa
Due to abundance of natural resources which are relativity cheap and easy to use.
BUT significant health and environmental risks and region is susceptible to changes in global oil market.
Nigeria has 84% of electricity generation from fossil fuels.
a sharp fall in prices between July 2014 (from $109 per barrel ) and jan 2015 ($50 per barrel) caused 28% drop in Nigeria’s revenue.
Over reliance on hydropower challenge in africa
East and central Africa have high dependence on hydro power.
But seasonal variability in output and increasing threat of prolonged periods of drought due to climate change.
65% of grid generation from hydropower in central Africa.
kariba Dam on Zambezi river supplies 50% of Zambia’s electricity.
Regional Power Pools solution to over reliance on fossil fuels and hydro power in Africa.
Regional Power Pools (RPPs): allow countries to aggregate resources and extend grids beyond national borders to capitalise on regional diversity in resources and demand.
Four RPPS in Africa, but only 7% of electricity is traded and most through the South African Power Pool.
Potential to save over $50billion in capital investments in the power sector.
RPPS can be fragile, as their progress depends on all members continuing to work together. difficult when members include unstable and corrupt countries e.g DRC in South Africa Power Pool.
Drax location
North Yorkshire, situated on the river Ouse between Selby and Goole.
There are nearby transport routes; 4.5-mile long freight-only section of the former Hull and Barnsley Railway. River Ouse, with its own jetty with a loading capacity of 200 tonnes, the river can also be used as a cooling system.
Near to coal mines in Yorkshire, the Midlands and Scotland.The foreign coal is brought via various ports by rail.
Changes in demand for Drax
Electricity use peaked in mid-2000s in the UK. But it increased rapidly between 1965 and 2000 by 700%. Between 2005 and 2014 electricity consumption has fallen by 11%, due to increased energy efficiency despite increased demand.
Increased demand for renewable and green electricity. E.g 82% of the public support increased investment in green and renewable energy.
Changes in supply for draw
1967- Selby coalfield is discovered and the Central Electricity Generating Board begins building drax power station to use its coal
2000- Drax group applied for planning permission to build a new 300 MW power station, fuelled entirely by biomass.
2004 - The station tested co-firing biomass, making it the first power station in the UK to be fuelled by wood.
2009 - target set for 12.5% of the station’s energy to be sourced from biomass with aim of cutting CO2 emissions by 15%.
2012 - announced conversion to full firing with biomass of 3 out of 6 units. Each unit will consume about 2.3 million tonnes of biomass annually.
DRAX CURRENTLY GENERATE 7% OF UK’S ELECTRICITY. 20% OF THE UK’S RENEWABLE POWER.
Evaluation of shifting to renewables Drax
Cost- Out of all renewables deployed at large scale, biomass presents the most value for money – less public funding is required for more power produced.
Environmental Impact -
Drax has continually upgraded its systems to become more environmentally friendly despite beginning as a coal power station.
- 1995: Retrofitted flue gas desulphurisation equipment, removing 90% of SO2 emissions. Drax the cleanest coal fired power station in the UK.
- 2012: modernisation programme completed saving 1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
Also 70% of electricity generated is through biomass.
Committed to the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), hence can not purchase biomass from illegal sources, limiting deforestation and negative environmental impact.
BUT coal combustion releases Co2, SO2 etc. Leading to smog, acid rain, enhanced-greenhouse effect and respiratory diseases.
BUT biofuels are arguably not carbon neutral
BUT Drax is still the UK’s largest single source of emissions.
Security -
Fuel for Drax was originally sourced locally from coal mines. Now 69% from colombia.
Original sources of biomass in 2004 was locally sources willow. 81% of biomass now sourced from Canada and USA, due to vast quantities needed could not all be sourced in Europe.
Drax has become more energy insecure, relying on foreign imports for fuel. Hence political disputes, protectionist measures or transport delays will mean drax has no/little fuel.
Reliability - Use of coal and biomass is more reliable than other sources e.g wind or solar
Facts about land pollution
It takes 500 years for a plastic bottle to biodegrade.
3% of land is urbanised, but 33% if agriculture is included.
DDT in not biodegradable and causes egg to stop hatching, foetus’s to stop developing etc.
