EQ2 6.6

Question 1

What is Denmark’s energy plan and why?

Answer 1

• Has considerable fossil fuel reserves but self-sufficiency is threatened from 2050 onwards
• So aims to be fully independent of fossil fuels by 2050
• Now has the highest energy security in the EU

Question 2

How do Denmark use national politics and reduce consumption to decouple from fossil fuels?

Answer 2

• Green/carbon taxes
• Underground heating system
• Building codes
• Climate change laws
• Tax incentives
• Energy saving

Question 3

Denmark’s REGRETs

Answer 3

Resources: Wind turbines is the main source
Economic structure:
Government goals: Green priority, aims to be fully independent of fossil fuels by 2050, taxation etc to control consumption
R+D: Investment into green technology
Trade: Interconnector to distribute renewable energy to other countries
Story: Farmers took convincing

Question 4

How do biofuels work?

Answer 4

Combustable fuels created by biomass
* Ethanol fermented (replaces gasoline)
* Oil extracted from biodiesel, is combusted in engines

Question 5

Advantages of biofuels

Answer 5

• Can be used in existing combustion engines
• Can provide energy security to areas that dont have hydrocarbon sources but have suitable agricultural conditions (e.g. Brazil)
• Replenishable (more than fossil fuels)

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of biofuels?

Answer 6

• Not renewable
• Based on an agricultural product = increased competition for natural resources (land, water etc) could = increased food prices
• Deforestation
• Biodiversity loss
• Water and fertiliser use

Question 7

Brazil REGRETs?

Answer 7

Resources: World’s largest producer of sugar cane - ethanol for biofuels

Economic structure: 1.2M direct jobs created by biofuel industry

Government goals: Energy diversification heavily encouraged by gov. in 1970s when oil prices rised - subsidies started to be removed in 1990s, reduced taxes on fossil fuels to control inflation = instability for biofuel farmers

R+D: Led to investment in HEP + biofuels - efficient biofuels refineries producing 930,000 barrels a day, provides 8-10 more energy than input required

Story: 90% of cars have flex-fuel engines

Question 8

What are radical technologies?

Answer 8

Innovations that aim to significantly reduce and prevent CO2 emissions into the atmosphere within the short term

Question 9

What are the main radical technologies to reduce carbon emissions?

Answer 9

• Carbon capture storage (+develop thorium)
• Hydrogen fuel cells
• Electric vehicles

Question 10

Constrains of radical technology

Answer 10

• Public perception - may be against some options/not bothered such that no political capital is gained
• May be limited by physical geography (space)
• Expensive
• Some technologies not fully proven = needs more investment