Global Energy

Question 1

What is non-renewable energy?

Answer 1

Finite, supply will eventually become exhausted.

Question 2

What is renewable energy?

Answer 2

Non-finite, supply will not be exhausted, often using forces of nature and causing little to no environmental pollution.

Question 3

What are some more general issues with global energy?

Answer 3

• Greenhouse gas emissions from energy use.
• Uneven distribution of energy eg Russia having 24% of natural gas reserves in world, can create energy insecurity and conflict.
• Energy shortages and prevent development in LICs.
• Even if HICs, fuel shortages can mean people can’t afford rising energy bills.

Question 4

What is the global energy crisis and what are some causes?

Answer 4

The price of energy has hit a high, increasing inflation and pushing families into poverty, shutting down factories and slowing economic growth. Europe are of particular concern due to their historical reliance on Russia for energy.

• Covid - economic rebound leading to a high demand. Also delays in maintenance work and development of energy supplies.
• Russia-Ukraine War - Russia withholding gas supplies.
• Weather conditions - more extreme weather events, such as colder winters and hotter summers, more need for heating and air conditioning. Also can reduce ability to produce energy.

Question 5

What is being done to stop the global energy crisis?

Answer 5

• Limiting energy prices for customers, whilst governments pay the difference.
• Europeans increasing imports from other countries eg Norway.
• Development of own energy sources, such as UK Nuclear plants.

Question 6

What type of energy does the UK rely on?

Answer 6

Mainly natural gas and wind.

Question 7

What is the UK’s relationship with renewable energy?

Answer 7

Four main types: Wind(eg Great Yarmouth, 30 turbines), solar, hydro, bioenergy. UK having a big push to reach net zero emissions by 2050, nearly halving fossil fuel use in 10 years.

Question 8

What are some trends in global energy usage around the world?

Answer 8

• Until recently, HICs consumed the most energy (eg in 1990s USA consumed 25% of world’s energy despite only having 5% of population).
• More recently, NEEs and MICs using more, as their populations are growing and HICs are putting restrictions energy usage as they can afford to do so.
• Eg industrial growth of China, who export about $3.6 trillion a year, energy usage increased to match this.

Question 9

How has the usage of different energy sources changed over time?

Answer 9

• Although fossil fuel use declining in HICs who are focussing on sustainability, NEEs and LICs will continue to use them as their primary focus is development, causing fossil fuels to continue dominating.
• Eg China having huge coal reserves and growing, although now starting to move to HEP eg Three Gorges Dam.
• Oil very important still as easy to transport and relatively cheap. Even very clean HICs still exporting large quantities of oil eg Norway.
• Modern strip-mining techniques are making coal easier and cheaper than ever to extract, where previously would only have shallow mines with proper ventilation needed. This is why coal is thought to most rapidly increase.
• Despite all this, renewables still massively increasing, especially in HICs, as technologies are developing and concerns for global warming grow.
• Nuclear power growing, eg in UK to rely less on importing energy. Grew slowly as concerns with disposing nuclear waste, such as with Chernobyl, but new technologies thought to be developed to safely dispose of nuclear waste. Again, mainly for HICs as nuclear power plants expensive to build.