Introduction to energy systems Flashcards
Q: What is DUKES?
A: Digest of UK Energy Statistics the main source of UK energy statistics.
Q: What does the Climate Change Committee do?
A: Advises the UK government on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Q: What are the GHG emissions for coal gas and renewables (gCO₂/kWh)?
A: Coal: 850 gCO₂/kWh Gas: <400 gCO₂/kWh Renewables: 0 gCO₂/kWh
Q: Why was the Central Electricity Authority formed?
A: To avoid inefficiency from isolated power units and enable shared reserves.
Q: Why were power stations built near coal fields?
A: To reduce coal transport costs and environmental impact.
Q: What industries were privatised under Thatcher’s government?
A: Telecoms British Gas and water companies.
Q: Why was privatisation challenging?
A: Regulating private monopolies was harder than regulating national ones.
Q: What caused the demand for electricity to slow down in the 1970s?
A: The oil crisis.
Q: Why was nuclear power costly in the 1970s?
A: Due to the lack of mass-produced standardised plants.
Q: What companies emerged from CEGB’s breakup?
A: Eon RWE Nuclear Electric and Independent Power Producers.
Q: How was the electricity system structured in Scotland?
A: Managed by Scottish Power and Scottish Hydro.
Q: Why are transmission and generation separate in the UK?
A: To avoid land conflicts and limit foreign influence.
Q: What key reform occurred in 1998?
A: Capacity payments were introduced to encourage power plant construction.
Q: What did the government enforce in 2001?
A: Companies had to divest mid-merit power generation to increase competition.
Q: Why was entering the energy market difficult for new companies?
A: They lacked experience in the energy sector.
Q: Why restructure the energy market instead of central planning?
A: To allow market competition enabling better information discovery.
Q: What is central dispatch?
A: A system where electricity generation follows demand-capacity graphs.
Q: What is decentralised self-dispatch?
A: Buyers and sellers negotiate prices directly in the market.
Q: What is baseload power?
A: A power source with high capital but moderate variable costs.
Q: What is mid-merit power?
A: Gas-powered electricity used for intermediate demand levels.
Q: What complicates wind power’s capacity planning?
A: Its variable nature.
Q: Why are generators cautious in the energy market?
A: Uncertain revenue streams due to fluctuating supply and demand.
Q: Why do market failures occur in the energy sector?
A: Due to inefficient carbon pricing and incomplete energy contracts.
Q: What solution was introduced to support renewables?
A: Central auctions for renewable energy projects.
Q: What happens if energy capacity is unconstrained?
A: Generators meet the same price (P1 = P2).
Q: What issue arises if capacity is constrained?
A: Price differences may prevent investment returns.
