Sustainable energy supplies

Question 1

What does sustainable mean?

Answer 1

Not going to run out- infinite

Question 2

What does environmental sustainability mean in terms of energy?

Answer 2

Used in the future without damaging the environment

Question 3

What does economic sustainability mean in terms of energy?

Answer 3

That there is enough supply of it in the future and that it remains affordable.

Question 4

What is social sustainability in terms of energy?

Answer 4

Using resources without affecting peoples quality of life

Question 5

What is primary energy?

Answer 5

When you use energy in its raw state eg. coal

Question 6

What is secondary energy?

Answer 6

When you convert energy into usable energy eg. electricity

Question 7

Why do we need energy?

Answer 7

Transport (34% of total energy use in Uk)
Domestic use (29)
Industry (23)
Commerce and other uses(14)

Question 8

What are non renewable energy resources?

Answer 8

Resources which have been built up over many years and they cannot be used without reducing the number available eg. coal, gas, oil

Question 9

What are renewable energy resources?

Answer 9

They can either have unlimited availability eg. solar power or can be replenished relatively quickly eg. wood.

Question 10

what are critical renewable energy resources?

Answer 10

Require careful management as they can be used at a faster rate than they are being replaced at.

Question 11

What are non-critical renewable resources?

Answer 11

Renewables which have unlimited availability

Question 12

What are the factors which affect the supply and demand for energy ?

Answer 12

sustainability 
level of development
Resource endowment
Climate 
world energy prices 
capital 
technology 
Pollution 
Energy policy

Question 13

how does the level of development affect the supply and demand for energy?

Answer 13

People in HICs can afford higher levels of energy use than people in LICs eg. multiple cars, washing machine etc.

Question 14

how does resource endowment affect the supply and demand for energy ?

Answer 14

Energy resources are not evenly distributed around the world eg. Russia has lots of oil and gas

Question 15

how does the climate affect the supply and demand for energy?

Answer 15

• Colder countries will use more energy for heating and lighting because of the shorter days eg. norway
• Some countries have certain climates which they can harness energy from eg. Denmark is very windy.

Question 16

how does capital affect the supply and demand for energy?

Answer 16

energy resources require large amounts of money before they can be used eg. power stations are expensive.
- HICs may have the money to invest in renewable energy while LICs don’t

Question 17

how does pollution affect the supply and demand for energy

Answer 17

as a country becomes richer quality of life becomes more important

Question 18

how can energy policy affect supply and demand for energy?

Answer 18

supply management:ensuring supplies are sufficient to match demand eg. providing grants for companies that are prepared to invest in renewables
Demand management: decreasing demand to match limited supply eg. encouraging people to conserve energy. cars with lower carbon emissions pay less road tax