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The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security EQ2 Flashcards

1
Q

What is energy security?

A

Energy security is achieved when there is an uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.

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2
Q

What are the four key aspects to energy security?

A
  • Availability
  • Accessibility
  • Affordability
  • Reliability (uninterrupted)
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3
Q

Why is energy security important?

A

Vital for the functioning of a country particularly its economy and well being of its population
- powers most forms of transport
- lights settlements
- warms and cools home an powers home domestic appliances
- vital for modern communication
- drives most forms of manufacturing

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4
Q

How is energy consumption measured?

A
  • per capita (kilograms of oil or megawatt hours per person) normally measure rise with economic development
  • energy intensity (units of energy used per GDP). Units of energy used per unit GDP.
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5
Q

What is energy intensity?

A

a measure of how efficiently a country is using its energy. Units of energy used per GDP. The fewer the units the more efficiently a country is using its energy supply. Decrease with economic development.

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6
Q

What is energy mix?

A

The combination of different energy sources used to meet a countries total energy consumption.

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7
Q

What are the different types of energy?

A
  • domestic and foreign
  • primary (found in nature) and secondary energy(tranfromataio of primary sources)
  • renewable vs non renewable

e.g. fossil fuels account for over 80% of energy mix

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8
Q

What affects consumption of energy resources?

A
  • Physical availability
  • cost
  • standard of living
  • environmental priorities
  • climate
  • public perception
  • level of economic development
  • technology
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9
Q

How does physical availability affect energy consumption?

A

Physical availability determines if energy resources are available in the country and if they can be accessed or whether they need to be imported in.
- If energy is transported in or difficult to extract transportation and drilling costs likely to to add to overall cost and consumption may decrease.
- lower costs means higher consumption

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10
Q

How does technology affect energy consumption?

A

Modern technology mega that previously inaccessible resources can now be tapped (deep ocean drilling).
- Higher availability and thus higher consumption
- increase rise of modern technology and transport also increases consumption

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11
Q

How does the cost of energy affect energy consumption?

A

The cost of energy includes physical exploitation, processing and delivery. The higher the cost of energy the lower the consumption and vis versa

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12
Q

How does economic development and public perception affect energy consumption?

A

The cost of energy is relative, with perception of whether energy is perceived as expensive of not is variable between countries
- the higher the public perception of cost the lower the consumption
- domestic appliances and wide spread use of transport makes energy consumption higher

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13
Q

How does climate affect energy consumption?

A

Higher energy consumption is common in extreme climates with higher amounts of energy needed for heating and air conditioning. Also effect the physical distributions of fossil fuels and the availability to the use of alternative energy sources (renewables)

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14
Q

How does environmental priorities affect energy consumption?

A

Different countries ha ve different environmental priories
- any county driving a ‘green agenda’ may reduce energy consumption through taxation
- preference for alternative sources of energy (renewable)

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15
Q

How does energy consumption vary between the USA and France?

A
  • USA 2nd and France 10th in energy consumption but total energy consumption in France in 1/10th that of USA
  • This is due to differences in populations 318.9 million vs 64.6 million and more extreme climate in USA.
  • USA over 3/4 of energy from fossil fuels, France 1/2 from fossil fuels, 40% nuclear energy
  • France has to import nearly half its primary energy whereas USA more self sufficient
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16
Q

What is an energy pathway?

A

The route taken by any form of energy from its source to its point of consumption, this bridges the gap between differences in production and consumption. Involves different forms of transport tanker ships, pipelines and electricity transmission grids.

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17
Q

What are the fiver major players in energy?

A
  • TNCs
  • Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
  • Energy companies
  • consumers
  • government
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18
Q

What are the role of TNCs in the world of energy?

A

TNCs are involved in a range of operations exploring, extracting, transporting, refining and producing petrochemicals. They include Gazprom, PetroChina, Royal Dutch Shell, nearly half the top twenty companies are state owned, meaning under government control.

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19
Q

What are the role of OPEC in the world of energy?

A

OPEC is a group of 14 counties in which between then have 2/3rds of oil reserves. This means they are in a position to control the amount of oil and gas entering the global market as well as the price. It has been accused of holding back production to drive up the price.

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20
Q

What are the role of energy companies in the world of energy?

A

The most important are the companies that convert primary energy (oil, gas, nuclear ect) into electricity and distribute it. They therefore have considerable influence when it comes to setting consumer prices and tariffs.

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21
Q

What are the role of consumers in the world of energy?

A

Consumers play a role in fixing energy prices, when consumption low energy prices fall and when consumption high energy prices increase.

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22
Q

What are the role of governments in the world of energy?

A

They play the role of guarding and controlling national energy security, influences the sourcing of energy and energy mix. As well as setting energy taxes.

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23
Q

Why is there a mismatch between supply and demand?

A

There is a mismatch between supply and demand as the supply is determined by physical processes (climate, biomass production, tectonic activity), and ease of exploitation (technology not easily available) and demand varies with level of economic development.

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24
Q

What is the % reliance on conventional fossil fuels?

A

The world continues to rely on conventional fossil fuels for the greatest part of its energy needs. (86%).

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25
Q

What the difference in supply and demand for coal?

A

Although coal consumption has declined, production has continued to increase. Coal can be substituted as mainly used to make electricity and industry.
- China and USA are the two largest consumers
- High transport coasts due to Lowe energy density mean majority of highest using countries are also producers

26
Q

What the difference in supply and demand for oil?

A

Large mismatch between supply and demand as oil is essential fro transport (petrol and diesel) with no substitute so deeper global market.
- Over half the oil supplies comes from the two international groups of OPEC (31%) and North America (20%) Russia
- Going to Asia (34%), Europe (20%)
- Some of the major exporters are also importers (USA)

27
Q

What the difference in supply and demand for gas?

A

The gap between supply as demand is fairly small as gas has a global but still uneven spread. Less demand as can be substituted for other forms of energy.
- some of the highest gas producers are the highest consumers
- supply mainly from North America (27%), Middle East (15%) and Russia (13%)
- demand North America (27%), Asia, Russia and Middle East

28
Q

How are the mismatch between supply and demand solved?

A

Energy mismatches are resolved by the creation of energy pathways allowing transfers to take place between producers and consumers.

29
Q

What are the main fossil fuel pathways?

A

coal - producers (Australia, Russia and USA) to four major markets (EU, India, China and Japan- Korea- Taiwan)
Oil - From producers in middle east to four major markets EU, USA and east and south east Asia
gas - from major produced Middle East, Russia to markets in Europe

30
Q

Why are energy pathway prone to disruption?

A

They are prone to political disputes and instability, terrorist attacks and piracy as well as conflict when they pass directly to across the borders of many states. The greatest risk is at choke points `e.g. Persian Gulf which sees 20% of the worlds crude oil pass through each year.

31
Q

What is choke point?

A

A narrow sea channel or convergence where sea transport routes can be easily be disrupted (sewers canal)

32
Q

What’s an example of conflict over energy pathways?

A

Russia and Ukraine:
Russia is the 2nd largest producer of gas with most of the exports go to European countries though 5 main pipeline. Three of which goes through Ukraine. This puts Ukraine is a position of strength, by cutting or affecting these supplies. This leaves Russia will two options become less reliant go gas through these pipelines, annexe the whole go Ukraine. Recently 2022 they invaded and Europe imposed economic sanction and cut supply form Russia.

33
Q

What are the main unconventional fossil fuels?

A
  • Tar sands
  • Oil shale
  • Shale gas
  • Deep water oil
34
Q

What is tar sands and how are they extracted?

A

Tar sands are a mixture of clay, sand, water and bitumen (heavy, viscous oil). They are mined and then injected with steam to make the tar less viscous so that it can be pumped out.

35
Q

What is oil shale and how it it extracted?

A

This are oil bearing rocks that are permeable enough to allow the oil to be pumped out directly. They are either mined, or the shale is ignited so that the light oil fractions can be pumped out.

36
Q

What is shale gas and how it it extracted?

A

Shale gas is natural gas that is trapped in fine grained sedimentary rocks. They are extracted by fracking, pump water in and chemicals to force out the gas.

37
Q

What is deep water oil and how it it extracted?

A

Oil and gas that is found well offshore and at considerable ocean depths. Drilling takes place from ocean rigs. e.g. Gulf of Mexico and off Brazil

38
Q

What are the cost of unconventional fossil fuels?

A
  • they are still fossil fusel and will continue to threaten the carbon cycle and contribute to global warming
  • extraction is costly and require highly complex technology, energy and water
  • threaten environmental damage; scars of opencast mines and land subsidence, pollution of groundwater and oil spills.
  • these all led to high social costs
    e.g. The oil leak and explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig in Gulf of Mexico 2010, led to the death of 11 workers and 17 injuries.
39
Q

What is the benefits of unconventional fossil fuels?

A
  • can create jobs and economic benefits for developing countries
  • reduce the dependence of countries on imported fossil fuels, and energy security
  • help meet future energy needs
40
Q

What are the four main player in the harnessing of unconventional fossil fuels?

A
  • exploration companies
  • environmental groups (campaigning)
  • affected communities (local pollution, disturbance of lifestyle, job opportunities, inflows of investment and improved services)
  • governments (economic and environmental concerns)
41
Q

What are the main points in Canadian Tar sands?

A

Biggest deposition of tar sands in Canada,
- exploitation of 1967
- produce 40% of Canada’s oil output
- high energy input means it very expensive and a drop in prices can have a depressing impact
- high environmental costs (strip mining, clearance of ;large areas of Taiga)

42
Q

What are the main points in US shale gas?

A
  • 25% of the USAs gas supply in 2015
  • Now a key determinate in US oil security and has an increasing influence on global oil price
  • contamination of groundwater by chemical uses in fracking
  • fracking also produces airborne pollutants
43
Q

What are the main points of Brazilian deepwater oil?

A
  • huge oil deposits found of the Brazilian coast s
  • coastline disfigured by refineries and bases
  • pollution of coastal waters
  • contain huge amount go toxic flammable gases
44
Q

What are the main alternatives to fossil fuels?

A

Global drive to rescue carbon emissions and to decouple fossil fuels from economic growth involve an increasing reliance on alternative sources
- renewable and recyclable energy
- biofuels
- radical technologies

45
Q

What are the main renewable energies?

A
  • nuclear power
  • wind power
  • solar power
    contribution to energy budget vary dramatically between countries due to differences in climate and rivers.
46
Q

What are the downfalls to renewable sources?

A
  • few countries where there is a capacity to completely replace all energy usage derived from fossil fuels
  • renewable have slightly higher cost making them less attractive as an option
  • significant impact on environment (Valleys can be drowned to create HEP reservoirs, offshore sons covered in wind and solar farms)
  • NIMBYSM
  • not all countries have the climate or physical systems needed to produce this energy
47
Q

What are the downfalls to nuclear power?

A
  • safety (Fukushima, Japan)
  • security of nuclear powered stations in areas high in terrorism
  • disposal od highly toxic radioactive water with long decay life
  • high technology involved so only available in developed countries
  • high costs
48
Q

What is the UK’s energy mix?

A
  • massive shift away from coal
  • oil and gas 80% if Uks primary energy mix
  • contribution of renewables remain very small
  • consumption is lower even though a population rise
  • household use 12% less energy, 60% less in industry
  • onset by the increase in transport and vehicles on the road
49
Q

What is a biofuel?

A

a fuel derived immediately from living matter, such as agricultural crops, forestry, of fishery products and various forms of waste.
primary biofuels - fuelwood, wood chips and pellets an other organic materials in an unprocessed form (cooking, heat)
secondary biofuels - derived from processing of biomass such as ethanol and biodiesel.

50
Q

What are the benefits to biofuels?

A
  • commend as a ‘green source’ of energy as they are carbon neutral
  • reduce carbon emissions
  • Reduce foreign oil dependency
51
Q

What are the drawbacks to biofuels?

A
  • the hectare of space used to grow energy crops is a hectare less for growing food and crops
  • high amount of land deforested to make space or displacement go other types of agriculture
52
Q

How are biofuels used in Brazil?

A

Brazil took action to diversify energy mix in 1970s to combat concerns about energy security. initially investing in hydroelectric power and more recently biofuels
- 90% of vehicles run-on biofuels
- 4% of overall energy renewable sources leading to a significant reduction in carbon emission
- world largest producer of sugar cane
- displaced other agriculture types resulting in large scale clearance of amazon rainforest cancelling reduction in emissions.

53
Q

What are the radical technologies involved in reducing carbon emissions?

A
  • carbon capture storage
  • hydrogen fuel cell
54
Q

What are radical technologies?

A

A innovation or invention that can has potential to rapidly decrease atmospheric carbon and and carbon emissions.

55
Q

What is carbon capture storage?

A

This involves the ‘capturing’ the carbon dioxide released by the burning of fossil fuels, and burying it deep underground. It ‘scrubs’ out carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

56
Q

What are the drawbacks to carbon capture storage?

A
  • it is very expensive due to the complex technology used
  • complex technologies means can only be done in developed countries
  • unknown if the carbon will remain underground, and will not gradually leak to the surface and enter the atmosphere.
57
Q

What are hydrogen fuel cells?

A

These combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. This will produce electricity fro as long as hydrogen supplied and never loose there charge.

58
Q

What are the benefits to hydrogen cells?

A
  • promising for a source of heat and electricity
  • power source for electric vehicles
  • almost no pollutants
59
Q

What are the challenges to hydrogen fuel cells?

A
  • hard to find a cheap easy source of hydrogen, although in is abundant it doesn’t not naturally occur on its own (only combined with other elements)
60
Q

Conclusion?

A

A world burin no fossil fuels in unattainable, however a world were majority of energy derived form renewables and recyclable sources and making full use of hydrogen cells does promise relatively little disturbances to the carbon cycle and its stores and fluxes. A longer human survival.

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