The Challenge of Resource Management - [Optional] - Energy (Paper 2) Flashcards
This is one of the optional topics for 'The Challenge of Resource Management' topic. You have a choice between one of the following: food, water or energy. If you are unsure, ask your class teacher.
What is ‘energy security’?
Having a reliable, sustainable and affordable supply of energy.
Name some countries where energy consumption is high?
- USA
- Canada
- Australia
- UK
Name some regions where energy consumtion is low?
- Africa
- South East Asia
Why is Russia energy secure?
They have large reserves of natural gas and oil
Why does the Middle East region have an energy surplus?
They have large oil reserves
Why is Western Europe energy insecure?
- Depends on imports
- Not very energy effiicient
Why is Sub-Saharan Africa energy insecure?
Reliant on TNCs to extract oil and gas
What are the factors that affect energy supply?
- Costs of exploitation and production
- Physical factors
- Political factors
- Technology
- Climate
What physical factors affect energy supply?
- Geology - determines what fossil fuels are under the ground
- Abundance of potential renewable energy e.g. geothermal
What political factors affect energy supply?
- Political instability
- Potential use of nuclear energy for political gain
- Some governments don’t subsidise some energy productions
Why is technology an important factor in the supply of energy?
- We can now use technolgy to access hard to reach resources
- Technology makes it cheaper to access some resources
Why is climate an important factor in the supply of energy?
Some areas have high amounts of solar energy or wind which makes wind turbines and solar panels an ideal choice.
Why is global energy consumption increasing?
- Great economic development
- More industrial development (Asia)
Why does rising population affect energy consumption?
More people means more need for heating, power, vehicle fuel etc.
What is ‘energy insecurity’?
Not having a reliable or affordable supply of energy to meet demand.
What are the impacts of energy insecurity?
- price of energy increases as fossil fuels are used up
- more environmental damage as a result of looking for more fossil fuels
- more demand for biofuels which uses land for food production
- indsutry relocates to access energy
- conflict
How can a country increase its energy supply?
- Try to use its own energy sources
- Import more energy
- Reduce energy consumption through technology
Name 2 remote regions where we can now exploit energy resources?
- Antarctica
- Arctic
What has made it possible to exploit resources in remote areas?
New cost effective technologies
What are the economic disadvantages of oil and gas exploitation in the Arctic?
- difficult to access therefore use of specialist equipment is expensive
- workers demand higher pay for working in a remote area
- transporting oil and gas long distances increases cost
What are the environmental disadvantages of oil and gas exploitation in the Arctic?
- Strict controls needed to prevent damage
- Transport can damage the environment
- Pollution from spills
What are ‘biofuels’?
A fuel that is made from living things e.g. plants (maize, sugar cane)
Why do biofuels cause food shortages?
They are grown on land which can’t then be used for food production
What are the negatives of biofuels?
- Uses valuable land that can be used to produce food
- Increase food prices
How does energy insecurity impact industry?
- Frequent power cuts = loss of productivity
- Closure of some industries
How can energy insecurity lead to conflict?
- Some countries own a large share of an energy resource so have power to distribute
- They may increase cost of energy
- They can cut off supplies for political gain
- Hijack of oil in transit can also be an issue