Types of Energy*

Question 1

What are ‘flow’ resources?

Answer 1

Renewable energy resources which are constant without human interference and infinite as they are replenished at a similar rate to which they are used

Question 2

Name examples of flow resources

Answer 2

Water (so tidal, HEP etc), wind, geothermal and solar

Question 3

What are ‘stock’ resources?

Answer 3

Non-renewable resources that are finite and cannot be replaced

Question 4

Name examples of stock reources

Answer 4

Coal, oil, gas, and nuclear

Question 5

What is primary energy?

Answer 5

Energy released from a direct source (eg. heat released from burning coal)

Question 6

What is secondary energy?

Answer 6

Energy created when primary energy is converted into a different form (eg. heat energy from coal used to generate electricity)

Question 7

What is the energy security of a country?

Answer 7

The access a country has to reliable and affordable sources of energy

Question 8

What is the energy mix of a country?

Answer 8

Shows the sources of energy used by a country, so a pie chart can show the percentage of each energy source used by the country

Question 9

What was the UK’s energy mix in 2013?

Answer 9

38% coal
28% natural gas
21% nuclear
11% renewables
2% other

Question 10

What was China’s energy mix in 2008?

Answer 10

71% coal
3% natural gas
1% nuclear and other
6% hydroelectric
19% oil

Question 11

What was Angola’s energy mix in 2011?

Answer 11

5% natural gas
6% hydroelectric
30% oil
59% solid biomass

Question 12

How is the UK’s energy mix predicted to change in the future?

Answer 12

Up to 40-55% the energy mix will be lost, due to the powering off of all coal-powered stations by 2023

Question 13

Why is the UK’s energy mix changing?

Answer 13

New regulations put in place by the EU, want to cut down emissions from coal by introducing more gas stations, which are cleaner (producing 30% less CO2 than oil, and 45% less than coal)

Question 14

How will the UK introduce more gas into the the UK’s energy mix?

Answer 14

Gas discovered underground to be exploited by fracking

Question 15

How does fracking work?

Answer 15

Cracks in ground that hold gas are enlarged by the injection of slick water (water, chemicals and sand), so when sand holds holes open, gas can escape and be burned for energy

Question 16

What are the arguments against fracking in the UK?

Answer 16

Environmental effects haven’t been fully examined
Lots of water needs to be transported there
Drilling process can cause small earthquakes
Chemicals might get into and contaminate water supplies

Question 17

What are other options to account for loss of coal powered stations?

Answer 17

Using biofuels, nuclear power, wind power, and micro schemes

Question 18

How are biofuels used to produce energy in the UK?

Answer 18

Drax power station (North Yorkshire) burns wood pellets

Question 19

What are the disadvantages of Drax power station?

Answer 19

Wood comes from America, 3,800 miles away
Wood produces 1/3 of the power that coal does
Cost of burning wood 2 1/2 times more than coal

Question 20

How might nuclear power be used to produce energy in the UK?

Answer 20

Hinkley Point, Somerset might become a nuclear plant, which is controlled by EDF and predicted to cost £18 million

Question 21

Why is nuclear power controversial?

Answer 21

Can cause major disasters (Eg, Fukushima 2011, caused by an earthquake)

Question 22

How are wind farms used to produce energy in the UK?

Answer 22

Onshore wind farms produce 60% total wind energy, more land near the coast available for expansion

Question 23

What are the disadvantages to using wind farms in the UK?

Answer 23

Considered unsightly by locals
Depend on weather
Need electricity to keep going when weather not windy
This, plus maintenance, construction and power down can be very expensive

Question 24

What is the micro scheme suggested by Tesla?

Answer 24

Using a powerwall: a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, to power homes in the evening, with an 6.4 kWh energy storage capacity