Unit 2 - Energy And Energy Systems For Development In Different Contexts

Question 1

Define:

• energy supply

- energy system

Answer 1

Supply: delivery of a fuel for consumption (can involve energy extraction, generation, transmission, distribution and storage)

System: interrelated network of energy sources, connected by transmission and ditribution of that energy to where it is needed.
»> production, generation, transmission and use of energy

Question 2

Define:

• energy carrier

- fuel

Answer 2

Carrier: substance/system that contains potential energy that can be released and used as actual energy in the form of mechanical work, heat or operate chemical and physical processes.

Fuel: material that stores potential energy that can be released and used as actual energy in the form of HEAT.
Liquid, solid and gaseous

Question 3

What is energy intensity

Answer 3

The amount of energy used per unit of GDP

Question 4

What is carbon intensity

Answer 4

The amount of carbon used per unit of GDP

Question 5

How many people do not have access to electricity?

And rely on traditional biomass??

Answer 5

E = 1.3 billion people
(Lowest in 2010 were malawi and uganda - 9%)

Biomas = 2.7 billion people
80% in south asia and sub-saharan africa
85% in rural area

Question 6

Why is there not a direct link between income and access to electricity?

Answer 6

1. Income is not equally distributed
2. Governments can refuse or do not have sufficient means to invest in electricity infrastructure (incl. Corruption)
3. Structural problems may occur
4. Technical and geographical limitations exist for grid connections
5. Population growth
6. Electrification needs to be supported through MF or financial support for investment in equipment OR to create income generation opportunities.

Question 7

Changes in the consumption of traditional biofuels are due to

Answer 7

(Victor and Victor, 2002)

1. Population growth
2. Unavailability of alternative fuels
3. Changes in income
4. Urbanisation
5. Industrialisation

But also (van ruijven, 2008):

• cost of energy source
• culture and traditions
• climate
• geography
• land use

Question 8

Access to energy markets

Answer 8

Access to energy generation technology
Access to energy transmission and distribution technology
Access to end-use devices
Access to fuels

Question 9

Poor countries suffer a lack of:

Answer 9

• access to modern energy
• access to energy markets
• access to energy services (delivery of energy in various forms)
• access to energy infra

Question 10

Energy security

Answer 10

The availability of energy supply at adequate prices, in adequate quantities and at adequate times to such an extent that the social and economic development of a country can be ensured

Question 11

Reasons for e-supply shortages

Answer 11

1 poor performance of the power sector (conditions, operational/maintenance performance, losses etc)
2 rapidly growing demand
3 low number of power plants
4 technical constrains
5 organisational and institutional problems
6 underfinanced power companies
7 restriction on capital available for investment
8 dependence on import of plants and equipment for power supply
9 too low consumer prices

Question 12

Losses (examples) - transmission & distribution

Answer 12

55% haiti
46% DRC Congo
35% iraq + nepal
30% cambodia, namibia, yemen, dominican rep
5% western europe

Question 13

Differences of energy use

Answer 13

1. Urban-Rural divide
2. Different income groups
3. Different world regions
4. Emerging economies (china / india)

Question 14

Different types of economies influence the use of energy, 3 main distinctions are:

Answer 14

1. Formal vs informal economies
2. Agrarian vs industrialised economies
3. Unequal income distribution

Question 15

What happens to energy and carbon intensity when economies formalize

Answer 15

When informal activities are formalised, the official economic growth appears artificially high and energy intensity, measured as energy use per economic unit, decreases rapidly. This means that at that moment the energy efficiency figures may be overestimated.

Question 16

What is the Kuznets curve?

Answer 16

The development economy follows an inverted U-shaped development where income inequality first increases with increasing GDP levels and after a treshold the income inequality declines with further increasing GDP levels.

Question 17

What is Gini coefficient?

Answer 17

Measures how (un)equal societies are in terms of their income distribution
Zero = perfect equality
100 = perfect inequality

Question 18

What is decoupling?

Answer 18

The decoupling of energy use/carbon use from GDP requires that at some point in time the energy growth rate or eission growth rate is lower than the GDP growth rate

• absolute decoupling - absolute cut (not yet observed)
• relative decoupling - more economic activity is possible with less emissions

Question 19

What is dematerialisation?

Answer 19

Using fewer materials and less energy for economic output.

Question 20

What are the main caracteristics of the energy systems and economies of developing countries? (Urban, 2007)

Answer 20

1. Poor performance of the power sector and traditional fuels
2. Transition from traditional to modern economies
3. Structural deficiencies in society, economy and energy systems

Question 21

Many developing countries suffer from a poor performance of the power sector for various supply and demand side and economic reasons

Answer 21

1. Power systems configuration is often sub-optimal (and high losses)
2. Demand side problem of access to electricity
3. Even though the e-consumption is growing it is still the traditional biofuels that are mainly used
4. Economic reasons: poor sector financing, tariffs below long-term marginal costs of production (or below operating costs), poor revenue collection.

Question 22

Define:

• energy use

- energy demand

Answer 22

Use: consumption of energy
Demand: the energy that is demanded or needed by the constomer

Question 23

Size of the informal economy

Answer 23

40% of official GDP in developing countries

17% in OECD countries.