Carbon Cycle - Energy Security

  • Energy Security: Having enough accessible, reliable, affordable and safe energy supply to meet demand
  • Evaluation: Vital for countries to allow them to develop and to support human wellbeing
  • Why: Standard of living rising, industry increasing, transportation increasing, population increases, more energy to needed to them and consumption increases.
  • If demand outstrips supply ‘energy security’ could result. Fossil fuels provide the most energy.
Consumption & Energy Mix:
  • Consumption: How much energy is used by a country or business
  • Energy Mix: Different types of energy that a country or place uses.
  • UK: Russian gas, nuclear power from the French, electric energy e.g Gas coming from Russian to Easington.
Sources of UK Electricity:
  • Gas – 44%, Nuclear 22%, Wind 12%, Coal 9%
  • Gas usage is slowly decreasing, nuclear energy is rising
  • Demand for coal and oil is decreasing by 2040. Demand is at its highest now, renewable increase as time goes on.
Consumption of Energy:
  1. Physical Availability: Does the country have fossil fuels? The OPEC countries do, China have copious amounts of fossil fuels resources available. Norway has lots of rivers available for HEP. This is the most important reason.
  2. Cost: How much does it cost per unit? Can profit be made from it? Cheapest always wins. Heavily influences what a country uses.
  3. Technology & Development: Developed enough to invest in a large power stations. Important for energy mix
  4. Public Perception: Germany have banned future nuclear power, UK moving to a more renewable energy source. How will America fair under Trump?
  • Lots of areas distributing and investing in wind power such as Europe.
Energy Key Players:
  1. Governments: Determines national energy mix, renewable policy, international reactions
  2. Environmentalists: Greenpeace helping to determine/adopt renewable energy
  3. OPEC: Global oil prices by managing production. Only works with OIL
  4. Scientists: Conduct research into alternative fuels
  5. Energy TNCs: Exploration for resources, fossil fuel drilling, pipe management.
  6. Consumers: Prices sensitive, can put pressure on politics or riot like residents did in India.
Pathways, Energy Supply & The Future:
  • Fossil fuels supply regions which are poorly matches with an area of largest demand, true for oil and gas
  • Energy must flow away along ‘international pathways’ from production to consumers (transboundary pathways). Pathways are carrier ships. Electricity is exported. Can be disrupted. In the future, Oil will remain at $30 per unit whilst offshore wind will be at $140.
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