2C - Resource Security Flashcards
Renewable (flow) resources
Renewable resources are those that can be replenished with the passage of time and should therefore always be available for humans to use.
non-renewable (stock) resources
These types of resources have been created by long-term physical processes over geological timescales and therefore they are finite and exhaustible
What is a resource?
‘Resources’ include all the deposits of a mineral/commodity - those that are discovered, undiscovered or unviable.
What is a reserve?
‘Reserves’ are those parts of the ‘resources’ that can be economically, technically and legally extracted.
Resource frontier
3
A location where a resource is brought into production for the first time
The boundary between exploited areas and areas considered too difficult to exploit under current political and technological conditions.
Resource frontiers are changing as technology advances to allow new areas to be exploited.
Resource peak
The time of maximum rate of production of a resource
Hubbert curve
A bell-shaped curve representing oil use and projecting both when world oil production will reach a maximum and when we will run out of oil
What factors determine when a resource peaks?
4
The availability and discovery of reserves
Development of new technologies
Demand for the resource (may decrease or increase suddenly as a result of research into a material or new uses that are found for a material). How will electric vehicles affect the demand for oil in ten year’s time?
Grade of available resources
Primary source of energy definition
Primary energy is released from a direct source as a naturally occurs, e.g., burning coal generates heat
Primary sources of energy
coal, oil, natural gas, biomass (may also be secondary), uranium
Secondary source of energy definition
The product of primary energy, mostly electricity
Secondary sources of energy
Solar, wind, wave, tidal, geothermal
Advantages of coal
7
energy-dense
plentiful
easy to exploit by surface mining
technological demands are small
economic costs are low
easy to handle and transport
needs little refining
Disadvantages of coal
4
- severe land disturbance and water pollution
- fine particle and toxic mercury emissions threaten human health
- emits large amounts of CO2 and other air pollutants when produced and burned
- Environmental mitigation such as carbon capture and storage have a negative impact on energy-efficiency
Advantages of oil
3
- Indispensable in road transport and petrochemical industries
- Leading tradable commodity
- Flexible, easy to transport fuel
Disadvantages of oil
5
- Greenhouse gas production
- Oil spills from tanks/pipes can kill wildlife.
- high price volatility
- Geopolitical tensions in areas with the largest reserves
- The market is dominated by leading oil producing countries and large TNCs
Advantages of natural gas
4
- Contains fewer impurities and therefore emits almost no sulfur dioxide or particulates
- Emits only 60% as much carbon dioxide as coal
- Flexible and efficient fuel for power and heat generation
- Increasing proved reserves from unconventional sources
disadvantages of natural gas
6
- when unburned, methane escapes into the atmosphere
- exploration of natural gas has the potential of contaminating groundwater
- Reserves increasingly offshore or in more remote areas
- Large investment requirement for gas transport and distribution
- Increasingly long supply routes with high infrastructure cost
- Fracking is very water intensive
advantages of nuclear energy
6
- Low carbon footprint
- Safety always improving
- Technology becoming more affordable and accessible for NICs
- Highly energy-efficient fuel with new reactors even more efficient
- Relatively large reserves of uranium
- Excellent replacement for fossil fuels in generating thermally sourced energy
disadvantages of nuclear energy
7
- High investment and compliance costs in constructing nuclear power stations
- Public concerns about operation and radioactive waste disposal
- Potential dangers and impacts of nuclear accident
- Difficulty in finding suitable sites
- Plutonium is a by-product which can be used in nuclear weapons- so can cause geopolitical tensions or threats of terrorism
- Lack of support from local public
- Power stations can take decades to build
advantages of solar energy
4
- Costs are decreasing rapidly
- Large potential in desert areas
- Can be used on a domestic scale
- Plentiful Silica resources
disadvantages of solar energy
3
- Not very efficient yet (15 to 20%)
- Effectiveness dependent on climate and time of the year and day
- Require special metals which need to be mined
advantages of wind energy
5
- Low maintenance and running costs
- Can be used all year round
- Plenty of suitable sites
- Quick installation
- Option for offshore
disadvantages of wind energy
3
- Bird life can be affected
- Weather dependent
- NIMBYism
Advantages of HEP
4
- Low operating costs
- No waste or carbon dioxide emissions
- Proven technology
- Can top up supply in periods of peak demand
disadvantages of HEP
3
- Dams have high construction costs
- Requires large amounts of land so causes conflict, for example, relocation of populations
- Environmental impacts on drainage basin and microclimate effects
Global pattern of energy consumption
Global energy consumption varies, but is generally higher in northern hemisphere countries, which are more developed.
Relationship between GDP and energy consumption
4
- Wealthy countries tend to consume lots of energy per person because they can afford to.
- Poorer countries consume less energy per person as they are less able to afford it.
- Some countries don’t consume much energy per person, they consume a lot overall because they have large populations.
- Some countries don’t consume as much energy per person but consume a lot overall because they use energy for manufacturing.
What 3 physical factors affect energy supply (volume and quality)
Geology
Climate
Drainage
How does geology affect energy supply?
6
Geology affects fossil fuel supply
Coal is a sedimentary rock - it forms when plant material undergoes specific geological processes such as burial and heating.
Coal that has undergone the most change is the highest quality (anthracite), while coal that has been changed least is the lowest quality (lignite)
Oil and natural gas need specific geological conditions in order to form and be stored
Both gas and oil travel upwards through pores in rocks, until they meet a layer of impermeable rock and become trapped - they are found where impermeable ‘cap’ rock overlies permeable ‘reservoir’ rock
Geology is also important for geothermal energy production - many geothermal power stations are located in places where the earth’s crust is thin, so molten rock is closer to the surface.
How does climate affect energy supply?
5
Wind - Wind energy can only be generated in locations with an average annual wind speed above 5.5m/s.
Very high winds can damage wind turbines, so most turbines stop working automatically if winds get above about 25 m/s.
Hydroelectric power (HEP) - HEP relies on large flows of water to generate electricity. In areas with low rainfall or frequent droughts, it cannot produce reliable power.
Solar - Solar power is generated using sunlight, so it is most effective in places with little cloud cover.
Climate also affects the production of non-renewable sources. E.g. mines can become flooded and access roads impassable in areas with a very high rainfall, and offshore oil rigs can be damaged by storms.
How does drainage affect energy supply?
4
The drainage network of a country (e.g. the number of rivers and the size and shape of drainage basins) affects the volume of energy that can be generated using hydroelectric power (HEP).
HEP generation is most effective if there is a large volume of water flowing inconsistently down the river, and a large drop in elevation from the reservoir to the water outlet.
It therefore works best in drainage basins with large rivers and fairly steep terrain.
However, steep terrain it can make dam construction difficult or expensive.
How does energy production and use affect relationships between countries?
3
Countries that produce lots of a particular type of energy might form alliances, e.g. OPEC is a group of countries that work together to influence the global supply and price of oil
Because energy and resources are unevenly distributed across the world, conflict can arise between countries trying to obtain the resources they need
The country’s financial situation or existing conflicts with other countries can reduce its ability to trade energy.
Geopolitical issues linked to energy production, trade, and use:
5
Global energy use is increasing and fossil fuel reserves decreasing.
Energy crisis:
Many people believe we’re coming to an ‘energy crisis’, so governments are very concerned about how to secure energy supplies for the future
Political instability:
Many of the largest reserves of oil and gas are in areas that are politically or economically unstable, e.g. Iran. This means that energy supplies to many countries are at risk of being disrupted
Environment:
As energy consumption increases, so does the impact of the energy use on the environment.
International agreements, e.g. Kyoto Protocol, try to address these problems, but these can also lead to political conflict environmental protection clashes with other national interests, e.g. economic growth.
Arctic:
The Arctic also has large oil reserves, however this is unowned, so tensions are arising between nations attempting to claim areas of the Arctic as their own
