Global environment challenges: Energy Flashcards
(10 cards)
Which sector produces the most greenhouse gasses in the UK
Transport - 26%
What are the heaviest forms of travel via carbon footprint per passenger kilometre
Domestic flight- 246g(co2) per passenger km
Long haul flight- 193g(co2) per passenger km
Diesel car 171g (co2)
What is a heat pump and why it is environmentally friendly
Heat pumps don’t emit nitrous oxide. Invented in 1855, gained popularity in late 1970’s.
Gas boilers account for a fifth of air pollution from nitrogen oxides in urban areas.
Nitrous oxide is a climate-warming gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide
Give information about wind turbines and the Hornsea wind farm
Invented in 1887, gained popularity in 70s & 80s.
Hornsea 1:
worlds first gigawatt offshore wind farm.
Completed in 2019
174 turbines - produce 1.2Gw
Hornsea 2
Operational in 2022
Powers over 1,4 million homes
Hornsea 3 & 4 to be constructed
Describe the disadvantages of wind farms/turbines
very resource intensive - foundations mostly made of concrete and steel.
Wind turbine itself is also composed of steel and carbon composites
Can disturb marine environments
Describe COP27 and its terms
Plan to keep rising temperatures well below 1.5 degrees above pre industrial levels.
Around 200 countries involved (sources can vary)
Describe the paris agreement and its terms
Paris agreement 2015
Adopted by 196 parties
aims to prevent global temperatures from rising above pre–Industrial Revolution temperatures by 2˚C
Encourages renewable energy alternatives.
However President Donald Trump pulls out of Paris agreement.
How can the extraction of oil and gas become more efficient and environmentally friendly
Replace gas power stations with wind
Carbon capture storage
Hydrogen
CO2 injection
Fracking
Describe how nuclear power works
derives energy from breaking apart atomic nuclei. Fission splits a large nucleus into smaller fragments, producing enormous energy.
