Paper 3 - Energy in the UK Flashcards
(18 cards)
Why do we need energy in the UK?
Without energy, we wouldn’t have heating, lighting, communications systems would not function. Access to food, water and consumer products depends on reliable energy supply
What are the four sectors that contribute to energy consumption in the UK?
Services, transport, industry and domestic
What is an anomaly on the graph picturing energy consumption in the UK from 1990 - 2021?
Total fell due to impact of Covid-19, which caused the closing of businesses and schools and the travel restrictions put in place.
When adjusted for temperature, energy consumption decreased by 13% in 2020 compared to 2019
What is energy security?
Having an uninterrupted and affordable energy supply which is able to sustain people’s lives and daily activities
Why is energy security important?
It helps to ensure economic and political stability
Has an important impact on food supply and economic development
Disruptions to supply and increase in prices can have a serious effect on living standards
What are the 4 ‘A’s of energy security?
Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, Affordability
What does availability mean?
Having a supply of resources there to use
What does accessibility mean?
People having the ability and means by which to access resources
What does acceptability mean?
This refers to the safety and environmental concerns surrounding energy and the impacts of it’s life cycle (e.g. manufacturing, disposal etc.)
What is affordability?
Having enough money to pay for energy resources
How does the physical environment affect energy security?
Some areas have the geological and physical conditions necessary for the development of energy resources
e.g. rock type determines the energy resources available e.g. coal
How do costs affect energy security?
Economic and political factors can affect the price of energy, which in turn can cause impacts on living standards
What effect does technology have on energy security?
Technological developments can create new energy sources or make existing energy sources more efficient
e.g. tech in North Sea and Arctic allows access to oil, Trans-Alaskan pipelines allow efficient travel of oil
How do political factors affect energy security?
Energy resources are traded globally, so conflicts and environmental concerns can affect energy supply
e.g. political conflict in Middle East may affect certainty of security and cause other countries to seek resources elsewhere
What are the factors affecting energy security?
Physical environment, cost, technology and political factors
Before 1980, describe the balance between import and export of energy in the UK
- there was initially a heavy reliance on imported energy which generally decreased
- e.g. 53% imports in 1972
- until 1980 where there was a balance, where there was no need to import and not enough to export
Between 1980 and 2003 , describe the balance between import and export of energy in the UK
- generally leans towards exports with sharp increase to imports and decrease between 1986 and 1993
- e.g. 18% exports in 1982 but 5% import in 1990
- this is because significant oil and gas production in the North Sea, which allowed enough for the UK with more to export
After 2003, describe the balance between import and export of energy in the UK
- as North Sea oil and gas production declines, reliance on imported energy increases
- e.g. 48% imports in 2012
- After 2012, there is a gradual decrease
