EQ2 The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security 5.3.19
EQ2: What are the consequences for people and the environment of our increasing
demand for energy.
Energy security: refers to the uninterrupted available of energy sources at an affordable
price. It has many aspects for example:
- Long-term energy security mainly deals with timely investments to supply energy in
line with economic development and environmental needs.
- Short-term energy security focuses on the ability of the energy system to react
promptly to sudden changes in the balance between energy demand and energy
supply.
4 important aspects to the supply side:
- Availability.
- Accessibility.
- Affordability.
- Reliability.
Factors affecting per capita energy consumption
- Physical availability.
o Are there natural resources available in the country or is it imported?
o Latter: transport costs are likely to add to the overall cost of energy to the
consumer.
o Difficult accessibility is likely to increase the cost to the consumer also.
- Technology.
o Modern technology can help in the exploitation of resources, especially if
they aren't easily accessible.
o Like oil and gas that require deep drilling through a contorted geology.
o The technology to make it more accessible can also lead to the increase of
energy consumption.
- Cost.
o Separate costs:
Physical exploitation
Processing (converting primary into secondary resource)
Delivery to the consumer
- Economic development.
o Costs are relative to the country's economy. In one place it might be an
acceptable price, in another it may be expensive.
o Public perception will depend very much on the level of economic
development and the standard of living.
- Climate.
o Climate affects energy consumption.
o In North America, the Middle East, Australia reflect the extra energy required
to make the extremes of heat and cold more comfortable.
o Yet in places of low economic development like much of Africa, even though
there is considerable heat, there is low energy consumption.
- Environmental priorities.
o Carbon emissions = greenhouse gases = global warming.
EQ2: What are the consequences for people and the environment of our increasing
demand for energy.
Energy security: refers to the uninterrupted available of energy sources at an affordable
price. It has many aspects for example:
- Long-term energy security mainly deals with timely investments to supply energy in
line with economic development and environmental needs.
- Short-term energy security focuses on the ability of the energy system to react
promptly to sudden changes in the balance between energy demand and energy
supply.
4 important aspects to the supply side:
- Availability.
- Accessibility.
- Affordability.
- Reliability.
Factors affecting per capita energy consumption
- Physical availability.
o Are there natural resources available in the country or is it imported?
o Latter: transport costs are likely to add to the overall cost of energy to the
consumer.
o Difficult accessibility is likely to increase the cost to the consumer also.
- Technology.
o Modern technology can help in the exploitation of resources, especially if
they aren't easily accessible.
o Like oil and gas that require deep drilling through a contorted geology.
o The technology to make it more accessible can also lead to the increase of
energy consumption.
- Cost.
o Separate costs:
Physical exploitation
Processing (converting primary into secondary resource)
Delivery to the consumer
- Economic development.
o Costs are relative to the country's economy. In one place it might be an
acceptable price, in another it may be expensive.
o Public perception will depend very much on the level of economic
development and the standard of living.
- Climate.
o Climate affects energy consumption.
o In North America, the Middle East, Australia reflect the extra energy required
to make the extremes of heat and cold more comfortable.
o Yet in places of low economic development like much of Africa, even though
there is considerable heat, there is low energy consumption.
- Environmental priorities.
o Carbon emissions = greenhouse gases = global warming.
