12 Environmental management 12.1 Sustainable energy supplies Non-renewable sources of energy are the fossil fuels and nuclear fuel. These are finite so that as they are used up the supply that remains is reduced. Renewable energy can be used over and over again. It includes hydroelectric, biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, tidal and wave power. At present, non-renewable resources dominate global energy. The challenge is to transform the global energy mix to achieve a better balance between renewable and non-renewable sources of energy.
Factors affecting the demand for, and supply of, energy
Renewable energy refers to sources of energy such as solar and wind power, which are not depleted as they are used. The energy mix is the relative contribution of different energy sources to a country’s energy production/ consumption.
Revised
l
Demand is primarily governed by the size of a country’s population and its level of economic development. l Growth in energy demand is particularly rapid in newly industrialised countries. l A country’s energy policy can impact significantly on demand if it focuses on efficiency and sustainability. l High levels of pollution due to energy consumption can be a strong stimulus to developing a cleaner energy policy. Global variations in energy supply occur for a number of reasons. For example:
Physical
Deposits of fossil fuels are only found in a limited number of locations.
Economic
In poor countries foreign direct investment is often essential for the development of energy resources.
Political
International agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol can have a considerable influence on the energy decisions of individual countries.
Trends in production and consumption
Revised
The fossil fuels dominate the global energy situation. Their relative contributions are (2008): oil – 34.8%, coal – 29.3%, natural gas – 24.1%. In contrast, hydroelectricity accounted for 6.4% and nuclear energy 5.5% of global energy. Figure 12.1 shows the regional pattern of energy consumption for 2008.
Paper 3 Advanced Human Geography Options
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