Energy Source & Mixes (AQA A Level Geography)
Revision Note
Sources of Energy
Energy sources are categorised into stock or flow and primary or secondary
Primary energy is a form of energy usually found in nature that has not undergone a conversion process - wood and coal
Some primary sources need to undergo a transformation process in order to be used, such as petrol
Secondary energy is energy that has come from a conversion process to generate a second form of energy, for example electricity
An example of this process would be coal that is combusted in a thermal power station to produce electricity
Coal can also be burned directly to heat homes
Examiner Tip
If a 4 mark exam question asks you to outline sources of energy, make sure you can differentiate between primary and secondary energy. You will need to write four separate points and try and include an example to develop your answer.
Demand & Mixing
Components of demand
The concepts of primary and secondary energy can be applied to different sectors of the economy
Domestic:
Natural gas can heat homes
Can be burned and converted to electricity for domestic use
Manufacturing and service industry:
Oil can be used to heat offices and warehouses
Can be burned to drive machinery or converted to electricity for multiple uses
Agriculture:
Fossil fuels can be used to heat greenhouses and storage sheds
Can be used to drive farm machinery and tools or converted to electricity to drive pumps for irrigation
Transport:
Refined oil in various forms has traditionally driven the world’s transport vehicles
Increasing use of battery and electric powered vehicles from renewable sources
The amount of energy supplied and consumed by each sector varies
The type of energy supplied and consumed varies spatially, due to several factors:
Countries at different levels of development will use energy in different ways
HDEs use more electricity
LDE development will increase demand for electricity
Availability of different energy sources
Relative cost of different energy supplies - price of oil is very volatile
Government policies on energy
Most countries are attempting to reduce carbon output which means converting to more renewable energy
This leads to a contrasting energy mix within and between countries
Energy mixes in contrasting settings
The UK’s energy mix is similar to other HDEs
The UK’s energy mix is relatively diversified
Dominant primary energy sources are:
Oil
Natural gas
Nuclear
A growing renewables sector
Driven by wind through utilising the climatic conditions of the island
Coal has become less significant due to:
Government policies favouring cleaner fuels
Cost versus profits from mining, make non viable as a fuel
Oil remains important for transport
Natural gas reserves in the North Sea provide a degree of self-sufficiency
Compared to Germany, where oil and gas are almost exclusively imported
Total energy use remains high (typical of an HDE)
Approximately 180 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) in 2015 (for a population of approx. 67 million)
However, this has fallen by 20 MTOE from 1971
Mainly due to conversion from fossil fuels to renewables following political thirst for sustainability
Fluctuations in total energy use changes over time
A result of market changes (price)
And variations in economic stability (boom and bust)
e.g. there was a trough after the 2008 global recession
Nigeria’s energy mix is similar to other LDEs
Nigeria’s energy mix is less diverse than the UK’s
The dominant primary energy source is biofuels
Mainly due to burning of firewood for domestic heating and cooking
Typical in a country with a low HDI (5.3 in 2021)
The other two main sources are oil and natural gas
Oil and gas fields were discovered in the Niger Delta in the late 1950s
A large oil and gas industry has developed
Today Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa
Despite this, domestic use of oil is limited as much of the oil and gas is exported by large TNCs
This is a typical situation for resource-rich LDEs
Large growth use of energy in recent years due to rapid population growth
55 million in 1971 has become 220 million in 2023
Total energy use remains relatively low, despite a large population
Approx. 140 MTOE in 2015
Typical of an LDE
Renewables sector is insignificant
Only a small amount of HEP
Due to high costs
Compared to abundant and relatively cheap fossil fuel supply
Examiner Tip
In this section of the specification it is likely that you will be asked about the differences between how countries consume energy. Make sure you learn some of the reasons why countries might have different energy mixes. For example, the UK’s bigger economy allows it to afford a renewable sector whereas, Nigeria has to rely mainly on cheaper and more available sources such as oil and firewood.
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