The Rising Demand for Energy and the Energy Gap
The two graphs to the left show a number of important points concerning energy. These include:
The only way to prevent an energy crisis is to adopt energy efficiency measures.
- Energy supply will peak between 2015 and 2020 and will begin to fall
- A global energy gap developed in 2010 and by 2050 will be bigger than current global demand for energy
- Fossils fuels like coal, oil and gas currently supply over 80 percent of global energy
- Oil production peaked in 2010 and is now declining
- Gas production will peak at approximately 2030
- Coal will remain fairly stable
- Renewable energy will increase but will not be capable of filling the energy gap
The only way to prevent an energy crisis is to adopt energy efficiency measures.
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Brian Cox video to go here - Brian's Plan
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The demand for energy is rising due to a combination of rapid population growth, urbanisation and development. Not only has population more the doubled in the last 50 years but most countries have now reached a middle income status. They have achieved this through industrialisation and now have a growing middle class. As a consequence they have ambitions for a lifestyle similar to that of people living in HICs. No where in the world is this more evident than in China and India. This lifestyle is energy intensive and based on a consumer culture. The following article is about Britain's looming energy gap.
These two videos explain how China has emerged as a world leading energy producer and consumer.
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The following infographic shows the trend of energy in the USA.
Finite Energy and Energy Efficiency
Finite energy refers to the limited and scarce availability of fossil fuel based energy. As you have already seen in the graphics above the world energy supply is 80 percent reliant on fossil fuel based energy in the form of oil, gas and coal. Although there remains mixed opinion on this, some commentators like the first graph above suggest that oil has already peaked in production. In many countries this is definitely true. In addition oil is becoming increasingly difficult to access. By 2050 it is likely that all three fossil fuel based energies will be in rapid decline.
Beacuse of this and the inability of renewable energies to fill the gap there is a need for energy efficiency. Energy efficiency refers to the reduction of energy losses in the energy network and and reduction in excessive use of energy by industry and households.
Beacuse of this and the inability of renewable energies to fill the gap there is a need for energy efficiency. Energy efficiency refers to the reduction of energy losses in the energy network and and reduction in excessive use of energy by industry and households.
The Relative Merits of Renewable and Non-renewable Energy
The following video examines the energy transition of Germany as it moves away from a non-renewable energy based economy towards a renewable and energy efficient economy. PDF Resource
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There are trade-offs with all types of energy including renewable energy. Renewable energy has one big advantage. It does not produce greenhouse gases in the production of energy. This is of major importance, as 97 percent of scientists now believe this to be causing climate change. In addition governments all over the world are making commitments to reduce their use of fossil fuel based energies. The major problem with renewable energy is in its capacity to produce enough energy and for this energy to be stored in our energy network. They are also very costly and energy intensive to manufacture.
Non-renewable energy has one major advantage. This is that it produces electricity very efficiently and our energy network infrastructure has been built around it. |
The following videos show basic ways of introducing energy efficiency to homes. The second video provides specific information on the Green Deal, which is a UK policy to introduce greater energy efficiency in British homes.
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