Explain the possible impacts on UK energy security of the trends shown. (10)
Explain the possible impacts on UK energy security of the trends shown. (10)
The Overall trend in the amount of energy use shown in Figure 1 is not dramatically changed. The amount has only increased by 20 million tonnes (in equivalent of oil) between 1970 and 2030, not much when the overall use in 2030 is expected to be a staggering 230 million tonnes. This does not indicate insecurity as such because the increase itself is not outside of our capabilities to obtain the energy. We faced an increase double that (between 2010 and 2030) in the decades between 1990 and 2010. Therefore this increase of around 9 million tonnes should not be impossible. The problems however are not with the overall figure but instead the individual energy sources within that figure and how we intend to replace our losses to meet this projection.
Coal is the primary issue. Looking at the trend, shutting down these stations in 2020 to meet targets should not be an issue as in the last 60 years the UK has decreased its coal output by almost 100 million tonnes. However, coal still accounted for around 38 million tonnes in 2010, the use of coal in 2030 is still predicted to be more than the usage for renewables and nuclear combined. In addition to the overall increase of around 9 million tonnes this leaves a large deficit that if not filled may lead to energy insecurity.
There are further issues implied by the trend shown for nuclear power. The use of nuclear power has fluctuated in the past 60 years, rising by 10 million tonnes between 1970 and 1990, and then decreasing back 10 million tonnes by 2030. This is because the first stations in operation at 1990 had a short life and are now beginning to expire. This poses an issue for energy security in the UK as even with immediate investment into nuclear energy; the stations take 15-20 years to build. This leaves a gap as shown in the trend (nuclear only at 10 million tonnes in 2030) where the UK will be without nuclear power, irrelevant of
The Overall trend in the amount of energy use shown in Figure 1 is not dramatically changed. The amount has only increased by 20 million tonnes (in equivalent of oil) between 1970 and 2030, not much when the overall use in 2030 is expected to be a staggering 230 million tonnes. This does not indicate insecurity as such because the increase itself is not outside of our capabilities to obtain the energy. We faced an increase double that (between 2010 and 2030) in the decades between 1990 and 2010. Therefore this increase of around 9 million tonnes should not be impossible. The problems however are not with the overall figure but instead the individual energy sources within that figure and how we intend to replace our losses to meet this projection.
Coal is the primary issue. Looking at the trend, shutting down these stations in 2020 to meet targets should not be an issue as in the last 60 years the UK has decreased its coal output by almost 100 million tonnes. However, coal still accounted for around 38 million tonnes in 2010, the use of coal in 2030 is still predicted to be more than the usage for renewables and nuclear combined. In addition to the overall increase of around 9 million tonnes this leaves a large deficit that if not filled may lead to energy insecurity.
There are further issues implied by the trend shown for nuclear power. The use of nuclear power has fluctuated in the past 60 years, rising by 10 million tonnes between 1970 and 1990, and then decreasing back 10 million tonnes by 2030. This is because the first stations in operation at 1990 had a short life and are now beginning to expire. This poses an issue for energy security in the UK as even with immediate investment into nuclear energy; the stations take 15-20 years to build. This leaves a gap as shown in the trend (nuclear only at 10 million tonnes in 2030) where the UK will be without nuclear power, irrelevant of