Energy pack 6 - energy mixes and development

appropriate technology

There is a growing us of appropriate technology for sustainable energy micro-generation in developing countries.

Technology that is designed to be "appropriate" to the context of its use.

Must be:

• Sustainable: requiring fewer natural resources and producing less pollution than techniques from mainstream technology, which is often wasteful and environmentally polluting

• Small: This places more power at the grassroots, in the hands of users. However, there are also times when the most appropriate technologies are large-scale.

• Appropriate to the context, including the environmental, ethical, cultural, social, political and economic context. The appropriate technology for one context may not be appropriate for another.

factors determining appropriateness of technology

• Natural resources available locally

• Wealth/cost

• Size of market

• Availability of skilled workers

• Infrastructure/Transport/Remoteness

micro hep plants in peru

Micro-hydro power plant produces 200kw of energy to power 60 homes.

1 villager trained on how to maintain micro-hydro plant (5hrs from nearest town)

Andes has 250,000 Mw of HEP potential but only uses 10%

Haha Marcha region now has 40 micro-hydro power plants

Reduced rural-urban migration as more economic opportunities in village.

Nonprofit charity (Practical Solutions) puts them in place

limitations

No state help             

Takes 2 years to build  

Difficult to get equipment up steep mountain track          

Solar startups in Kenya

Limitations

UK energy mix

• In 2011, the energy mix of the UK was 85% fossil fuels and 92% non-renewables. Only 4.9% of the UK's energy mix was renewables.

• Since the 1970s domestic energy use has decreased by 12% due to insulation and double-glazing as well as more efficient appliances. Heavy industry has decreased by 60% due to deindustrialisation and tertiarisation. Transport energy use has increased by 30% as more personal wealth leads to people buying more flights and cars.

• This impacts the energy mix as we use the same amount of energy in 2025 as 1975, however population has increased by 50mil but per person we are using less energy.

UK Energy Issues

• The UK was self-sufficient with oil and gas until around 2005 but every year since then, the UK is increasingly reliant on oil and gas imports

• UK has decommissioned most of its nuclear power stations. By 2011, it was clear that the UK's power stations were old and 50% would have to be decommissioned by 2020.

• 30% of the UK's energy mix in 2011 came from coal but UK gov wanted to use carbon capture otherwise it would have to reduce this form of energy production due to climate change

• Renewables were only 4.9% in 2011 but the UK was planning a huge expansion in offshore wind. The UK has 9m/s wind which is why it has lots of wind power.

energy mix 2024

• Since 2011, renewables have increased from 4.9% to 20%. Offshore wind has been heavily invested in e.g. Dogger Bank is world's largest wind farm

• Coal has completely ceased by end of 2024. Last power station closed in 2024.

• UK used to be self-sufficient and not rely on imports. Now 3% of energy comes from imports such as undersea electricity cable links to France, Netherlands and Norway.

• Natural gas is still used for heating and power stations. Gas pipelines not changed much

• Transport infrastructure such as planes or road vehicles mostly run on internal combustion engines which use oil. Electric cars may be responsible for the small drop in oil consumption  from 34% to 30%.

Gas

2020 to 2024: -19%

• Push towards decarbonization by UK Government - trying to reach NetZero targets

• 50% of the UK's gas is imported, this is on a global market which means prices can surge

Wind

2020 to 2024: 20% increase

• Increased due to significant investments in infrastructure such as wind farms.

• Cheapest and fastest method for scaling up renewable energy

Nuclear

2020 to 2024: -11%

• All power stations due to close by 2035 bar one. Because of lack of investment due to increasing cost, technical challenges and political controversies.

• UK gov is waking up to potential of nuclear energy so there will be a renewed focus on this.

Biomass

2020 to 2024: -12%

Decrease is due to growing emphasis on other renewables and higher costs associated with biomass energy. There are environmental concerns related to the sourcing and transportation of biomass materials.

Coal

2020 to 2024: