IGCSE Geography: Energy Resources and Mixes

Vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, concepts, global energy mixes, and case studies from Cambridge IGCSE Geography notes on energy resources.

Fossil Fuels

Non-renewable energy sources formed from the remains of living plants and animals over millions of years, including coal, oil, and natural gas.

Energy Gap

A situation where a country's energy demand exceeds its national energy supply, requiring it to import energy from other countries.

Energy Security

An uninterrupted, affordable, and accessible supply of energy that satisfies a nation's requirements.

Renewable Energy Sources

Infinite energy resources that replenish naturally and will not run out, such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, wave/tidal, and biomass.

Opencast Mining

A surface mining technique used to extract coal located near the surface, which causes significant disruption to large areas of the natural environment.

Fuelwood

Wood gathered for cooking and heating, heavily relied upon by 2 to 3 billion people in rural areas of Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs).

Decommissioning

The complex and costly process of safely closing down and dismantling a nuclear power plant at the end of its lifespan.

Ruma Khola Micro-Hydro Plant

A community-built micro-hydro installation in Nepal completed in 2009 that provides electricity to Darbang and five nearby villages, powering 22 local industries.

World Energy Demand Trend

The historical increase in global energy consumption from under $10,000\text{ TWh}$ in 1800 to over $160,000\text{ TWh}$ by 2021.

World Energy Mix

The global primary energy composition, dominated by oil (33%), coal (27%), and gas (24%), with nuclear power (4%), hydropower (6%), and other renewables (5%) making up the remainder.

UK Energy Mix

The energy composition of the United Kingdom, dominated by natural gas (39%) and oil (36%), along with nuclear (8%), biofuels (8%), coal (5%), and renewables (4%).

China Energy Mix

The energy composition of China, heavily reliant on coal (55%) and oil (20%), supplemented by renewables (14%), natural gas (9%), and nuclear power (2%).

Share of Electricity Production from Nuclear (2021)

The global distribution of nuclear electricity generation, led by France at over 60%, with most reactors concentrated in the USA, France, China, Russia, and Japan.

Energy Use Per Person (UK vs. Nepal)

The contrast in annual per capita energy consumption between More Economically Developed Countries like the UK (roughly $30,000$ to $45,000\text{ kWh}$) and LEDCs like Nepal (under $2,000\text{ kWh}$).

Nepal Total Energy Supply (TES) by Source

The primary energy supply profile of Nepal from 1990 to 2019, overwhelmingly dominated by biofuels and waste, with minor shares from oil, hydro, and coal.