CH3F7 Energy

is there a correlation between standard of living and energy consumption

yes - strong positive correlation

• the higher the standard of living, the more energy is consumed

why is demand for energy increasing

increasing population

more people wanting a higher standard of living (which requires more energy)

economic growth

what are the reasons we can’t meet energy demand using fossil fuels

1. human driven global warming is changing the climate

2. finite supply of fossil fuels

3. security of energy supply

why is a finite supply of fossil fuels problematic

world reserve for oil is less than 100 years but demand for fossil fuels will likely increase dramatically

why is security of energy supply an issue

uneven distribution of oil, gas and uranium around the world so there is heavy dependence on a few countries which causes:

• oil and gas volatility

• nations who control resources can have undue influence over other nations

what does the concern of energy supply security encourage countries to do

harvest domestic resources

specialise (e.g. Brazil growing sugarcane for ethanol as a fuel for vehicles

what technological and structural changes can help improve economic growth while reducing energy consumption

efficiency improvements

demand side reduction (smart grid)

deploy renewables

what does demand side reduction mean

switching off or reducing power to non-essential applications during peak demand

what is renewable energy

energy obtained from the continuous or repetitive currents of energy recurring in the natural environment

sources of energy which are replenished at the same rate as they are used

what are the 3 main types of renewable energy technologies

solar energy - direct uses

solar energy - indirect uses

non-solar renewables

what are the type of direct uses for solar energy

photovoltaics

• light converts to electricity

thermal

• light converts to heat

photochemical

• light causes chemical bonds to form/break or can split water into H₂ and O₂

what are the type of indirect uses for solar energy

bioenergy

• photosynthesis - light is used to produce biomass that can then be burnt for electricity

wind/hydroelectric/wave power

what are the type of non-solar renewables

tidal

geothermal

• geothermal energy is drawn from the earths crust formed by combining radioactive decay with energy resulting from the Earth’s original formation. heat generated produces steam that propels turbines that generates electricity

why is energy storage particularly important for renewable energy technologies

renewable energy sources are often intermittent

• energy storage provides a way to smooth out supply + demand

what part of the solar spectrum is of most use for photovoltaics

350 - 1200 nm (beyond visible light scope 380 - 750 nm)

what is agrivoltaics

energy generation and food production from the same area of land, in a mutually beneficial way

what are the pros of agrivoltaics

• removes disadvantage associated with competing demands

• increases land productivity and financial return

• can selectively harvest green light

• lightweight because ultra-thin

• positive temperature coefficient