Features of energy resources
Renewable/ non-renewable
Depletable
Resources where use can reduce future availability
Abundance
The amount of the resource that exists
Locational constraints
Intermittency
If an energy resource is not available at times when it is needed then it is difficult to rely on it
Predictability
It’s important to know how much energy will be available
Energy density
The measure of the amount of energy in a given mass of energy resources
Resource availability
The potential contribution of a resource to energy supplies is clearly affected by the amount of energy that is available
Ease of storage
Energy demand + supply levels vary + rarely balance
Being able to store energy is important so that it is available when it is required
Ease of transportation
Energy resources are rarely found in the areas where the demand is highest, so it must be transported