Changes in Energy Consumption

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Factors affecting energy consumption:

Development

Availability

Affordability

Cultural

Climate

Production of different types of energy:

HEP:

Availability - needs rivers/large water reserves

Affordability - need the money to develop it - Central Africa has rivers but lacks money

Development - Three Gorges Dam - need to be developed

Climate - precipitation - more rainfall fills up rivers. No HEP in Saharan Africa because of unpredictable rainfall patterns

Solar Energy:

Would expect to see most solar production in equatorial areas such as Saharan Africa. However energy needs to be transported long distances so lots of energy would be lost.

Cultural - Germany & Finland big believers in renewable energy

Affordability - not all places can afford to develop solar energy

Geothermal Energy:

Availability - mainly produced on plate boundaries and hotspots

Affordability - cannot afford technology, expertise, set up to have geothermal power plants

Wind Energy:

Development - being able to develop turbines

Availability - physical space for wind farms, windier out at sea

Culture - people perception - NIMBYism

Germany & Sweden big believers in renewable energy also they don't have enough other resources to create energy

Nuclear Energy:

Availability - lot less geographically dependent - need supply of uranium

Development - Africa and South East Asia can't have it - health and safety issues

Cultural - USA - cold war history