ENERGY SECURITY

ENERGY SECURITY

1. Energy Supply, Demand and Security

   • Non Renewable sources- cannot be replaced e.g.. coal, natural gas, crude oil. Environmental impacts:
     • Environmental Impacts: produce CO2 during combustion and contribute to global warming and sometimes acid rain
   • Renewable sources- capable of regeneration e.g. solar, wind, HEP, Geothermal.
     • Environmental impacts: due not produce COS2 or contribute directly to atmospheric pollution
   • Recyclable sources- have a renewable stock which may be replenished sometimes e.g.. Biomass, Biofuels, Nuclear
     • Environmental Impacts: potentially Carbon neutral, which means they produce CO2 when they are used but absorb it when they are grown Nuclear waste: no CO2 but waste brings major problems
   • ACCESS:: Sources of renewable or non ren. energy sources are not evenly distributed; Sources vary in terms of their ease of exploitation. Where it is more difficult prices rise; technology needed to exploit energy sources is not equally available; demand for energy and need to exploit energy sources varies from country to country- the higher level of economic development, the greater the demand
   • DEMAND FOR ENERGY:: Between 2010 and 2030 global demand is expected to grow by nearly 50%; ENERGY RICH COUNTRIES- where there are vast surpluses of supply over demand e.g. Saudi Arabia; ENERGY POOR COUNTRIES- where energy poverty means demand far exceeds internal sources of energy e.g. UK; ENERGY NEUTRAL COUNTRIES- where demand and supply are balanced e.g. Brazil.
   • ENERGY SECURITY:: SELF SUFFICIENCY- meeting as much of the energy demand from domestic sources (geopolitical risks if not so); SUSTAINABLE ENRGY MIX- using energy derived from a variety of all 3 sources (non, renewable, recyclable); ENERGY EFFICIENCY- lowering energy demand by simple measuring techniques.

2. THE IMPACTS OF ENERGY INSECURITY

   • INCREASING ENRGY INSECURITY
     • disruption of pathways and therefore energy supply
     • Rising demand for energy outstripping supply
     • Power of major players in controlling energy supply
     • Need to exploit less accessible and more costly energy resources
   • ENRGY PATHWAYS- are the vital arteries of the global economy: many countries defendant on them; many of major pathways fan out from a small no. of ENERGY NODES (major sources of primary energy located in energy rich countries e.g.. gas fields Russia, Oil fields Middle east); most pathways end up in energy poor countries where demand far exceeds supply.
   • SUPPLY DISRUPTION:: exhaustion of reserves; POLITICAL INSTABILITY along the pathways; DISPUTES- over the ownership of resources or transmission of energy across national borders by pipeline (e.g. dispute Russia-Ukraine, 2006 and 2009 and 2014 cutting gas supplies) reducing supplies downline tom friends and Germany; TERRORISM and possible attacks on infrastructure; SUDDEN PRICE RISES for imported energy; NATURAL HAZARDS
   • IMPACTS OF SUPPLY DISRUPTION:: rises in the cost of energy (1973 oil crises); need to search for alternative energy sources with more secure pathways; reduced economic output and employment during periods of disruption; social unrest related to rising energy costs and unemployment.
   • SEARCH FOR NEW SOURCES:: to meet the ever-increasing global demand; make countries make energy secure i.e less dependent on imported supplies and therefore less at risk; looking for new reserves of non-renewable energy OR developing new sources of energy, especially renewable.
   • MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE GLOBAL SUPPLY OF ENERGY
     • National governments
     • TNCs and state owned companies
     • OPEC and GECF
       • Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries AND Gas Exporting Countries Forum
     • PRESSURE GROUPS
     • Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)
       • include those that are especially concerned with trade in energy, such as World Bank and UN
     • Consumers

3. Energy Security and the Future

   • GLOBAL ENERGY UNCERTANTIES
     • Future rate of increase in energy demand
     • Level of future dependence on fossil fuels
     • Size of undiscovered oil and gas reserves
     • Growing opposition to the use of fossil fuels
     • The energy gap and its impact on energy prices
     • Wether or not to use nuclear power
     • Scale of switch to renewable forms of energy
     • Discovery of new energy technologies
   • RESPONSES TO INCREASING DEMANDS:
     • Continuing to use fossil fuels and exploring for new reserves and energy sources
     • Switching to renewable sources to eg. biofuels, wind, solar, HEP
     • Making greater use of nuclear power
     • increasing the efficiency: reducing current energy demands i.e. ENERGY CONSERVATION
   • Geopolitical tensions and conflicts
     • mismatch between distribution of demand and supply
       • promotion of biofuels is taking over large areas of land that once grew food. In turn leading to inflation of food prices, food shortages and malnutrition.
     • degree to which large and powerful nations are gaining hold of the resources in LEDCs. e.g.. CHINA IN AFRICA
   • Meeting future energy needs--> THE 5 ENERGY R's
     • REDUCE overall energy consumption e.g., in home, industry and transport by e.g. replace petrol engines by hydrogen or electricity
     • REJECT environmetally damaging and polluting energy sources i.e. carbon emissions
     • RESEARCH and develop more sustainable and affordable sources of energy
     • RECYCLE waste and convert it into energy, e.g. methane in landfill sites
     • REAFFIRM that nuclear power is vital in bridging the energy gap between damend and supply

4. ENERGY- is what the world needs to fuel everything (transport, industry, heating homes etc.)

5. ENERGY SECURITY- is the extent to which a country can achieve an affordable, reliable and stable energy supply.

6. ENERGY MIX- refers to the different sources of energy that a countries uses in meeting its energy needs.