Energy resources

• Abundance

  Abundance measures the amount of the resource that exists. This is not the same as the amount available for use as there may be other factors that restrict availability. For example:

  📎 fossil fuels that are deep underground and cannot be extracted;

  📎winds high above the ground where aerogenerators cannot be located;

  📎wave power far from the coast where the water is too deep to anchor equipment;

  📎low intensity sunlight that cannot produce high temperatures.
• Locational constraints

  Energy resources are not evenly distributed. Each has its own locational factors.

  Energy sources that can only be accessed via extraction, such as fossil fuels and uranium ore, must be located in favourable deposits. Energy sources that harness natural processes may depend on regional or local features including climate and topography.
• Fossil fuels


  • Can only be extracted where economically exploitable deposits exist. Power stations require access to:

  • fuel supplies;

  • condenser cooling water (large river/lake/sea);

  • suitable construction sites
• Nuclear power


  • High energy density fuel is easily transported. Power stations require access to:

  • condenser cooling water (large river/lake/sea)

  • suitable construction site.
• Solar power

  • High light intensity
  • Low cloud cover
• Wind power


  • Areas with strong, reliable winds such as shallow seas, open plains, upland areas. Areas with low land-use conflicts (especially for large wind farms):

  • not in areas of high ecological sensitivity;

  • not close to urban areas;

  • not in areas of high scenic importance
• Wave power


  • Coastal areas with strong, reliable winds over water
  • Coastal areas with reliable prevailing wind direction
  • Coastal areas with long fetch: a long stretch of water over which the wind blows
• Hydro Electric Power (HEP)

  • Areas with high, reliable rainfall
  • Areas with site for a small dam with a large reservoir basin
  • Areas with large catchment area
  • Areas with impermeable bedrock
  • Areas with stable geology
• Biofuels


  • Nearby forest areas
  • Farmland for biofuel crops
  • Farmland for crop/livestock waste
  • Nearby urban areas for food waste/sewage
• Geothermal power


  • Areas with hot rocks near the ground surface
  • Areas with recent volcanic activity
• Tidal power


  • Areas where tidal range is large
  • Areas with coastal features that focus tidal flow to increase flow velocity or tidal range
• Intermittency 

  If an energy resource isn’t available at times that it’s needed then it’s difficult to rely on it EG wind, solar, tidal energy
• Predictability 

  It’s important to know how much energy will be available and whether it will meet demand for energy. Some resources are intermittent but the time they will be available can be predicted accurately EG tidal power. This means that plans can be made to use alternative resources when they are unavailable. Other resources are both intermittent and unpredictable EG solar and wind power.
• Energy density

  Energy density is a measure of the amount of energy in a given mass of energy resource EG oil, coal, uranium or wood. For some resources such as many renewable resources it is the amount of energy harnessed by a given mass of equipment EG the energy harnessed per KG of solar panel. 

  In general high energy density resources are most useful as:

  📎smaller quantities are needed so storage and transport are easier

  📎it is easier to reach high temperatures 
• Are energy resources with low energy density still useful?

  An energy resource which has a low energy density is often less useful if it is used directly. However, it can still be useful. For example, solar power and wind power have low energy densities but the electricity produced can be used to power technologies with a high energy requirement. The electricity can also be used to produce high energy density secondary fuels such as hydrogen by the electrolysis of water.
• Ease of storage

  . Being able to store energy is important so that it’s available when required. 

  Some energy sources resources, such as the chemical energy in fossil fuels can be stored easily especially since they have high energy density where a small mass or volume stores a large amount of energy.

  Some energy resources cannot be stored unless they are converted into other energy forms, for example, solar, wave ana tidal energy cannot be stored. They can be converted to thermal energy, chemical energy, or gravitational potential energy which can be stored.
• Resource- Coal

  Form of transport- Ship, train

  Coal is often used in large scale industries such as electricity generation or smelting iron. It is often easier to transport electricity and steel than coal, so power stations and iron and steel works are often located near coal fields, or deep water ports where coal is imported.
• Resource- Crude oil

  Transport- Pipeline, ship, rail tanker

  Crude oil is transported in large quantities from oil fields to oil refineries where refined products are produced such as aviation fuel, petrol, diesel, lubricating oil. fuel oil and tar.

  Bulk transport methods are used.
• Resource- Refined oil products

  Transport- Pipeline, ship tanker, rail tanker, truck

  Products of oil refining are usually distributed to relatively local consumers in smaller quantities than crude oil.
• Resource- Natural gas

  Transpor- Pipeline, liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship tanker, rail tanker

  Natural Gas can be piped easily from gas fields to areas where demand is high, for example, large industries, or urban areas with large numbers of consumers.

  Natural gas, in its gaseous form, has a low energy density so transport by ship where pipelines do not exist requires liquefaction to increase the energy density.

  LNG has 160x the energy density by volume of gaseous natural gas but requires refrigeration at - 160°C.
• Resource- Fissile fuel, for example, uranium

  Transport- Solid fuel rods or pellets by rail or truck

  Relatively small quantities of fissile fuels need to be transported because they have a high energy density.

  They are transported in solid form in containers that are designed to withstand impacts and fires. They may have an outer casing to add further protection.
• Resource- Biofuels

  Transport- Road, rail, ship.

  Each biofuel has its own transport features.

  Liquid biofuels, such as alcohol and vegetable oils, have relatively high energy densities so transport over longer distances is practical.

  Solid biofuels, such as straw and Miscanthus, are very bulky with low mass per unt volume so long distance transport may not be practical as the transport energy inputs may be high.
• Resource- Solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal

  Transport- Conversion to other energy forms which can be transported

  These primary fuels cannot be transported but they can be used to generate electricity that can be transported.
• Resource- Electricity

  Transport- High voltage AC or DC electricity grid

  cables.

  Overhead power cables are cheaper to install and maintain than underground