General

• Biofuel

  Energy and fuel made from living material such as crops and vegetation
• Climate Change


  The changing characteristics of the climate and seasons in regions across the world
• Decommission


  The process of closing and safely disposing waste from a power station. This can cost millions of pounds and take over a year to complete
• Deep Water Oil

  Oil found deeper underground, which is more difficult and riskier to extract
• Deforestation


  The removal of trees and woodland
• Energy Deficit


  A country that generates less energy than its population needs (the supply is less than the demand)
• Energy Mix


  The composition of a country's energy sources
• Energy Security


  When a country has ownership and control of their energy source, production and transportation
• Energy Surplus


  A country that generates more energy than its population needs (the supply is greater than the demand)
• Fossil Fuels

  Non-renewable sources of fuel (gas, oil and coal) which take hundreds of thousands of years to form from dead vegetation and animals
• Fracking

  The process of releasing trapped natural gas from shale rocks. Fracking involves pushing high-pressure liquids underground to cause the shale rocks to crack
• Geothermal Energy


  Water is pumped deep underground to be heated by magma plumes or radioactive rocks. The hot water creates steam, which turns turbines to generate electricity
• Greenhouse Gases

  Gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane) which absorb and emit radiation
• Hydroelectric Energy


  A form of energy which uses moving water to turn turbines and generate electricity. We usually associate this type of energy with dams
• Importing


  Buying resources from another country, for example food or goods
• Non-Renewable Energy


  A source of energy that will run out or will take thousands of years to replace such as fossil fuels
• Nuclear Fusion


  The process of joining atomic nuclei together to produce energy
• Oil Spills

  Accidents where oil leaks from pipes, oil rigs or even freight ships
• Open-Cast Mines

  Mining that involves removing the top layer of soil to extract minerals or fuel. All wildlife and vegetation living on the surface is destroyed
• Recyclable Energy


  Energy produced from sources that can be renewed; even though there is a limited amount of fuel, more can be grown or made to replace
• Renewable Energy


  Primary energy that can be re-used to produce electricity or has a short lifetime, therefore any used can be replaced quickly e.g. Hydroelectric, biomass, solar
• Secondary Energy


  The product of primary energy, mostly electricity
• Solar Energy


  Where solar panels absorb sunlight and convert it into energy
• Sustainability


  Trying to manage resources in a way which meets the demands for the present while thinking about the impacts this will have in the future
• Tar Sands

  Sands which contain bitumen (oil). This can be extracted in a process which uses a lot of water and energy
• Tidal Energy


  Energy which is powered by the changes of the tide. Turbines are built on the seabed which are turned by the water when the sea goes out or comes in as the tides change
• Wave Energy


  Energy created by waves. Small turbines are located in buoys which float on the surface of the sea. The waves pass through the turbines and create electricity
• Wind Energy


  Energy created by wind. Wind goes through wind turbines which generate electricity as they turn