alternatives to fossil fuels

• What are some examples of renewable and recyclable energy sources?

  Nuclear power, wind power, and solar power
• How can renewable and recyclable energy help with economic growth?

  They can help decouple fossil fuel from economic growth
• What are the costs and benefits of renewable energy sources?

  They have economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits
• What is necessary to reduce carbon dioxide emissions globally?

  Increasing reliance on alternative sources of 'clean' energy
• What are the main sources of renewable energy today?

  Hydro, wind, solar, geothermal, and tidal
• Why might not all countries be able to exploit renewable energy sources?

  Geographic reasons such as lack of coasts or strong winds
• Why is it unlikely for renewables to completely replace fossil fuels in any country?

  Due to geographic limitations and financial costs
• What happens to the costs of renewables when oil and gas prices are low?

  Renewables become a more expensive option
• What environmental costs are associated with harnessing renewable energy?

  River valleys may be drowned for HEP reservoirs, and land is covered by solar or wind farms
• What is NIMBYism in the context of renewable energy?

  People support renewables until a project is proposed near them
• What is a potential benefit of nuclear energy?

  Nuclear waste can be reprocessed and reused
• What are some downsides of nuclear energy?

  Safety risks, radioactive waste disposal, and high construction costs
• What has happened to coal consumption in the UK?

  There has been a complete shift away from coal
• What are biofuels and their implications for food supply?

  Biofuels are alternative energy sources that can impact food supply
• What is the historical significance of fuelwood?

  Fuelwood has perhaps the longest history among energy sources
• What is biomass and how is it used?

  Biomass is organic matter used as fuel, often in power stations
• What are the most widely grown biofuel crops in the UK?

  Oilseed rape and sugar beet
• Why is there uncertainty about the carbon neutrality of biofuels?

  Because previous land use, like forests, may have been destroyed
• What has Brazil done since the 1970s regarding its energy mix?

  Brazil has diversified its energy mix and improved energy security
• What percentage of Brazil's energy comes from renewable sources?

  Less than 5%
• What has been the impact of cultivating sugar cane in Brazil?

  It has displaced other types of agriculture and led to deforestation
• What is carbon capture and storage?

  It involves capturing carbon dioxide and burying it underground
• What is a challenge associated with carbon capture and storage?

  It is an expensive process with uncertain long-term storage
• What do hydrogen fuel cells produce?

  Electricity, heat, and water
• What is a challenge in using hydrogen fuel cells?

  Finding a cheap and easy source of hydrogen
• What are the implications of a world relying on renewable and recyclable energy sources?

  • Less disturbance of the carbon cycle
  • Reduced carbon emissions
  • Greater energy security
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of biofuels?

  Strengths:

  • Can reduce fossil fuel use
  • Potentially carbon neutral

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Impact on food supply
  • Uncertainty over carbon neutrality
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of nuclear energy?

  Strengths:

  • Low operational costs
  • Can be a carbon-free energy source

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Safety and security risks
  • High construction and decommissioning costs
  • Long decay life of radioactive waste
• how many vehicles in brazil are semi-renewable?

  90% have flex-fuel engines that use petrol and ethanol
• what has the increase in ethanol demand done in brazil?

  large areas are now set aside for sugar cane farming

  this has displaced other agriculture, particularly cattle rearing

  the displaced agriculture has needed to find other land

  this has led to large-scale clearing of the amazon rainforest

  this nullifies the reduction in carbon emissions by using ethanol
• why is there uncertainty over carbon neutrality?

  the world still needs space to grow food, could lead to deforestation elsewhere + if the biofuel is growing on previously forested area
• what are oilseed rape and sugar beet converted to?

  ethanol or bio diesel, mainly used for vehicles
• what are the main radical technologies to reduce carbon emissions?

  carbon capture and storage

  hydrogen fuel cells

  electric cars
• negatives of carbon capture?

  it can increase fuel cost by 30-90%

  the injection of compressed gas underground may trigger small earthquakes

  the carbon could leak into the atmosphere

  limited storage + uncertain storage for future

  only 3 storage plants in operation
• example of a commercial carbon capture storage plant?

  Saskatchewen, canada is a storage for a coal-power station

  this system costs $1.3b

  reduced emissions by 90%
• how do hydrogen fuel cells work?

  a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen
• what is the waste product of hydrogen fuel cells?

  water
• what could hydrogen fuel cells be used for?

  transport
• negatives of hydrogen fuel cells?

  -expensive platinum catalyst

  -hydrogen doesnt exist as an isolated element (hard to get hold of)

  -have to extract hydrogen from things= expensive

  -compressed hydrogen will explode if its punctured
• example of hydrogen fuel cell?

  toyota mirai 2014 was the first

  costs 60k