Energy in the UK - Coursework Example

Energy in the UK Energy is the term given to any usable source of power such as fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), nuclear power or solar power. We use these energy sources to support our basic infrastructure; to fuel our various types of transportation such as cars, trains and planes. Energy sources allow us to generate heat and electricity. Heat and electricity are vitally important and necessary in our every day lives. Electricity not only creates heat itself but it also creates light, powers all of our appliances and provides the power required to manufacture all the various products we eat, drink, wear and use daily. In today’s modern industrialised world energy is almost as essential as basic necessities such as water. A very recent / current example of the importance of energy to our every day lives is the panic buying of fuel due to the closure of BP’s oil pipeline at The Grangemouth refinery in Scotland. It is being shutdown because of a workers strike. The refinery produces 10% of British petrol and diesel and also produces the steam required to power the neighbouring Kinneil that processes the crude oil from 70 offshore fields in the North Sea. British Energy state that; “The energy industry underpins modern life in the UK” (British Energy; 2008) In the UK the major energy sources are coal, oil, gas, nuclear, hydro/other or imported sources. These sources are used either on their own as fuel for machinery and transport, or, to create electricity. The 2003 statistics on national consumption indicate that 46.5% of our energy consumption came from petroleum, 35% was natural gas and 17% was electricity. 2003 statistics show how our consumption pattern is changing. This is evident from observing the changing sources being used in generating electricity; The diagram clearly shows that usage of coal in electrical power stations has almost halved in a 13 year period whereas the usage of gas has increased dramatically. This is a good indicator of how consumption patterns changed in general. Coal is a fossil fuel which is a finite source of energy. Shortages in coal reserves have forced the closing of many British mines. However, more significantly a moratorium on gas was lifted on gas which encouraged its usage at the expense of coal. Gas has been preferred over coal as it is viewed as being a “cleaner” fuel and it was also much cheaper than coal. Things are, however, beginning to change again. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has released statistics that indicate that although in 2005 deep mined coal output was down by 24% in comparison to output in 2004 and opencast output was down by 13%, overall, coal consumption was actually up by 2.3% to 61.8 million tonnes. In 2005 34% of all electricity in the UK was generated from coal. The renewed demand for coal has been mainly because of economics, it has become more competitivly priced, but also because of new scientific technology which can make it a cleaner fuel. As of August 2006 there were 25 opencast and 6 major deep mines licensed for coal production in the UK. Deep mines are located in Mid Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Warwickshire. Opencast sites are mainly in Scotland with a few in the Northern part of England. The website http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/2790 states that; “In 2006, 92% of the primary energy consumed in the UK was derived from fossil solar fuels - oil, natural gas and coal. Not so long ago the UK was self sufficient in these energy resources but now we are importing increasing amounts of all three. Dependency upon imported energy undermines UK national security and will have potentially dire consequences for the balance of trade.” The chart below is taken from BPs annual statistical review of world energy. It shows energy consumption in the UK from 1965-2005. It clearly shows the changing pattern in consumption, most notabley the growth in gas usage and decline in coal, as indicated previously, over a longer period of time. Source: http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/2790 taken from http://www.bp.com/productlanding.do?categoryId=6848&contentId=7033471 Euan Means in his article “UK Energy Security” states that; “In 1965, the UK population was 54,350,000 and this had grown to 60,245,000 by 2005 This equates to 3.6 tonnes oil equivalent per person per annum in 1965 and 3.8 tonnes oil equivalent per person per annum in 2005. UK per capita energy consumption has been essentially flat in the period. Energy efficiency gains in transportation, building standards and in more energy efficient appliances have been lost to an overall rise in living standards and more prolific use of energy in transportation, single occupancy dwellings, foreign travel etc. Each person in the UK uses on average 10 kgs of oil equivalent energy every day” Energy consumption is much too high. There is excessive waste and our energy consumption has serious economic and environmental implications. Energy consumption is a major political issue, again motivated by both financal and environmental factors (and also moral factors as more increasingly waste and enviromental damage are being regarded as a moral and ethical issue.) The most pressing issue related to energy consumption is climate change caused by global warming. The importance of the energy issue is shown through the various legislations passed, Government bodies put in place and European / worldwide collarabation and agreement on strategy, tactics and targets to combat the problem and ultimately reduce carbon emissions and reduce climate change. Major Government review of energy began in 2006. Consultations included; New nuclear policy framework, 11 July - 31 October 2006 Energy Efficiency Commitment April 2008-March 2011, 31 July - 23 October 2006 Proposals on banding, and amending the Renewables Obligation, 9 October - 15 December 2006 (part 2) and 5 January 2007 (part 1) New measures on gas security of supply, 16 October 2006 - 12 January 2007 Electricity Act inquiry rules, 9 November 2006 - 1 February 2006 Measures to reduce carbon emissions in large non-energy intensive business and public sector organisations, 8 November 2006 - 31 January 2007 The Energy White Paper 2007 sets out the the following goals for the UK; To put ourselves on a path to cutting CO2 emissions by some 60% by about 2050, with real progress by 2020 To maintain the reliability of energy supplies To promote competitive markets in the UK and beyond To ensure that every home is adequately and affordably heated Source: http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/page39534.html Government policy regarding energy has been controversial. The Energy Bill was passed on 10th January 2008 and implemented the legislative aspects of the 2007 White Paper. Some aspects are still undergoing consultation. Controversial elements most notably are associated with nuclear power. Nuclear power is created through a process called nuclear fission which is basically the splitting of the nucleus of an atom. Uranium 235 is the principle element used for nuclear power. Nuclear energy has benefits in that it can create a maximum amount of energy for a minimal amount of raw material, it is efficient. It uses carbon dioxide rather than producing it. It does not contribute directly to the greenhouse effect or climate change. However, it is the disadvantages that cause grave concern. Although waste from nuclear power plants is small it is radioactive and thus extremely hazardous. Radioactive waste is toxic and carcinogenic for thousands of years. If not disposed properly it poses great threat to not only human health but also to ecosystems, rivers and wildlife. The effects of a nuclear accident were witnessed by the world after the disaster in Chernobyl in Russia 1986. People in this area suffered gravely as radioactive material entered ecosystems, water systems and the food chain. People exposed became ill and even still today the terrible legacy continues due to the long life of radioactive material. Many children born have awful genetic malformations due to exposure their parents encountered and continue to encounter. The picture is very grim and not seen as worth the financial savings that nuclear power may generate. Storage of nuclear waste is an issue that has not been yet been resolved and thus climate change remains a major issue due to our inability to create an ultimately clean fuel that is truly economical and widely available, and to reduce our energy waste and be energy efficient. How clean a fuel is refers to how environmentally friendly it is, how much carbon is emitted when it is burned. This is important and is something we are becoming increasingly aware off. Carbon is known as a “greenhouse gas.” Other greenhouse gasses include sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which cause acid rain. This can cause erosion of rocks such as limestone and granite, but, can also have serious health implications; particularly as it falls of the soils that produces the crops we eat and enters our water system. Carbon emissions play a hugely significant role in global warming and climate change. This phenomenon is causing the giant polar ice caps to slowly melt and this poses a great threat to both wildlife and mankind in terms of drought, flooding and famine. It has the potential of changing our world beyond recognition in a very short space of time and may be the greatest single threat to man. Climate change, however, is not new. It has been happening since the earth was created over 4.6 billion years ago. The British Isles has witnessed climate changes since its creation half a billion years ago. Climate change is a slow process but it is accelerated due to the effect of global warming. Global warming is the warming up of the earth, this has been happening since the last ice age 15 000 years ago. A natural effect that impacts upon the earth’s surface is the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the insulating effect that certain gases produce, keeping the earths temperatures comfortable rather than minus zero temperatures. The gases responsible for this blanket effect on the earth are; carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Industrial man has dramatically magnified the greenhouse effect over the past 200 or years due to emission of greenhouse gasses from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas). The more energy we use each day the more fossil fuel needs to be burned and the thicker the blanket around the earth gets and thus the warmer the earth becomes. The earth’s temperature is currently rising more rapidly in a shorter period of time than it has in thousands of years. The effects of global warming and climate change in the UK are hotter summers and milder winters. That doesn’t sound too bad, however, it also includes flash flooding, rising sea levels and coastal erosion. To prevent this situation spiralling out of control completely it is necessary to take action, we need to reduce carbon dioxide which is the most damaging of the greenhouse gasses. In the UK domestic energy use produces 27% of our carbon emissions and a further 25% comes from our domestic transport. On a national level the government has taken steps to promote renewable energy sources such as energy generated from wind power, solar power and also hydro power. Government has promoted lead free fuels for our cars and automobiles. In London there is a congestion charge for those bringing their cars into the city so as to encourage the usage of public transport and relieve traffic congestion in the inner city and reduce carbon emission. Cycling has been promoted by politicians, most recently David Cameron of the Conservative party. However there is criticism that the Government need to invest more in the public transport system in order to make carbon reducing measures in this area work. There was also vast criticism over the granting permission for Terminal T5 at Heathrow as this contradicts supposed policy as it actually increases air traffic. Greenpeace made very public protests. There are many steps we can take to reduce pollution, to lower our carbon emissions and slow the rate of the greenhouse effect and delay climate change. Each home owner can undertake measures to make their homes more energy efficient. The Government provides grants to help people put such measures in place. Grants are also given to help people generate their own energy from renewable energy sources; for example solar energy via solar roof panels or wind power via windmills. Any electricity created from windmills will supply the home and surplus will flow into the national grid and the owner will actually receive money. More simple domestic things that can be done include: Insulation Solid wall insulation, Cavity wall insulation, Roof and loft insulation, Tank and pipe insulation, Glazing and Draught proofing. Insulation is important because it can significantly reduce household heat loss and keep hot water hotter for longer which will not only reduce home heating bills but will reduce national carbon dioxide output. Insulation does not even need to be expensive, for those on low incomes there are simple measures they can employ to increase their energy efficiency. For example; putting tin foil behind radiators to act as an insulator as also does cling film on single glazed windows and cellotape around letterboxes. Also, placing cushions at the bottoms of doors acts as draught excluders Installing heating controls Thermostats and automatic timers on the home heating system increase efficiency and reduce wasted energy. When buying new electrical equipment such as fridges, dishwashers, washing machines opt for products which are energy saving recommended. Use energy saving light bulbs Close doors and windows to keep in heat in winter and open curtains and blinds in summer to help heat a room if needed Don’t boil a full kettle for one cup of tea Don’t leave electrical appliances on standby (they will still use 25% of the electricity needed to run them) Keep fridges and freezers at the correct temperatures, refrigerator should be set between 38ºF (3ºC) and 42ºF (6ºC). The freezer should be set between 0ºF (-31ºC) and 5ºF (-26ºC). Keep them full, clean the condenser coils regularly, ensure they are always closed properly, defrost foods in the fridge which will keep its temperature down. Try to make the most of microwave ovens which are more efficient than conventional ovens. Wash clothing in cold or cooler washes with cold wash or cool wash detergents and always wash with full loads Only use the dishwasher when full Dry clothes outside Shower instead of having a bath Energy is a very topical issue. Although some efforts initiated by the UK Government are criticised they should be welcomed and encouraged. The UK is one of the countries within Europe which actually does have climate change / energy policies and is making an effort, slow as it may be. Not every nation is as concerned and many continue to burn the worlds vital resources and encourage the greenhouse effect. This is especially true of developing nations and post communist nations such at China that is currently undergoing an industrial boom. The smallest effort made by each individual in the UK can help make a positive change. However, due to the volatile world we live in; dependent on energy but always at the mercy of other nations political unrest and financial instability; it is extremely difficult to contemplate a dramatic slowing of global warming which is already clearly evident. 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