Energy Source & Mixes (AQA A Level Geography)

• Energy sources are categorised into stock or flow and primary or secondary
• Primary energy is a form of energy usually found in nature that has not undergone a conversion process - wood and coal
  • Some primary sources need to undergo a transformation process in order to be used, such as petrol
• Secondary energy is energy that has come from a conversion process to generate a second form of energy, for example electricity
• An example of this process would be coal that is combusted in a thermal power station to produce electricity
  • Coal can also be burned directly to heat homes

Sources of primary energy and conversion into secondary energy

Components of demand

• The concepts of primary and secondary energy can be applied to different sectors of the economy
• Domestic:
• Natural gas can heat homes
• Can be burned and converted to electricity for domestic use
• Manufacturing and service industry:
• Oil can be used to heat offices and warehouses
• Can be burned to drive machinery or converted to electricity for multiple uses
• Agriculture:
• Fossil fuels can be used to heat greenhouses and storage sheds
• Can be used to drive farm machinery and tools or converted to electricity to drive pumps for irrigation
• Transport:
• Refined oil in various forms has traditionally driven the world’s transport vehicles
• Increasing use of battery and electric powered vehicles from renewable sources
• The amount of energy supplied and consumed by each sector varies

Change in UK energy consumption by sector, 1970 to 2019

• The type of energy supplied and consumed varies spatially, due to several factors:
• Countries at different levels of development will use energy in different ways
• HDEs use more electricity
• LDE development will increase demand for electricity
• Availability of different energy sources
• Relative cost of different energy supplies - price of oil is very volatile
• Government policies on energy
•  Most countries are attempting to reduce carbon output which means converting to more renewable energy
• This leads to a contrasting energy mix within and between countries 

Energy mixes in contrasting settings

• The UK’s energy mix is similar to other HDEs

The UK’s energy mix

• The UK’s energy mix is relatively diversified
• Dominant primary energy sources are: 
  • Oil
  • Natural gas
  • Nuclear
  • A growing renewables sector
    • Driven by wind through utilising the climatic conditions of the island
• Coal has become less significant due to:
  • Government policies favouring cleaner fuels
  • Cost versus profits from mining, make non viable as a fuel
• Oil remains important for transport
• Natural gas reserves in the North Sea provide a degree of self-sufficiency
  • Compared to Germany, where oil and gas are almost exclusively imported
• Total energy use remains high (typical of an HDE)
  • Approximately 180 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) in 2015 (for a population of approx. 67 million)
  • However, this has fallen by 20 MTOE from 1971 
    • Mainly due to conversion from fossil fuels to renewables following political thirst for sustainability
• Fluctuations in total energy use changes over time
  • A result of market changes (price)
  • And variations in economic stability (boom and bust)
    • e.g. there was a trough after the 2008 global recession
• Nigeria’s energy mix is similar to other LDEs

NIgeria’s energy mix, 2020

• Nigeria’s energy mix is less diverse than the UK’s
• The dominant primary energy source is biofuels
• Mainly due to burning of firewood for domestic heating and cooking
• Typical in a country with a low HDI (5.3 in 2021)
• The other two main sources are oil and natural gas
• Oil and gas fields were discovered in the Niger Delta in the late 1950s
• A large oil and gas industry has developed
• Today Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa
• Despite this, domestic use of oil is limited as much of the oil and gas is exported by large TNCs
• This is a typical situation for resource-rich LDEs
• Large growth use of energy in recent years due to rapid population growth
• 55 million in 1971 has become 220 million in 2023
• Total energy use remains relatively low, despite a large population
• Approx. 140 MTOE in 2015
• Typical of an LDE
• Renewables sector is insignificant
• Only a small amount of HEP
• Due to high costs
• Compared to abundant and relatively cheap fossil fuel supply