Geography of Supply (AQA A Level Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Robin Martin-Jenkins
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Physical Geography & Supply
Physical geography and supply
The following physical factors affect the production of energy in different parts of the world in a variety of ways:
Climate
Geology
Drainage
Table of Physical Factors Affecting Supply of Energy
Factor | Explanation: how this influences energy supply | Examples | |
|---|---|---|---|
Climate | Sunshine hours and intensity | Where solar insolation is high - high angle of sun and longer hours of daylight - solar energy is an effective renewable energy option | Solar power is highly productive in California, southern Spain, north Africa and the Middle East |
Wind strength | Strong prevailing winds blowing in upland or open spaces allows for effective use of wind turbines Global wind energy has grown rapidly in the last twenty years uplands facing prevailing winds and a large, shallow continental shelf for offshore wind turbines where the wind is more consistent. | The UK can exploit wind energy It has consistent prevailing winds blowing onto the west of the island And a shallow continental shelf allowing offshore wind farms | |
Precipitation | HEP schemes tend to be built in areas with high amounts of rain or snow Exotic rivers have sources in upland areas of high precipitation but then later flow through arid regions. These can produce sufficient flows downstream to allow for HEP despite surrounding precipitation levels being low. | The Dinorwig HEP scheme, in North Wales, is the largest scheme of its kind in Europe and built in an area that receives more than 1500mm of average rainfall per year The Aswan High Dam HEP scheme was built in an arid area of Egypt with an average precipitation of 10mm per year, but is fed by the exotic river Nile | |
Biomass growth | Tropical climates encourage fast plant growth and suitable growing conditions for sugarcane, used in bio-ethanol production | Around 70% of Brazil’s renewable energy supply and 25% of its transport fuel is from biomass - one of the highest ratios in the world | |
Geology | Fossil fuel rock structure | Fossil fuels rely on certain geological conditions to form. Coal seams form from fossilised and buried ancient swamp forests Oil and natural gas form when decomposed marine organisms are trapped between layers of impervious rocks within anticlines | Much of Britain contains coal seams and natural gas and oil fields remain in exploitable conditions in the North Sea |
Geothermal crustal structure | There is potential for geothermal energy where the earth’s crust is thin so that magma is nearer the surface | New Zealand, Iceland and Japan all have relatively thin crusts. 90% of all homes in Iceland are heated by geothermal energy | |
Tectonic plate structure | The stability and safety of energy schemes built on active tectonic plate margins can make them risky, particularly with HEP and nuclear power | Until 2011, Japan was generating 30% of electricity from nuclear reactors but following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that resulted in radioactive leaks from the Fukushima plant, the country’s nuclear energy plan has been reassessed | |
Drainage | Freshwater abstraction | Water from river networks support a range of energy schemes. For example thermal power stations use large amounts of water to produce the steam that turns the turbines. Nuclear reactors require cooling from a water supply. Most fossil-fuel and nuclear power stations are situated on major rivers for a constant supply. | Drax power station, in North Yorkshire, UK was once Western Europe’s largest coal-fired power station and used water from the River Ouse. In 2012 it was converted into the UK’s largest generator of renewable biomass electricity |
Dam construction | Drainage basins containing deep and steep-sided valleys, with a reliable supply of river flow, provide good conditions for dams and HEP | The Aswan High Dam was chosen as a location due to the steep-sided valley and huge river discharge of the river Nile at that point | |
Supplying Energy to a Globalising World
Supplying energy to a globalising world
Competition between countries for energy supplies is growing
Reasons include:
Growing population and growing incomes increasing demand
Depleting supplies of accessible fossil fuel reserves
Industrialisation in developing countries means a greater need for energy security
Manufacturing requires greater supplies of energy
There are a variety of consequences for the competing national interests for energy
Greater amounts of energy are being transferred between countries
E.g. gas supplies from Russia to western Europe were increasing before the war with Ukraine
In early 2023, 10% of UK’s electricity supply came from imported energy from Norway and France
Countries are investing more in the search for energy security
Development of new and unconventional sources of energy
E.g. exploitation of Alberta tar sands, Canada
Exploration of new resource frontiers
E.g. oil and gas in the Arctic circle
Fluctuating energy prices
Oil is particularly vulnerable to changes in price
In Nigeria, crude oil fell to $65 a barrel in December 2021 and rose to $130 a barrel in June 2022
Some countries may dominate the supply of energy
There may be less accessibility for developing countries
Governments may implement protectionist policies
To focus on ensuring national supplies
In 2016, President Trump introduced tariffs on imports of solar panels to the US
Countries are seeking cleaner sources of energy
To safeguard sustainable national supplies
E.g. the UK is investing heavily in offshore wind farms
The private sector will invest £61 billion between 2021-2026
There is an increased role for TNCs in transporting energy
From countries with a surplus to those with a deficit
TNCs are key operators in the processes of exploration, production and trade of energy supplies
They are heavily involved in all aspects of the supply chain
For example, BP, the 20th largest energy company in the world, operates a vertical integration network
Exploration - geologists employed by BP search for and inspect potential fossil fuel reserves
This is often carried out offshore and in lower income countries
Extraction - BP pays money to host countries for licenses to drill and mine
Profits are often not reinvested into the host country
Transporting - pipelines, ships and lorries transport crude oil to refineries usually located near the market
BP has 300 ships operating around the world at any one time
Refining - crude oil is processed into fuel products such as kerosene and petrol
BP has a stake in 17 refineries worldwide
Processing adds value to the raw material
The most profitable stage of the chain
Retailing - oil products are sold via a network of 19,000 service stations
Research - scientists research renewable energy sources to help diversify
By BP 2025 BP will spend 40% of its UK budget on renewable schemes such as:
Offshore wind farms
Hydrogen projects
Electric vehicle charging networks
Recent trends include:
Governments of lower-income countries are attempting to become less reliant on TNCs
In order to take greater share of revenues
A greater role for state-owned companies
State-owned energy companies converting into TNCs by investing into energy schemes overseas
E.g. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the biggest oil operator in Africa
Produces 1.8 million barrels per day
Is investing $25 billion to build a 5600 km pipeline to supply natural gas to Morocco
Impacts of Energy Development
Environmental impacts of energy development
Producing, transporting, and consuming energy produces significant environmental impacts
Air pollution
Emission of greenhouse gasses leading to the enhanced greenhouse effect
Water pollution
Solid waste disposal
Coal mining and digging for oil and gas can alter groundwater flows
This can bring clean water into contact with contaminants
Removal of large quantities of earth as well as the fossil fuels
Oil spills are a major issue
Release of crude oil at sea, where tankers sink or spill they load
Can also occur on land
The number of oil spills and the quantity of oil that is spilled from tankers has fallen substantially in recent decades
In 1970s 320,000 tonnes of oil spilt on average per year
In 2010s the average was 16,500 tonnes
Spills also occur in offshore oil rigs and damaged pipelines
Deepwater Horizon rig, operated by BP, was one of the world’s largest oil spills into the Gulf of Mexico, 2010
Caused by an explosion in the drilling rig
Approximately 4.9 million barrels of oil were released into the sea
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