Energy choices and sustainability
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Flip to reveal answersGive five common criteria used to evaluate energy sources in ESS.
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Question
Give five common criteria used to evaluate energy sources in ESS.
Answer
Common criteria include greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, water use, land use, reliability (capacity factor), cost, scalability, and EROI (any five).
💡 Hint
Think emissions, reliability, cost, land/water, EROI.
Question
Name four evaluation criteria you can use in a 9-mark energy essay.
Answer
You can evaluate energy sources using criteria such as emissions, pollution, reliability, cost, land use, water use, EROI, feasibility, and scalability (any four).
💡 Hint
Pick 4 and apply consistently.
Question
How do technocentric and ecocentric EVSs differ in energy preferences?
Answer
Technocentric EVSs often support large-scale technology solutions such as nuclear power and CCS, while ecocentric EVSs emphasise demand reduction, efficiency, and small-scale distributed renewables.
💡 Hint
Tech fixes vs lifestyle/system change.
Question
State two major technical challenges of the energy transition.
Answer
Challenges include intermittency of solar/wind requiring storage, and the need to upgrade grid infrastructure to manage variable supply and new demand patterns.
💡 Hint
Intermittency + grids.
Question
What does EROI mean?
Answer
EROI (energy return on investment) is the ratio of energy output to energy input for an energy source. Higher EROI generally indicates a more efficient source.
💡 Hint
Output ÷ input.
Question
Why is there “no perfect” energy source in sustainability discussions?
Answer
Because all energy sources involve trade-offs across environmental, economic, and social criteria, so choices require balancing competing priorities.
💡 Hint
Trade-offs always exist.
Question
What are “stranded assets” in the context of the energy transition?
Answer
Stranded assets are fossil-fuel infrastructure or reserves that lose economic value as policies and markets shift toward low-carbon energy.
💡 Hint
Old fossil investments lose value.
Question
Why is lifecycle analysis important when comparing energy sources?
Answer
Because impacts occur across extraction, construction, operation, and decommissioning. Lifecycle analysis compares total emissions and impacts, not just operation.
💡 Hint
Not just “during use”.
Question
Give one technocentric and one ecocentric energy preference.
Answer
Technocentric: nuclear power or CCS. Ecocentric: demand reduction/efficiency and small-scale renewables.
💡 Hint
One from each worldview.
Question
Give one reason fossil fuels score well on some criteria but poorly on others.
Answer
They are reliable, scalable, and often cheap, but they perform poorly on greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution and are non-renewable.
💡 Hint
Reliable but high emissions.
Question
List two barriers that slow replacing fossil fuels with renewables.
Answer
Barriers include intermittency and storage needs, grid upgrades, high upfront costs, political resistance, and infrastructure lock-in (any two).
💡 Hint
Barriers: storage, grid, politics, lock-in.
Question
Give two policy tools governments can use to accelerate the energy transition.
Answer
Examples include carbon pricing (tax or cap-and-trade), renewable energy targets/subsidies, fossil fuel subsidy reform, and investment in R&D (any two).
💡 Hint
Think price signals + targets.
Question
Why is the energy transition described as political and social, not just technical?
Answer
Because vested interests, infrastructure lock-in, costs, public acceptance, and lifestyle expectations influence how quickly and fairly energy systems can change.
💡 Hint
People + power + politics.
Question
Why can land use be a controversial criterion for renewables?
Answer
Some renewables (especially large solar or wind farms) require large areas or specific sites, which can compete with other land uses and impact habitats, even if emissions are low.
💡 Hint
Low carbon ≠ no footprint.
Question
What is a strong essay structure for evaluating energy choices?
Answer
Define sustainability and criteria, compare multiple sources using the same criteria, link preferences to EVSs, then conclude with a balanced justified energy mix.
💡 Hint
Define → compare → EVS → conclude.
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Energy sources—uses and management
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