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Energy is the foundation of modern civilisation. It powers our homes, factories, transport, communications and food production. Understanding the classification, characteristics and global distribution of energy resources is essential for the Edexcel B Paper 3 topics on consuming energy resources. This lesson covers the full range of energy sources — from fossil fuels to nuclear power to renewables — and examines where these resources are found around the world.
Energy resources are classified in several ways:
| Type | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Non-renewable | Resources that are finite — once used, they cannot be replaced within a human timescale (millions of years to form) | Coal, oil, natural gas, uranium (nuclear) |
| Renewable | Resources that are replenished naturally and can be used indefinitely (provided they are managed sustainably) | Solar, wind, hydroelectric (HEP), geothermal, tidal, wave, biomass |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A solid fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient forests buried and compressed over 300+ million years (Carboniferous period) |
| Global reserves | Approximately 1,074 billion tonnes (enough for ~130 years at current consumption rates) |
| Largest producers | China (50% of global production), India, USA, Indonesia, Australia |
| Largest reserves | USA (249 billion tonnes), Russia (162 billion tonnes), Australia (150 billion tonnes) |
| Uses | Electricity generation (coal-fired power stations), steel production, cement manufacture |
| Environmental impact | The most carbon-intensive fossil fuel — burning coal releases approximately 2.2 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of coal; also produces sulphur dioxide (acid rain), particulates (air pollution) and ash waste |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A liquid fossil fuel formed from the remains of marine organisms (plankton, algae) buried in sedimentary rock and transformed by heat and pressure over millions of years |
| Global reserves | Approximately 1,730 billion barrels of proven reserves (enough for ~50 years at current consumption) |
| Largest producers | USA, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada, Iraq |
| Largest reserves | Venezuela (304 billion barrels), Saudi Arabia (267 billion barrels), Canada (170 billion barrels — mostly oil sands) |
| Uses | Transport fuels (petrol, diesel, aviation fuel), plastics, chemicals, heating oil |
| Environmental impact | Releases CO₂ when burned; oil spills cause devastating marine and coastal pollution; extraction can destroy habitats (e.g. Canadian oil sands) |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A gaseous fossil fuel (primarily methane, CH₄) found in porous rock formations, often alongside oil deposits |
| Global reserves | Approximately 188 trillion cubic metres (enough for ~50 years at current consumption) |
| Largest producers | USA, Russia, Iran, Qatar, China |
| Largest reserves | Russia, Iran, Qatar, Turkmenistan, USA |
| Uses | Electricity generation (gas-fired power stations), heating, cooking, industrial processes, hydrogen production |
| Environmental impact | The "cleanest" fossil fuel — produces approximately 50% less CO₂ than coal per unit of energy; however, methane leaks during extraction and transport are a potent greenhouse gas |
Exam Tip: Know the key differences between the three fossil fuels. Coal is the dirtiest, oil is the most versatile (especially for transport), and natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel. All three are non-renewable and contribute to climate change.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| What is it? | Energy released by splitting uranium atoms in a process called nuclear fission |
| Fuel source | Uranium-235, mined from ore deposits |
| Largest uranium producers | Kazakhstan (43% of global production), Namibia, Canada, Australia |
| Countries most reliant on nuclear | France (70% of electricity from nuclear), Slovakia (52%), Ukraine (55%), Hungary (46%) |
| Advantages | Very low CO₂ emissions during operation; high energy density (1 kg of uranium produces as much energy as 20,000 kg of coal); reliable baseload power |
| Disadvantages | Radioactive waste (remains dangerous for thousands of years); risk of catastrophic accidents (Chernobyl 1986, Fukushima 2011); very high construction costs; uranium is non-renewable |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| How it works | Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight directly into electricity; solar thermal systems use mirrors to concentrate sunlight to heat water and generate steam |
| Best locations | Low-latitude deserts with high sunshine hours: Sahara, Arabian Peninsula, western USA, Australia, Atacama Desert |
| Global capacity | Over 1,200 GW installed globally (2023) — the fastest-growing energy source |
| Advantages | Zero emissions during operation; falling costs (solar PV costs have dropped by over 90% since 2010); can be deployed at any scale from rooftop panels to utility-scale farms |
| Disadvantages | Intermittent (only generates during daylight; reduced in cloudy conditions); requires large land areas for utility-scale installations; manufacturing panels uses energy and produces waste |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| How it works | Wind turns turbine blades, which spin a generator to produce electricity |
| Best locations | Coastal areas, hilltops, offshore; consistent wind is needed (Denmark, UK, Germany, USA Great Plains, China) |
| Global capacity | Over 900 GW installed globally (2023) |
| Advantages | Zero emissions during operation; offshore wind is more consistent than onshore; technology is mature and costs have fallen significantly |
| Disadvantages | Intermittent (depends on wind speed); visual and noise impact; threat to birds and bats; requires backup power for calm days |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| How it works | Water stored behind a dam is released through turbines, generating electricity |
| Best locations | Countries with high rainfall and mountainous terrain: Norway, Brazil, Canada, China, Ethiopia |
| Global capacity | Approximately 1,400 GW (the largest renewable source of electricity globally) |
| Advantages | Very reliable; can be turned on and off quickly to meet demand (flexible); very low operating costs; long lifespan (50–100+ years) |
| Disadvantages | Large dams flood vast areas, destroying habitats and displacing communities; disrupts river ecosystems; sedimentation reduces reservoir capacity over time; only viable in specific locations |
| Source | How It Works | Best Locations | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geothermal | Heat from the Earth's interior used to generate steam for electricity or direct heating | Plate boundaries: Iceland (90% of homes heated by geothermal), New Zealand, Kenya, USA | Very reliable; low emissions; limited to specific geological locations |
| Tidal | Tidal movements turn underwater turbines or are captured in barrages | Coastlines with large tidal ranges: Bay of Fundy (Canada, 16 m tidal range), Severn Estuary (UK, 14 m) | Very predictable (tides are consistent); high cost; limited suitable locations; potential impact on estuarine ecosystems |
| Wave | Devices on the ocean surface capture energy from wave motion | Exposed coastlines with consistent wave energy: Atlantic coasts of UK, Ireland, Portugal | Technology is still developing; could be significant in future; currently high cost and engineering challenges |
| Biomass | Burning organic material (wood, crop waste, biogas from manure) or converting crops to biofuel | Available worldwide; major producers include USA (corn ethanol), Brazil (sugarcane ethanol), EU (wood pellets) | Considered renewable if replanted; carbon-neutral in theory; but can lead to deforestation if not managed sustainably |
The distribution of energy resources is extremely uneven, which has major political and economic consequences:
graph TD
A["ENERGY-RICH REGIONS"] --> B["Middle East<br/>~48% of world’s oil reserves<br/>~38% of gas reserves"]
A --> C["Russia<br/>Vast oil, gas, coal reserves<br/>World’s largest gas reserves"]
A --> D["North America<br/>USA, Canada: oil, gas,<br/>coal, oil sands, shale gas"]
A --> E["Africa<br/>Nigeria, Libya, Algeria: oil<br/>DRC: HEP potential"]
F["ENERGY-POOR REGIONS"] --> G["Western Europe<br/>Limited fossil fuel reserves<br/>(except Norway)"]
F --> H["Japan, South Korea<br/>Very few fossil fuels<br/>Import almost all energy"]
F --> I["Many LICs<br/>Lack infrastructure to<br/>exploit available resources"]
It is important to distinguish between:
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