ATS1309 Final: ATS1309
6 Jun 2018
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• Oil–most versatile, transportable (eg; can be pumped through pipes), used in a vast
range of products beyond petroleum (plastics, textiles, cosmetics…), has created new
resources, advanced industrial societies completely dependent
• Coal - key source of heat and remains the most important for electricity generation
• Gas- in some countries, gas has replaced coal in electricity generation and domestic
heating. Transportation of gas is more difficult (pipes and reserves infrastructure very
costly)
• Today, 85% of all sold resources are fossil fuels
• Global differences in the fossil fuel energy balance are enormous:
o High income countries: coal →oil →gas (and renewable energy)
o Coal: dominance in China (> 75%) versus not important at all in Latin
America and the Middle East
o Parts of Africa: firewood as the most important source of energy
• This results in different sets of environmental challenges, e.g. fossil carbon emissions
in industrialized regions versus deforestation in parts of developing countries
• Uneven geographies of (i) reserves and (ii) production/consumption ratio lead to (iii)
specific trade patterns:
o i. Coal versus oil/gas (e.g. Australia versus the Middle East)
o ii. Deficit versus surplus regions (e.g. India versus the Middle East)
o iii. Pipelines and oil tankers
Energy and development
• History of industrialised nations shows direct link between energy consumption and
economic development
• But this is changing – non-OECD countries surpassed OECD countries energy
consumption in 2008 for the first time – now account for 80% of the global increase
in energy consumption
• Stern review : most future energy-related emissions will come from today’s
developing countries
• Strong link between urbanization and energy consumption
Australia’s energy landscape
• Main fuels: coal, uranium, gas
• Coal = 54% of total energy production
• Net overall energy exporter (but a net importer of crude oil)
• Hydro accounts for largest share of renewables
Main challenges
Challenge 1: Peak oil
• Fossil fuels are finite and therefore will someday run out
Challenge 2: Climate change
• Combustion and use of fossil fuels is the most significant contributor to ecological
crisis particularly GHG and therefore climate change
Document Summary
Australia"s energy landscape: main fuels: coal, uranium, gas, coal = 54% of total energy production, net overall energy exporter (but a net importer of crude oil, hydro accounts for largest share of renewables. Challenge 1: peak oil: fossil fuels are finite and therefore will someday run out. If global trends continue as they are, emissions will surpass this in the next 20 years. Ipcc fifth assessment (2014): projects temperature change of 0. 3 to 0. 7 per decade for next 20 years and 1. 5c 2c to end of century. Energy alternatives: solar: capture of the sun"s rays to produce either thermal energy or electricity, viable small-scale solution and increasing take-up at the householder level, significant technological advancements in recent decades. Issues with take-up and being able to scale-up" solar energy production to have a significant impact on carbon emissions and fossil fuel dependence.
