UK Energy
UK energy usage
UK energy usage in 2010 was equivalent to 150.1 million tonnes of oil*. This includes energy from oil, gas, coal, electricity and renewables. Of this some 70.7 million tonnes was actually as oil. Of the oil used 55.7 million tonnes was used for transportation.
We have become a very energy dependent society and this has led to environmental damage as well as excessive dependence on energy supplies from abroad. global climate change is one of the most serious issues the world faces and it is one that we do not seem to be tackling with anything like the urgency it deserves. On average energy usage per head of UK population produces about 9 tonnes of CO2 per year.
In recent years the effect of over dependence on energy from abroad can be seen in price hikes in the cost of domestic gas and electricity and the cost of petrol and diesel for motor vehicles. Although the UK is an oil producing country we are now net importers of oil with the period of surplus lasting just 25 years from 1980 to 2005. As is pointed out in the section on "Cost of Food" humankind has, in the space of 150 years, used a large proportion of the world's oil which is a fossil fuel laid down at least 90 million years ago.
Peak Oil
It is obvious that we need huge amounts of energy to maintain the western life style that we enjoy and that people in the developing world aspire to. The problem is where this energy is to come from once the world's oil and natural gas reserves decline. The concept of peak oil demonstrates the problem. Over many years world oil production has increased, but the amount of oil is finite. There will come a time when oil production peaks and then goes into decline. This is called "peak oil". Quite when this will come is uncertain but it may not be many years away and some think it may already have occurred.
An Energy Watch Group report in 2008** claimed the peak of world oil production occurred in 2006. It predicts a steep decline in oil supply after the peak. the report contained figures of proved and probable oil reserves of between 854 and 1,255 Giga barrels (Gb). World oil consumption was about 30.3 Gb in 2005. If the estimates are right and if oil consumption continues at the present level we have just a few decades worth left.
Return to top of pageDependency on gas
Looking just at electricity production in 2010, of the 363.8 terra watt hours (TWh) produced 47% came from power stations running on gas*. Compare this with 1990 when just 0.5 % came from gas. Although the UK is a producer of natural gas the period of surplus (exports vs imports) lasted from 1997 to 2004, a remarkably short period.
In 1990 67% of electricity was generated from coal but by 2010 this had dropped to 28%. The decline in use of UK's coal reserves is masked by the imports of coal that we now make. In 1990 the UK produced 92.8 million tonnes of coal and imported just 14.8 million tonnes. For 2010 the equivalent figures are 18.4 and 26.5 million tonnes. Coal does produce CO2 when it burns and therefore contributes to global warming, although carbon capture technology does offer some hope of reducing this.
The UK's coal industry has been allowed to decline dramatically since the 80s. Given this and the rapidity which we have used North Sea oil and gas it is hardly surprising the cost of our energy has become so susceptible to global price fluctuations.
Return to top of pageNuclear and renewables
Perhaps nuclear can come to the rescue. Perhaps not. In 2010 just 16% of electricity was produced from nuclear power. This is down from 22% in the year 2000. Our nuclear industry has been in decline for many years with successive governments seemingly happy for this to continue.
It would be nice to think that renewables could plug the gap. In UK in 2010 renewables used were equivalent to some 7.65 million tonnes of oil. This sounds impressive but is just 4.8 % of the total energy used in UK. Most of this was used to generate electricty. Clearly we have a long way to go before renewables can make a significant contribution to reducing dependence on oil and natural gas.
The UK's over dependence on supplies of gas and oil from abroad, the neglect of our nuclear industry, the running down of our coal industry, the failure to develop renewable sources of energy sufficiently quickly and of course our profligate lifestyle is likely to lead to ever higher energy prices and possibly shortages. The crisis may not be many years coming and it is probably already too late to do anything to avoid it.
* "UK energy in Brief 2011" published by National Statistics.
** "Crude Oil - The Supply Outlook", revised edition Feb 2008, published by Energy Watch Group
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