6.1.8

The UK's Energy Mix

Test yourself on The UK's Energy Mix

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

The UK's Energy Mix

The UK's industrial revolution was driven by coal. The development of natural gas fields in the North Sea close to Scotland in the 1970s and 1980s shifted the balance towards gas.

Coal as an energy source in the UK

Coal as an energy source in the UK

  • The UK's industrial revolution was driven by coal.
  • There were enormous coal mines in the north of England.
  • In 1913, the UK mined 290 million tonnes of coal. In 1960, this had fallen to 200 million tonnes. Today it is 3 million tonnes.
  • In 2017, coal was used to generate 5% of the UK's energy.
North Sea oil & gas

North Sea oil & gas

  • Oil and gas were first discovered in the North Sea in the 1960s.
  • In the 1980s, it really began to impact the UK's energy mix.
  • In 1980, coal produced 36% of the UK's energy, oil produced 37% and natural gas produced 22%.
  • In 2017, natural gas produced 39% of the UK's energy and oil produced 36% of the UK's energy.
Modern, renewable energy sources

Modern, renewable energy sources

  • To try to reduce its contribution to climate change, the UK has focused on improving its renewable sources of energy.
  • But, in 2017, nuclear power produced 8% of the UK's energy and wind, solar & hydroelectric power put together produced 3% of the UK's energy.
Jump to other topics
1

The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1

Natural Hazards

1.2

Tectonic Hazards

1.3

Weather Hazards

1.4

Climate Change

2

The Living World

2.1

Ecosystems

2.2

Tropical Rainforests

2.3

Hot Deserts

2.4

Tundra & Polar Environments

3

Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1

The UK Physical Landscape

3.2

Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3

River Landscapes in the UK

3.4

Glacial Landscapes in the UK

4

Urban Issues & Challenges

5

The Changing Economic World

5.1

The Changing Economic World

5.2

Economic Development in the UK

6

The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1

Resource Management

6.2

Food

6.3

Water

6.4

Energy

Practice questions on The UK's Energy Mix

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
Answer all questions on The UK's Energy Mix

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium