Reasons for Increasing Energy Consumption
Geography: Cambridge International GCSE (2027 Exams), topic 10.5.1
Consumption
Global consumption has increased since 1975, but the type of fuel preferred in different nations and regions varies depending on the price of the fuel and the natural resources available.
Global consumption
- Since 1975, global energy use has more than doubled.
- Only 18.9% of energy used was produced by non fossil fuels and 14.1% by renewable fuels in 2014.
- Saudi Arabia, Canada, Norway and the USA have the highest energy consumption per person.
Oil consumption
- The largest consumers of oil are South/Central America and the Middle East because these areas produce a lot of oil.
Gas consumption
- The Middle East, Europe and Eurasia favour the use of natural gas.
Coal consumption
- Coal is used most by countries in Asia and the Pacific to improve its emerging manufacturing industry.
Nuclear and renewable energy
- Nuclear energy and renewable energy are popular in Europe, Eurasia and North America.
- Both of these sources of energy are more expensive to set up, so only the world’s richest and most developed nations can afford them on a large scale.
- HEP is popular in South and Central America because there is a great deal of water availability.
Fuelwood
- Fuelwood (wood used for fuel) is used in the world’s poorest countries.
- In rural parts of LICs, there isn’t any access to a national grid.
- Local people collect and use fuelwood to heat their water (for cooking and washing) and to cook their food.
- About 6% of all fuel used in the world is wood.
- People in rural areas are most likely to use fuelwood, with the highest percentage of use in sub-Saharan Africa.
Test yourself on Reasons for Increasing Energy Consumption
Which of these statements about fuel consumption are true?
Which fuel is used most by countries in Asia and the Pacific to improve the emerging manufacturing industry?