Geography
Energy Consumption
Energy consumption refers to the amount of energy used by individuals, organizations, or countries. It is measured in units such as kilowatt-hours (kWh) or joules (J) and is influenced by factors such as population size, economic development, and technological advancements.
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3 Key excerpts on "Energy Consumption"
- Axel Kleidon(Author)
- 2016(Publication Date)
- Cambridge University Press(Publisher)
Alternatively, in the field of ecological economics, Energy Consumption is rather seen as the actual driver of the economic process (Ayres and Nair 1984; Daly 1992; Hall et al. 2001; Ayres et al. 2003). The previous chapters that dealt with natural processes support this latter view, so that here we view human activity as a thermodynamic process 11.2 Energy and human activity 295 and socioeconomic dynamics as the outcome and manifestation of human Energy Consumption. By placing human activity in the context of the Earth system and its limits, we can then relate these estimates to well-known concepts such as the human carrying capacity (e.g., Cohen 1995) or the limits to growth (Meadows et al. 1972) that deal with the limits to human activity at the planetary scale. This approach to formulating human activity as a dissipative process within the Earth system sets the scope for this chapter. We first look at human activity in terms of its metabolic energy needs and how this relates to the environment shaped by the Earth system. We then describe the two aspects of human dissipative activity in terms of the consumption of food and primary energy. These two forms of dis- sipative activity are referred to as food acquisition and primary energy acquisition here to emphasize that these forms of energy are taken from the Earth system and converted to meet the human energy need. We look at these acquisitions in greater detail in terms of the factors that shape their limits by drawing links to the previous chapters. We then evaluate the consequences of human activity on the Earth system, formulate the feedbacks in greater detail, and place these in the evolutionary context of a sustainable future. The chapter closes with a brief summary in which human activity is placed back in the context of the whole Earth system.
eBook - PDF- Rodolfo B. Valdenarro(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Delve Publishing(Publisher)
• There are other important resources too such as wood, oil and coal. • Along with the growing the growing population of the world, the demands for the resources also increases. • The locations, quality and quantity of resources of the Earth is studied by the geographers, they also study the effect of human activities on such resources. • Geography is used by historians to understand the history. • They analyze the time when the things happened as well as the location and reason of such happening. • Geography is used by the people so as to understand the present as well as the past. Figure 1.7: Relation Between Environment, Economy, and Society. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Environment_Economy_ Society.jpg Applied Human Geography 22 1.6.6. Uses of Geography • Understand basic physical systems, which can affect our everyday life.
eBook - PDF- John R Fanchi(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- World Scientific(Publisher)
A Brief History of Energy Consumption 21 Point to Ponder : Why should I care about the global distribution of energy? Suppose a country with a population of 20 million people wants to provide enough energy to sustain a quality of life that consumes approximately 200,000 megajoules of energy per person each year. This corresponds to approximately 127 power plants with 1000 megawatts capacity each. [Fanchi, 2004, Exercise 1-10] Where will this energy come from? Today, energy on a national scale comes primarily from fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal. In a few countries such as France, it is provided by nuclear fission. If the country does not have significant reserves of fossil fuels or uranium – a material needed for most nuclear fission reactors – it will have to import the materials it needs. In this case the country is a “have not” country that is dependent on countries that have the resources and technology it needs. This creates an opportunity for “have” countries to manipulate “have not” countries. On the other hand, it creates an incentive for “have not” countries to use their human resources to take what is needed. For example, the “have not” country could maintain a large standing army or sponsor acts of violence to influence “have” countries. The global distribution of energy influences relationships between nations and can affect geopolitical stability. 1.5 “D ECARBONIZATION ” Energy forecasts rely on projections of historical trends. Table 1-7 presents historical data for global energy production reported by the United States Energy Information Administration for the latter decades of the 20 th century. The table shows historical energy production as a percent contribution to the total energy mix. The row of data labeled “Fossil Fuels” includes coal, petroleum and natural gas. Petroleum refers to hydrocarbon liquids Energy in the 21 st Century 22 such as crude oil and natural gas plant liquids.
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