3.2 The transition to sustainable energy sources

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Energy transition

The transition to sustainable 

energy sources

Learning goals

• You know what the most important traditional energy sources are and you know that the energy consumption per capita and the carbon footprint increased explosively for years.
• You understand why traditional energy sources are not sustainable and why an energy transition is needed.
• You can use a cross-section to decide whether natural gas and crude oil extractions are possible with conventional techniques.

Traditional energy sources

The most important traditional energy sources are:

• Coal
• Crude oil
• Natural gas

Mainly, only fossil fuels.

Traditional energy sources

These energy sources are non-renewable energy sources, because they will run out in the future.

These are won via a conventional way of mining oil and gas. This means that it is won in an old-fashioned way. Unconventional ways of mining use new techniques such as fracking.

Nuclear energy

Nuclear energy is a subject that is a bit dodgy. 

People do not like this form of energy because it emits deadly radioactivity.

From traditional to sustainable energy sources

For many years, energy consumption per capita and therefore the carbon footprint per capita (also known as carbon emission per capita) was increasing explosively

Reason -> a growing population became wealthier.

More wealth means more productions of goods, which will result in more CO2 emissions.

Energy transition

The solution according to the UN:

• Use renewable energy sources

We will make the adaptation to renewable energy sources to emit less CO2.

Work

Make assignment 1 t/m 3 of 3.2

Learning goals

• You know what the most important traditional energy sources are and you know that the energy consumption per capita and the carbon footprint increased explosively for years.
• You understand why traditional energy sources are not sustainable and why an energy transition is needed.
• You can use a cross-section to decide whether natural gas and crude oil extractions are possible with conventional techniques.

Homework

Make all of the assignments from 3.2