Using fuels

Overview

Click on the links above for teaching schemes, activities and web links and other resources related to this topic.

Introduction
There is no shortage of information on this topic in the form of graphs, tables, text and pictures. The textbook and web guide provide a good selection. There are good activities and more links on the WWF site. Two other really useful sources of data are Energy, a Guidebook by Janet Ramage, OUP 1997 and the World Energy Assessment Report.

The topic provides opportunities to interpret data presented in different ways and to question the assumptions behind models. The challenge is to find activities which go beyond number crunching.

1 What do we use energy for?
The topic can seem less theoretical if it is started with discussions on the end use of the energy and the links between fuel use and standard of living.

• Class can make suggestions on the proportion of their family energy consumption which goes on the different end uses. Then compare suggestions with average UK data, text book p 123, and discuss reasons for any large differences between their guesses and the data.
• Compare the overall pattern of use in UK and a developing country (This could be the same country used in infectious diseases unit) and discuss reasons for differences between UK and developing country. Basic information on the main sources of wealth and employment, such as found in Third World Guide published by Instituto del Tercer Mundo or UNDP would inform the discussion.
• The link between fuel consumption and standard of living can be investigated using SATIS 29 How shall we live? It may be necessary to update some text and data.
• Discuss the correlation between GDP and energy consumption per capita using graph in text book p 119, or choose other countries and plot their own using data from www.undp.org. It is interesting to discuss reasons for the trend and to make suggestions about why some countries do not follow the trend.

2 What is energy?

• Collect definitions from class and then compare them with the SPU Specification 13.7. and the discussion in the textbook p118, which shows the difficulty of reaching a simple definition. Get class to agree on three essential points about energy with an example to illustrate each.
• Start a glossary to cover definitions of terms used in 10.1, 10.2 and 10.4
• Conservation and efficiency calculations using examples in the text book p118.

3 Supply

• Renewable. Show a video of a wind farm or tidal barrage. Using the diagram on p116 of textbook, students could be asked to explain to a partner the investment needed to harness each renewable source and the process by which the renewable source is replaced as it is used. The results could be summarised in the form of a table
• A discussion of trends in use of different energy sources, using graph of world total primary energy supply (textbook p120) with questions to encourage interpretation. Some of the questions should be technical and some relate to economic or political factors.
• A comparison of energy sources in different countries using pie charts and bar charts with questions to stimulate discussion of the reasons.
• The same figures for UK energy sources could be shown in different forms, tables of absolute amounts and as percentages, as pie charts and bar charts, as trends or current values. Students could discuss which form they would choose to use to make different points to the public, such as to emphasise renewables or to show how essential nuclear power is.

4 Projections of patterns of use. Resources

• The topic could be introduced by students listing 5 reasons why they think global fuel use will rise over the next 20 years and five ways in which this increase could be minimised.
• Scenarios of future use of energy resources. Give two graphs predicting future use and a list of assumptions. Match each assumptions to the correct prediction. Some of the assumptions relate to resources, some to choices which might be made on environmental, political or economic grounds to link to decision making. Graphs and assumptions from textbook p127. Take one recent event, such as September 11, 2001, and discuss how this might affect the predicted use of some of the resources.
• Given a third scenario, possibly from a media article, Ramage chapter 15, or http://www.undp.org/seed/eap/activities/wea/drafts-frame.html , chapter 9, students could then formulate a set of questions about the particular assumptions it implies.
• When are we going to run out of oil? Divide the class into groups and give each group information on one end of the extremes of prediction. See Ramage chapter 12. Each group has to defend its own prediction and challenge the assumptions behind others' prediction .