Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mr. March and I'm here today to teach you all about the costs and benefits to fossil fuel alternatives.

So grab everything that you need for today's lesson and let's get going.

So by the end of today's lesson, you will be able to assess the costs and benefits of alternatives to fossil fuels.

There are three key terms for today's lesson, and those are energy mix, energy security, and carbon footprint.

Energy mix refers to the combination of different energy sources used by a country or a region.

The energy mix can change over time.

Energy security refers to the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.

Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere by an individual product, process, country and so forth.

There are three learning cycles for today's lesson.

We're gonna start with learning cycle one, which is all about the UK's energy mix.

So we're gonna start this lesson then with a question.

We need to start by looking at the graph on the right hand side and now the question.

So the question is, what is the percentage share of fossil fuels in the UK's energy mix for 2023? Now, you may like to pause the video here whilst you study that graph on the right hand side and perhaps even calculate the correct answer.

I'll give you a few moments to do this.

So what was the answer you came up with? Well, the answer should have been coming out as 74.

2%.

And how did I come to that answer? Well, remember, we are looking for fossil fuels, and the three examples of fossil fuels on the screen in front of you are coal, oil, and gas.

And when we add up, there are three percentages we come out with 74.

2%.

First of all, really, really well done if you're able to calculate that answer correctly.

And second of all, it also shows just how much the UK is dependent on fossil fuels for its energy consumption.

The UK's energy mix though, has changed over time.

In 1965, fossil fuels made up 98% of the UK's energy mix and nearly 60% of that was from coal.

So we can clearly see first of all, how our use all fossil fuels is decreasing over time, but also how we've more or less come away completely from coal consumption for our energy needs.

So the question we have to ask ourself is why has the UK's energy mix changed over time? And there are four key reasons.

The first one is to actually try to tackle climate change.

We know that fossil fuels release carbon emissions into our atmosphere, and we know that carbon emissions is a key driver of climate change.

It's also to improve the UK's energy security.

So by being less reliant perhaps on fossil fuels from other countries and being more self-reliant, we're able to secure our energy consumption.

And while points one and two are very important reasons for diversifying the UK's energy mix and actually the ones will concentrate on in this lesson, there are other reasons too, including, as I said, the big improvements in renewable energy technology, which means that renewables are now cheaper and more efficient and effective so that the energy produced by this technology is cheaper and more reliable.

Furthermore, de-industrialization is also a key factor.

The UK's energy needs are different now that its economy does not depend so much on very energy intensive, heavy industry and manufacturing and more on services these days.

You can see that as well as having an increased share of renewables, one of the changes over time shown by the area chart here is that the UK is using less energy over overall than it was even just 10 years ago.

Time for a learning check.

It says in 1965, fossil fuels made up 98% of the UK's energy mix.

What percentage did fossil fuels make up in 2023? Now you can see you've got four different options on the screen.

What you need to do is pause the video here whilst you consider and then select your answer.

And the correct answer was D, 74%.

So really well done if you're able to select D as the correct answer.

Now, coal is a really highly-polluting fuel.

It has really high carbon emissions.

In 2024, the UK closed its last coal fired power plant.

Coal produced just 0.

6% of the UK's electricity in 2024.

And phasing out coal has been a major part of the UK's move to reduce its carbon emissions.

Renewables have been phased into the UK's energy mix to try to make up for that deficit from coal energy production.

The UK imports energy with 90% of imports being oil and gas.

Now this dependency on other countries for energy actually reduces our energy security, and we've seen that play out most recently.

For example, in 2022, the UK cut its imports of oil and gas from Russia from 9.

6% of its energy imports to down to just 2.

6%.

This was because of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Alternatives to fossil fuels can increase energy security if the power they generate does not depend on other countries.

So let's now look at carbon footprints, and it may be a term that you've heard of before.

So what is a carbon footprint? First of all, a carbon footprint shows the carbon emissions than individual is actually personally responsible for.

But how useful is a carbon footprint? It is big business.

The fossil fuel industries and governments who have the real power to make big changes on emissions, not individuals.

Expanding carbon footprints to products, processes, or even to whole countries makes them much more useful than just looking at one person's carbon footprint.

It is valuable to have a comparable measure of the total amount of greenhouse gases that something adds to the atmosphere.

So perhaps we can look at a carbon footprint of a pair of shoes, for example, a pair of Nike shoes.

We can look at the products that were used to make that pair of shoes.

We can look at the manufacturing process as well and perhaps even the transportation process.

And as a result, we can build up a carbon footprint of the amount of carbon emissions that was released to make that pair of Nike trainers, for example.

So a quick learning check.

It says true or false? If you got your electricity from 100% renewable energy sources, then your carbon footprint would be zero.

So what I need you to do right now is pause the video whilst you consider and then select your answer.

And the correct answer was false.

Now, I would like you to pause the video whilst you consider as to why or how then that statement is false? And the reason it's false is that even if all your electricity comes from renewable energy, other parts of your lifestyle, for example, the manufacture, the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the technology you use still produce carbon emissions elsewhere, often in other countries.

So really well done if you're able to identify those two correct answers.

Time now for our one and only practise task for our first learning cycle, and it says to suggest have a carbon footprint of at least one of the following activities could be reduced.

So you can see those three different activities that's driving, heating and holidays.

And you can see you've got different parts of information just below each activity.

So please then pause the video here whilst you attend this practise task.

Best of luck.

And in terms of feedback then.

So let's start by looking at driving.

Now, you may have written the following.

I've said that an electric vehicle or EV would reduce the carbon footprint of driving because they don't burn fossil fuels.

If an EV was powered using electricity from renewable sources, that would reduce the carbon footprint even more.

What about heating then? Well, one way would be to turn down the thermostats that less gas was burned to make the house warm.

Another way would be to use insulation to reduce heat loss from the house.

That way less gas would need to be burned to keep the house warm and less gas means lower emissions.

And finally, in terms of holidays, well flying is a very big contributor to carbon emissions.

So if you had a holiday in your own country instead of flying to another country, that would reduce the carbon footprint of your holiday.

If you did want to go to another country, you could always go by train because trains have lower carbon emissions than planes.

So really, really well done if you're able to include anything like that in your own answer.

Right now to our second learning cycle.

And this one's all about the benefits of alternatives to fossil fuels.

There are several different alternatives to fossil fuels, and they all have different benefits and costs.

Let's start by looking at the different alternatives then to fossil fuels.

So let's start with renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.

We also have recyclable energy resources, so biofuels as well as nuclear and also future technologies as well, such as hydrogen.

So these are all different alternatives to fossil fuels.

So let's start by looking at wind power and the benefits of using wind power.

The first benefit is that it reduces carbon emissions.

In fact, zero carbon emissions are generated to create that electricity.

Wind is a clean renewable energy source and also it's aided by UK's physical geography.

The UK has really strong wind resources, especially offshore in the North Sea, and it's among the best offshore wind resources globally.

What are the economic benefits, particularly for customers? Well, wind energy is now one of the cheapest sources of electricity in the UK, and therefore the prices should be lower for customers, is also the increase in the UK's energy security because it supports this energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels from Russia, for example, it also diversifies the UK's energy mix.

Wind can be combined with solar to balance supply, for example, at night when solar power doesn't work.

And now solar power, first of all, a little bit of information about the colour coding that you see on the screen in front of you.

The green shows true, real benefits whilst the orange colour that you can see in front of you shows a benefit with limitations.

So let's go into it now.

So first of all, solar power, once again reduces carbon emissions.

It generates electricity without any carbon emissions, thereby removing one of the key drivers in climate change.

Now let's look at the UK's physical geography.

While southern parts of the UK received between 1400-1600 hours of sunlight a year, but its potential is lower in the north.

So clearly there's a divide between the north and south of the UK in terms of the best place to put these solar panels.

What are the economic benefits? Well, once again, the cost of solar power have fallen dramatically and households can actually add solar panels to roof to reduce energy costs.

Again, it increases the UK's energy security.

It increases energy independence, especially when lots of households are able to generate some of their own electricity.

And finally, it diversifies the UK's energy mix.

Once again, it's good for balancing this energy mix, especially in the summer when days are longer and potential for solar power is at its greatest.

And what about HEP or hydroelectric power? Well, again, it reduces carbon emissions.

There are zero carbon emissions when generating the electricity.

HEP is a clean renewable source of electricity.

And once again, it's UK's physical geography is a benefit, but there are some limitations.

For example, the UK's upland areas are perfect.

They are suitable for HEP dams and reservoirs, but the UK has fewer larger rivers.

And what about the economic benefits? Well, once again, the HEP plants are very expensive to build, but they do last a long time once built and have really low maintenance costs.

So there's a bit of a positive and a negative within that overall benefit.

And what about the increase to the UK's energy security? What it does, once again, support energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.

However, the UK's capacity for HEP is actually rather low.

So clearly there would still need to be some sort of dependence on foreign imports of energy.

Were we to just prioritise HEP? And finally, HEP is reliable and predictable and can also be used to store renewable energy.

So therefore it's very good for balancing energy supply.

Time for a learning check.

And it says to complete the two missing parts of this diagram.

So what you need to do right now then is pause the video, read through the information and try your best to recall those two pieces of information.

Best of luck.

And the two recyclable energy resources we were looking for were biofuels and nuclear.

Really, really well done if you're able to recall that piece of information.

Let's now look at biofuels.

So once again, we have some benefits, clear benefits, but we have some benefits with some limitations.

So what in terms of the reduction of carbon emissions? Well, it is carbon neutral.

How the carbon released when biofuels are burnt is offset by the carbon that's absorbed as those plants are actually growing.

Also, in terms of the UK's physical geography, the UK could grow biofuels, but it currently imports 90% of its biofuels because arable land is needed for food production rather than the production of trees for biofuel.

The economic benefits though are clear.

Biofuels can be mixed with petrol and diesel, which can keep transportation costs lower at times of high oil prices.

And what about the increase to the UK's energy security? Well, using UK grown or UK process biofuels could reduce the need to import petrol and diesel if the UK were able to grow more.

But of course that link back to the UK's physical geography.

And finally, the diversification of the UK's energy mix.

Renewables can power EVs, but for petrol and diesel vehicles, then biofuels provide a carbon neutral option.

And next we have nuclear.

And nuclear power is a low-carbon source of electricity, absolutely no CO2 is released during the power generation.

Furthermore, coastal locations which are able to provide the cooling water, which is needed for the production of nuclear energy as well as stable geology in areas with sparse population.

These are ideal areas for nuclear power generation.

There are economic benefits for customers because building nuclear power plants is actually very, very expensive.

But once they're running, the cost of actually power is very, very low.

In terms of the increase in the UK's energy security.

Uranium supplies from allies, for example, Canada are reliable.

Nuclear could actually replace fossil fuels because they produce a lot of power.

And finally, the diversification to the UK's energy mix.

Nuclear power is 24/7.

It's not like solar or wind, which are only able to generate electricity when the sun is shining or when the wind is blowing.

It is not dependent on weather.

So it is ideal for balancing less reliable supply from wind and solar.

Now we have another learning check.

And it says which of the following is a benefit of wind power but is not a benefit of biofuels? So you can see then you've got four different options.

What you need to do is pause the video here, read through the options, and select what you think is the correct answer.

And the correct answer was A, it generates electricity without any carbon emissions.

Really well done if you're able to get that answer correct.

So let's now turn our attention to hydrogen.

How does hydrogen work as an alternative to fossil fuels? Well, in vehicles, hydrogen reacts with oxygen in a fuel cell, producing electricity which can then power an electric motor or charge a battery.

The hydrogen is stored in a high-pressure tank on the vehicle.

Fueling a vehicle with hydrogen can be a quick process.

Hydrogen can also be burned for aviation fuel for planes or like natural gas for example, for cooking or heating or for industrial processes like steel making.

So clearly hydrogen has a wide variety of potential uses.

So let's now try to understand the benefits of using hydrogen.

First of all, it can reduce carbon emissions because hydrogen fuel only produces water vapour.

Absolutely no CO2 emissions.

Green hydrogen is actually made using renewables.

Furthermore, the UK physical geography, well the UK has excellent wind resources and these could be used to provide the renewable power to produce and provide that green hydrogen.

Furthermore, what are the economic benefits? Well, this is a slight mixed bag because currently hydrogen is quite expensive because the technology is still in its development phase and it requires a lot of energy to produce.

What about the energy security? Well, hydrogen could replace oil and gas, which the UK currently needs to import to meet demands, for example, transport and heating.

So the UK could become much more self-reliant, have much better energy security.

And finally, the diversification in terms of the UK's energy mix.

Hydrogen can be stored and is a low-carbon alternative to oil and gas for sectors that are really hard to move to electricity.

Time for a learning check.

It says true or false? One of the major advantages of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels is that it can be used in sectors that are hard to electrify.

So what you need to do right now is pause the video whilst you consider and then select your answer.

And the correct answer was true.

Now, once again, I'd like you to pause the video whilst you consider as to why or how this statement is true? And the reason it's true is that some sectors, for example, heavy-goods transportation, aviation, and industrial processes that really need those high temperatures, for example, for steel making as well as heating houses, flats and offices are quite difficult to switch to electric power.

Hydrogen could then therefore be this viable alternative.

Really, really well done if you're able to identify those two correct answers.

Now to our one and only practise task for the second learning cycle.

And this says that the UK plans to achieve net zero by 2050.

This means UK greenhouse gas emissions would equal greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere by the UK.

Looking at the UK's current energy mix, which alternative or alternatives to fossil fuels would you recommend the government invest in to help achieve net zero? And you must explain why? So please then pause the video here whilst you attempt this practise task.

Best of luck.

And now for some feedback.

So you may have said the following, I've said that my top priority for investment would be wind.

Because the UK has some of the world's best offshore wind resources in the world, especially in the North Sea.

Wind is already a significant part of the UK's energy mix accounting for 11%.

The electricity it generates is zero emissions.

And technological improvements mean that wind energy is now one of the cheapest sources of electricity in the UK.

Moving as much of the UK's power requirements to renewable energy from wind is therefore really important for achieving net zero.

You may also have said though, that I would advise the government to invest in nuclear power to meet the UK's electricity needs and hydrogen as an alternative to gas and oil for hard to electrify sectors of the UK economy.

For example, heating and heavy-goods transportation.

It costs a lot to build nuclear power stations, but the electricity it produces is then available 24/7.

Unlike wind solar, and with enough power plants in the UK, sorry, with enough power plants, the UK would have plenty of low-carbon electricity including enough to produce green hydrogen for water.

So really well done if you're able to include anything like that in your own answer.

Well now to our third and final learning cycle.

And this is all about the cost of alternatives to fossil fuels.

So let's start by looking at wind power.

Now remember, we're looking at the negative, the cost of using wind power.

And the first one is that it's really expensive to build, especially for offshore wind farms, which need underwater foundations as well as cables to the shore.

And remember, if there's no wind, then there's no power, which means that other sources of power or power backups will actually always be needed.

Turbines also have a really big impact on the landscape and can be really noisy leading to local opposition to wind farms, especially if they're actually on shore.

And finally, turbines can kill birds and bats if they fly into their blades.

Turbine construction also disturbs habitats on shore and offshore, for example, with seabeds.

With regards to solar then.

Although costs have reduced significantly in its production and installation, the cost of installation can still be high for homes as well as school buildings.

Solar only works during the daylight hours and while power is actually needed 24 hours of the day, seven days a week, and solar works best in the UK only during the summer the other seasons of the year, there is going to be limited generation of solar power.

There is also often opposition to large-scale solar farms because of the big impact that they have on farming or natural habitats.

And finally, manufacture of solar panels includes toxic chemicals and systems to recycle panels safely after they stop working are not yet fully developed.

So clearly there are some still big environmental consequences as well, even with using something like solar power.

And what about hydroelectric power or HEP? Dams and reservoirs are very expensive and time consuming to build.

For example, it costs around $5 billion for a one gigawatt dam and HEP plant to be built.

The UK actually only has very few river systems that are suitable for large-scale HEP.

So potential for more HEP is actually rather limited.

Flooding land for reservoirs can mean loss of farmland and displacement of communities as well.

And dams can disrupt river ecosystems and affect fish migrations as well while flooding river valleys for reservoirs can cause deforestation and finally, habitat loss.

Time for a learning check.

It says which two of the following are cost associated with both solar and wind energy? So you can see you've got four different options on the screen.

What you need to do is pause the video here whilst you read through those options and select what you think are the two correct answers.

And the two correct answers we were looking for were A, the landscape impacts which are often opposed locally.

And C, intermittent supply rather than always available.

Remember, solar and wind will not be able to work 24/7, so they have a rather intermittent supply.

Really, really well done if you're able to select A and C as the correct answers.

And what about biofuels? While some biofuels actually have rather high carbon footprints because they're linked to deforestation, forest is actually cleared to grow them.

And growing biofuels can reduce the land available for growing food, leading to an increase in food prices because of the shortage in the growth of crops for example.

The amount of energy available from biofuel is actually lower than from fossil fuels.

So very large areas of land would be needed to replace fossil fuel use.

And finally, biofuels often require a lot of water, which can stress ecosystems and can also lead to land degradation, which damages habitats.

Time once again for a learning check, it says which two of the following are both environmental costs of alternatives to fossil fuels? So once again, you have four options, and once again, I'd like you to pause the video here whilst you read through those options and select what you think are the two correct answers.

And the two correct answers we're looking for were B, it can disrupt river ecosystems and fish migrations.

And D, construction disturbs seabed habitats.

So really well done if you're able to select B and D as the correct answers.

So let's now turn our attention to the costs of using recyclables beginning with nuclear power.

First of all, they're very expensive to build and construction can take many, many years.

For example, a nuclear power station in the UK called Hinkley Point C has an estimated cost of 46 billion pounds.

Also, sea level rises and coastal erosion are threats to nuclear power stations, which are located along the UK's coastline.

Spent nuclear fuel is extremely radioactive.

It can be recycled, but it's very expensive.

Otherwise, it has to be stored securely for at least 10,000 years.

And finally, people would prefer not to live next to a nuclear power station for obvious safety concerns because a fears about accidents which are very, very rare.

And finally, the costs of using hydrogen.

Well, it is currently expensive to make hydrogen, especially green hydrogen, which is hydrogen made from water using renewable energy.

It is also not energy efficient to use electricity to produce hydrogen and then use that hydrogen to produce electricity.

Hydrogen is extremely light and flammable and storing it and transporting it is challenging and costly.

Currently, 98% of hydrogen is made using methane or coal, and this process produces carbon dioxide as a waste product, which has obvious environmental impacts including climate change.

So time now for a really, really interesting learning check.

It says that this table compares the cost of electricity generation for one fossil fuel and three different alternatives.

What you need to do is calculate the total cost.

So on the left hand side of the table you can see those different costs, development, construction, maintenance, fuel and carbon.

What you need to do then is total those different costs.

So please then pause the video here whilst you attempt this learning check.

Okay, let's start with gas turbine.

And when we total up all the different costs, we come out with a total of 115 pounds per megawatt hour.

What is it for offshore window? Well 43 pound per megawatt hour.

What about onshore wind? 39 pound per megawatt hour.

And finally, what about for solar farm? Well it's 41 pound per megawatt hour.

So clearly, onshore wind is the cheapest option out of all those different electricity generation methods.

Really, really well done if you're able to get those answers that you see on the screen there in front of you.

Time now for our one and only practise question for our third and final learning cycle.

And it says to discuss the cost and benefits of the Botley West solar farm.

Now on the left hand side you can see you've got some information about the Botley West solar farm.

And on the right hand side you can see you've got a map showing its location.

What you need to do then is pause video here, read through that information and then answer this practise task.

Best of luck.

In terms of feedback then your answer may have included the following.

I've said that large solar farms like the one plant for Botley West, which is eight kilometres squared in area, can be expensive.

28 pound per megawatt hour for construction.

Although solar panel costs are much cheaper than what they used to be.

The main opposition to Botley West comes from the changes to rural land use.

Large areas of solar panels are very different from the grass or trees, and people object to this big change in the countryside.

People also argue that taking large areas of land for solar panel means food production will be affected.

And looking at the map though, there would still be large areas of farmland left for food production.

The answer continues.

In terms of benefits, the scheme would produce power for over 300,000 homes, which is a significant number of homes.

Unlike using fossil fuels to generate power, this electricity will be 100% renewable with zero carbon emissions.

That is a major benefit because it will help reduce carbon emissions and reduce the impacts of climate change.

When fuel costs and carbon costs are included, electricity from solar power is much cheaper than electricity from a gas turbine, which is at 41 pound per megawatt hour compared to 115 pound for gas.

So really, really well done if you're able to include anything like that in your own answer.

Well now to our learning summary and what you need to know from today's lesson.

Well, we need to know that the UK's energy mix is changing and diversifying alternatives to fossil fuels made up 26% of the energy mix in 2023.

These alternatives have strong benefits for lowering carbon emissions, otherwise known as a carbon footprint.

And for the UK's energy security.

However, alternatives to fossil fuels have costs and these have been opposed by some in the UK.

So really, really well done during today's lesson.

It was a pleasure teaching you and I will see you again on the next lesson.

Goodbye.