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OCR GCSE (9-1) Geography A: Geographical Themes (J383) · Spec 1.3.4 and 1.3.5

UK energy: sources, supply and the future

Read the notes, then try the questions. Each one is marked the moment you press Check, and shows the right answer and why.

Key ideas

  • Renewable sources: wind, solar, hydro-electric, tidal, wave, biomass and geothermal. Non-renewable: coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear (uranium).
  • The energy mix has changed. Coal led in the 1950s. North Sea oil and gas grew from the 1970s. Renewables have grown since the 2000s. The last UK coal-fired power station closed in 2024.
  • Energy demand rose until the early 2000s and then fell, with more efficient appliances and less heavy industry.
  • Government and international decisions matter, such as the Climate Change Act 2008, the 2019 net-zero-by-2050 law and UN climate agreements.
  • Strategies can raise supply, like a new wind farm, or cut demand, like loft insulation. Local strategies include community energy and heat pumps. National ones include price contracts for low-carbon power.
  • Every energy source affects the environment. A tidal barrage changes water flow, a wind farm changes the view, and a hydro dam floods land.
  • Whether gas or nuclear should help in future is debated. Sort the factors into economic, political and environmental, and keep each one separate.

Key terms

Energy mix
The share of energy supply that comes from each source.
Fossil fuel
A fuel made from ancient plants and animals, such as coal, oil and gas.
Renewable energy
Energy from a source that is replaced naturally within a human lifetime.
Energy conservation
Using less energy overall.
Carbon footprint
The greenhouse gases released by a person's activities.
Net zero
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions as far as possible and balancing any that remain.

Common mistakes

  • Calling biomass a fossil fuel. It is renewable.
  • Saying renewable energy has no environmental impact. Every source has some.
  • Writing the pros and cons of one energy source when asked about strategies. A strategy is an action, and you must judge how well it works.
  • Saying extraction is damaging only because burning fuel causes climate change. The extraction itself harms ecosystems, for example through oil leaks.

Exam tip

The 8-marker on Paper 1 has been on energy in three of the five series so far. Words like 'examine' and 'to what extent' need a balanced argument and a judgement. Support it with evidence such as shares of electricity or emissions. Do not just list advantages and disadvantages.

Free practice questions

7 questions, 26 marks. Answer, then press Check. The marking guide explains how the marks are worked out. Nothing is saved.

  1. Question 1 · Matching[4 marks]

    Match each energy term to its meaning.

  2. Question 2 · Fill the gaps[2 marks]

    Wind, solar and hydro are ___ energy sources, while coal, oil and gas are ___ fuels.

    Word bank: nuclear · renewable · fossil

  3. Question 3 · Sort into groups[6 marks]

    Sort each energy source into the correct group.

    Tidal

    Nuclear

    Natural gas

    Coal

    Wind

    Geothermal

  4. Question 4 · Multiple choice[1 mark]

    Which statement about energy sources is correct?

  5. Question 5 · Sort into groups[6 marks]

    Sort each action by whether it increases energy supply or reduces energy demand.

    Fitting loft insulation

    Switching to LED bulbs

    Building a new wind farm

    Drilling for shale gas

    Cycling to work

    Opening a new gas field

  6. Question 6 · Matching[4 marks]

    Match each energy source to one environmental impact.

  7. Question 7 · True or false[3 marks]

    Decide whether each statement about energy sources is true or false.

    1. Fossil fuels and nuclear power are non-renewable.

    2. Biomass is a fossil fuel.

    3. Every renewable source has some effect on the environment.