Global energy production

When we need energy for our bodies, where does it come from? Maybe an apple, or another snack. But energy is also needed for factories, cars, computers… Where does that energy come from? Well, most of the energy we produce comes from oil, coal, and natural gas - from fossil fuels. The rest comes from renewable sources, like biofuels and hydropower, and from nuclear power.

Fossil fuel sources make up approximately 80 percent of all our energy production. While these sources are cheap and plentiful, they also contribute to climate change and cause pollution. Nuclear energy makes up just a small fraction of energy production. It releases almost no carbon dioxide or pollutants, but it does leave behind radioactive nuclear waste. That can be a serious health concern.

There have also been dangerous nuclear incidents in the past. Hydropower, wind, solar and other renewable resources have a much lower environmental impact, but they still only account for a very small share. This is the mix of different energy sources that are produced today, globally. Let’s look at a few different countries, and their individual energy production mix. Iceland is located on a fault line between two continental plates.

Here, heat from below the ground - geothermal energy - can be used for heating or converted into electricity. A combination of good geography and a government that can afford the initial cost to access geothermal energy and hydropower means that Iceland produces almost 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources. Also in Europe is Germany, a country that is trying to change its energy mix. Germany has reduced its production of nuclear energy by more than 60 percent since 1997. Due to concerns about the safety of nuclear power, the government decided to take nuclear energy out of its mix.

Instead, Germany is focusing on renewables like wind and solar power. In South America is Brazil, a country with large rivers, lots of rainfall, and a mix of high and low elevations. This natural environment is perfect for hydropower, which requires the movement of water from a high elevation to a lower elevation to generate energy. Hydropower accounts for almost a third of all electricity production in Brazil. So, different countries have different energy mixes that depend on the natural resources available and on political circumstances.

But cost is also a factor. Here's a solar farm, an entire field of solar panels generating electricity. It can provide power for 200 households. But it's quite costly to set up. This investment will pay itself back over time, but only if people can afford the initial costs, and the cost of maintaining it every year.

The technology to generate energy with renewable resources is still expensive, so low income countries often cannot afford to add it to their energy mix. Instead, low income countries typically rely more on fossil fuels. Energy from fossil fuels brings benefits, but burning fossil fuels is toxic for people and the environment. Fossil fuels are also limited. One day they will run out, so we can’t rely on them forever.

Most countries are trying to use less fossil fuels, but it requires a lot of investment. As countries aim to improve their energy production mix, they have to take many things into account: the economy, the available technology, the environment and climate… What each country chooses to do will eventually affect everyone else. Local solutions can go a long way to help solve the global question of how we can produce the energy we need, safely and sustainably.