What Is the Energy Mix?
5 min read
Countries need a “mix” of sources to meet their various transportation, housing, industry, farming and other needs. Watch this video to see how it is made up.
What is the ?
The energy mix = breakdown of the various primary energy sources: , oil, gas, hydro, nuclear, other renewable energies used to meet energy needs( , , , etc.) in a given geographical area. Did you know it’s sometimes referred to as the “energy matrix”?
The mix varies greatly from one country to another because it depends on:
- The availability of viable resources in the region and on facilities.
- Whether or not it’s possible to import resources.
- The extent and type of energy needs to be met.
Exemple : The energy mixes of Brazil and the United States are very different because: 2 nuclear reactors in Brasil vs 98 nuclear reactors in United-States. - Policies related to the country’s specific features: historical – social – demographic – economic – environmental – geopolitical.
The energy mix can also change from one period to the next.
Example: In France, renewable energies represented less than 10% of the mix in 2015. In 2018, they represented nearly 12%.
The global energy mix is made up of more than 80% non-renewable fossil fuels. So countries are being encouraged to adjust their energy mix quickly, particularly by including much more energy from renewable sources: hydro, solar, wind, bioenergy,
. These help slow down the effects of
, because they emit less
.
Summary:
- Energy mix: The breakdown of the various primary energy sources used to meet energy needs in a given geographical area.
- It depends on resource availability, imports and the type of energy needs to be met.
- It also depends on policies related to the country’s specific features.
- The global energy mix is made up of more than 80% fossil fuels, which is why it is so important to develop renewable energies.
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