National and global energy resources: compare ways that different energy resources are used, the uses to include transport, electricity generation and heating

The idea

Different energy resources suit different uses because of energy density, portability, reliability and cost. Transport needs portable, energy-dense fuels, so petrol, diesel and jet fuel dominate, with battery electric vehicles and hydrogen increasingly used. Electricity generation needs resources that can drive turbines or photovoltaic cells, so coal, gas, nuclear, wind, hydroelectric and solar are common, chosen for reliability, output and emissions. Heating buildings and water can use natural gas boilers, electricity, solar thermal panels, geothermal heat or biomass, where storage and convenience matter. Comparing uses means matching each resource to the demands of the application and weighing advantages against drawbacks, such as gas being reliable but producing carbon dioxide, or wind being clean but variable.

What earns the marks

• Identify transport as needing portable, energy-dense fuels and link this to petrol, diesel, jet fuel, batteries or hydrogen.
• Identify electricity generation as needing resources that drive turbines or photovoltaic cells, such as coal, gas, nuclear, wind, hydroelectric and solar.
• Identify heating as using natural gas, electricity, solar thermal, geothermal or biomass, and explain why convenience and storage matter.
• Compare at least two resources for the same use, giving an advantage and a drawback for each, such as reliability against emissions or cost against availability.
• Use the demands of each use, including portability, reliability, energy density and environmental impact, to justify the resource chosen.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Claiming one resource is best for all uses.

  Put it right: Suitability depends on the demands of the use, so comparisons must be context-specific.

• Confusing electricity with a primary energy resource.

  Put it right: Electricity is a secondary energy carrier generated from resources such as gas, wind or nuclear fuel.

• Ignoring drawbacks of renewable resources.

  Put it right: State limitations such as variability of wind and solar or land use for hydroelectric schemes.

Exam tips

• Structure comparisons around the three named uses so every part of the question is addressed.
• For each comparison, give one advantage and one drawback rather than a one-sided list.
• Use comparative language such as more reliable, less portable or lower emissions to make the comparison explicit.