Renewable Energy Multiple Choice Questions on “World Energy Status -1”.
1. Which of the following best describes world energy consumption?
a) Total energy produced and used by humanity
b) Total energy consumed by humanity
c) Total energy consumed by humans in the biological pyramid
d) Total energy produced by humans in the biological pyramid
Answer: a
Clarification: World energy consumption is the total energy produced and used by humanity. It includes all energy harnessed from every source.
2. Which of the following is NOT included in world energy consumption?
a) Solar energy
b) Energy from food
c) Energy from wind
d) Energy from fossil fuels
Answer: b
Clarification: Energy from food is not included in world energy consumption. Since the energy consumption from biomass is difficult to calculate, it has not been well-documented.
3. World energy consumption is measured _______
a) quarterly
b) half-yearly
c) yearly
d) every decade
Answer: c
Clarification: World energy consumption is generally measured year. It involves all energy harnessed from every possible energy source towards humanity’s endeavors.
4. Which of the following energy sources is majorly used?
a) Wind energy
b) Nuclear energy
c) Hydrogen energy
d) Fossil fuels
Answer: d
Clarification: Burning fossil fuels supplies more than 80 percent of world’s energy. It is the major cause of some of the world’s pressing problems like global warming and climate change.
5. Which of the following is perceived to contribute towards world population growth?
a) Uganda
b) USA
c) UK
d) Germany
Answer: a
Clarification: Developing countries like Uganda, Botswana, India, China, etc. are perceived to contribute towards immense growth of world population. This is because of poverty and high infant mortality rate.
6. Why is there a demand for renewable sources of energy?
a) Because they emit greenhouse gases
b) Because of low or zero carbon footprint
c) Because of the decreasing global temperatures
d) Because they are more efficient
Answer: b
Clarification: Renewable energy sources are required because they have zero or extremely low carbon footprint. Thus, greenhouse gas emissions from such sources are negligible as compared to fossil fuels.
7. As the population grows, the demand for energy ________
a) decreases
b) remains the same
c) increases
d) becomes volatile
Answer: c
Clarification: As world population increases, the demand for energy increases. This is because energy demand and consumption per capita increases.
8. Which of the following countries will experience a major increment in energy demand?
a) USA
b) France
c) UK
d) China
Answer: d
Clarification: China will experience a major increment in energy demand. China is the most populated country in the world and its population is expected to increase. Moreover, China is a developing country. Though the Chinese government have taken steps to curb the growth, catering to the demands of the existing population is extremely challenging.
9. Despite significant investments in renewable sector, why are fossil fuels still used?
a) Because of logistic, structural and operational issues
b) Because people do not trust the renewable sector
c) Because fossil fuels are cheap
d) Because global warming is a hoax
Answer: a
Clarification: Despite significant investments in renewable energy sector, fossil fuels still dominate and supply 80% of world’s energy. This is mainly because of logistic, structural and operational issues. For instance, it is a financial challenge to replace the existing machinery.
10. Which of the following institutions publish energy data?
a) NASA
b) International Energy Agency (IEA)
c) ISRO
d) Microsoft
Answer: b
Clarification: Institutions such as the International Energy Agency (IEA), the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the European Environment Agency (EEA) publish energy data. NASA and ISRO are space agencies. Microsoft is a for-profit software solution company.
11. What is total primary energy supply?
a) Total energy produced and used by humanity
b) Total energy consumed by humanity
c) Sum of energy production minus storage changes
d) Sum of energy production including storage changes
Answer: c
Clarification: Total primary energy supply (TPES) is the sum of energy production minus storage changes. TPES can be used as an estimator for energy consumption as yearly changes in energy storage are negligible.
12. What is the unit of total primary energy supply?
a) Watts
b) Joules
c) Newtons
d) Watt-hours
Answer: d
Clarification: Total primary energy supply (TPES) is measured in watt-hours (Wh). In 2013, IEA estimated that TPES was 157.5 petawatt hours. Watts is the unit of power. Joules is the unit of energy. Newtons is the unit of force.
13. What was the growth in energy demand in the year 2018 as stated by IEA?
a) 2.3%
b) 1.3%
c) 1%
d) 0.5%
Answer: a
Clarification: In 2018, the growth in energy demand was 2.3%. This was remarkable because until then the average annual growth rate was 1.3%. Emissions also increase as the demand for energy increases.
14. World energy consumption is a power source metric of civilization.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: World energy consumption is a power source metric of civilization. It has deep implications for humanity in terms of policy making and political decisions.
15. It estimated that the world energy consumption will grow by 50% between 2018 and 2050.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: It is estimated that the world energy consumption will grow by 50% between 2018 and 2050. Many renowned energy organizations like IEA and EIA agree with this estimate. This is to cater to the demands of growing population.