4.2 Energy Sector

Socio-scientific Issues

• Rapid population growth increases the demand for basic necessities and directly affects the environment and nature.
• A socio-scientific issue is an open problem that is a controversial social issue related to science and emphasises moral and scientific applications to real-world situations.
• Present environmental socio-scientific issues include:
  • global warming;
  • air pollution;
  • deforestation;
  • unplanned waste disposal; and
  • water pollution.
• Human activities release greenhouse gases and cause climate change.
• The greenhouse effect leads to drought, flash floods, an increase in Earth’s temperature, hurricanes and destruction of biodiversity.

Socio-scientific Issues in the Energy Sector

• Use of non-renewable energy resources such as petroleum, coal and natural gas rises each year according to countries’ needs; continued use may exhaust fossil-fuel resources.
• Burning fossil fuels releases large quantities of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
• Increased greenhouse gases cause increasingly critical global warming.
• Fossil-fuel combustion also contributes to extreme climate change, prolonged drought and other natural disasters.

Green Technology Applications in the Energy Sector

• Two priorities:
  • the way energy is generated or supplied; and
  • efficient use and distribution of the energy produced.
• Develop renewable energy to replace fossil fuels:
  • Hydroelectric energy — a major renewable resource for generating electricity; Kenyir Dam in Terengganu controls flood overflow and generates electricity.
  • Wind energy — a clean resource that can replace fossil fuels.
  • Solar energy — has development potential because Malaysia receives sufficient sunlight throughout the year.
  • Geothermal energy — a suitable alternative to fossil fuels where geographical conditions are appropriate.
• Expanding renewable-energy use reduces atmospheric carbon dioxide, thereby reducing the greenhouse effect and climate change.
• Holistic energy-efficiency campaigns encourage manufacturers to produce energy-efficient electrical appliances and consumers to save electricity.
• Consumer practices:
  • switch off electrical appliances when not in use;
  • set air conditioners at 24°C–25°C; and
  • use energy-efficient electrical appliances.

Issue-to-solution chain

Greater energy demand → greater use of non-renewable fossil fuels → more greenhouse-gas emissions → global warming and extreme climate change.

Renewable-energy resources + efficient energy use and distribution → less fossil-fuel combustion → lower carbon dioxide emissions → reduced greenhouse effect and climate change.