Energy facts and figures
The way we use energy and the types of energy we use have never been more important. But where does that energy come from and what do you know about it?
Facts about BP
- On 26th May 1908 the company which was to become the Anglo Persian Oil Company, and subsequently British Petroleum (BP) in 1954 struck oil at Masjid-i-Suleiman in Iran
- BP owns or operates over 40 000 km (25 000 miles) of pipeline worldwide. That’s enough to go once around the entire earth!
- In 1998 BP set itself the target of reducing its carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2010. This was actually achieved in 2001, nine years earlier than planned
- In 2005, BP announced that it will invest up to $8 billion over 10 years in solar, wind and hydrogen-fired power generation and high-efficiency gas-fired power generation
- BP employs some 97 000 people worldwide
Facts about fossil fuels
- In 2006 the total global consumption of oil was 3889.8 million tonnes. Of this total 24.1% was consumed by the US
- In 2006 coal was the world’s fastest growing fossil fuel with global consumption rising by 4.5%. The Asia Pacific region accounted for nearly 90% of this rise
- There are reckoned to be 909 064 million tonnes of proved reserves of coal still to be mined in the world
- Production from the UK’s natural gas reserves in the North Sea peaked in 2000 at 108.4 billon cubic metres. By 2006 production had dropped to 80.0 billion cubic metres as the fields are being depleted
- There are currently reckoned to be 181.46 trillion cubic metres of proven gas reserves worldwide
Facts about low carbon power
- The effect by which solar photovoltaic panels convert sunlight into electricity was first discovered by the French physicist Edmond Becquerel discovered as early as 1839
- Large wind farms in the US – with around 300 turbines – can each produce enough zero-carbon electricity to meet the needs of 120,000 average households annually
- Modern wind turbines start generating electricity when wind speeds reach 4 metres per second and cut out when winds reach storm force at 25 metres per second to avoid damaging the turbine
- Modern gas turbines are highly efficient. Gas is burned to spin a turbine and generator, waste heat from the gas is then used to turn water to steam which spins another turbine and generator. The remaining steam can then be used to supply nearby factories
Facts about climate change
- Greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane are a natural part of the atmosphere. The problem is that human activity is increasing their concentrations
- We do actually need some GHGs in the atmosphere. Without them the earth would be about 33°C cooler than it is now
- Carbon dioxide concentrations have risen from an estimated 280 parts per million (ppm) before the industrial revolution, to over 380 ppm today
- During the last century, the earth’s surface temperature rose by about 0.6°C. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects further warming of about 0.2°C per decade
- Global carbon dioxide emissions currently stand at about 25 billion tonnes per year
