IB ESS HL 7.2.4 Country energy choices Question Bank

a. availability of renewable/natural resources e.g. windy/sunny climate/presence of natural gas/biomass / limited/reduction of hydropower due to increasing drought / high agricultural activity produces material for biomass;
b. looking for energy security as they do not wish to import energy from Mexico in the future;
c. renewables may be cheaper to generate / improvements in technology are reducing cost of renewables / California can financially afford to use nuclear power/develop renewables / opt for natural gas because it is relatively cheap;
d. to meet GHG emission reduction targets, California may replace coal with cleaner burning gas/nuclear / to meet renewable energy targets/GHG emission reduction targets/carbon-free electricity target, California may use renewable energy sources;
e. natural gas is more reliable than renewables/does not depend on weather;
f. strong anti-pollution laws/campaigns/cultural attitudes may be leading them away from burning fossil fuels/toward renewables / (environmental values which lead to) improving sustainability by opting for renewables;
g. nuclear energy use is relatively low due to concerns over safety/nuclear waste;

Marking guidance:

Do not accept statements copied directly from the Resource Booklet e.g. 'California has plan to produce 100\% carbon-free electricity by 2045'.
Do not accept just 'geographical location/accessibility/cost/insolation/water shortage'.
Do not accept 'availability of renewable resource' without a specific example. Do not accept 'natural gas is easier to extract'.