IB Environmental systems and societies 7.2 Energy Sources - Uses and Management Key Definitions

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a technology that captures CO₂ emissions from industrial processes or power plants and stores it underground in geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas fields or deep saline aquifers.

The circular economy is an economic model that decouples economic growth from resource consumption by keeping materials, products, and resources in use for as long as possible.

Energy security refers to a country’s ability to access affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy sources without major disruptions.

Greenhouse gases are atmospheric gases that absorb infrared radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface and re-radiate it back, contributing to atmospheric warming.

The Passive House (Passivhaus) concept is an architectural approach that significantly reduces energy consumption for heating and cooling by maximizing natural insulation, ventilation, and solar gain.

Pumped hydroelectric storage is a method used to store energy by moving water between two reservoirs at different elevations.