ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS AND SOCIETIES

A Comparison of the Energy Choices Made by Two Contrasting Countries

1. Argentina and India

Argentina:
- Location and Borders: Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
Chile and Uruguay.
- Capital City: Buenos Aires (Metro Area Population: 13.3 million)
- Total Area: 2,766,890 sq km
- Population: 40,302,000
- Fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman
- Demographic Growth Rate: 0.94%
- Government System: republic
- GDP per capita: $20,055
- GDP by sector: Agriculture, forestry, and fishing: 6.0%, mining: 3.6%, manufacturing: 17.2%,
construction: 5.6%, commerce and tourism: 16.9%, transport, communications, and utilities:
7.9%, government: 9.5%, business, social and other services: 33.3%.

India:
- Capital of India: New Delhi
- Belongs to Continent: Asia
- Total Area: 3,287,590 km2
- Population: 1,210,193,422
- Fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman
- Demographic Growth Rate: 1.1%
- Government System: republic
- GDP per capita: $9,027
- GDP by sector: Household consumption: 59.1%, Government consumption: 11.5%, Investment in
fixed capital: 28.5%, Investment in inventories: 3.9%, Exports of goods and services: 19.1%, Imports of
goods and services: -22%.

Fig 1: Population pyramid, Argentina, 2017 Fig 2: Population pyramid, India, 2017
Fig 3: Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) by source (Argentina)

Renewable sources (hydro, 8%

wind, solar, biofuels and waste)

Fossil fuels 90%

(coal, oil, natural gas)

Nuclear 2%

Fig 3: Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) by source (India)

 Renewable sources (hydro, 25%
wind, solar, biofuels and waste)

Fossil fuels 74%

(coal, oil, natural gas)

Nuclear 1%

3. THE ENERGY POLICIES:

ARGENTINA → in the electricity sector, Argentina is the third largest country in Latin America in
power msking. It relies on thermal generation (60&) and hydropower generation (36%). It still has
great amount of untapped hydroelectric potential. The termal generation on natural gas is in risk due
to the doubt on future gas suministration.

INDIA → the energy policy of india it is defined in great measure by the expansion in energy deficit
and a higher focus on alternative sourcws of energy such as solar and wind energy. In 2014, it was
one of the top countries in self-sufficient energy at 66%.

4. THE TRENDS (1990-2018)

ARGENTINA:
INDIA:
5. THE FUTURE

Argentina → The Argentine mega deposit for unconventional hydrocarbons, called La Vaca Muerta,
is attracting the attention of national and foreign investors. Private companies estimate $ 8 million and
the total figure for the coming years is $ 120 million.

According to a senior executive at Exxonmobil, the oil company, once Vaca Muerta is
operating at peak production, the United States and Argentina together will account for 30%
of the world's gas production.
India → As per the research by University of Technology (LUT) in Finland,_owning to an
abundance of renewable resources,_there is a great potential for India to move into a fully
renewable electricity system by 2050.

Further, _renewable energy storage market in India is also expected to witness robust
growth, over the next decade, _once the cost of storage declines,_which is likely to
happen because of sheer volume growth through the electric vehicle route._