Fossil fuels: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. They occur naturally in the Earth, and can be burned for energy. They currently provide over 80% of the world's energy, but at a '''heavy environmental cost:''' pollution and climate change. Over 75% of all greenhouse gas emissions are due to burning fossil fuels. ==How much is there== Globally, per person, there is about 31 tonnes of oil (recoverable) somewhere in the Earth. {{ecalc|oil.re...") |
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Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. They occur naturally in the Earth, and can be burned for [[energy]]. They currently provide over 80% of the world's [[energy]], but at a | Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. They occur naturally in the Earth, and can be burned for [[energy]]. They currently provide over 80% of the world's [[energy]], but at a heavy environmental cost. | ||
== | [[Category:Energy sources]] | ||
{{considerations}} | |||
'''Terminology''' | |||
* Natural gas is sometimes referred to as just ''gas''. Not to be confused with gasoline. | |||
* Crude oil is also known as ''petroleum'', and it can be [[oil refining|refined]] into ''oil products'' such as gasoline and diesel. | |||
==Usage as an energy source== | |||
===Climate change=== | |||
{{basically|Major problem|bad}} | |||
Burning fossil fuels is the main cause of [[climate change]], due to the CO<sub>2</sub> it releases into the atmosphere. | |||
<!-- Over 75% of all [[climate change|greenhouse gas emissions]] are due to burning fossil fuels. --> | |||
For the same amount of energy, coal releases about twice as much CO<sub>2</sub> as natural gas, and oil is somewhere in between. | |||
<!-- TODO: add numbers, including for natural gas fugitive methane emissions in CO2eq --> | |||
===Other pollution=== | |||
{{basically|Sometimes manageable}} | |||
Burning fossil fuels releases more than just CO<sub>2</sub>. | |||
* Exhaust from cars and trucks | |||
* Exhaust from coal power plants | |||
These contain particles that are harmful to people and ecosystems.{{en}} | |||
Mitigation | |||
* Cars and trucks already have catalytic converters that eliminate some of this pollution - but not all of it. | |||
* For coal power plants, [[clean coal|newer technologies]] could avoid most of this pollution (but still not the CO<sub>2</sub> that causes climate change). | |||
===Scarcity=== | |||
{{basically|Eventual problem}} | |||
Oil reserves are [[peak oil|expected to run out]] in less than a century, by most estimates.{{qn}} Coal and natural gas are similar. | |||
Fossil fuels are not considered renewable{{x|despite being fossilized organic matter that was originally dead plants & animals}}, because existing oil reserves took millions of years to form. | |||
Globally, per person, there is about 31 tonnes of oil (recoverable) somewhere in the Earth. {{ecalc|oil.reserves|(tonnes per capita)(world.population)}}. Average production is about 1.5 kg/day per person {{ecalc|oil.production|(lbs/day per capita)(world.population)}}. Rich countries consume a lot more, poor countries use a lot less. | Globally, per person, there is about 31 tonnes of oil (recoverable) somewhere in the Earth. {{ecalc|oil.reserves|(tonnes per capita)(world.population)}}. Average production is about 1.5 kg/day per person {{ecalc|oil.production|(lbs/day per capita)(world.population)}}. Rich countries consume a lot more, poor countries use a lot less. | ||
==Non-energy usage== | |||
Fossil fuels are also used in making [[plastic]], most of which is [[packaging|disposable]]. Other uses include making thousands of different chemicals, but together they add up to only a small fraction of fossil fuel consumption. {{qn}} | |||
<!-- TODO: elaborate and split into subsections "plastic" and "other" --> | |||
<!-- | |||
==Chemistry== | ==Chemistry== | ||
Fossil fuel molecules are mainly hydrocarbons. | Fossil fuel molecules are mainly hydrocarbons. | ||
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Fossil fuels can also be used to make [[hydrogen gas]]. | Fossil fuels can also be used to make [[hydrogen gas]]. | ||
==Origins== | ==Origins== | ||
Coal and oil are formed from organic material (mostly plants, sometimes dead animals) that got buried in the Earth millions of years ago. | Coal and oil are formed from organic material (mostly plants, sometimes dead animals) that got buried in the Earth millions of years ago. | ||
--> | |||
Revision as of 21:09, 6 May 2023
Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. They occur naturally in the Earth, and can be burned for energy. They currently provide over 80% of the world's energy, but at a heavy environmental cost.
Terminology
- Natural gas is sometimes referred to as just gas. Not to be confused with gasoline.
- Crude oil is also known as petroleum, and it can be refined into oil products such as gasoline and diesel.
Usage as an energy source
Climate change
Burning fossil fuels is the main cause of climate change, due to the CO2 it releases into the atmosphere.
For the same amount of energy, coal releases about twice as much CO2 as natural gas, and oil is somewhere in between.
Other pollution
Burning fossil fuels releases more than just CO2.
- Exhaust from cars and trucks
- Exhaust from coal power plants
These contain particles that are harmful to people and ecosystems.[ELABORATION needed]
Mitigation
- Cars and trucks already have catalytic converters that eliminate some of this pollution - but not all of it.
- For coal power plants, newer technologies could avoid most of this pollution (but still not the CO2 that causes climate change).
Scarcity
Oil reserves are expected to run out in less than a century, by most estimates.[QUANTIFICATION needed] Coal and natural gas are similar.
Fossil fuels are not considered renewable
Globally, per person, there is about 31 tonnes of oil (recoverable) somewhere in the Earth. oil.reserves(tonnes per capita)(world.population). Average production is about 1.5 kg/day per person oil.production(lbs/day per capita)(world.population). Rich countries consume a lot more, poor countries use a lot less.
Non-energy usage
Fossil fuels are also used in making plastic, most of which is disposable. Other uses include making thousands of different chemicals, but together they add up to only a small fraction of fossil fuel consumption. [QUANTIFICATION needed]