Fossil fuel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Fossil fuels, also known as mineral fuels, are hydrocarbon-containing natural resources such as coal, petroleum and natural gas. The utilization of fossil fuels has fueled industrial development and largely supplanted water driven mills, as well as the burning of wood or peat for heat.
When generating electricity, energy from the combustion of fossil fuels is often used to power a turbine. Older generators often used steam generated by the burning of the fuel to turn the turbine, but in newer power plants the gases produced by burning of the fuel turn a gas turbine directly.
The burning of fossil fuels by humans is their major source of emissions of carbon dioxide which is one of the greenhouse gases that is believed to contribute to global warming. A small amount of hydrocarbon-based fuels are biofuels which are derived from atmospheric carbon dioxide and thus do not increase the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
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Origin
A limited resource
- Main article: Hubbert peak
Oil is believed to be a finite resource. Even if abiogenic oil is the source, the theory is not of practical use unless significant deposits are discovered. Significant usage of hydroelectricity and nuclear power and scientific advances have reduced the dependency on fossil fuels, of which household usage has increased nonetheless. Petroleum is also important because it is a source of petrochemicals, for which there are a vast variety of uses.
The principle of supply and demand suggests that as hydrocarbon supplies diminish, prices will rise. Therefore higher prices will lead to increased supplies as previously uneconomic sources become sufficiently economical to exploit. Artificial gasolines and other renewable energy sources currently require more expensive production and processing technologies than conventional petroleum reserves, but may then become economically viable. See future energy development.
See also
- List of energy topics
- Hubbert peak
- Future energy development
- Renewable energy and biofuels.
- Soft energy path
- Hydrogen car
- Abiogenic petroleum origin
External links
- U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper #1570, The Future of Energy Gases, 1993, Thomas Gold
- Dismissal of the Claims of a Biological Connection for Natural Petroleum.
- Oil Energy -- Its Impact - Resources pertaining to oil energy and its consequences of impact on the earth, both environmental as well as geopolitical; and why we need to seek alternative energy sources. (FreeEnergyNews.com)
- Peak Oil -- NOT! - addresses Magma oil, which says that some oil comes from non-biological origin and is renewable. (FreeEnergyNews.com)fbrgrgergedf
