Coal is our number one fossil fuel resource and the second most consumed fossil fuel behind crude oil which is refined into oils and fuels. Coal is formed from decaying plant matter in swamps and bogs over millions of years with the Earths geological processes altering and transforming this plant matter into a solid combustible sedimentary rock made of carbon and other gaseous substances producing a product which is packed with energy. Coal energy plays too significant a role in generating electricity and driving our economies to be dismissed altogether, but the environmental drawbacks of this non-renewable fossil fuel are being addressed to reduce its impacts on climate change
Carbon capture and storage is a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously meeting the growing energy demand around our planet. Capturing carbon dioxide and other such harmful gases is not a new technology but may be a viable way of decarbonising the atmosphere from gases and pollutants and storing them in suitable underground geological formations for permanent storage
Fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy. These non-renewable sources of coal, gas, oil and peat took thousands of years to form and cannot be replaced quickly during the persons lifespan. Fossil fuels exist in the earth in fixed amounts so need to be conserved before they become fully depleted. Mineral deposits of granite, slate, sand and gravel are also non-renewable sources being excavated and consumed for construction at an alarming rate. The use and burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation produces green house gas emissions and pollution accelerating global warming
Greenhouse gases is the generalised term used for products that have the potential to polute the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorocarbons. The driving forces behind greenhouse gas emissions is our increased energy use through burning fossil fuels for heating, transportation or energy production. The impacts of climate change due to human activity is one of the main driving forces behind greenhouse gas emissions and the need for climate change
Global warming and the environmental impacts of global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions and human activities could increase the planets average global temperature by upto 1.5 degsC within the coming years. Already the planet is experiencing temperature and weather extremes as well as droughts and haeavy rains. Sea levels will continue to rise as both artic and antartic ice sheets melt flooding low lands as a result of global warming
Fracking shale gas is a relatively new attempt at solving the challenges of burning more traditional fossil fuels. Methane gas created by the decomposition of trapped organic material over millions of years at high pressures and temperatures is trapped inbetween layers of impermeable nonporous hard rock called shale formations, creating pockets of gas deposits. As the gas cannot easily travel through these hard rock formations, the challenge is to reach these pockets and release the trapped gas by means of fracking
Fossil fuels have been used for hundreds of years to fuel our plant for cooking, heating and transportation. But the burning of fossil fuels produces emissions to the atmosphere of carbon dioxide from fossil-fuel combustion are of great concern around the world. The primary cause of these harmful emissions continues to be due to electricity generation and road transportation. Fossil fuel combustion also leads to the formation of various oxides in the atmosphere which when mixed with water forms acid rain that threatens wildlife in our streams, lakes, and rivers. While fossil fuels are essential for our global economy, their extraction, processing and use have profound impacts on the environment and its natural resources
Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources that we are using up faster than the natural process here on Earth which made them in the first place can replace them. The three most commonly used fossil fuel types being coal, petroleum oil, and natural gas known commonly as hydrocarbons. Fossil fuels are therefore classed as a non-sustainable resource as the Earth cannot replenish its stock at the same rate in which we are consuming them.
