Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons, primarily coal, fuel oil or natural gas, formed from the remains of dead plants and animals, and great sources of energy and great sources of pollution. Fossil fuels are used to power a lot of things, including vehicles, heat homes, industries, manufacturing, and for electricity. Primarily used fossil fuels are coal, natural gas, and oil, these fossil fuels are dangerous to the environment. When fossil fuels are burned, it emits harmful gases in the environment like greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases are gases that traps the heat, and can cause climate change like global warming, rising sea levels, acid rain, and many more. Basically fossil fuels are bad, but can alternative energy …show more content…
Solar energy comes from the sun and many living organisms depend on solar energy, like plant, aquatic life and animals. Solar energy is mainly used to generate heat and light. “Solar energy coming down to the planet is affected by the orbital path of the sun and its variations within the galaxy” according to Rinkesh. Rinkesh also wrote that solar energy was “believed to have been responsible for the breaking of ice during the ice age, which creates the separation of lands and sea.” Anyway about seventy percent of the sunlight gets reflected back into space and thirty percent of the sunlight to create energy for the nation's energy demands. There are two kinds of solar energy, the active solar energy and passive solar energy. Passive solar energy uses duration, position and sun’s rays intensity to its advantage in heating a particular area. Active solar energy uses electrical technology and mechanical technology. Solar energy is an effective alternative for fossil fuels because it does not create pollution and is also renewable. Wind energy is also a popular alternative energy source that have been used for centuries. It was used to power ship and made it possible for explorers to sail long distant lands. Wind energy that can be used to power things are created with windmills, “a single windmill can power crop irrigation, and the family energy needs, water pumping and electric lights” according to Rinkesh
Wind energy is another renewable source of energy that could be a potential alternative energy source. “Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy such as using: wind turbines to make electrical power, windmills for mechanical
While people have different beliefs pertaining to alternative energy, both forms of energy have been used throughout history. Fossil fuels are created from the remains of decayed animals and plants and then burned to make energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels grew in popularity during the Industrial Revolution when the first coal deposits were found (Mason). This discovery prompted a new age of energy and eventually led to the use of oil, another fossil fuel. Fossil fuels continued to grow and eventually became the world’s main energy source, but burning fossil fuels gives off carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that causes climate change. The climate change created by fossil fuels produced the controversy that surrounds this form of energy. Another popular energy source is alternative energy. Alternative energy is any form of energy besides fossil fuels, such as solar, wind, and nuclear power. Similar to fossil fuels, ideas of alternative energy began during the Industrial Revolution, however, these designs were not created until the 1950s (Mason). During the 1950s, the renewable forms of alternative energy were the most popular, due to the realization that fossil fuel sources would eventually be depleted. Today, research about alternative energy is still being done as this energy source is also controversial. Alternative energy is said to be less reliable and even more dangerous than fossil fuels. Although both alternative energy forms and fossil fuels are controversial, they remain relevant in today’s world because energy is necessary in people’s daily lives.
Wind energy is a term used to describe the process by which the wind is used to generate electricity or mechanical power. This alternative energy source is not a new technology. Wind mills, similar to wind turbines, have been in use since 2000 B.C. and were first developed in China and Persia. Now with the increasing demand for renewable power, wind turbines or wind generators are beginning to be seen scattered over the countryside. Wind power is believed to be a practical, renewable source of green energy. Wind turbines, like large aircraft propeller blades, turn in the moving air and power an electric generator that supplies an electric current to power homes, businesses, schools and more. Modern wind
Wind power has been used over centuries (Bowden 44). It converts the energy form the wind into wind power with the help of wind turbines (How Do Wind Turbines Work?). They can provide power for houses and farms. In order to fulfill the electricity needs of humans, large group of wind turbines can work together as wind farms (Catherall 32).
Fossil fuels are an important part of life. When you turn on the lights, watch TV, or take a shower, the electricity that you are using is being generated by fossil fuels. The three types of fossil fuels are coal, crude oil, and natural gas. They all take millions of years to form, so they are considered to be “non-renewable”- eventually, the fossil fuels will all be used up. One dangerous biological effect of using fossil fuels is ocean acidification. Extracting and transporting fossil fuels can also be very dangerous. Environmentally damaging accidents such as groundwater contamination, land subsidence, and oil spills occur frequently. Global warming is another possible environmental effect. Fossil fuels have a crucial role in modern
To find out what fossil fuels are, we must first know how they were formed. They were at first actual living organisms. “They were formed from prehistoric plants and animals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago” (Department of Energy, N.d, p.1). Examples of fossil fuels are oil, coal, and natural gas. All three of these resources are given a term “non-renewable.” This is because once we use all of these resources up, they are gone forever. These non-renewable resources also cannot be replaced in our lifetime. There is only a certain amount of these fossil fuels left in the Earth for us to be able to use.
The fossil fuels have been some of the primary sources of energy that we use in the world. There are some negatives to them like they pollute the air and it would not be renewable. It also has bad effects on the environment. This is where Alternative energies come into play. These sources are very efficient. There are multiple of these Alternative energies like Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectricity,etc. These are some energies that will help us be more efficient with our energy choices. The ones listed are the ones that I will talk about more in depth.
It is a clean source of energy, meaning, it has low or zero carbon and greenhouse emission. Fossil fuels emit high levels of greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide, which are greatly responsible for global warming, climate change, and degradation of air quality.
In 2011, fossil fuels accounted for approximately 82 percent of the world's primary energy use. The three mail fossil fuels consists of coal, natural gas, and oil. However, there are several negative issues that come along with using fossil fuels for energy. Fossil fuels are not a renewable source, and the burning of fossil fuels causes pollution, just to name a few. These negative factors are felt globally as every person on Earth has a need for energy and will be impacted by global climate changes. Because of these reason we should be concentrating our efforts on using and perfecting other sources for our energy.
The sun provides our planet with two major forms of solar energy; heat and light. Some solar powered systems use the heat energy; while others transform the light into useable electricity. There are generally three ways to convert the sun’s energy for use in our world: solar cells, solar water heating, and solar furnaces. Solar cells are the most popular and convert light energy directly into electricity and is considered “one of the most promising renewable energy
According to Ross Gelbspan, “Four-fifths of the world’s energy currently comes from fossil-based fuels”(62). This means that approximately 261,179,210 people use fossil fuels in their homes as an energy source in the U.S. Fossil fuels can be devastating or compelling. In my opinion, fossil fuels are devastating more than they are compelling. Noted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, in the article, “Coal Power: Air Pollution,” “In 2011, utility coal plants in the United States emitted a total of 1.7 billion tons of CO2.” Research shows that while fossil fuels have innovated the world, they also have a negative effect; therefore, they should be replaced.
Fossil fuels are a non-renewable energy resource. They are limited and will eventually run out. Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when they burn, which adds to the greenhouse effect and increases global warming. (Engr. Mansoor-ul-Hassan, 2014) Moreover, of the three fossil
It would be very difficult for our upcoming generations if we don’t pay the price of climate change now.Over the coming 25 or 30 years, scientists say, the climate is likely to resemble that of today, although gradually getting warmer, with more of the extreme heat waves that can kill vulnerable people. Rainfall will be heavier in many parts of the world, but the periods between rains will most likely grow hotter and drier. The number of hurricanes and typhoons may actually fall, but the ones that do occur will draw energy from a hotter ocean surface, and therefore may be more intense and will also lead to the melting of the polar ice caps, causing the seas to rise high enough to flood most of the world’s coastal cities ultimately leading to the loss of human population, destruction of land near to the sea coast which would eventually lead to slower progress and regular threats to people living near sea cost.
Coal and fossil fuels are running out. With over 20 coal-fuelled power stations in Australia and many more around the world, it is estimated that Australia’s coal supplies will run out in as little as 43 years (S. Mule, 2010). However, what if there were a way to prolong the amount of time these supplies last while at the same time reducing emissions and saving money? Combined Heat and Power could be the answer, but do the benefits of employing this system in Australia’s coal-fuelled power stations out weigh the disadvantages?
Solar energy, as the name itself suggests, is derived from the sun and is sourced from the radiant energy that is emitted by the sun. Solar energy thus obtained is transformed into various other useful forms of energy such as electricity, heat, light, mechanical and chemical power, and used for a most diverse range of purposes. The radiant energy is emitted through the rays of the sun which are primarily made up of radioactive waves. Of the entire amount of sun's energy incumbent on the earth's surface, the upper layers of the planet usually absorb around 70% of it through the various water bodies, landmasses and the atmosphere, while the rest is reflected back into space. Solar energy is an important alternative source of power for today's world and is finding wider acceptance everywhere with every passing day. In this respect, it is of much importance to learn about all the pros and cons of solar energy.