"A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material such as coal, oil, and natural gas..."
The study of traditional energy sources, including coal, oil, and natural gas.
Types of Fossil Fuels: Understanding the differences between coal, oil, and natural gas, the methods used to extract them, and their specific uses in the energy sector.
Energy Economics: The study of how individuals, businesses, and governments allocate resources to meet their energy needs while considering supply, demand, and pricing factors.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The impact of fossil fuel use on the environment, including the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants released into the air.
Energy Policy: Government policies and regulations that govern the use of fossil fuels, including subsidies, taxes, and environmental regulations.
Energy Security: The availability and reliability of fossil fuel resources, as well as their impact on national security and geopolitical relationships.
Energy Efficiency: The use of technology and practices to improve the efficiency of energy production and consumption, including the development of alternative energy sources.
Energy Conservation: The act of reducing the amount of energy used by households and businesses through the adoption of energy-saving practices, technologies and habits.
Renewable Energy: The development and use of energy sources that are replenishable and sustainable, such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.
Energy Storage: The technology required to store energy for later use, including batteries, fuel cells and other forms of mechanical storage.
Carbon Capture and Storage: Techniques used to capture and store carbon emissions from fossil fuel power plants to reduce their impact on the environment.
Environmental Impact Assessments: Evaluating the potential environmental and social impact of fossil fuel extraction and use, including exploration and production.
Future Outlook and Alternatives: The potential future of energy systems, including the adoption of alternative energy sources, the reduction of fossil fuel consumption, and the development of new fossil fuel technologies.
Coal: Coal is a black or brownish-black sedimentary rock that is formed from the remains of plants that died millions of years ago. It is the most widely used fossil fuel and is primarily used as a fuel source for electricity generation, but also for industrial applications.
Oil: Oil, also known as petroleum, is a liquid fossil fuel that is formed from the decay of plant and animal remains. It serves as the primary fuel source for transportation, but is also used for heating and electricity generation.
Natural gas: Natural gas is a clean-burning fossil fuel that is made up primarily of methane. It is mostly used for heating and electricity generation, but is also becoming more popular as a fuel source for transportation.
Tar sands: Tar sands, also known as oil sands, are a mixture of sand, clay, water, and a thick, molasses-like substance called bitumen. They are primarily used to produce oil.
Oil shale: Oil shale is a sedimentary rock that contains kerogen, which can be converted into oil when heated. It is primarily used in the production of liquid fuels.
Peat: Peat is an organic sedimentary material that forms in wetland environments. It is primarily used as a fuel for heating and electricity generation.
Methane hydrates: Methane hydrates are a type of ice-like substance that are formed under low temperatures and high pressures in the ocean floor. They are considered a potential future energy source.
Synfuels: Synfuels are fuels that are made from coal, oil shale, or tar sands using chemical processes. They include fuels such as synthetic gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
"Fossil fuels are formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals..."
"Fossil fuels may be burned to provide heat for use directly... to power engines... or to generate electricity."
"Some fossil fuels are refined into derivatives such as kerosene, gasoline, and propane before burning."
"Over 80% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by human activity... comes from burning fossil fuels."
"The large-scale burning of fossil fuels causes serious environmental damage."
"The burning of fossil fuels is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions causing global warming and ocean acidification."
"In 2019, 84% of primary energy consumption in the world and 64% of its electricity was from fossil fuels."
"Around 35 billion tonnes a year."
"Although methane leaks are significant, the burning of fossil fuels is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions causing global warming and ocean acidification."
"Additionally, most air pollution deaths are due to fossil fuel particulates and noxious gases."
"It is estimated that this costs over 3% of the global gross domestic product."
"...focused on ending their use in favor of sustainable energy."
"This transition is expected to have significant economic impacts."
"Many stakeholders argue that this change needs to be a just transition and create policy that addresses the societal burdens created by the stranded assets of the fossil fuel industry."
"United Nations sustainable development goals for affordable and clean energy and climate action, as well as the Paris Climate Agreement..."
"No new fossil fuel extraction projects could be opened if the global economy and society wants to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and meet international goals for climate change mitigation."
"The origin of fossil fuels is the anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms..."
"The conversion from these materials to high-carbon fossil fuels typically requires a geological process of millions of years."
"Therefore, there is a net increase of many billion tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year."