ecoView Inner Ecology Planting for the Planet ecoArts ecoTipping Ecology Kids

Solar Energy
Wind
Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Energy Resources Related Articles
Geothermal
Solar Surges: Renewable
Biomass By Eric McLamb, September 6, 2011 Energy Jobs Topped 8
Million in 2015
Hydropower
Energy’s Future Today 100% Renewable Energy:
What We Can Do in 10
Fossil Fuels Years
There is a great deal of information and
Nuclear enthusiasm today about the development Al Gore: The case for
and increased production of our global optimism on climate change
Energy Use energy needs from alternative energy New Report Details Path to
sources. Solar energy, wind power and 100% Renewables by 2050
ENERGY ON ECOLOGY moving water are all traditional sources of Green Energy
TV alternative energy that are making Breakthroughs
progress. The enthusiasm everyone shares
Last Chance Saloon
for these developments has in many ways
created a sense of complacency that our
ENERGY
future energy demands will easily be met.
Alternative energy is an interesting
concept when you think about it. In our
global society, it simply means energy
The sun is the ultimate source of energy for
that is produced from sources other than our planet. Its energy is found in fossil fuels Recent Posts
our primary energy supply: fossil fuels. as well as all living things. Harnessing its Future Bioeconomy Supported by
Coal, oil and natural gas are the three energy holds great promise for the world’s More Than One Billion Tons of
kinds of fossil fuels that we have mostly energy needs, and it will be heavily called Biomass Potential
upon as fossil fuels are depleted.
depended on for our energy needs, from Closure of Diablo Canyon Nuclear
home heating and electricity to fuel for our Plant
automobiles and mass transportation. Solar Surges: Renewable Energy
Jobs Topped 8 Million in 2015
The problem is fossil fuels are non-renewable. They are limited in supply and will one day Experimental Biomass Harvest a
be depleted. There is no escaping this conclusion. Fossil fuels formed from plants and Step Toward Sustainable, Biofuels-
Powered Future
animals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago and became buried way underneath
the Earth’s surface where their remains collectively transformed into the combustible How Biofuels Can Cool Our Climate
and Strengthen Our Ecosystems
materials we use for fuel.
ET NEWS
In fact, the earliest known fossil fuel deposits are from the Cambrian Period about 500
million years ago, way before the dinosaurs emerged onto the scene. This is when most of
the major groups of animals first appeared on Earth. The later fossil fuels — which provide
more substandard fuels like peat or lignite coal (soft coal) — began forming as late as five
million years ago in the Pliocene Period. At our rate of consumption, these fuels cannot
occur fast enough to meet our current or future energy demands. Latest News
Maryland to Become First State U.S.
Despite the promise of alternative energy sources — more appropriately called renewable State to Ban Bee-Killing Pesticides
energy, collectively they provide only about 7 percent of the world’s energy needs (Source: Closure of Diablo Canyon Nuclear
Energy Information Agency). This means that fossil fuels, along with nuclear energy — a Plant
controversial, non-renewable energy source — are supplying 93 percent of the world’s Happy American Eagle Day
Select Language
energy resources. Norway Becomes the First Country
to Ban Deforestation
Nuclear energy, which is primarily
Secretary Kerry Signs Paris
generated by splitting atoms, only provides Agreement on Climate Change on
6 percent of the world’s energy Earth Day 2016
supplies. Still, nuclear energy is not likely
to be a major source of world energy
consumption because of public pressure
and the relative dangers associated with
unleashing the power of the atom. Yet,
governments such as the United States
see its vast potential and are placing
pressure on the further exploitation of
nuclear energy.
The total world energy demand is for about
400 quadrillion British Thermal Units — or

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 BTUs — each year (Source: US
Department of Energy). That’s
400,000,000,000,000,000 BTUs! A BTU is
roughly equal to the energy and heat
generated by a match. Oil, coal and
natural gas supply nearly 88 percent of the
world’s energy needs, or about 350
quadrillion BTUs. Of this amount, oil is
king, providing about 41 percent of the
world’s total energy supplies, or about 164
quadrillion BTUs. Coal provides 24 percent
of the world’s energy, or 96 quadrillion
BTUs, and natural gas provides the
remaining 22 percent, or 88 quadrillion
BTUs.
It’s not so much that we mine fossil fuels
Dams are a major source of hydroelectric
energy, such as the Hoover Dam on the for our consumption any more than it is to
Colorado River (pictured). While they collect mine salt or tap water supplies way
the vast raw energy provided by water underground. The problems occur when we
currents, they also create environmental destroy ecosystems while mining it and
hazards such as silt buildup. They are also
significant barriers to fish, such as the while using it. Certainly, if there were a
salmon of the Pacific Northwest, which must way that fossil fuels can be mined and
migrate in order for the species to survive. used in ways that do not harm our
The Hoover Dam is a major source of energy
for the southwestern US. (Photo: US Bureau ecology, then everything will be okay… in
of Reclamation) a perfect world. What makes our world
perfect is that, it really isn’t perfect
according to definition. It is natural, with all
things interdependent on each other to live, grow and produce. Fossil fuel mining and oil
production can and has caused irreparable damage to our environment.

The Fossil Fuel Dilemma

Fossil fuels exist, and they provide a valuable service. It’s not so much that we use fossil
fuels for energy that is problematic, but it’s the side effects of using them that causes all
of the problems. Burning fossil fuels creates carbon dioxide, the number one greenhouse
gas contributing to global warming. Combustion of these fossil fuels is considered to be
the largest contributing factor to the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In
the 20th century, the average temperature of Earth rose 1 degree Fahrenheit (1°F).
This period saw the most prolific population growth and industrial development — which
was and remains totally dependent on the use of energy — in Earth’s history.
The impact of global warming on the environment is extensive and affects many areas. In
the Arctic and Antarctica, warmer temperatures are causing the ice to melt which will
increase sea level and change the composition of the surrounding sea water. Rising sea
levels alone can impede processes ranging from settlement, agriculture and fishing both
commercially and recreationally. Air pollution is also a direct result of the use of fossil
fuels, resulting in smog and the degradation of human health and plant growth.
But there are also the great dangers posed to natural ecosystems that result from
collecting fossil fuels, particularly coal and oil. Oil spills have devastated ecosystems and
coal mining has stripped lands of their vitality. These among others are the primary
reasons to discontinue the pursuit to tap the vast oil reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge (ANWR).
The oil, coal and natural gas companies
know these are serious problems. But until
our renewable energy sources become
more viable as major energy providers, the
only alternative for our global population is
for these companies to continue tapping
into the fossil fuel reserves to meet our
energy needs. And you can pretty much
count on these companies being there
providing energy from renewable sources
when the fossil fuels are depleted. Many oil
companies, for example, are involved in the
development of more reliable renewable
energy technologies. For example, British
Petroleum Company, today known as BP,
has become one of the world’s leading
providers of solar energy through its BP
Oil fossil fuels come from marine plants and
animals and are found only underneath the Solar division, a business that they are
ocean or under land that was covered by planning on eclipsing their oil production
the oceans millions of years ago. This oil rig business in the near future.
is located offshore in the Arabian Gulf.
(Photo: Saudi Arabian Embassy – London)

Future Supplies for Future Energy

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
Just how limited are our fossil fuel reserves? Some estimates say our fossil fuel reserves
will be depleted within 50 years, while others say it will be 100-120 years. The fact is that
neither one of these projections is very appealing for a global community that is so heavily
dependent on fossil fuels to meet basic human needs. The bottom line: We are going to
run out of fossil fuels for energy and we have no choice but to prepare for the new age of
energy production since, most certainly, human demands for energy will not decrease.
Nobody really knows when the
last drop of oil, lump of coal or
cubic foot of natural gas will be
collected from the Earth. All of it
will depend on how well we
manage our energy demands
along with how well we can
develop and use renewable energy
sources.
And here is one very important
factor: population growth. As the
population grows upwards towards
nine billion people over the next
50 years, the world’s energy Modern windmills have become very efficient at
demands will increase transferring the energy of wind to electricity. Wind
power is an important part of the overall renewable
proportionately. Not only will it be energy sources for the future. (Photo: CORE)
important for renewable energy to
keep up with the increasing
population growth, but it must outpace not only these demands but begin replacing fossil
fuel energy production if we are to meet future energy needs.
By the year 2020, world energy consumption is projected to increase by 50 percent, or an
additional 207 quadrillion BTUs. If the global consumption of renewable energy sources
remains constant, the world’s available fossil fuel reserves will be consumed in 104 years
or early in the 22nd century.(Source: US Department of Energy) Clearly, renewable energy
resources will play an increasingly vital role in the power generation mix over the next
century.

The Ultimate Energy Sources as the Underdogs

Sun, wind and water are perfect
energy sources…depending on
where you are. They are non-
polluting, renewable and efficient.
They are simple: all you need is
sunlight, running water and/or
wind. Not only do the use of
renewable energy sources help
reduce global carbon dioxide
emissions, but they also add
some much-needed flexibility to
the energy resource mix by
decreasing our dependence on
Solar energy is having the most immediate impact on limited reserves of fossil fuels.
home energy needs, and is expected to provide the
energy needs for one billion people by the middle of Essentially, these renewable
this century. Homes can be fitted with solar panels, energy sources create their own
such as the ones pictured above. (Photo: Maui Green
Energy) energy. The object is to capture
and harness their mechanical
power and convert it to electricity
in the most effective and productive manner possible. There’s more than enough renewable
energy sources to supply all of the world’s energy needs forever; however, the challenge is
to develop the capability to effectively and economically capture, store and use the energy
when needed.
Take solar energy for example. The ultimate source of energy is the sun. Its energy is
found in all things, including fossil fuels. Plants depend on the sun to make food, animals
eat the plants, and both ended up becoming the key ingredients for fossil fuels. Without
the sun, nothing on this planet would exist.
The sun also provides enough energy that can be stored for use long after the sun sets
and even during extended cloudy periods. But making it available is much easier said than
done. It would be cost prohibitive to make solar energy mainstream for major world
consumption in the near future. The technology is pretty much ready for many business
and consumer applications, but it would be way too expensive to replace the current
energy infrastructure used for fossil fuel energy. Still, according to the European
Photovoltaic Industry Association, solar power could provide energy for more than one
billion people by 2020 and 26 percent of global energy needs by 2040.
Wind and hydroelectric power, which have been used effectively for generations, are also
rapidly growing energy markets. The principle behind both is that the force of the wind and
water currents are passed through turbines which convert their energy into electricity.
Commercial wind energy is usually collected by wind “farms” essentially consisting of

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 hundreds of wind turbines (windmills) spread over large plots of land.
But hydroelectric power is harnessed in several different methods. The most popular is
through dams, such as the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. Another form of
hydroelectric energy is tidal power. In use since the early 1900s, tidal power stations
collect the energy created by the rise and fall of the tides to convert to electricity.
Biomass energy, or energy from burning plants and other organic matter, is one of man’s
earliest sources of energy. Wood was once the main source of power for heat, and it still
is in many developing countries. Most people in developed countries use wood only for
aesthetic purposes or secondary heating, limited mainly to fireplaces and decorative
woodstoves. Roughly one to two billion people in the developing nations still use wood as
their primary source of heat. It is this group that is seen being among the first to convert to
solar heating and energy because there is no other existing infrastructure to hinder its
development.

Conclusions
Perhaps the best solution to our growing energy challenges comes from The Union of
Concerned Scientists: “No single solution can meet our society’s future energy needs. The
solution instead will come from a family of diverse energy technologies that share a
common thread — they do not deplete our natural resources or destroy our environment.”

Did You Know?

Wind energy is actually a form of solar energy. Wind is formed from the heating and
cooling of the atmosphere, which causes air and air layers to rise and fall and move over
each other. This movement results in wind currents.

More Information Sources

Energy Sources & Production: US Department of Energy
Energy & The Environment (US DOE)
About Fossil Fuels (US DOE)
Energy Information Administration (DOE)
Fossil Energy
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network
Renewable Energy: Union of Concerned Scientists
United States Energy and World Energy Production and Consumption Statistics
The Energy Story

Like 140 8 Share 6 Submit

You might also like:

Power to the People - Germany's Turn to a Green Energy

Video Renewable Energy Future Breakthroughs

68 Responses to Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Energy

Resources

Lockwoodkids1 says:
October 7, 2011 at 6:00 pm

I Love learning about fossil fuels.. so new and interesting..doing an

essay,,WHHOOPPPEE!

Anonymous says:
October 7, 2011 at 7:04 pm

Good Luck with your essay!

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 Crazyofall says:
November 4, 2011 at 6:38 am

haha doing an essay 2 haha

yolo says:
September 30, 2012 at 11:05 am

haha doing a speech lol

me says:
March 29, 2012 at 4:43 am

i love fossil fuels too

we should meet oneday we love the same things

Lovleylou says:
June 21, 2012 at 5:02 am

sadddooooo

Lovelylou says:
June 21, 2012 at 5:03 am

only jokin i love learning abt it too o we r so alike

Sweetasbro says:
November 1, 2011 at 7:21 am

this so helped me for my assingment for school.

Michael Parker53 says:

November 7, 2011 at 2:36 pm

grrr

ana says:
November 14, 2011 at 9:23 am

This so doesn’t help me. I need to argue against renewable energy.

Madvegan says:
December 5, 2011 at 9:56 am

well, RE is great but remember that it still takes a lot of energy to

manufacture the materials that are used in the production of wind and solar
devices; energy which is currently obtained from fossil fuels. and whilst they
are called renewable the products themselves will still need maintenance and
upkeep, again requiring FFs to service them.

Good luck!

Tennistutor says:
June 13, 2012 at 4:51 am

What the renewable energy industry needs to remind people is the

jobs created in building and maintaining the infrastructure. If

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 renewables are given a chance they have the potential to almost
eliminate unemployment. Also as new models come online the
efficiency will increase, so it’s not like any technology stays the
same which is what the Fossil fuel lobby likes to claim and they
ignore the employment benefits

Johnno says:
October 29, 2015 at 3:35 am

But what about the jobs that are in FFs at the moment?

gwenbr00ks says:
March 26, 2012 at 7:51 pm

same here!! It’s pretty hard ugh! lots of luck to us both!!!

Johnno says:
October 29, 2015 at 3:22 am

Another point is the cost/time of overhead required for renewables (i.e.

installation, approvals, parts, training etc.) that aren’t required for traditional
FFs. Sure, it’s an uphill battle, arguing against renewable energy, but it’s not
a hard one. Usually, change in any industry requires alot of funding, this isn’t
something anyone can do (at least for small industries) or until research and
development can make these costs lower.

ysm vik5 says:

December 2, 2011 at 7:59 am

solar panels are the best in my life

Kroulston says:
December 6, 2011 at 6:55 am

How will one keep warm during cold bleak winter months without the use of FFs in the
future?

EricM says:
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am

Hi Kroulston. That’s always a good question. Using blankets would work, but
it is unlikely it will get that bad! The fact is, as all the geophysicists and
economists will tell you, we will never use up all of the fossil fuel reserves but
will use them to a point where they become too expensive to use. That in
itself will foster the development of alternative fuels many of which we are
seeing being developed today. Solar power and wind power and beginning to
make major inroads to our energy supply. There is also hundreds of years
worth of methane hydrates (another fossil fuel) that could be tapped, but it is
too dangerous for today’s existing technology…. maybe one day. As fossil
fuels begin to fall short, necessity will drive the production and use of
alternative energy. The oil companies already know that day is coming and
they are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on developing alternative
fuels today for the future.I hope this brief oversight is helpful. Thank you for
writing…. Eric McLamb

Kroulston says:

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 December 7, 2011 at 5:52 am

Thank you Eric for your informative reply.

Grey Winters says:

June 29, 2015 at 2:02 pm

Wind and solar are dying, The technology has peaked and the
search for better elements to make them more efficient is over,
unless we start space travel and locate some new unknown source
on Mars or some other planet these two industry are doomed.

Johnno says:
October 29, 2015 at 3:17 am

They’re not dying, it’s only really starting now, efficiency is

higher than current tech now. Only big thing now is,
international policy, funding, power storage, power
transportation, improved management. It’s already more
efficient. I don’t think you understand the basis behind
wind and power as you say….they’re renewable, they’re
omnipresent on earth; there will always be wind and solar
as long as the earth rotates, as long as the sun shines, as
long as there is the earth exists etc….not sure what you
mean by ‘dying’ when they are among the fastest growing
power sources globally and haven’t even surpassed their
prime yet.

Hi Ho says:
February 2, 2012 at 3:26 am

Biomethane (from landfill et al) can be used to cook and heat with during the
Winter. If you’re into storing Hydrogen, make it via electrolysis of water and
from biomass digestion. Use that Hydrogen during the Winter to cook and
heat with. Off-the-grid types in Taos, New Mexico live in “Earth Ships.” They
are able to use renewables to heat and cook with during the year. So, fossil
fuels are not needed to survive anymore.

Johnno says:
October 29, 2015 at 3:20 am

Through more efficient innovation of power storage and

distribution/transportation! (& other alternative energies not mentioned in the
article) Of course, you’re not wrong, until they perfect power storage fossil
fuels still have their place, but that’s why there’s so much more research and
development in these areas now and why so much money is going into this
research. Don’t you worry, we’re more advanced in this than you think. (I’m an
elec. engineer) We’ll be fine with alternative energies with the current progress
we’re making.

MP says:
December 8, 2011 at 5:35 pm

Haha I’m using this for an essay, as well.

SAVETHEWORLD says:
December 11, 2011 at 12:27 pm

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
I am trying so hard to finish reading all this for my homework but my mind keeps
wondering to curly frize he he he he

MMAL says:
December 13, 2011 at 10:06 am

I dont understand why we need renewable energy? Help me!

Yourfriend says:
May 18, 2012 at 3:34 pm

Finish reading and you will understand. Fossil fuels will end soon and no one
knows when they will end. People should start to make new plans to get more
energy and not depend on energy in oil, coal and natural gas.

Ljcasilva2000 says:
December 28, 2011 at 11:18 pm

Just think about ‘Solar Highways’ getting a whopping big stimulus package of 750,000.
dollars to help build a trial 12×12′ pannel.that could lead to an energy and road system
breakthrough of historic proportions.
Whats the problem here? Is the US gov. serious about anything worthwhile?
Visit the web sight and see what I mean.

James Amyx says:

January 22, 2013 at 12:21 am

They got their money and went out of business, but some that survived are
building solar panels in China…. America for all this pontificating is an energy
rich nation and energy prices will be lower in America then Europe or Japan
for the next 200+ years. Be looking for our current administration to move to a
natural gas centered energy policy as America has more natural gas then the
entire Middle East has oil. Combines with the fact that all sewers and garbage
dumps produce lots of methane I doubt we will ever run out of those forms of
energy.

Hi Ho says:
February 2, 2012 at 3:22 am

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. That said, if the author of this article
wants to be technically correct, substitute “power” EVERYWHERE that “energy”
appears.

Answertoquestions says:
May 18, 2012 at 3:31 pm

But there is a thing called renewable energy an non-renewable energy. Non-

renewable energy is energy that when you will use it, it will end. The author is
trying to telling people that we need to start to develope a new plan for energy
because you never know when fossil fuels will end.

joncat613 says:
February 2, 2012 at 4:09 pm

My question is, What will be the best alternative to the worlds ever increasing demand

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
for energy? Wind, Solar, Nuclear, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal? All have there pros and cons
so which one is best? Wind and solar are expensive to contruct and maintain per kWh,
Nuclear is the cheapest but it can be unstable and harmfull. Oil and Natural Gas could
have adverse effects on the environment as well as heath issues due to the
unconventional horizontal drilling and hydrofracking. And Coal is dirty anyway you look
at it, the mining process is dangerous and the emitions by coal burning power plants
are detrimental to the air quality. So which ones are best???

suzi says:
February 7, 2012 at 2:15 pm

fossil fuels are bad we need to switch over to wnd nd solar powPr

4jgold says:
February 10, 2012 at 12:23 pm

Abandoning Fossil Fuels right now would be a waist, we should keep using
FF but at the same time, develop RE technology so when we run out of FF we
will know how to use the energy that we can harness from the Wind, Water,
and the Sun to the fullest. Maybe someone will find away for fossil fuels to not
have as much as an effect in the atmosphere. We can not just stop using our
most powerful and most known source. Eventually we will have no choice but
to swich to RE. The Green House effect just gets worse but untill we know
more about RE and FF, we must work with what we have if we can live to see
the day when RE is the main source of power for our planet

Birdch says:
February 22, 2012 at 11:25 pm

I really appreciate this huge piece of trustworthy information. Thank you so much for
writing this article

Chris Kuestner says:

February 23, 2012 at 3:01 pm

Also writing a paper on ‘green’ energy for college. One question though: How do we
know that the first fossil fuel was available over 500 million years ago? Before the
dinosaurs? Seriously. We aren’t 100% how the earth came to be. The Big Bang is
merely a theory and we have no way of proving that. Likewise with God.

JustAGuy says:
November 6, 2014 at 11:59 pm

Carbon dating is pretty reliable. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons and pretty
much carbon, in the case of coal.

Bacon says:
December 10, 2014 at 2:24 am

yeah, my question with carbon dating, is noone can fully prove it

works. The only, and I mean only, way to prove it is to find someone
that lived that long and ask if the item actually did exist then…
otherwise it’s just a theory.

Johnno says:
October 29, 2015 at 3:13 am

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 Carbon dating is actually relatively accurate to an error of
+- 80 years for ONLY up to 75,000 years, the article
claims (5 million) which is beyond that. I’m guessing this
estimate was done via other means. As for no one being
able to prove it, well, no one can prove anything in science
if you need anecdotal and physical proof of someone who
lived 5 million years ago, or proof that there are electron
movement in electricity…like you say

Lindseylouwho15 says:
March 11, 2012 at 7:09 pm

Hi, I have a question for Eric McLamb, I was wondering if you had any information about
how many jobs opportunities would be created from switching to alternative energy? We
would lose many jobs within the oil industry.. would some approach us within wind and
solar energy? Thank you!

Eric McLamb says:

March 14, 2012 at 12:55 pm

Dear Lindsey… Thank you for your question, and it is a very good one! The
best way to look at this would be to understand that today’s oil companies
are also involved in developing renewable energy (i.e., BP is leading the oil
industry in development of solar and wind energy, and Exxon-Mobil is
investing heavily in the development of algal bio-fuels, just to name only two).
In addition, many alternative energy companies are working with and are being
supported by the oil companies in the development of alternative energy
resources. The fact is, oil companies know that fossil fuel supplies are not
only finite and will one day be economically depleted (used to the point where
they are not worth the cost and effort to maintain them for energy production).
the smart theing for them is to be part of the development of alternative energy
which is the future of the world’s energy supply. So, in a simple way, you can
say that literally everyone working with oil companies today will transition to
jobs in alternative energy. Yet, as we move toward development of an
alternative energy society and economy we will see the development of tens
of thousands of new jobs from the new companies in wind, solar, bio-fuel,
agriculture, hydro, and others that the entire energy sector combined will be a
mega source of new jobs worldwide. This will range from architecture, to
development, production and sales. One site you can visit is dedicated to
helping people find jobs in renewable energy. It is simply called “Renewable
Energy Jobs” (http://www.renewableenergyjobs.com/). They list a few
thousand jobs currently available on several continents. But there are many
sites like this one. You can search the Internet to find a plethora of available
jobs listed by type, location and salary ranges. But you can also go direct to
the companies themselves for more information of jobs available now and
those that will be forthcoming. I hope this is helpful for you, Lindsey.

BTW… you may want to link to our Ecology Campus Network on

ecology.com in the near future which will have space dedicated to job
information in the alternative energy fields. Good luck to you, and thank you
again for your question! — Eric McLamb

Walter Luvindi says:

March 14, 2012 at 11:08 pm

Indeed that has been a great presentation.

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
Non-renewable sources of energy such as coal and fossil fuels are a real threat to
environment.
Please let us embrace alternative sources of energy that are environmental friendly.

Blake Gilmore says:

March 28, 2012 at 11:35 pm

Great article and great comments! Thanks everyone!

love it 3 says:
April 18, 2012 at 12:59 pm

renewable energy is better than fossil fuels because, they don’t pollute the air like fossil
fuels do. fossil fuels create harm to our earth like oil spills and other harmful
substances so don’t hate on renewable energy hate on fossil fuels.

Lildeviljackie14 says:
May 14, 2012 at 8:47 pm

working on an essay right now! this helped so much!!!

Rubybear says:
May 22, 2012 at 1:02 pm

Doing a school project – very interesting and you helped me a lot! Thanks

LukeBryanLOver17 says:
June 12, 2012 at 10:05 am

i hope this helps me answer my science question!!!!

WoahImAwesome908 says:
November 5, 2012 at 6:18 pm

this website is the BEST. thanksss for all the help!!!!

THEORY101 says:
May 2, 2013 at 6:01 pm

If we are losing so much fossil fuels than why can’t we just speed up the process in
large quantities instead of having to wait for nature?

Zenith says:
October 4, 2013 at 6:15 pm

Think about it. It takes millions of years just to get coal naturally, and it would
take incredible force just to replicate nature. Unless we reach a point where
we can create infinite pressure or something, we should at least leave it to
nature

Gracie(*^-^*) says:

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
May 28, 2013 at 6:52 pm

Thx sooo very much Eric and thx sooo much for all the wonderful comments and good
questions. I’m in the middle of an end of the year project this helped A LOT!
Thx again
Gracie

Stephanie says:
August 29, 2013 at 3:48 pm

Can you also put how Fossil Fuels are like Alternative Energy Resources?I have to do
science packets over the summer, and today’s the last day.

Siobhan Kiera Dalton says:

November 20, 2013 at 3:57 pm

is renewable energy better for the environment than fossil fuels????

HamsterInDisguise says:
December 14, 2013 at 9:31 am

I’m doing a report on fossil fuels and one of the topics to write about is “information on
the typical amounts of energy that could be produced by a typical installation or device
using fossil fuel energy generation.” Anyone want to translate to…english?

Eric McLamb says:

December 15, 2013 at 10:31 pm

Hamerstein… It sounds like to me you are being asked to see how much energy could
be produced by using fossil fuels in a type of combustion device such as a simple
motor or engine (like a lawn mower or even an automobile engine or an electricity
generator). Different fossil fuels will produce different levels of energy (i.e, gasoline vs.
coal vs. natural gas). I don’t know what level this is for but from the type of question I
would think you would be looking at a more general answer that would include how
much energy would be needed to power certain types of engines and which fossil fuels
would be the most appropriate sources. Hope this helps.

Sara says:
February 8, 2014 at 9:35 am

“Sun, wind and water are perfect energy sources…depending on where you are. They
are non-polluting, renewable and efficient”

EEERRRR, wrooooong. All of these emit more CO2 than nuclear. Especially sun, with
it’s non environmental silisiumproduction.

Jose caballero says:

February 26, 2014 at 2:28 pm

Cool energy

chizi glory says:

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
September 29, 2014 at 8:17 pm

I love Renewable energy

bdnbach says:
October 5, 2014 at 7:58 am

Your conclusions are not based on the true scientific and engineering requirements to
maintain a large grid.
Let us start with wind. The largest wind turbine will put out about 1.5 MWe. That means
it will take ~ 1000 wind turbines to replace one nuclear, coal, or gas turbine site of 1500
MWe. Good luck trying to find a steady wind source that will steadily produce, without
interruption, 1500MWe so that your house will always have electricity.
Offshore wind farms seem like a great idea. Who hasn’t been to the beach and noticed
the almost constant breeze. Who also has not been to the beach and noticed every
piece of metal exposed to the salt air has a lot of corrosion. Wind turbines are
sophisticated machines with bearings, variable pitched blades, etc. that are mad of
metals. Imagine the maintenance cost that will be incurred when you put these offshore
and the natural corrosion process occurs. Also imagine the equipment needed. To
replace bearings or do blade repair you will need a 350′ tall floating crane. While doable,
it will be very expensive.
Solar panels seem good. However, they put out very little electricity compared to the
amount of land required. Solar has little effectiveness in the Northern parts of the world
where winter sunlight is limited.
Solar panels are not maintenance free, they must be constantly cleaned. If they are
place on sun tracking gimbals, they will have bearings and motors to support this. This
means more maintenance.
Also, what do you do at night. You could use storage batteries. However, current
battery systems will have about a 40 percent efficiency. For every ten watts in you get
about four watts out.
Another issue with battery storage, batteries have huge environmental impact when
they are manufactured and disposed of. The kind of batteries you will need are probably
wet cell due to the size requirements. These also would require constant maintenance.
By the way, you better be storing money because in about ten years of short cycle
operation you would need to support solar, you will have to replace the batteries. For a
single household, this will amount to tens of thousands of dollars every ten years. You
think replacing a roof is expensive, wait until you replace a battery bank to support your
“renewable” solar unit.
Every appliance you own, every tool, every convenience you depend on is alternating
current (AC). There is a reason for this. AC motors use slip rings and induction which
makes them very simple and reliable.
Direct current (DC) machines must use commutating brush riggings. These are much
more complicated and require more maintenance, as well as not being as reliable as
AC machines. There is a reason in the late 19th. century AC Tesla based technology
became dominant over DC Edison based technology. AC is simple machines that are
more reliable.
Unfortunately solar panels are a DC source. So good luck trying to power any
significant part of the grid with them.
Another issue is DC transmission is limited to short distances based on practical
machinery. AC voltage can be stepped up and down using transformers, allowing it to
be transmitted great distances.
Biofuel, give me a break. Wood and other fiber based fuels have a very low BTU output.
This is why we converted to coal and oil in the first place back in the 19th. century. The
environmental impact of stripping forests to supply your biofuel electric plant would be
gigantic.
Another issue you fail to recognize is manufacturing impact. Heavy manufacturing
requires large amounts of cheap energy. Right now that means fossil, hydro, or nuclear.
Solar and wind just cannot do the job. So unless you want to go back to an agricultural

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
based economy, then you are limited in choices. By the way, modern agriculture
requires a lot of electricity and fuel.
You see, without looking beyond the “feel good” philosophies of renewables and looking
deeper into the science, your proposals will not work. I would suggest picking up an
electrical and mechanical engineering handbook and doing more study on this issue.
Go beyond the emotional based rhetoric, and look at the science and engineering.
Or choose to live like we did prior to the 1890s. If that is your choice then go up to
Pennsylvania and join up with the Amish. If that is your choice, prepare yourself to work
every day from sun up to sundown just to eat.

Jalen Russell says:

October 9, 2014 at 10:21 am

Really great job by the writer really did me a favor as a reader

roisin says:
October 30, 2014 at 6:17 pm

can someone who is smart please help me? I have this question that I am stuck on my
homework and I have no idea what to say or how to word it.

Describe how science and technology are interrelated when considering a wind turbine.

If someone could help that would be so nice!

pat says:
January 8, 2015 at 11:03 am

Lel such a good spot to learn stuff on the internet.

pat says:
January 8, 2015 at 11:03 am

I just might do my speech on this stuff

Sunny says:
May 3, 2015 at 3:42 pm

What about cost? Surely that’s something to consider? While ultimately solar, wind ,
and hydro power can save millins, the initial cost is…well, costly.

Steven Catface says:

May 17, 2015 at 9:23 pm

Perfect if it is sunny (which it often isn’t near me), windy (another no), or having flowing
water (again, not so much). So basically I’m screwed on all those “energy” fronts.

Jesus Nok Espinoza says:

June 24, 2015 at 2:42 am

How many people did coal mining employ vs clean energy I agree that clean energy is a
system that takes what the does naturally and converts that’s process into energy it’s a
win win but what matters to me the most is are the people who are worked at the coal

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 mines for years and years are they being taken care off are they able to provide for
there family’s and do there children have a future in regards to being able to provide for
children or has technology robbed them of there job and future? What’s being done for
them to continue growing

Mollie Norris says:

September 23, 2015 at 11:21 am

“The problem is fossil fuels are non-renewable”; not true; abiotic formation of
hydrocarbons has been demonstrated repeatedly, methane emitted in the Arctic has
been shown to be abiotic,Woods Hole Institute research has shown the formation of
hydrocarbons from methane emitted from the ocean floor, and Russian oil has been
found thousands of feet deeper than any fossil material. Mining for minerals used in
lithium batteries has caused extensive environmental damage, including pollution of
surface water. China has complained about the environmental destruction resulting from
lithium carbonate mining, Solyndra Solar has contaminated soil with extremely toxic
cadmium used in solar cells. Wind turbines have been banned in some places due to
their hazard to birds, including endangered species.
Simplistic comparisons like this are dangerous disinformation if there’s any intention to
reduce the impact of energy generation on the environment. Carbon credit trading is an
anti-environmental policy; as Al Gore has stated, it doesn’t matter that his monthly
electricity usage exceeds that of most households’ annual consumption, since he can
offset the pollution caused by the generation of that electricity by buying carbon credits
from the company he founded, Generation Investment management. This is equivalent
to rationalizing drunk driving by citing the fine imposed for DUI – the environment is out
of the loop; the wrong kind of green.

NOT YOUR BUSNISS says:

October 28, 2015 at 2:54 pm

i need people who think we should continue using fossil fuels rather than starting to use
more solar energy or wind or geothermal or hydroelectric power to get into an
“argument” over. (im doing an essay)

EARTH ecoView ECOLOGY TODAY Resources Connect with us!

AIR Inner Ecology Ecology Campus About
ENERGY Planting for the Planet Shop Ecology Contact
WATER ecoArts Terms of Use
HUMANS ecoTipping
SPECIES Ecology Kids

© 2010-2016 Ecology Communications Group, Inc. (ECG). All rights reserved. ecology.com is owned and published by ECG.
The Ecology Global Network ®, Ecology Radio ®, Ecology Campus Network ® and their related logos and tagline are trademarks of ECG. All Rights Reserved.

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com