What Is Energy?
The classical description of energy is the ability of a system to perform work,
but as energy exists in so many forms, it is hard to find one comprehensive
definition. It is the property of an object that can be transferred from one
object to another or converted to different forms but cannot be created or
destroyed. There are numerous sources of energy. In the next few sections,
let us discuss the about different sources of energy in detail.
Sources of energy can be classified into:
Renewable Sources
Non-renewable Sources
Renewable sources of energy are available plentiful in nature and are
sustainable. These resources of energy can be naturally replenished and are
safe for the environment.
Examples of renewable sources of energy are: Solar energy, geothermal
energy, wind energy, biomass, hydropower and tidal energy.
A non-renewable resource is a natural resource that is found underneath
the earth. These type of energy resources do not replenish at the same
speed at which it is used. They take millions of years to replenish. The main
examples of non-renewable resources are coal, oil and natural gas.
Examples of non-renewable sources of energy are: Natural gas, coal,
petroleum, nuclear energy and hydrocarbon gas liquids.
What are Fossil Fuels?
Fossil fuels are buried flammable geologic deposits of organic substances
such as dead plants and animals that got deposited under several thousand
feet of silt. These deposits decayed with the passage of time and got
converted to natural gas, coal and petroleum due to the extreme heat and
pressure inside the earth’s crust. They are also known as non-renewable
sources of energy as it takes a very long time for it to replenish.
Types, Formation and Uses of Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are of the following types:
Coal
Petroleum
Natural gas
Coal
It is a hard, black coloured substance made up of carbon, hydrogen,
nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur.
The major types of coal are- anthracite, bituminous and lignite.
Anthracite has a higher carbon concentration and is the hardest type of coal.
Lignite has a high concentration of oxygen and hydrogen but a low
concentration of carbon.
Bituminous is a moderate form of coal.
Coal is processed industrially to obtain derivatives like coke, coal tar and coal
gas.
Formation of Coal
The process of formation of coal is known as coalification.
The dense forest present in the low-lying wetland got buried in the earth,
millions of years ago.
Soil kept depositing over them and they got compressed.
As they went deeper and deeper, they faced high temperature and pressure.
As a result, the substances slowly got converted into coal.
Uses of Coal
Coal was used to produce steam in the railway engines initially.
It is used to cook food.
It is used to generate electricity in thermal plants.
It is used in industries as fuel.
Petroleum
It is a clear, oily liquid, usually green or black in colour.
It has a very strange smell and is a mixture of petroleum gas, diesel, paraffin
wax, petrol, lubricating oil, etc.
It is also termed as “Black Gold” because of its wide range of uses in many
industries.
Formation of Petroleum
The sea animals and plants died and their bodies settled at the bottom of the
sea.
They got compressed by the layers of sand and clay.
Their encounter with high temperature and pressure converts them into
petroleum.
The petroleum is separated from the crude oil by a series of processes in a
refinery. This is known as petroleum refining.
Uses of Petroleum
It is used to power internal combustion engines in the form of petrol.
It is used in roofing, road pavements and as a water repellent.
It is used in manufacturing detergents, plastics, fibres, polyethene, etc.
Natural gas
It is a clean and non-toxic fossil fuel.
It is colourless and odourless and can be easily transferred through pipelines.
It is stored as compressed natural gas (CNG) under high pressure.
It is a less polluting and less expensive fossil fuel.
Methane is the most important natural gas.
Formation of Natural Gas
The phytoplankton and zooplankton sink to the bottom of the ocean and mix
with organic materials to form an organic-rich mud.
The mud buried under more sediments and lithifies to form an organic shale.
This prevents its exposure to oxygen. This is done to protect the organic
materials from being decomposed by bacteria.
The Increasing pressure and temperature transform the shale into a waxy
material known as the kerogen.
At temperatures between 90-160°C kerogen is transformed into natural gas.
Uses of Natural gas
Compressed Natural Gas is used for generating power.
It is used as fuels in automobiles.
It can be used at homes for cooking.
It is used as a starting material in chemicals and fertilizers.
Are Fossil Fuels Renewable?
Fossil fuels are a non-renewable source of energy. Most of the energy used
by us is obtained by the burning of fossil fuels. These fossil fuels are used up
at a faster rate. They cannot be regrown at a scale compared to their
consumption. With the increased demand for the production of various
energies, fossil fuel energy is declining. It is difficult to replace them. That is
why they are known as a non-renewable source of energy.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels
Advantages:
Fossil fuels can generate a large amount of electricity at a single location.
They can be found very easily.
They are cost-effective.
Transportation of oil and gas can be done easily through pipelines.
They have become safer over time.
Despite being a finite resource, it is available in plenty.
Disadvantages
Fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide when burnt which is a major greenhouse gas
and the primary source of pollution. This has contributed to global warming.
They are a non-renewable resource, i.e., once used they cannot be replaced.
Combustion of fossil fuels makes the environment more acidic. This has led
to unpredictable and negative changes in the environment.
Harvesting of fossil fuels also causes fatal diseases among the people. For
eg., the coal miners often suffer from Black Lung Disease. The natural gas
drillers are constantly exposed to chemicals and silica which is dangerous for
their health.
Non-fossil fuels are energy sources that are not derived from fossils or
fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources are a type of non-fossil fuel that are
expected to not diminish over time. Some examples of renewable energy
sources include:
Solar energy: Can be used for heating, warming water, and powering
devices
Wind energy: One of the cheapest energy sources in the United States
Hydroelectric power: The largest renewable energy source for electricity in
the United States
Geothermal energy: Uses the earth’s constant temperature to cool and
warm homes
Biomass: Can be produced from organic materials like wood, charcoal,
dung, and agricultural crops
Other non-fossil fuel alternatives include:
Electrolytic hydrogen: A process that uses electricity to split water into
hydrogen and oxygen
Captured CO2: Carbon captured from industrial sources or the atmosphere
can be used in chemical production
Ethanol: Can be used in place of fossil fuels to produce ethylene
Other Energy resources: { Renewable and nonrenewable resources}
Renewable Energy Resources:
Renewable energy sources are naturally replenished on a human timescale,
meaning they are virtually inexhaustible. These resources are considered
sustainable and environmentally friendly, offering a crucial alternative to
finite, polluting fossil fuels.
Types of Renewable Energy:
- Solar Energy: Harnessing the power of sunlight through photovoltaic
panels to generate electricity.
- Wind Energy: Converting wind power into electricity using wind
turbines.
- Hydropower: Generating electricity from the movement of water
through dams and turbines.
- Geothermal Energy: Utilizing heat from the Earth’s core to generate
electricity or provide heating.
- Biomass Energy: Burning organic matter (wood, crops) to produce
energy.
- Ocean Energy: Harnessing the power of waves, tides, and ocean
currents to generate electricity.
Advantages:
- Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Improved Air Quality
- Increased Energy Security
- Job Creation
- Economic Growth
Disadvantages of Renewable Energy:
- High Initial Costs
- Land Use
- Environmental Impacts
Non-renewable energy is energy sources that exist in finite quantities and
cannot be naturally replenished or regenerated. These energy resources are
formed through natural processes, such as the decomposition of organic
matter or the nuclear reactions occurring in the Earth’s core. Non-renewable
energy plays a significant role in meeting our current energy demands but
poses challenges due to its finite nature and environmental impact.
Types of Non-renewable Energy:
Fossil Fuels
Are formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals that underwent a
process of decomposition over millions of years.
They are categorized into three main types:
[Link] Gas
Natural gas is a gaseous fossil fuel composed mainly of methane. Natural
gas is a versatile energy source used for heating, cooking, electricity
generation, and as a fuel for vehicles.
[Link]
Coal is a solid fossil fuel that forms when plant material, such as trees,
plants, and ferns, undergoes decomposition under high pressure and heat
over millions of years.
3. Oil
Oil is a liquid fossil fuel that results from the decomposition of smaller
organisms like zooplankton and algae, which were subjected to immense
pressure over time.
Nuclear Fuels
Nuclear fuels are utilised in nuclear power plants, where energy is generated
through nuclear fission.
Environmental impact:
- Green house gas emissions
-Air pollution
-Water pollution
-Land degradation
- finite resources
-Climate change
Energy Sustainability
Section Information
Energy Sustainability aims to provide a leading multidisciplinary platform on
innovation, research, technology development and demonstration in the
fields of sustainable energy deployment. Sustainable energy deployment has
a multilateral impact at local to global scales with social, ecological, health,
and economic consequences, directly linked with renewable energy, new
fuels such as hydrogen, energy conversion, energy transmission, energy
storage, transportation, building energy consumption, smart grid, etc.
Energy Sustainability welcomes research articles, conceptual analysis
articles, review articles, and commentaries related to energy resources,
technologies, applications, deployment options and advanced techniques in
support to achieving Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development Goal 7
(SDG 7) of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern
energy for all. The multi-disciplinary scope of “Energy Sustainability”
includes but not limited to:
-Energy resources, technologies, conversion, management and storage;
-Energy sustainability options and green energy exploitation;
-Renewable energy applications and techniques;
-Smart and innovative energy technologies and applications;
-Green technology options and climate change;
-Energy strategy, policy, economics, and trade;
-Energy security, poverty, and justice;
-Energy and socio-economic development.
Energy management
Is the practice and systematic monitoring control and optimization of an
organizations energy consumption to conserve use and decrease energy
cost.
Examples of energy management:
Solar power
Wind power
Geothermal energy
Biomass energy
LED lighting
Battery systems
Smart grids
Solar water heaters
Green building codes
Compressed air energy storage
Energy, policies-
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distribution, consumption, energy, within, specific, jurisdiction, essential,
functioning, modern, economies, require, energy, many, sectors, such, as,
industry, transport, agriculture, housing, main, components, energy, policy,
include, legislation, international, treaties, energy, subsidies, other, public,
policy, techniques, Example, energy, policy, decisions, goal, Southern, Gas,
Corridor, connects, giant, Shah, Deniz, gas, field, Azerbaijan, Europe, reduce,
Europe’s, dependency, Russian, gas, The, energy, sector, emits, more,
greenhouse, gas, worldwide, than, any, other, sector, Therefore, energy,
policies, closely, related, climate, policies, decisions, affect, how, high,
greenhouse, gas, emissions, country, Purposes