Editing Energy development (section)

== Fossil fuels ==

[[File:Moss Landing Power Plant p1270026.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Moss Landing Power Plant]] in California is a [[fossil-fuel power station]] that [[Natural gas power plant|burns natural gas in a turbine]] to produce electricity]]

{{Main|Fossil fuel|Peak oil}}

Fossil fuel (''primary non-renewable fossil'') sources burn [[coal]] or [[hydrocarbon]] fuels, which are the remains of the decomposition of plants and animals. There are three main types of fossil fuels: coal, [[petroleum]], and [[natural gas]]. Another fossil fuel, [[liquefied petroleum gas]] (LPG), is principally derived from the production of natural gas. Heat from burning fossil fuel is used either directly for space heating and process heating, or converted to mechanical energy for vehicles, [[industrial process]]es, or [[electrical power generation]]. These fossil fuels are part of the [[carbon cycle]] and allow solar energy stored in the fuel to be released.

The use of fossil fuels in the 18th and 19th century set the stage for the [[Industrial Revolution]].

Fossil fuels make up the bulk of the world's current [[primary energy]] sources. In 2005, 81% of the world's energy needs was met from fossil sources.<ref>International Energy Agency: Key World Energy Statistics 2007. S. 6</ref> The technology and infrastructure for the use of fossil fuels already exist. Liquid fuels derived from petroleum deliver much usable energy per unit of weight or volume, which is advantageous when compared with lower [[energy density]] sources such as [[battery (electricity)|batteries]]. Fossil fuels are currently economical for decentralized energy use.

[[File:BarnettShaleDrilling-9323.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.85|A ([[horizontal drilling|horizontal]]) [[drilling rig]] for [[natural gas]] in Texas]]

[[Energy dependence]] on imported fossil fuels creates [[energy security]] risks for dependent countries.<ref>Energy Security and Climate Policy: Assessing Interactions. [https://books.google.com/books?id=VtCs6of8F-UC&pg=PA125 p125]</ref><ref>Energy Security: Economics, Politics, Strategies, and Implications. Edited by Carlos Pascual, Jonathan Elkind. p210</ref><ref>Geothermal Energy Resources for Developing Countries. By D. Chandrasekharam, J. Bundschuh. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ne846IokXB4C&pg=PA91 p91]</ref><ref>Congressional Record, V. 153, PT. 2, January 18, 2007 to February 1, 2007 edited by U S Congress, Congress (U.S.). p [https://books.google.com/books?id=DaFQ_F0bdnYC&pg=PA1618 1618]</ref><ref>India s Energy Security. Edited by Ligia Noronha, Anant Sudarshan.</ref> Oil dependence in particular has led to war,<ref>National security, safety, technology, and employment implications of increasing CAFE standards : hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh Congress, second session, January 24, 2002. DIANE Publishing. p10</ref> funding of radicals,<ref>[http://americansecurityproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Ending-our-Dependence-on-Oil.pdf Ending our-Dependence on Oil] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319085119/http://americansecurityproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Ending-our-Dependence-on-Oil.pdf |date=2013-03-19 }} - American Security Project. americansecurityproject.org</ref> monopolization,<ref>Energy Dependency, Politics and Corruption in the Former Soviet Union. By Margarita M. Balmaceda. Psychology Press, December 6, 2007.</ref> and socio-political instability.<ref>[https://politicalscience.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/documents/KarlEoE.pdf Oil-Led Development] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513001903/https://politicalscience.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/documents/KarlEoE.pdf |date=May 13, 2013 }}: Social, Political, and Economic Consequences. Terry Lynn Karl. Stanford University. Stanford, California, United States.</ref>

Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources, which will eventually decline in production <ref>Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, and Risk Management. Was at: www.pppl.gov/polImage.cfm?doc_Id=44&size_code=Doc</ref> and become exhausted.  While the processes that created fossil fuels are ongoing, fuels are consumed far more quickly than the natural rate of replenishment.  Extracting fuels becomes increasingly costly as society consumes the most accessible fuel deposits.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rigzone.com/analysis/rigs/insight.asp?i_id=213 |title=Big Rig Building Boom |date=2006-04-13 |publisher=Rigzone.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021000239/http://rigzone.com/analysis/rigs/insight.asp?i_id=213 |archive-date=2007-10-21 |access-date=2008-01-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Extraction of fossil fuels results in [[environmental degradation]], such as the [[strip mining]] and [[mountaintop removal]] for coal.

[[Fuel efficiency]] is a form of [[thermal efficiency]], meaning the efficiency of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier [[fuel]] into [[kinetic energy]] or [[Mechanical work|work]]. The [[fuel economy in automobiles|fuel economy]] is the energy efficiency of a particular vehicle, is given as a [[ratio]] of distance travelled per unit of [[Motor fuel|fuel]] consumed. Weight-specific efficiency (efficiency per unit weight) may be stated for [[freight]], and passenger-specific efficiency (vehicle efficiency) per passenger. The inefficient atmospheric [[combustion]] (burning) of fossil fuels in vehicles, buildings, and power plants contributes to [[urban heat island]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eetd.lbl.gov/HeatIsland/ |title=Heat Island Group Home Page |date=2000-08-30 |publisher=[[Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory]] |access-date=2008-01-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080109110534/http://eetd.lbl.gov/HeatIsland/ |archive-date=January 9, 2008 }}</ref>

Conventional production of oil [[peak oil|peaked]], conservatively, between 2007 and 2010. In 2010, it was estimated that an investment of $8 trillion in non-renewable resources would be required to maintain current levels of production for 25 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2010/11/101109-peak-oil-iea-world-energy-outlook/|title=Has the World Already Passed "Peak Oil"?|work=nationalgeographic.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812065328/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2010/11/101109-peak-oil-iea-world-energy-outlook/|archive-date=2014-08-12|date=2010-11-11}}</ref> In 2010, governments subsidized [[fossil fuel]]s by an estimated $500 billion a year.<ref name="sciencedaily1">''ScienceDaily.com'' (April 22, 2010) [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100421133110.htm "Fossil-Fuel Subsidies Hurting Global Environment, Security, Study Finds"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410225830/https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100421133110.htm |date=2016-04-10 }}</ref>  Fossil fuels are also a source of [[greenhouse gas emissions]], leading to concerns about [[global warming]] if consumption is not reduced.

The combustion of fossil fuels leads to the release of [[pollution]] into the atmosphere. The fossil fuels are mainly carbon compounds. During [[combustion]], [[carbon dioxide]] is released, and also [[nitrogen oxides]], [[soot]] and other fine [[particulates]]. The carbon dioxide is the main contributor to recent [[climate change]].<ref>Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007): IPCC Fourth Assessment Report - Working Group I Report on "The Physical Science Basis".</ref>
Other emissions from fossil fuel power station include [[sulfur dioxide|sulphur dioxide]], [[carbon monoxide]] (CO), [[hydrocarbons]], [[volatile organic compounds]] (VOC), [[Mercury (element)|mercury]], [[arsenic]], [[lead]], [[cadmium]], and other [[heavy metals]] including traces of [[uranium]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/coalvswind/c02c.html | title=Environmental impacts of coal power: air pollution | date=18 August 2005 | publisher=[[Union of Concerned Scientists]] | access-date=18 January 2008 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115204952/http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/coalvswind/c02c.html | archive-date=15 January 2008 }}</ref><ref>NRDC: [http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/files/coalmining.pdf There Is No Such Thing as "Clean Coal"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730142650/http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/files/coalmining.pdf |date=July 30, 2012 }}</ref>

A typical [[coal plant]] generates billions of [[kilowatt hour]]s of electrical power per year.<ref>[http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=104&t=3 How much electricity does a typical nuclear power plant generate] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729095759/http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=104&t=3 |date=2013-07-29 }}? - FAQ - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)</ref>