| Fossil Fuels And Electricity Consumption |
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Fossil fuels and their use is a major point of concern throughout the world at present and will continue to be so for a long time to come. So why all the concern and what can we do about it?
Fossil fuels and their use is a major point of concern throughout the world at present and will continue to be so for a long time to come. So why all the concern and what can we do about it? There is no doubt that the technological and financial success of developed nations is due almost solely to the use of cheap energy such as coal, oil and natural gas. These energy sources fire the power stations, drive the vehicles and support the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. Given that coal and oil have been used as fuel throughout human history, why has this now become a problem? The answers to these questions are population and lifestyle. The human population is over three times what it was less than 80 years ago. At the same time our technology is advancing, so that virtually all aspects of our lives use electricity in some way. Also take into account the amount of fuel that is burned each day in cars alone and the picture becomes clearer. Pollution is not always a visible problem. We can see it when the truck or bus in front of us is belching black smoke, but emissions from power stations are far from obvious. Yet each time we use an electrical device that power is coming from a power station. While the number of alternative energy power stations such as concentrated solar thermal and wind power is growing, the main base load of electricity is still being produced by coal or oil fired power plants. These power plants generate electricity by boiling water to make steam, and the steam is used to turn huge turbines. The turning of the turbines rotates enormous coils of copper wire inside equally huge magnets, and it is this that generates the electricity. That electricity is then transported to our homes through power lines and substations. Burning the fuel produces among other things carbon dioxide. This is a greenhouse gas, meaning that it acts to trap heat in the atmosphere. Consider the electrical devices we use on a daily basis. Computers, televisions, mobile phones, MP3 players, heaters, air conditioners and so on. Then multiply that by the number of people using these devices and we can start to appreciate the scale of our electricity use. The more electricity we use the more pollution we create. Even though the problem is large there are steps we can take individually to reduce it. Using less energy is the first step. Turning off devices rather than leaving them on standby immediately reduces our energy use without having any effect on our lifestyle. This will also result in lower electricity bills. Buying electricity from a green energy provider is another way we can make a difference. Unfortunately these alternatives are still more expensive than electricity from coal or oil. We can also invest our money in producing our own renewable energy. Installing solar panels on our roofs for electricity and water heating is a good long term investment, though up front costs can be high. The same can be said about investing in an electric vehicle, though both electric and hybrid cars are becoming more commonplace. We can have an impact on our consumption of fossil fuels. By reducing our own energy use and becoming more informed on the issues associated with energy consumption we can reduce our impact on the planet. DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. Want to find out more about fossil fuels, then visit Roger Vanderlely's site on solar power facts for a comprehensive discussion of the topic. |