Fossil fuels are essentially natural fuels that are formed from the remains of living organisms. It can take years to create fossil fuels such as coal or gas.
Importance of Fossil Fuels
Without the use of fossil fuels we would not be able to do most things that we do or enjoy. Fossil fuels are used for almost everything. Almost everything is made from fossil fuels. So simply put, the importance of fossil fuels is everything and anything we use in our daily lives.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels
There are many advantages and disadvantages of fossil fuels. We will list and describe some of the major pros and cons of fossil fuel in this article.
Advantages of Fossil Fuels
Here are some of the top advantages of fossil fuel described in brief.
1. Ability to Generate Large Amounts of Electricity:Â Fossil fuels can easily generate large quantities of electricity in a single location. Several sub-stations or smaller locations are not required to generate massive amounts of electricity.
2. Easy to Find:Â Fossil fuels are created from the decay or living organisms, they are therefore very easy to find and extract.
3. Cost Effective:Â Coal is an excellent example of being cost effective when used in power plants. Coal is available in large quantities and relatively easy to replenish the supply, making it cost effective.
4. Easy Transport:Â Fossil fuels such as gas and oil can be transported to power plants through pipelines. This makes the transport easy and less likely to have major catastrophes.
5. Efficient Gas Powered Plants:Â Gas is an excellent way for power plants to become extremely efficient.
6. Easy Construction of Power Plants:Â When power plants use fossil fuels to produce energy, they can be built in any location. This is allowable as long as the fuel can be transported in large amounts to the power plant.
Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels
While the advantages make fossil fuels look ideal, there are also some disadvantages of fossil fuels that must be considered. Some of the major fossil fuel cons are listed here.
- Pollution:Â This is a major problem when using fossil fuels. They cause a greenhouse effect and contribute to global warming.
- Carbon Dioxide Emissions:Â While carbon dioxide can be considered pollution, is needed a separate bullet. Coal produces carbon dioxide when burned and gives off sulfur dioxide which can create acid rain.
- Mining Effects:Â Mining for fossil fuels, such as coal, results in the destruction of large areas of land. Mining is also dangerous to the miners.
- Large Quantities Necessary:Â To supply enough coal for power stations, tremendous amounts of coal are needed on a regular basis to continue operating normally. Large reserves of coal are needed to be on hand at the plant at all times.
- Nasty Smells:Â Natural gas gives off an offensive odor and can cause problems when being transported.
- Environmental Hazards:Â Oil spills are very real occurrences that cause tremendous effects on the environment. Toxic materials that are dumped also cause severe problems in the environment.