Why are coal natural gas and oil non renewable resources

In this article, we will inspect how long fossil fuels will last. Natural gas, coal, and oil are non-renewable sources of energy, and our reserves are constantly getting emptier. What is the solution? Is building more nuclear power plants inevitable or can we go green in the next decades?

Fossil fuels running out fast

Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources. They formed millions of years ago. The Earth’s heat, the pressure, and the movement of the layers decomposed plants and animals, turning them into petroleum, oil, coal, and natural gas. The deeper we dig, the more likely it is to find natural gas and oil resources.

The global demand has not reached the peak yet. Year by year, global energy consumption is getting higher, therefore the use of fossil fuels is getting higher too. We simply do not have enough renewable energy to supply our industries’ and populations’ full demand.

Global demand for fossil fuels

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels

Global consumption of fossil fuels is still rising by more than 1% each year. However, oil has started to ‘lose’ its popularity in favour of natural gas, which is good for the environment.

Learn more about environmental impacts.

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels

Natural gas is the most eco-friendly fossil fuel. We consider it as a bridge between non-renewable and renewable sources of energy.

The problem is that fossil fuels formed millions of years ago, so waiting for new fossil fuels to form is not an option with our rising demand. Our reserves will be empty soon.

How much fossil fuel is left?

Formed millions of years ago, yet only used for around 200 years, fossil fuel reserves are emptying very quickly. It is also obvious that the exact date of running out of these fuels remains unknown. It is because we continue to discover new reserves, however, the number of new

reserves is low: they cannot meet our population’s needs with the current and expected future levels of usage.

Former Saudi oil minister Sheik Ahmed Zahi Yamani said: "The stone age came to an end, not for lack of stones, and the oil age will end, but not for lack of oil."

How many years of fossil fuels are left?

According to research based on 2015 data, the current statement of when our reserves will be emptied is this:

• Oil: 51 years
• Coal: 114 years
• Natural gas: 53 years

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels

Other sources estimate that we will run out of fossil fuels much earlier – for example, oil deposits will be gone by 2052.

We do not just have to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and switch to green energy because we run out of supplies, but also because coal and oil are harming our environment badly.

Source: Forbes.com

Renewables only provide 5% of our energy needs, while nuclear energy supports our demand with 4% of energy. Nuclear power plants are also safe sources of energy, the problem is the storing of nuclear waste.

The world is more likely to take the ‘green way’ instead of the ‘nuclear way’.

Read more about decarbonization: what can you do against climate change?

Conclusion: how long will fossil fuels last?

• It is predicted that we will run out of fossil fuels in this century.
• Oil can last up to 50 years, natural gas up to 53 years, and coal up to 114 years.
• Yet, renewable energy is not popular enough, so emptying our reserves can speed up.

In a Flash

Carbon dioxide is produced from the burning of fossil fuels like coal and gas.

What is non-renewable energy?

Non-renewable energy is a source of energy that will eventually run out. Most sources of non-renewable energy are fossil fuels, such as coal, gas, and oil.

These natural resources are a major source of power for a vast amount of industries – however, there are numerous downsides to non-renewable energy, including their negative environmental impact and the fact they are in limited supply.

Types of Non-Renewable Energy

Coal

Coal comes from the remains of plants that died hundreds of millions of years ago. It has the highest level of carbon of all fossil fuels.

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Oil

Oil – also known as petroleum – can be extracted and refined in order to make products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

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Natural Gas

Natural gas was formed from the remains of tiny sea plants and animals that died millions of years ago. It is mainly composed of methane.

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Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is released when atoms' nuclei are fused together (fusion) or split apart (fission). Nuclear power plants produce electricity through nuclear fission.

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What is non-renewable energy used for?

Non-renewable energy sources can be used for all kinds of things. Over 70% of the energy used in industrial processes comes from non-renewable sources, while fossil fuels are also used for many household purposes.

We can use non-renewable energy for:

Electricity

Heating

Manufacturing

Transportation

Non-Renewable Energy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!

What's good about non-renewable energy sources?

• Lots available: Humans have invested a lot of time, effort, and money into obtaining fossil fuels, so we now have a ready supply.
• Easier to find: Fossil fuels can be found all over the world, with many areas already identified as being rich in these resources.
• Very efficient: Fossil fuels can generate a lot of energy, even from just a small amount of fuel.
• Simpler to transport: Fossil fuels can be easily transported, e.g. using underground pipes to move oil and gas.
• Easy set-up: A fossil fuel plant can be set up at any location, as long as there is a large quantity of fuel to generate power.

What's (really) bad about non-renewable energy sources?

• Environmental pollution: Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which is directly linked to global warming – so fossil fuels are very damaging to the health of our planet.
• Huge amounts of fuel reserves: To keep power stations working, you need truckloads of fuel. This can make energy generation very expensive.
• Public health issues: Because of all their nasty air pollution, burning fossil fuels can lead to lung problems and asthma attacks in humans.
• They will run out: Once the earth's supplies of fossil fuels have been used up, they can't be renewed (at least not for several hundred million years), so we won't be able to use them for our rising power needs.
• Oil spills: The huge tankers transporting oil sometimes crash and spill their contents into the sea and nearby coast. This is disastrous for the ocean and land and can be deadly for the animals that live there.
• Rising costs: As just a few countries hold a large number of fossil fuels, fuel prices can rise without warning.
• Health risks to workers: Mining for coal or drilling for oil can be very dangerous, resulting in a large number of diseases, injuries, and deaths every year.

Speedy Summary

The future of energy is shifting to renewables.

While there are some advantages to using fossil fuels for our energy, it's clear that the negatives far outweigh the positives!

Without an alternative source of energy, we could soon be facing a major energy crisis – and a disaster for our planet's health.

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