Fossil fuel generation and solar

The time has come for renewable energy. There is no longer any reason to continue to drill in environmentally sensitive areas. Solar panels are now cheaper than ever and new solar technologies promise less expensive and more efficient power for the future. Fossil fuels have been a major component of man’s progress during the past century. Environmental damage caused by these fuels and their limited quantity makes them a very poor investment for humanity. Fortunately, the world is waking up to the viability of solar energy.

What are fossil fuels?

Fuels that have been formed from the fossilized remains of prehistoric plants and animals are called fossil fuels.

Renewable resources

These energy resources are naturally replenished and can be renewed again and again. Examples include geothermal energy, hydropower, solar energy, wind energy and tidal energy. As their name suggests, non-renewables, cannot be renewed again if exhausted. Examples include coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, petrochemicals and others. Fossil fuels fall under the category of non-renewable energy resources and hence, cannot be reproduced if exhausted. Though they are present in large quantities, all over the earth, they are still limited in quantity and should, therefore, be consumed thoughtfully and in limited doses.

Coal

Coal is a hard, black colored rock-like substance made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and the varying amount of sulfur. Coal contributes to around 35% of the total energy produced in the world. However, coal mining is very hazardous to coal mine laborers.

Oil

Oil was formed from the remains of sea animals that died millions of years ago. Oil is made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Oil contributes to around 23% of the total energy produced in the world. Oil contributes mightily to pollution worldwide.

Natural gas

Natural gas was formed from the remains of sea animals that died many years ago; the gas formed was trapped in the rocks undersea. Natural gas contributes to about 21% of the total energy produced in the world. From these statistics, it is evident that most of the present day energy demand is met by consuming fossil fuels. In fact, almost 86% of the global demand is met by fossil fuels; another 8% is met by nuclear energy and the remaining 6% is met by renewable sources of energy.

Disadvantages of fossil fuels

Clearly, there are disadvantages associated with the usage of fossil fuels. A brief summary:
When fossil fuels are burned in excess amounts they give rise to the emission of greenhouse gas (CO2). Greenhouse gases make the earth absorb more heat and therefore increasing the earth's temperature above normal. This effect is called the Greenhouse effect. With ocean drilling for oil, there are chances of oil spills which could affect the aquatic life in the ocean. There have been numerous occasions of spills in the recent history and oil companies are extremely lax in dealing with environmental concerns. Fossil fuels also give birth to pollution which not only affects humans but the aquatic life as well.

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system!

Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need, and how much you can save.

Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.