This blog post examines the process by which fossil energy became the primary energy source and the resulting problems, exploring the necessity and potential of sustainable alternative energy.
Fossil energy refers to the energy obtained through the combustion of fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels generates thermal energy, which can be utilized in various ways. Consider the steam engine, for example. Burning fossil fuels generates thermal energy. The steam engine uses this heat to boil water, creating steam, which then powers the engine. Thus, fossil energy offers the advantage of easily obtaining energy anywhere without complex infrastructure. For this reason, fossil fuels have been widely used as humanity’s primary energy source since the Industrial Revolution. According to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, fossil fuels account for 82% of total energy consumption. Fossil energy is thus widely used globally, with representative fossil fuels including coal, crude oil, and natural gas.
Coal is a solid fossil fuel that can be easily mined from mines, making it widely used since the early days of the Industrial Revolution. However, its solid nature requires separate transportation methods, and mined coal contains significant impurities. This results in a disadvantage: coal is less efficient at converting heat energy during combustion. Consequently, as technologies developed to extract crude oil and natural gas through drilling facilities, these fuels replaced coal as primary energy sources.
Crude oil is a liquid fossil fuel. Since crude oil exists deep underground, separate drilling facilities are required to obtain it. Therefore, its extraction costs are relatively high compared to coal. However, due to its liquid nature, crude oil can be transported using fuel supply facilities like pipelines without requiring separate transportation means. Furthermore, after undergoing a refining process, it can produce fuels that yield thermal energy with high efficiency during combustion. Furthermore, byproducts from the refining process are utilized in various ways in daily life. For example, aspirin is made from a byproduct obtained during crude oil refining.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel in gaseous form. Like crude oil, natural gas also exists deep underground, requiring drilling facilities and resulting in relatively high extraction costs. However, its gaseous nature allows it to be transported using fuel supply facilities like pipelines. Natural gas shares many similarities with crude oil, but its most significant difference is that it produces fewer pollutants during energy extraction. Consequently, natural gas is considered a more environmentally friendly fuel than crude oil, and its applications are gradually expanding.
Fossil energy has served as humanity’s primary energy source since the Industrial Revolution. However, recent concerns about its various issues have heightened the need to develop alternative energy sources.
One major problem with fossil energy is climate change. Obtaining fossil energy requires burning fossil fuels, and the carbon dioxide emitted during this process is identified as a primary culprit accelerating climate change. Carbon dioxide raises the Earth’s temperature using the same principle as plastic sheeting in a greenhouse raising the internal temperature. Recent climate change has led to frequent natural disasters caused by abnormal weather patterns occurring worldwide.
Furthermore, fossil fuels are concentrated in specific regions, particularly the Middle East, creating supply instability. As fossil energy is currently humanity’s most vital energy source, disruptions in its supply could trigger global chaos. Indeed, the oil crises of 1973 and 1978 caused crude oil prices to skyrocket, leading to worldwide turmoil.
Finally, fossil fuels have limited reserves and are nearly impossible to regenerate. As resources accumulated over hundreds of millions of years, it is difficult to expect their regeneration in the short term. Global industrialization is rapidly depleting fossil fuel reserves, with predictions suggesting they could be exhausted within decades to centuries. These issues have amplified calls for clean, renewable fuels that produce no pollution, driving many nations to invest heavily in developing alternative energy sources with virtually unlimited supply.
Among alternative energies, nuclear energy was the first to gain significant attention. Nuclear energy refers to the energy generated through nuclear fusion or fission processes using uranium as the raw material. Unlike fossil fuels, uranium is evenly distributed worldwide, potentially avoiding fuel supply instability like oil crises. Furthermore, nuclear power plants, once installed, can operate semi-permanently and emit fewer pollutants than fossil fuels. However, as seen in the Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents, accidents at nuclear power plants leading to radioactive material leaks pose a deadly threat to humanity and the environment. Consequently, calls to seek alternative energy sources beyond nuclear power are growing louder.
The next alternative energy sources gaining attention are those utilizing natural phenomena like solar, wind, and tidal power. Since they harness natural phenomena, their fuel supply is virtually unlimited. Once the infrastructure is in place, they can produce energy semi-permanently without additional costs. However, because they rely on natural phenomena, they are highly susceptible to climate conditions, necessitating the development of technologies suited to each country’s specific climate. Furthermore, they currently have the disadvantage of lower energy production capacity compared to fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Nevertheless, due to their eco-friendly nature and the fact they do not require consumable fuels, extensive research is being conducted worldwide.
