Non-Renewable Essay

Energy is the capacity to perform work and it occurs in various forms. The sources of energy are classified into renewable and non-renewable. Fossil fuels are categorized under the non-renewable natural resources of energy that are mainly formed by the sedimentation of organic material like dead plants. Coal, amongst these exists abundantly and is widely used as an energy source, in each stage of its transformation, extensively, from peat to anthracite! The fossil fuels that are on the verge of extinction are oil and natural gas with an estimated supply of not more than a few decades.
Considering the process of sedimentation of over 400 million years and the current consumption rate, it is apparent that coal reserves are estimated to last another 200 years. Yet, whether it can be substituted for a major source of energy is an unresolved query. As for the oil and natural gas, drilling is the main process to extract these from the deep ocean beds. The hazards can occur by erroneous handling causing oil spill and combustion. For the coal, the hazards are on a larger scale as coal extraction requires mining, which further result in land erosion, silting, combustion, air and water pollution, hugely impacting the ecosystem. Coal is economically considerable but it is balanced by the cost the environment has to compensate. Also coal liquefaction and gasification are not only expensive but also energy inefficient. This makes coal rather the least prioritized option as the future of fuel.
The incessant increase in energy demand has provided opportunities to look out for other better resource substitutes. Nuclear energy is one such substitute. Though the energy output is enormous, mishandling could be disastrous. Thus the key for a sustainable energy system is in, wise usage of the existing fuels and its resources and improvising the extraction processes to have a minimum damage on life and environment.