Nonrenewable Energy Sources

This chapter explores the problems posed by use of the nonrenewable energy sources coal, natural gas, and nuclear power. Energy availability is what most likely limited human population in the past. Humans first obtained energy from biomass, then coal, and finally energy-dense oil. The availability of coal in the United Kingdom enabled the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and coal and other fossil fuels allowed it to spread to other parts of the world, causing rapid growth in energy consumption. Energy supply is classified as either primary energy or secondary energy. One problem associated with all forms of coal mining is that coal usually contains sulfide minerals such as pyrite (FeS₂) that dissolve in water when exposed at the surface. This process makes the water acidic, resulting in acid mine drainage (AMD). Carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants could be captured and stored in the ground.