Fossil Fuels Essay

Fossil fuels

Ethan Sims

Coal, oil and gas are called "fossil fuels" because they are formed from the

remains of prehistoric animals and plants. Coal is crushed to a powder and burnt

however Oil and gas can be burnt straight away. (Darvill) Fossil Fuels are the most

important and widely used energy sources in the present. The majority of all energy

used on earth comes from the burning of three types of fossil fuels: petroleum, natural

gas and coal. Fossil fuels are a non-renewable source of energy. They are formed over

millions and millions of years; the fossil fuels we use for energy today were created from

plants and animals that lived and died about 300 million years ago. Fossil fuels are

found deep underground, they are burned to

Solar thermal systems therefore are now included in our part of standard

equipment in new homes . Energy produced by solar collectors heat can be used for

heating , showers and the dishwasher and washing machine .

For the production of electricity are two variants available: Solar cells convert sunlight

directly into electricity. The government supports the use of this technique , which is

called photovoltaics, financially by the Renewable Energy Sources Act ( EEG).

Accounts are solar thermal power plants in sunny countries . With large mirrors , the

sunlight is concentrated , converted into heat and steam turbine driven . The electricity

generated may be conveyed as a direct current over long distances. Such solar power

plants are already in operation in Spain and California .

Wind energy is the oldest form of energy used by humans. In ancient times people used

to facilitate wind power, life and work. Evidence of this use are old wind turbines have

been used for various purposes such as the promotion of groundwater.

In the strictest sense, the wind power is an inexhaustible source of energy, such as

solar energy is influenced by the radiation from the sun to the earth. Because of