FOSSIL FUELS ....What would we do without them !
Prior to the latter half of the 18th century, windmills and provided the
energy needed for industry such as milling flour sawing wood or pumping
water, and burning wood or peat provided domestic heat. The wide-scale use
of fossil fuels, coal at first and petroleum later, to fire steam engines
enabled the Industrial Revolution.
Commercial exploitation of petroleum, largely as a replacement for oils
from animal sources (notably whale oil), for use in oil lamps began in the
19th century. Natural gas, once flared-off as an unneeded by-product of
petroleum production, is now considered a very valuable resource.
Gas lights using natural gas or coal gas became widespread. The Internal Combustion Engine using petrol, power kerosene, or dieisel saw the development of vehicular transport in the form of automobiles and trucks. Shipping was transformed as it no longer relied on the wind. Aeroplanes completed the picture.
Electricity generated using coal became a major source of light and power. Today electricity is also generated by renewable resources in hydroelectric, solar ,wind, tide, wood,waste and geothermal. Nuclear reactors generate the balance of electricity. Nonetheless, probably in excess of 80% of the world's electricity is generated using fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are utilised by the petrochemical industry. Apart from the obvious (petrol, diesel, lubricants) a vast quantity of consumer products have inputs derived from fossil fuels, plastics, tyres, paint, shampoos, detergents for example.
Ponder This ...