Non Renewable Energy Sources

Definition of Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy comes from sources that cannot be replenished in a short period of time (National Geographic, 2022). Once depleted, these energy sources essentially take millions of years to replenish naturally. Non-renewable energy sources include:

• Fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas (National Geographic, 2022)
• Nuclear power derived from uranium and other radioactive elements (Energy Kids, 2022)

Unlike renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydropower, non-renewable sources exist in finite quantities and will eventually dwindle, becoming too expensive or environmentally damaging to retrieve (National Geographic, 2022). The core challenge with non-renewable energy is that it cannot be easily regenerated over short time spans relevant to human life.

Types of Non-Renewable Energy

The main types of non-renewable energy sources are fossil fuels, which include oil, coal, and natural gas. Fossil fuels formed underground from the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago and were subject to intense heat and pressure over time. Fossil fuels are called non-renewable because their supply is finite and will eventually run out or become too difficult to retrieve (source).

Oil, also known as petroleum, is a liquid fossil fuel found deep underground in pockets and extracted through oil wells and offshore oil rigs. It is refined into various petroleum products like gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and more. Coal is a solid fossil fuel formed underground from dead plant matter compressed at high temperatures. It is mined from coal beds and burnt to produce electricity. Natural gas is a fossil fuel in gaseous form trapped in shale or other rock formations underground. It is extracted through hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” and used as a fuel source (source).

Other non-renewable energy sources include nuclear power from uranium and plutonium, which are mined and used as fuel in nuclear reactors to produce electricity with steam turbines.

Disadvantages of Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas have some major drawbacks that need to be considered as we look to transition to cleaner energy sources. First and foremost is that they are finite resources that will eventually be depleted. Fossil fuels developed over millions of years, and we cannot recreate them nearly as fast as we are using them up [1]. Once these sources run out, they will be gone forever unless new reserves are discovered.

The extraction, processing, and burning of fossil fuels also causes extensive environmental damage. Air pollution from burning coal, oil, and gas contributes to smog, acid rain, and climate change. Extraction techniques like fracking and offshore drilling can also pollute the air and water. Coal mining destroys land and oil spills harm marine ecosystems [2]. The environmental effects of non-renewables present risks to wildlife, ecosystems, and human health.

Current Reliance on Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy sources currently make up a significant portion of energy consumption in the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), fossil fuels accounted for 79% of total U.S. energy consumption in 2020 [1]. This includes petroleum, natural gas, and coal. Only about 21% came from renewable sources like hydropower, biomass, wind, solar, and geothermal.

The contribution of coal to total U.S. energy consumption has declined over the past decades, from about 36% in 1950 to just 10% in 2022 [2]. Still, fossil fuels collectively remain the dominant source of energy in the country despite growth in renewables.

Globally, non-renewable sources accounted for around 80% of total primary energy supply in 2019, according to estimates [3]. This reliance persists despite concerns over climate change, pollution, and finite supply. Transitioning to renewable alternatives is a major challenge worldwide.

Locations of Non-Renewable Sources

Fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, and coal are found in concentrated deposits located around the world. Major deposits of oil and natural gas are located in the Middle East, Russia, the United States, Canada, Venezuela, and Norway. China, the United States, India, Russia, Indonesia, and Australia have the largest coal reserves.

Saudi Arabia has the second largest proven oil reserves after Venezuela, while Russia has the largest proven natural gas reserves. Most of the oil in the Middle East is located in giant fields in remote dessert locations. The United States has substantial deposits of oil and gas in states like Texas, California, Alaska, and in the Gulf of Mexico.

Coal is found on every continent and mined extensively in China, India, the United States, Australia, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and Germany. Germany has substantial coal deposits of bituminous coal. Australia has vast reserves of metallurgical coal located in Queensland and New South Wales.

Environmental Impacts

Non-renewable energy sources like oil, coal, and natural gas have major negative impacts on the environment. Burning these fossil fuels releases air pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and heavy metals that contribute to smog, acid rain, and respiratory illnesses.

Extracting non-renewable resources also destroys wildlife habitats. Mining techniques like mountaintop removal devastate forests and pollute waterways. Oil drilling in sensitive environments puts endangered species at risk. The infrastructure around fossil fuel extraction fragments habitats. Pipelines, access roads, and power plants built for mining split up once-continuous ecosystems (The environmental impact of non-renewable energies).

Most significantly, non-renewable energy emits greenhouse gases that drive climate change. The vast majority of human-caused carbon emissions come from burning fossil fuels like petroleum, coal, and natural gas. The resulting global warming is already causing sea level rise, extinction of species, ocean acidification, desertification, and intensification of natural disasters like wildfires, droughts, and hurricanes (Nonrenewable Energy). Climate change threatens the stability of ecosystems, food supplies, economies, and human societies worldwide.

Economics of Non-Renewable Energy

Extracting non-renewable energy sources can be an expensive process. According to The Economics of Nonrenewable Resources from Cambridge University Press, these costs include exploration, building infrastructure like rigs and pipelines, extraction, refining, and transportation. The costs vary by source – extracting oil from tar sands is more expensive than drilling traditional oil wells. However, technology advances and economies of scale have helped reduce costs over time.

Global energy prices and markets also impact the economics of non-renewables. When prices are high, it encourages more exploration and production. But low prices, like during the 2020 pandemic, caused oil companies to scale back operations. Government subsidies play a role as well. Subsidies for fossil fuels worldwide total around $500 billion per year according to the IMF, artificially lowering costs for producers and consumers.

Alternatives and Transition Plans

Many countries are actively working to transition away from non-renewable energy and towards renewable sources. Renewable energy comes from naturally replenished sources like sunlight, wind, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Some major renewable energy sources include:

• Solar power from photovoltaic panels or concentrated solar plants
• Wind power from onshore and offshore wind turbines
• Hydropower from dams and tidal/wave power from tidal barrages and other installations
• Geothermal power from underground heat sources
• Bioenergy from organic matter like plants, wood, and waste

Governments have set ambitious goals for the adoption of renewables. For example, the European Union aims to fulfill 32% of its energy needs with renewables by 2030. The United States plans to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewables need to supply 85% of electricity generation by 2050 to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

In addition to adding more renewables, many energy conservation efforts are underway to reduce overall energy demand and non-renewable reliance. Some conservation strategies include improving efficiency standards for vehicles and appliances, retrofitting buildings to be more energy-efficient, encouraging public transit and smart urban planning, and motivating sustainable lifestyle changes among individuals and corporations. Public campaigns also aim to boost awareness of conservation and curtail unnecessary consumption.

While the transition will take time, concerted worldwide efforts to expand renewables and promote efficiency put us on track to scale back our use of costly and harmful non-renewable energy in the coming decades.

New Technology Development

There are several emerging technologies focused on utilizing non-renewable resources more efficiently and with less environmental impact. Some key areas of innovation include:

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process that captures CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use before they are released into the atmosphere. The CO2 is then compressed and pumped into underground geological formations for secure storage. CCS technology allows continued use of fossil fuels while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Current CCS projects around the world have the capacity to capture 40 million tonnes of CO2 annually.¹

Natural gas is emerging as a “bridge fuel” from high-carbon sources like coal to low-carbon renewable energy. Burning natural gas emits approximately half the CO2 emissions of coal. Hydraulic fracturing techniques have unlocked vast new natural gas reserves, leading to greater adoption as an alternative to coal. However, leaking methane during natural gas operations can offset these benefits. New technologies to detect and reduce methane leaks can improve the emissions profile of natural gas.

Cleaner fossil fuel technology involves engineering solutions to reduce pollutants from sources like coal and natural gas. Technologies like pre-combustion capture, oxyfuel combustion, and chemical looping remove CO2 emissions. New filters and scrubbers can capture harmful particulates, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other contaminants from emissions.

While these innovations allow continued use of finite resources like coal and natural gas, many experts argue they are stopgap measures. Ultimately the transition to renewable energy will be required. Nevertheless, these technologies could play an important role in the medium term as the global energy system shifts away from dirtier fossil fuels.

Future Outlook and Predictions

Projections indicate that demand for non-renewable energy sources will continue to grow globally in the coming decades. Fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas currently account for over 80% of total energy consumption worldwide [1]. As developing countries industrialize and populations grow, energy needs are expected to rise substantially.

The International Energy Agency predicts that even with growth in renewable energy, fossil fuels will still make up over 75% of energy use in 2040 under current policies [2]. Oil is projected to remain the largest energy source, coal the second largest, and natural gas the third largest globally.

However, supplies of non-renewable sources are finite. Estimates of remaining global oil reserves range from 50 to 80 years at current production levels [3]. Significant discoveries of new reserves could extend this timeline. Natural gas reserves are predicted to last around 52 years, and coal reserves over 100 years [3].

The future outlook depends on technological advances, policy changes, energy conservation, and the transition to renewable alternatives. But based on current trends, non-renewable sources are expected to remain dominant well into the 21st century.