Regan Brown
Fossil fuels and natural gases are used extensively around the world for a variety of purposes. Natural gas, primarily used in the northern hemisphere, is a fossil fuel that is used for electricity generation, heating, manufacturing, and as a vehicle fuel. Fossil fuels, which include coal, oil, and natural gas, are also used for electricity generation, and to provide energy for buildings, vehicles, and industrial processes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Natural gas use | Generating electricity, space heating, manufacturing, transportation |
| Natural gas users | North America, Europe, Saudi Arabia |
| Fossil fuel use | Energy production, fuel for vehicles, fuel for heating, transportation, manufacturing |
| Fossil fuel users | Industrially developed countries |
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What You'll Learn
Electricity generation
Fossil fuels and natural gas are primarily used for electricity generation. Fossil fuels are the remains of long-dead plants and animals. Over millions of years, heat and pressure changed these things into oil, natural gas, and coal. There is a limited amount of fossil fuel on our planet, making it a non-renewable resource. Fossil fuels are burned or combusted to generate electricity. The burning of coal or oil heats giant boilers filled with water, transforming liquid water into steam. The steam creates pressure in the boiler, which rotates a steam turbine, driving a generator to produce electricity. This process is known as thermal generation.
Coal is the most widely used fossil fuel for electricity generation. In 2016, coal accounted for 67.8% of Canada's electricity generation greenhouse gas emissions, while only 9.3% of the country's electricity came from coal. Coal was also the dominant energy source during the Industrial Revolution due to its availability and energy density.
Natural gas is the third most widely used fuel for electricity generation, after coal and oil. It is composed mainly of methane (85-90%) and contains other gases such as propane, ethane, butane, nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. Natural gas is considered the cleanest fossil fuel as it produces fewer emissions and toxic air pollutants than other fossil fuels. It is also a rapidly growing energy source, with gas-fired power plants generating almost a quarter of the world's electricity.
Natural gas is collected from under the Earth's surface and treated to remove water and waste products. It is then transported through pipelines to power plants, where it undergoes a conversion process using a boiler, combustion turbine, or both. When using a boiler, water is boiled to create steam that spins a turbine and generates electricity. A combustion turbine uses pressurized gas to turn the blades of a turbine connected to a generator, creating an electric current.
In the United States, natural gas is the most used energy source for electricity generation. In 2023, the electric power sector accounted for about 40% of total U.S. natural gas consumption, with the industrial and commercial sectors being the largest consumers. Natural gas is also used in combination with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power to provide stable power generation.
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Industrial processes
Natural gas and fossil fuels are used in a variety of industrial processes. Natural gas, for instance, is used in the manufacture of fabrics, glass, steel, plastics, paint, synthetic oil, and other products. It is also used as fuel for industrial heating and drying processes. Natural gas is also used to power engines that rotate compressors, which are required in transmission lines to pressurize and repressurize the gas as it travels. Gas-fired power plants burn natural gas to generate electricity.
Natural gas is formed by the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter, primarily marine microorganisms, under oxygen-free conditions, and subjected to intense heat and pressure underground over millions of years. It is composed mostly of methane, with small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and helium.
Fossil fuels, which include coal, petroleum, and natural gas, are used in industrial processes such as generating electricity and providing feedstock for the petrochemical industry. Petroleum, or crude oil, is processed in refineries to create fuel oil, gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, and non-fuel products such as pesticides, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. The petrochemical industry uses fossil fuels to create derivatives such as kerosene, gasoline, diesel, polyolefins (plastics), aromatics, and synthetic resins.
The use of fossil fuels in industrial processes has been a major contributor to the climate crisis and pollution. There is a growing movement to transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable and sustainable energy sources. However, the fossil fuel industry is heavily integrated into the global economy, and the transition is expected to have significant economic consequences.
To reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency in industrial processes, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology can be employed. CCS involves collecting the carbon emitted by the fossil fuel sector and injecting it back into the earth. Additionally, improving the energy efficiency of industrial equipment and processes can help reduce energy consumption and cut emissions.
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Residential use
Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are used in homes for a variety of purposes. Gas, for example, is used for heating and hot water, with gas boilers burning gas to heat the water that goes into radiators. Gas is also used for cooking, with gas cooktops, ovens, ranges and stoves being popular choices due to their instant temperature control, lower energy costs and even heat distribution. In Scotland, gas is the most commonly used fossil fuel, providing most homes with heat and hot water.
Historically, coal gas was used for cooking and lighting in residences and other buildings. Coal tar, a byproduct of coal gas production, was used for roofing, waterproofing and paving.
Natural gas is also used in homes for heating, cooking and clothes drying. In 2023, the residential sector accounted for about 14% of total US natural gas consumption, and about 41% of US residential sector end-use energy consumption was natural gas. Natural gas is also used as a feedstock for manufacturing and to fuel vehicles.
There are some health and safety concerns associated with the use of natural gas in homes. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) produced by burning natural gas can be a health hazard. Radon, a radioactive gas that can be released during natural gas extraction, can build up in gas extraction equipment. Hydrogen sulfide, another toxic compound that can be released during extraction, can be removed through amine gas treating. An odorant is added to natural gas to help detect leaks, as it has no smell in its pure form.
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Transportation
The use of fossil fuels in the transportation sector is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. Motorised transport on land, sea, and air relies heavily on internal combustion engines that run on fossil fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. In 2021, the United States consumed about 28% of its total energy for transportation, with petroleum products accounting for 90% of the transportation sector's energy use.
However, the transportation sector is gradually transitioning towards more sustainable alternatives. Electric vehicles (EVs) are being promoted as a cleaner option, with the US and EU implementing policies to accelerate EV adoption. Additionally, biofuels, synthetic fuels, and hydrogen are gaining traction as alternatives to traditional fossil fuels.
Natural gas is another alternative fuel that is finding increasing use in the transportation sector. Compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are two forms of natural gas used in vehicles. CNG is produced by compressing natural gas to a fraction of its volume at standard atmospheric pressure, while LNG is formed by purifying and super-cooling natural gas to a liquid state. These alternative fuels are domestically produced, relatively low-priced, and commercially available. They are used in cars, buses, trucks, and ships, offering a cleaner-burning fuel option that produces fewer toxic pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional gasoline or diesel fuel.
Natural gas is also used to power pipeline compressors that transport natural gas itself. Additionally, propane, a by-product of petroleum refining and natural gas processing, has been utilised as a transportation fuel for over half a century and is the most widely used alternative fuel.
While progress is being made towards decarbonising transport, it is essential to continue encouraging the adoption of less carbon-intensive travel options, such as walking, cycling, and public transport, as well as the development and utilisation of more efficient technologies.
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Manufacturing
Natural gas and fossil fuels have been used to power economies for over 150 years and currently account for about 80% of the world's energy supply. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is formed from the thermal decomposition of organic matter, primarily marine microorganisms, under oxygen-free conditions, and subjected to intense heat and pressure underground over millions of years.
Natural gas and fossil fuels are used extensively in manufacturing processes. Natural gas, for example, is used as a raw input material for medical products like intravenous lines, bags, gloves, masks, and catheters. It is also used in the manufacturing of fabrics, glass, steel, plastics, paint, synthetic oil, and other products.
Fossil fuels, including natural gas, oil, and coal, are used in their crude or refined forms in manufacturing processes. Oil, for instance, is used to create non-fuel products such as pesticides, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. Natural gas is used in the production of petrochemicals, which are then used to manufacture other goods.
The industrial sector accounts for about one-third of US natural gas consumption, and its use is projected to increase in this sector, particularly as a feedstock in chemical processes and for industrial heat and power. The expansion of shale gas production in the US has also contributed to a boom in energy-intensive manufacturing sector exports.
However, the recognition of the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuels has led to a transition towards renewable and sustainable energy sources. Fossil fuels have been linked to climate change, with the burning of fossil fuels releasing stored carbon and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to dramatic changes in Earth's climate.
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Frequently asked questions
Fossil fuels are used to generate electricity, provide heating, and fuel transportation. They are also used in industrial processes, such as manufacturing and power plants.
Natural gas is used for electricity generation, heating, and cooking. It is also used in manufacturing and as a fuel for vehicles.
Fossil fuels include coal, oil, natural gas, petroleum, oil shales, bitumen, tar sands, and heavy oils.
