Petrochemical and Alternative Fuels

Our world depends on petrochemical fuels---the cars we drive, the heat in our houses, the electricity that lights up the night. Petrochemical fuels aren't the only fuels available, though. Every alternative to petrochemical fuels has its advantages and disadvantages; however, because the supply of fossil fuel is limited and the supply is concentrated in certain areas of the world, and because petrochemical fuels do pollute, researching the use and development of any sort of alternative fuel is vital.

Petrochemical Fuels

Petrochemical fuels come from "fossil fuels." Fossil fuels are simply fuels that derive from ancient organic matter (hence the "fossil" in fossil fuels). These fossil fuels include coal, and any fuel that comes from petroleum or "crude oil," such as diesel fuel, gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, natural gas and so on. Petrochemical fuels are commonly used to power cars and planes and to heat buildings. However, petrochemical fuel isn't renewable and burning it pollutes the environment.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy harnesses natural sources, such as the tides, the winds, running water and the sun to produce electricity. These alternative energy sources are "clean"---they don't produce pollution---and can, depending on the source, produce large amounts of energy. However, they can have their drawbacks; turbines and dams can impact the environment (in the case of dams, this damage can be severe).

Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is a common source of alternative energy. By harnessing the power of fission (splitting atoms), nuclear power plants produce electricity. Nuclear power is cleaner than petrochemical power, in that it may produce less polluting carbon dioxide gas. However, this alternative power source does produce radioactive byproduct which must be carefully disposed. In addition, the current fuel for nuclear power plants is uranium---which, like petroleum, is in limited supply.

Biofuels

Biofuels use animal or plant matter to convert into energy. Biodiesel fuel is diesel fuel that is made not from petroleum but from vegetable oil or animal fat. It can be mixed with petroleum-based diesel fuel to power vehicles. Ethanol fuel is derived from fermented sugars from plants like wheat or corn. Ethanol can be used as a gasoline replacement or mixed with gasoline. Biofuels can be cleaner-burning than regular petroleum-based fuels, but the amount of energy that goes into growing the plants for the fuel and transporting the fuel may make alternative biofuel use inefficient.

Hydrogen Fuel

Hydrogen fuel is clean-burning---and you can make it anywhere, without relying on natural resources such as oil deposits or plant crops. Unfortunately, it's hard to make hydrogen fuel without using another fuel to make it in the first place---as there aren't hydrogen "deposits" or "mines," and the hydrogen itself has to be created using other sources of energy, usually from fossil fuels.