In this blog post, we will look at the limitations of fossil fuels and the problem of climate change, and explore the direction of sustainable alternative energy.
The development of humanity has been accompanied by the development of the quantity and quality of energy used by humanity. Energy is an essential element for the development of humanity. In the past, as society transformed from one that relied on the strength of people and animals to one that used fossil energy such as coal and oil, humanity was able to achieve rapid material development. The use of energy has revolutionized human life, and as a result, social structures and economic systems have also developed significantly. Fossil energy accounts for 80% of the energy used in the world today, making it the heart that keeps society beating. Now we would like to take a closer look at the history of fossil energy, its specific types, and the social and environmental impacts that have resulted from its use.
Fossil energy is divided into three main resources: coal, oil, and natural gas, and each resource has had a variety of effects on human civilization depending on its physical state and how it is used. Coal, a solid form of fossil energy, is divided into lignite, bituminous coal, and anthracite, and it is the resource that humans first actively used. The use of coal increased rapidly during the 18th and 19th centuries, especially during the 19th century, which led to the Industrial Revolution and laid the foundation for modern industrial society. At that time, coal was abundant, economical, and more energy-efficient than wood, making it an important energy resource that went beyond its role as firewood. The heat energy generated during the combustion of coal enabled a mass production system, and with the development of the steel industry, human technology has achieved rapid growth. However, the large-scale use of coal has led to various environmental problems. The various pollutants and soot generated by the combustion of coal have aggravated air pollution, which has become an opportunity to reveal the light and shadow of industrialization at the same time.
Liquid petroleum was discovered in large quantities in 1901 in Texas’ Spindletop, and it emerged as a substitute for coal. Since then, large-scale oil fields have been discovered one after another, and petroleum has become the most widely used energy source to date. The discovery of oil and the development of refining technology led to the development of various means of transportation, including automobiles, aircraft, and ships, in the mid-20th century, which, coupled with the globalization of the world economy, further accelerated the progress of human civilization. Crude oil extracted from underground is composed of various hydrocarbons, which are converted into various petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and kerosene through refining. These petroleum products are used as essential resources in almost all areas of modern society, especially in the transportation and industrial sectors.
Natural gas, a gaseous fossil energy, is a resource that was discovered along with oil and is characterized by being a cleaner fuel that emits less carbon dioxide per unit of energy produced than oil. Natural gas is widely used as a household energy source and is also playing an increasingly important role in electricity production. However, since natural gas exists in a gaseous state at room temperature, its storage and transportation involve more technical difficulties than oil. High-pressure tanks are required to store compressed gas, and the construction of infrastructure for this is essential. For this reason, natural gas is used in a relatively small proportion compared to oil or coal, but its demand is gradually increasing due to growing interest in environmental protection.
Large oil fields containing oil have been discovered one after another since the Spindletop, and because they are more energy efficient than coal and natural gas, they have become an essential energy source from the 20th century to the present. Oil has had a major impact on the global economy and politics, creating an international trend in which many countries compete and cooperate to secure energy resources. In particular, the price fluctuations of oil have a significant impact on the global economy, which has even led to diplomatic relations and wars between countries. Half of petroleum products are consumed in transportation, and the proportion is said to be increasing. This means the development of the automobile industry and the expansion of transportation infrastructure, which enables fast and efficient mobility in modern society.
However, although we have long been aware that oil, which plays such an important role in our society, is a finite resource, we have not been sufficiently concerned about the depletion of oil. The depletion of oil does not mean that the amount available for us to use will disappear at a certain point in time, but rather that there will come a point when we will not be able to obtain the amount we want, although there will be enough for several decades. The limited supply of these petroleum resources has become one of the reasons why humanity must consider future energy. Most of the existing giant oil fields have already been discovered, and new oil fields are often too small to be economically mined. As a result, the reserves of newly discovered oil fields are gradually decreasing, indicating that the depletion of oil is gradually becoming a reality.
In addition, the burning of fossil fuels has caused the emission of carbon dioxide, which has led to global warming. Climate change poses a serious challenge to humanity, and international cooperation and response are required. The impact of rising sea levels, more frequent hurricanes and droughts, higher rates of infectious disease, and other types of climate-related disasters on the economy is estimated to be worth tens of trillions of dollars over the past century. The effects of climate change do not stop at natural disasters, but can spread to overall issues that threaten the survival of humanity. Meteorologists warn that if carbon dioxide concentrations continue to rise, a global catastrophe will be inevitable by the end of the 21st century.
There are two solutions to the oil crisis: improving energy efficiency in existing ways and developing new energy sources. Improving energy efficiency is an important short-term solution that makes the most of existing infrastructure while reducing energy consumption. On the other hand, the development of new energy sources is a long-term solution and is essential for humanity to design a sustainable future. Although various research and development efforts are being made on new energy sources such as alternative energy, there are still many technical and economic challenges to completely replace fossil energy. In this process, various alternative energy sources such as nuclear power, solar power, wind power, and hydrogen fuel cells are attracting attention, but they also have various limitations.
Such alternative energy sources often cannot fully replace the advantages of existing fossil fuels. For example, solar power can only be generated when there is sunlight, and wind power is highly dependent on the strength of the wind. In addition, the initial installation cost of alternative energy facilities is high, which creates a significant economic burden. As more than 95% of transportation uses petroleum products, one of the solutions to the depletion of petroleum is to build transportation powered by other energy sources instead of petroleum products. Hydrogen cars and electric cars are being proposed as solutions to this problem, but they still face technical limitations and difficulties in building infrastructure. In particular, hydrogen cars require a lot of time and investment before the production and storage technologies of hydrogen can be commercialized.
We have previously discussed fossil energy, its impact on humanity, and the problems and solutions that have resulted from it. Fossil energy has been an important resource that has driven human development, but it is now reaching its limits. In order to prepare for the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental issues, active research and development of alternative energy sources is necessary, and this will be an important task that will determine the future of humanity. If fossil fuels have led the development of humanity, it is now time for sustainable energy to be responsible for the survival of humanity.
