Unit 4. Energetics

TEXT 4.1. Non-Renewable Energy Resources: The Fossil Fuels

nonrenewable natural resources не возобновляемые [невосполнимые]

природные ресурсы sulfur dioxide диоксид серы fossil fuel ископаемое топливо

source of energy источник энергии coal уголь

oil нефть

natural gas природный газ

contain вмещать, содержать

content содержание

power station электростанция carbon dioxide диоксид углерода greenhouse effect парниковый эффект burn (burnt, burned) гореть, жечь, сжигать

nitrogen oxide двуокись азота produce производить, создавать

by-product побочный продукт

provide обеспечивать, снабжать

Fossil fuels are sources of energy that are buried under the ground: coal, oil and natural gas. They were all once living plant or animal material. The amount of energy in any fossil fuel depends on the amount of carbon that it contains. All fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide, the most important greenhouse gas, when they burn.

Coal was formed about 300 million years ago. Trees and plants fell into swamps and decomposed into peat. Later, the peat became buried and compressed into coal. After many years, the coal formed black or brown layers within sedimentary rocks. Hard, black coal (anthracite) has a high carbon content. Soft, brown coal (lignite) has a lower carbon content. It is used in power stations. All coal contains impurities; when the coal burns, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are produced from these impurities. Today, coal provides 25 percent of world energy. It is particularly important in generating electricity. By-products of coal include plastics, paint, man-made fibers (such as nylon), pesticides and fertilizers. The known resources of coal in the world will last between 100 and 300 years if consumption does not change.

Oil was formed about 400 million years ago. Animals and plants that lived in the sea died and were buried under the sea bed. Over thousands of years, the decomposed animal and plant material turned into crude oil. Oil is usually found about 2,000 meters below ground in a layer of porous rock that lies between two layers of non-porous rock. The buried oil is often under high pressure. If we drill through the upper layers of rock, the oil usually rises up to the surface under its own pressure. Oil has a high carbon content so it is a good source of energy. It is easier to reclaim and transport than coal. It is very important in the petrochemicals industry, which produces detergents, plastics, man-made fibers, cosmetics, fertilizers and industrial chemicals such as sulfuric acid. Today oil provides 50% of world energy. But we have already used 25% of the known oil reserves in the world. If world oil consumption continues at the same rate, and if we do not discover new reserves of oil, we will run out of oil in about 2015.

Natural gas (methane) often occurs with deposits of oil. It has a very high carbon content. It comes out of the ground in a pure state so it does not need to be refined before use. It can travel long distances in underground pipes, and it is very clean to use. For all these reasons, natural gas is considered a high quality fuel. However, methane and its combustion product, carbon dioxide, are both greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming. Gas provides about 20% of world energy today. World reserves of natural gas will probably last about 70 years.

The largest consumer of fossil fuels in the world is the electricity industry. People in rich countries have an almost unlimited supply of electricity. If we need light, heat or music, we just push a button. Electricity is so cheap that few of us think about the financial cost when we turn on an electrical appliance. But there is another cost - the cost to the environment. Every time you dry your hair, cook a meal or watch television, the greenhouse effect gets a little worse and a little more acid rain is generated. We should all try to use less electricity, for example by insulating our houses, turning off the light when we leave a room and using less hot water. Burning cheap, impure coal in an inefficient power station produces much more carbon dioxide than burning high quality coal in a modern, efficient system. Developed countries are beginning to introduce strict controls on industrial carbon dioxide emission. They can afford to buy the purest fuels and invest in the most efficient technology. Newly industrializing countries, such as India and China, have large reserves of brown coal. They would like to use this coal as a cheap fuel for industrialization. But they cannot afford the sophisticated technology that would minimize carbon dioxide emission. Perhaps the developed countries, which have been responsible for most of the greenhouse effect in the past, should subsidize the transfer of technology to the newly industrializing nations.

Fossil fuels are running out. From the point of view of the environment, that is perhaps a good thing. But if we remain dependent on fossil fuels for most of our energy needs there will be a sudden crisis when the reserves are exhausted. We must ^try to develop alternative sources of energy before this crisis happens. One way of encouraging people to develop and use alternative energy is to make fossil fuels more expensive. In 1992, the countries of the European Community introduced an extra tax on fossil fuels - the carbon tax. Although the carbon tax is unpopular, most people agree that the price of a fuel should reflect its true cost - which should include the cost of damage to the environment. Some of the revenue from the carbon tax will pay for research into alternative sources of energy.

peat торф

sedimentary rock осадочная порода

swamp болото, топь

decompose 1) распадаться; 2) разлагать(ся)

black coal каменный уголь

brown coal лигнит, бурый уголь

nitrogen азот

consumption потребление

sea bed дно моря

crude oil сырая, неочищенная нефть

fertilizer удобрение

reclaim использовать

petrochemical industry нефтехимическая промышленность

detergent моющее средство

run out of иссякать, кончаться

deposit месторождение; залежь (полезных ископаемых)

combustion product продукт горения

industrialize промышленность, индустриализировать

sophisticated technology сложная техника и технология

an energy crisis нехватка электроэнергии

running out истощение запасов

revenue доход