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Energy Controversy

The Energy Controversy

Both, nuclear energy and the energy used from fossil fuels, have their pros and cons.

However, the United States relies 85 percent of its energy needs on fossil fuels. By the looks of

how we use our energy, fossil fuels will eventually run out. If Americans do not do something

about it, then they may run out soon. In our country, we use up a lot more energy than we have

available to us. Because of this, we need to buy and import resources from other countries to be

able to reach the amount we spend. Though it may be hard for many people to adjust to changes,

I think the nation needs to find a way to conserve the energy we are using. At the same time, we

must find another way to get our energy. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources, and the

availability of them is minimizing. We need to switch to another form of getting our energy that

we can rely on, before we run out of time.

Fossil fuels, also known as mineral fuels, are hydrocarbon-containing natural resources.

This includes resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The use of fossil fuels has fueled

industrial development and largely supplanted water driven mills, as well as the combustion of

wood for heat (Gibson, Diane. Fossil Fuels. Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 2002. 11-14).

When generating electricity, energy from the combustion of fossil fuels is often used to power a

turbine. Older generators often used steam generated by the burning of the fuel to turn the

turbine, but in newer power plants the gases produced by burning of the fuel turn a gas turbine

directly. Fossil fuels supply most of the energy consumed today. They are relatively concentrated

and pure energy sources. Consequently, they are easy to exploit, and provide cheap energy if the

costs of pollution and subsidies are ignored. Petroleum products provide almost all of the world's

transportation fuel.

With global modernization in...