Conventional Fossil Fuel Sources

Conventional fuel sources are petroleum and coal (including lignite). Our modem way of life is intimately dependent upon fossil fuels or mineral fuels. Conventional energy sources based on petroleum and coal have proven to be highly effective drivers of economic progress, but at the same time damaging to the environment and to human health (Akella et al., 2009). 

One of our most important sources of energy today is oil and coal. Fossil fuels are found deposited in rock formations. Fossils are non-renewable and relatively rare resources. More importantly, the major energy demand is fulfilled by fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are fossil source fuels, that is, hydrocarbons found within the top 

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Solar cells based on silicon or gallium arsenide provide a way to convert the radiant energy of the sun directly into electrical work by a technology that is virtually nonpolluting (Fig. 22.26). The high capital costs of solar cells make them uncompetitive with conventional fossil fuel sources of energy at this time, but as reserves of fossil fuels dwindle, solar energy will become an important option. 

Synthetic crude oil is the hydrocarbon liquid that is produced from bitumen, by a variety of processes that involve thermal decomposition. Synthetic crude oil (also referred to as syncrude) is a marketable and transportable product that resembles conventional crude oil. Synthetic crude oil, although it may be produced from one of the less conventional fossil fuel sources, can be accepted into and refined by the usual refinery system. 

Develop technologies for the improved extraction of conventional fossil fuels, including unconventional sources such as oil shale, tar sands, and deep-sea methane hydrates. 

However, it is difficult to predict what the future will be and if power plant with CO2 capture will be assimilated to green-energy sources or not. Plants with CO2 capture have limited emissions and reduced impact on the environment for this reason, they are closer to renewable energy rather than conventional fossil fuel power stations. However, at the present time, no plant has ever been built and there is no directive and/or law on this matter. 

All power-producing reactors require a fissile material, which may be lj233 or Pu, and a coolant to remove the heat from the fuel. In most cases the heat transported by the coolant is used to produce steam to drive a turbine. In this respect the nuclear power plant is similar to a conventional fossil-fueled station, but with the reactor acting as the heat source (see, e.g., Fig. 6.17). 

In this scenario, waste plant biomass seems to be the only current renewable source of organic carbon, and fuels derived from iheir processing could be the only alternative liquid fuels to replace the conventional fossil fuels. 

Biofuels are produced from renewable resources, such as biomass, which are constantly replenished as a sustainable alternative energy source to conventional fossil fuel. Enzymes such as cellulase can be used to hydrolyze cellulosic biomass, which can be converted to bioethanol. Meanwhile, lipase can be used in a similar manner for the production of fatty acids alkyl esters of the lipids/oils used as the feedstock. Currently, intensive investigations are being carried out to develop efficient protocols for enzymatic production of biofuels. 

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