Energy requirements of non

alternate sources of energy –

1. Resources
A resource is anything; we get from the environment to meet our
needs and desires. It may be any useful information, material or
services. Thus any part of our natural environment such as land,
water, air, minerals, forest, range land, wildlife, fish or even
human population that man can utilize to promote his welfare are
regarded as natural resources. The five basic ecological
variables- energy, matter, space, time and diversity are
sometimes called natural resources. Resources are dynamic
which not only improves new knowledge, expanding science and
new technologies but also to changing culture and social
objectives. For example, some resources, such as solar energy,
fresh air, fresh surface water, fertile soil, and wild edible plants
are directly available for use by us and other organisms, while
other resources such as petroleum, iron, groundwater, and
modern crops are not directly available and their supplies are
limited.
1.1 Types of Resources
Some resources are likely to get exhausted soon, whereas other
would be lasting for a long period of time. Thus, depending upon
the availability of resources, these are divided into two categories:
1. Renewable resources
2. Non-renewable resources
1. Renewable resources
There are the sources that are replenished through rapid natural
cycles.Common examples of such resources are:
i. Oxygen in the air, which is replenished through
photosynthesis.
ii. Fresh water, which is replenished through the water cycle.
iii. All biological products (food, fishes, timber, etc.,) which
are replenished through natural cycles of growth and
reproduction.
iv. Solar energy is also considered as renewable as on a
human time scale and it is inexhaustible. It is expected
that sun will last at least 6.5 billion years.
v. Some other renewable resources that can be renewed
(hours to several decades) through natural processes
include forests, grassland grasses, wild animals, fresh air
and fertile soil. However, potentially renewable resources
can be depleted when resources utilization rate exceeds
the natural replacement rate.
2. Non-Renewable Resources
These are the resources, which once gone, have very little
chance of recovery in nature. These are further classified as,
I. Non-renewable resources that can be recycled: These
include all non-energy mineral resources which occur in the
Earth’s crust. For example,
a.Ores of copper, aluminum, mercury and other metals.
b. Deposits of fertilizer nutrients such as phosphate rock and
potassium.
c. Minerals that are used in their natural states such as asbestos,
clay, mica, etc.
As these deposits are mined, they are not replaced, and hence
such materials are considered non-renewable. However, it is
possible, at least in theory, to collect these materials and recycle
them.
ii. Non-renewable resources that cannot be recycled: These
resources exist in a fixed quantity in Earth’s crust and thus
theoretically can be completely used up. Now. We will know about
the non-recyclable - non-renewable resources.
2.Non-Recyclable – Non-renewable Resources:
Resources that exist in a fixed quantity in Earth’s crust and thus
theoretically can be completely used up are called non-renewable
(or exhaustible) resources. On a time scale of millions to billions
of years, such resources can be renewed by geological
processes. However, on the much shorter human time scale of
hundreds to thousands of years, these resources can be depleted
much faster than they are formed. Fossil fuels are derived from
organic matter that accumulated during hundreds of millions of
years of early bio-geological history. There is no way of recycling
the energy in fossil fuels. Resources that cannot be recycled are
those “mineral” energy resources, namely, fossil fuels (coal, oil,
and natural gas), that presently supply better than 90 percent of
our energy, and uranium that is used for nuclear (atomic) power.
Non-renewable energy resources, such as coal, oil, and natural
gas, can’t be recycled or reused. Once burned, the useful energy
in these fossil fuels is gone, leaving behind waste “heat and
polluting exhaust gases. Most of the per capita economic growth
has been fueled by relatively cheap non-renewable oil, which is
expected to be economically depleted within 40 to 80 years. So
we got two types of examples of non-renewable resources that
cannot be recycle
1. Fossil fuels
2. Uranium
 Fig:
Nonrenewable energy resources removed from the earth’s crust include: oil, natural gas, coal,
and uranium(source: 2001Cole/brooks publishing)

2.1 Fossil fuels

Ancient organic remains (fossils) in sediments which over eons
become sedimentary rock giving rise to solid, liquid,and gaseous
fuels. Essentially all fossil fuels are highly concentrated forms of
far-ancient he industrial revolution (mid 19th to 20th early
century).
Fossil fuel includes-
(A)Natural gas (B) Coal (C) Petroleum oil

(A) Natural gas

Natural gas occurs deep beneath the earth's surface. Natural gas
consists mainly of methane, a compound with one carbon atom
and four hydrogen atoms. Natural gas also contains small
amounts of hydrocarbon gas liquids and nonhydrocarbon gases.
We use natural gas as a fuel and to make materials and
chemicals.
Formation of natural gas
Millions of years ago, the remains of plants and animals (diatoms)
decayed and built up in thick layers, sometimes mixed with sand
and silt. Over time, these layers were buried under sand, silt, and
rock. Pressure and heat changed some of this organic material
into coal, some into oil (petroleum), and some into natural gas. In
some places, the natural gas moved into large cracks and spaces
between layers of overlying rock. In other places, natural gas
occurs in the tiny pores (spaces) within some formations of shale,
sandstone, and other types of sedimentary rock where it is
referred to as shale gas or tight gas. Natural gas also occurs in
coal deposits and is called coal bed methane.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (public domain)

Sources of natural gas

The search for natural gas begins with geologists, who study the
structure and processes of the earth. They locate the types of
rock that are likely to contain natural gas deposits. Some of these
areas are on land and some are offshore and deep under the
ocean floor.
Geologists often use seismic surveys on land and in the ocean to
find the right places to drill wells. Seismic surveys on land use
echoes from a vibration source at the surface of the earth, usually
a vibrating pad under a special type of truck. Geologists can also
use small amounts of explosives as a vibration source. Seismic
surveys conducted in the ocean rely on blasts of sound that
create sonic waves to explore the geology beneath the ocean
floor.
If a site seems promising, an exploratory well is drilled and tested.
Once a formation is proven to be economic for production, one or
more production (or development) wells are drilled down into the
formation, and natural gas flows up through the wells to the
surface. In the United States and a few other countries, natural
gas is produced directly from shale and other types of rock
formations that contain natural gas in pores within the rock. The
rock formation is fractured by forcing water, chemicals, and sand
down a well. This releases the natural gas from the rock, and the
natural gas flows up the well to the surface. Wells drilled to
produce oil may also produce associated natural gas.
The natural gas withdrawn from a well is called wet natural
gasbecause it usually contains liquid hydrocarbons and
nonhydrocarbon gases. Methane and other useful gases are
separated from the wet natural gas near the site of the well or at a
natural gas processing plant. The processed gas is
called dry or consumer-grade natural gas. This natural gas is sent
through pipelines to underground storage fields or to distribution
companies and then to consumers.
Coal may contain coalbed methane, which can be captured when
coal is mined. Coalbed methane can be added to natural gas
pipelines without any special treatment. Another source of
methane is biogas that forms in landfills and in vessels
called digesters.
Most of the natural gas consumed in the United States is
produced in the United States. Some natural gas is imported from
Canada and Mexico in pipelines. A small amount of natural gas is
also imported as liquefied natural gas.

(B) Coal: Coal is the most abundant form of fossil fuel available

on earth. They were formed by the decay of old plants and
animals several centuries ago. Coal is mostly found below the
earth and is major source of fuel for electricity generation as of
today. Most power stations on earth require huge reserves of coal
to produce electricity continuously without break. When coal is
burnt, it produces heat that is used to convert the water into
stream.The steam is then used to move the turbines which in
turns activate generators which produces electricity. Coal
contains excessive amount of carbon. When it is burnt to produce
power, it mixes up with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide. Carbon
dioxide is one the gas responsible for global warming. The use of
coal and other fossil fuels have only increased since they were
discovered. Their excessive extraction and use has resulted in
degradation of environment and ecological imbalance. Though
coal is still available in big quantity on this earth but it is predicted
that it won’t last for more than 40-50 years if switch is not made to
green or clean energy.
Coal takes millions of years to form
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock
with a high amount of carbon and hydrocarbons. Coal is classified
as a nonrenewable energy source because it takes millions of
years to form. Coal contains the energy stored by plants that lived
hundreds of millions of years ago in swampy forests.
The plants were covered by layers of dirt and rock over millions of
years. The resulting pressure and heat turned the plants into a
substance now known as coal.

Fig: Coalformation (source: adaption from national energy education development project)

Types of coal
Coal is classified into four main types, or ranks: anthracite,
bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite. The ranking depends on
the types and amounts of carbon the coal contains and on the
amount of heat energy the coal can produce. The rank of a coal
deposit is determined by the amount of pressure and heat that
acted on the plants over time.
Anthracite contains 86%–97% carbon, and generally has the
highest heating value of all ranks of coal. Anthracite accounted for
less than 1% of the coal mined in the United States in 2014. All of
the anthracite mines in the United States are located in
northeastern Pennsylvania. Anthracite is mainly used by the
metals industry.
Bituminous coal contains 45%–86% carbon. Bituminous coal in
the United States is between 100 and 300 million years old.
Bituminous coal is the most abundant rank of coal found in the
United States, and it accounted for 48% of total U.S. coal
production in 2014. Bituminous coal is used to generate
electricity, and it is an important fuel and raw material for making
iron and steel. West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and
Indiana were the five main bituminous coal-producing states in
2014, accounting for 70% of total bituminous production.
Subbituminous coal typically contains 35%–45% carbon, and it
has a lower heating value than bituminous coal. Most
subbituminous coal in the United States is at least 100 million
years old. About 44% of total U.S. coal production in 2014 was
subbituminous, and nearly 90% was produced in Wyoming.
Lignite contains 25%–35% carbon and has the lowest energy
content of all coal ranks. Lignite coal deposits tend to be relatively
young and were not subjected to extreme heat or pressure.
Lignite is crumbly and has high moisture content, which
contributes to its low heating value. Lignite accounted for 8% of
total U.S. coal production in 2014. About 92% of total lignite
production is mined in Texas and North Dakota, where it is
burned at power plants to generate electricity. A facility in North
Dakota also converts lignite to synthetic natural gas and pipes it
to natural gas consumers in the eastern United States.

(C) Oil/Petroleum: Oil is available in abundance in most of the

Middle East countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq
and UAE while some limited oil wells are present in North
America and Canada. Most of the countries still have their huge
dependency on these countries for their oil requirements. Like
coal, it was also made out of dead plants and animals that had
lived millions of years ago. When plants and animals died they
were covered with thick layer of mud and sand which created
huge pressure and temperature. These fossil fuels coal, oil and
natural gas are result of those conditions only.
Wide usage of oil and oil related products has resulted in
massive air pollution. It is a major source of fuel that is used in
vehicles. Due to the process of combustion, harmful gases like
carbon dioxide are released when oil is burnt. Everyday around
19.7 million barrels of oil is consumed in United States alone. Oil
is transported to other nations using pipelines or ships. Leakage
in ships leads to oil spill which affects animals and plants that live
inside or around the sea. Just couple of years back, a ship
containing oil of British Petroleum (BP) caused oil leakage which
resulted in killing of many whales, fishes and small animals that
live inside the sea.

Fig: Petroleum products made from crude oil, 2015 (source: U.S. energy information
administration, petroleum supply monthly, February 2015)

2.2 Nuclear Energy: Uranium

 Nuclear energy is has become a hot technology today.
More and more countries are switching to nuclear
 energy to fulfill their future energy demands. Around
16% of world’s electricity production comes through
nuclear energy. Nuclear power plants use Uranium as
a fuel to extract energy from it.
 The energy can be released through either of the two
processes: Nuclear Fission or Nuclear Fusion. Nuclear
fission is the most common technique to harness
nuclear energy. U-235 element is bombarded with slow
moving neutrons which break the atom and releases
energy. The atoms that got split are then again hit by
neutrons to produce mass amount of energy. Like
fossil fuels, nuclear does not produces any greenhouse
emissions. Nuclear power plants produce some sort of
nuclear waste called radioactive elements.
 These elements emit strong radiations and must be
buried deep underground so that they don’t affect
human life. Couple of nuclear disasters has already
occurred in past including Chernobyl and Island Three
Miles. In the recent past, there is the
 case of the disaster, which happened in Japan back in
2010. These disasters have again raised several
questions on safety of nuclear power plants and people
who work in these plants. Despite this, several power
stations are coming up in different parts of the world.
Another downside of nuclear energy is that it can be
used to make nuclear bomb. Therefore, these remain
targets for various terrorist organizations.
Source: Adapted from National Energy Education Development Project (public domain)

3. Non-renewable resources of Bangladesh 

 The energy sources which are not renewable. Their
reserves diminish and the resources are exhausted in
course of time as they are used. And so the sources
are considered limited and not usable for an unlimited
period of time. Fossil fuels fall in this category.
 Bangladesh is quite rich in NATURAL GAS. Although the
actual reserve of this most important fossil fuel of
Bangladesh has not yet been ascertained, a recent
study made with the help of experts of the US
Geological Survey shows that there is as much as 33
TCF (trillion cubic feet) of proven probable natural gas
reserves in the country. Some coalmines have also
been discovered in Bangladesh. At present the country
has 2,041 million tons of coal reserve. However,
petroleum is mostly imported from the Middle East.
Various types of PETROLEUM PRODUCTS are in use in different
sectors. Diesel, kerosene, petrol and octane are most commonly
used. Table 1 describes the sector wise consumption of
petroleum products.
Table: Reserve of coal in Bangladesh (source: Petro Bangla, geological survey of Bangladesh)

 LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS  (LPG) contains mostly propane

and butane and is marketed by LP Gas Ltd. It is very popular
as cooking fuel and is also used in motor vehicles. The LPG
Bottling Plant in Chittagong was built in 1978-79. In this plant
about 16,000 tons of LPG is received annually through a
pipeline from Eastern Refinery and then bottled. LPG
Sweetening unit was installed to make LPG totally free from
H2S and to reduce other forms of Sulphur below a maximum
allowable limit. LPG spheres were installed to provide a
much needed LPG storage facility. In 1997-98 LP Gas Ltd
bottled a total of 1.061 million cylinders (each cylinder
containing 12.5 kg LP gas). The LPG Storage, Bottling and
Distribution Project at KailashTila in Sylhetwas completed in
1998. The additional 5,000 tons of LPG per year received
from indigenous sources are bottled and put for marketing
through oil marketing companies from this plant. Presently, a
total of 21,000 tons of LPG is bottled annually from these
two plants of LP Gas Ltd. The present annual demand of
LPG is about 5-6 lakhs tones. However, the production
capacity of LPG in Bangladesh supply only about 75,000
tones. To meet the increasing demand of LPG the
government has taken up a policy for importing it. Importing
and bottling of approximately 60,000 tons of LPG initially,
with a provision for its extension to 2 million ton gradually by
the side of the existing LPG plant in Chittagong, is under
active consideration of the government. This would help the
 people of the country considerably, especially those residing
in the northwestern region of Bangladesh, to meet the
increasing demand for cooking fuel and to reduce use of
wood and cutting of forests. Already, Basundhara, a local
company, has started importing LPG from abroad, and
bottling at Mongla of Bagerhat district to distribute it in the
northwestern zone.
 Coal played a key role as a primary source of organic
chemical feed stocks in the world till 1950s, and maintained
its large share as a primary energy source throughout the
20th century. Although its percentage contribution decreased
from 55 in 1900 to 22 in 1997, coal plays a vital role as a
energy resource. The present coal reserve of Bangladesh is
2,041 million tons.
 In addition to the fields listed above, coal has also been
discovered at Dighipara of Dinajpur district. The reserve is
yet to be calculated. A major part of this coal has been
earmarked for power generation.'
 Coal is being extracted and exploited commercially from
Barapukuria coalfield since September 2005. In the fiscal
year 2008-09 total amount of coal extracted was about 0.86
million metric tons. Major share of this coal is fed to the 250
MW powerplant situated at the vicinity of the underground
mine. There is also a proposal for openpit mine at Phulbari.
The total reserve of coal in the five coalfields of Bangladesh
is about 2700 million tones. As the prime fuel of the country
is limited and the nation is going to face a severe energy
insecurity it is a high time to finalize coal policy and proceed
further for the development of the coal resource. [Rafiqul
Islam]

4.Future of Non-Renewable Energy Sources

 Non-renewable energy sources have fueled the world’s
industrial complex for far too long. It has reached a
 point where the word is facing rapid starvation in this
sector. There are also other associated effects too
which also need to be carefully looked at just to make
sure things are running as intended. However, this is
not the case. With increased exploitation of these fossil
fuels, there are many associated environmental effects
like land pollution and air pollution which in turn affect
both animal and plant life. The far-reaching
consequences of non-renewable sources are
inexplicable and the trend has to be reversed soon
before it is too late to do anything.
 Carbon is a major source of fuel in non-renewable
energy sources. When combustion takes place, carbon
is mixed with oxygen and form carbon dioxide. It
pollutes the environment and is responsible for global
warming. In last few years, the concentration of carbon
dioxide has only increased in the atmosphere. Not to
mention, climate change, acid rain and change in
seasons are some other effects that has been
observed by many people. With so many problems,
scarce resources and rising prices, these resources
cannot be used for lifetime. The need of the hour is to
look for some alternative sources of energy and protect
our environment from such harmful gases.

5.Alternative of Non-Renewable Energy Sources

 There are many active groups that are finding
other alternative sources of energy. For instance, there
has been increased exploitation and tapping of
renewable energy sources. Worldwide there are
several renewable energy projects that are undergoing
to harness this energy as it is clean, replenished,
sustainable and widely available.
  Most people argue that even these projects consume
fossil fuel in some indirect way to produce electricity.
Manufacturing of turbines, generators, blades, solar
panels, transformers and several other small
components are done in factories which use fossil fuels
to produce them. But, renewable energy experts say
that energy produced by these plants is much higher
than the energy consumed during making of these
components.
 Although, these energy sources have been in use
since last few decades but it is only in the last few
years that renewable energy has speed up the pace.
Huge investments have been going in these projects
and several companies across the world are setting up
wind farms, solar farms and hydropower plants across
several countries. Nuclear energy has also gain
momentum.
 Though it is not considered as renewable source due
to the fact that it releases some toxic substances in the
form of radioactive waste but it is sustainable form of
energy. Even after several years, share of renewable
energy in world power production is less than 20%. It is
however believed that by 2020, renewable energy will
have a major share in world’s electricity production.
 Coal mining as predominant as it is, should be limited
to save the environment from many other associated
effects aside from pollution. This was the major energy
source in the early 19th century before plans were
made to tap into renewable energy sources. Oil
exploration was once the best trade and investment to
make.
Nowadays, any discovery is just an environmental disaster in
waiting. Geothermal power is another one that gives out lots of
energy. The one bad thing is it is a non-renewable source of
energy that has vast environmental effects. When carbon
monoxide is released in the air, it bonds with oxygen resulting in
reduction of percentage of oxygen in that specific area. This is a
gas that has the capability to suffocate as it deprives oxygen from
its surrounding to form carbon dioxide.

6.Conclusion
 People use non-renewable sources of energy almost
every day. When lights, appliances and electric heating
and cooling devices are powered using electricity that
comes from coal-fired power plants, the resulting
emissions harm the surrounding air quality. Gasoline
burned by vehicles sends pollutants into the air.
Conserving energy by using less electricity and
minimizing the use of gas-burning transportation leads
to fewer toxins entering the environment. It also
reduces demand for the use of non-renewable energy.
 It is impossible to reduce energy consumption to zero
because of the lifestyle needs that people have in
modern society. However, converting from non-
renewable energy sources to renewable ones reduces
the negative impact of energy consumption on the
environment. Electricity that comes from solar panels
or wind turbines does not release toxic emissions into
the atmosphere. Changing from gas-powered to
electric-powered vehicles or gas-electric hybrids also
air quality. These conservation measures can help to
slow the trend of global warming.