As the name indicates, non-renewable resources are non-sustainable finite natural resources that cannot replenish with the consumption rate. Usually, these resources take millions of years to form and are directly extracted from the earth.
From the ancient stages of civilization itself, we humans have been using non-renewable resources. Still, after the arrival of the Industrial Revolution in the 1750s and its growth throughout the 19th century, the consumption rate surged to unexpected levels.
In 1896, a Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius published a paper stating that the increase in the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide would raise our surface temperature through the greenhouse effect, and a major change in carbon content is due to the burning of non-renewable resources like fossil fuels.
In this article, we will list 10 major non-renewable resources and look into their usage, abundance, alternatives, and other details. Let’s start.
The List of 10 Non-Renewable Energy Resources
Most of the non-renewable energy is formed in millions or billions of years, and a large part of them are fossil fuels. The first known use of fossil fuels was in the form of coal, around 4,000 years ago, in China. Later, during the Industrial Revolution, its usage skyrocketed. Beyond the coal, natural gas and crude oil are fossil fuels. Let’s get to the list.
- Natural Gas: It is formed by the decomposition of organic matter, and it is commonly used in households for cooking. It is also a part of industrial and chemical processes, with 80% of the UK population using it. Some examples of natural gas are methane, propane, and butane.
- Oil: The basic component of petroleum products is crude oil, which is sucked up from Earth by drilling wells. Crude oil contains around 85% Carbon, and it is used to produce highly-used gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and butane. It is formed from the remains of prehistoric living beings buried under layers of Earth.
- Coal: It is formed from the energy stored in plants. When they go under dirt and rock to decay, the pressure and heat transform them into coal, a process that takes hundreds and millions of years. The 2020 data shows that a quarter of the world’s primary energy and one-third of the electricity was formed from coal.
- Uranium: There is no evidence for any of the theories regarding the formation of Uranium. Scientists believe that it is the byproduct of the collision of supernovas. Natural Uranium is used mainly in nuclear reactors and industrial purposes. Uranium-235, a rare form of the element that contains about three million times more energy than coal, is used in nuclear weapons.
- Tar Sand: Tar sands aka oil sands are a combination of sand, clay, and bitumen. It is mined directly from the Earth’s surface or by injecting solvents to flow it to the surface. It has a different composition than crude oil. However, the main usage is the same as crude oil, and the largest deposits are in Canada and Venezuela.
- Peat: When a plant remains decomposed in water with low oxygen levels, it slowly forms peat. It is mainly used as an energy source in Finland, Ireland, and Sweden.
- Phosphate: Phosphate rocks are mainly found in Africa, North America, Kazakhstan, and the Middle East. It is formed by the accumulation of organic matter on the sea floor over 10 to 15 million years. It is a main component in the agricultural fertilizers.
- Aluminium: Bauxite, a sedimentary rock, is mined and refined to form aluminium. Bauxite is non-renewable, but aluminium can be recycled. Recent statistics show that around 40% are being recycled and reused. So, this isn’t much of a threat.
- Ground Water: Certain groundwater found in aquifers is non-renewable because of overuse. In the UK, it is widely used for drinking, agriculture, and industry. In some regions, 100% of the supply is from groundwater.
- Gold: It is one of the most common and most favoured minerals of all time. This metal cannot be replaced naturally at the same rate it is consumed.
How to Regulate Non-Renewable Sources?
Among the list, natural gas, coal, and petroleum products are heavily used by UK citizens. However, the ongoing awareness of the climate crisis and the advent of the latest technologies have enabled us to slowly reduce usage. Using electricity generated by solar panels can significantly replace natural gas, and there are various ways like this that we should integrate into our lifestyle.
Final Thoughts
According to scholarly research, the activities of human beings are the primary cause of the current climate crisis. CO2 emitted through the burning of fossil fuels has risen its concentration in the atmosphere to around 50% from the pre-industrial era.
We can see the after-effects of the Industrial Revolution, greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, biodiversity reduction, and human stupidity of the past 200 years in our neighbourhood.
Before it gets worse, we have to preserve our natural resources and find ways to expand the use of renewable energy sources.