Oil
Benefits: Convenient. Since alternative energy has not been used as frequently as gasoline, gasoline outstrips alternative energy when price, convenience, and transportability are considered. Used in cars.
Drawbacks: Not environmentally friendly. Drilling uses large amounts of energy. The fumes that come from gasoline are high in carbon dioxide and may contribute to global warming. Since countries with oil are often in political turmoil, accessing the oil can be difficult. Refining process is long and wasteful. Nonrenewable. Fire hazard.
Coal
Benefits: Cheapest fossil fuel. Most abundant in the United States. Available in over 70 countries. Easy to use--no lengthy refining process. Does not need as much special equipment. Good for economy because it requires a lot of manpower. Produces a lot of energy.
Drawbacks: Nonrenewable. Releases toxins such as mercury and carbon and sulfur dioxide. Mining damages environment by cutting of trees and polluting rivers. Mining linked to lung diseases. Electricity plants that use coal require large amounts to keep running. Emits more carbon dioxide than oil or natural gas.
Natural Gas
Benefits: Burns with lowest emissions. Can be safely stored. Cheap. Doesn't produce ashes. Produces a lot of energy--heating value is 24,000 Btu per pound! Easily used. Often dissipates because it is lighter than air.
Drawbacks: Nonrenewable. Extraction leaves large craters in earth. Flammable. Number one cause of carbon monoxide deaths. While cheap, constructing and managing pipelines costs a lot. Methane (which is what natural gas is mostly comprised of) is 21 times more dangerous for greenhouse emissions. Therefore, while natural gas should be cleaner in theory, in the real world it can be very dirty.
While renewable energy is still the cleanest option, fossil fuels are important. Deciding between which fossil fuel to use depends on one's lifestyle and energy uses. -Jean
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