Fossil fuels are fuels produced by natural resources like anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. Sources of Energy Fossil fuels

What are different types of fossil Fuels? l Sources of Energy Fossil fuels Coal, oil and natural gas.

Coal is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur. The three main types of coal are anthracite, bituminous and lignite. Anthracite coal is the hardest and has more carbon. Lignite is the softest and is low in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen content. Bituminous is in between anthracite and lignite. Sources of Energy Coal Coal is used as a fossil fuel by providing world wide electricity and heating.

1. Peat is a fibrous, soft, spongy substance in which plant remains are easily recognizable. It contains a large amount of water and must be dry before use. 2. Lignite is formed when peat is subjected to increased vertical pressure from accumulating sediments. It crumbles with no trouble and should not be shipped or handled before use. 3. Bituminous Coal is greatly used in industry as a source of heat energy. 4. Anthracite is also known as "hard coal" because it is hard and a high lustre. Sources of Energy Coal

Petroleum forms mainly from marine vegetation and bacteria that lived in the oceans or other saltwater environments millions of years ago. Sources of Energy Petroleum Oil is used as a fossil fuel to help create motor gasoline and diesel fuel. It is also used to make crayons, dish washing soap, heating homes, fueling cars and many more. An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, like gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas.

Natural gas forms mainly from the remains of plankton, or a type of small water organisms including algae. It is lighter than air. Sources of Energy Natural Gas Natural gas is used as a fossil fuel to create medicine, propane, paint, fertilizers, photo films, antifreeze, and many more.

Major Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels are as follows: 1.Pollution is a major disadvantage of fossil fuels. This is because they give off carbon dioxide when burned thereby causing a greenhouse effect. This is also the main contributory factor to the global warming experienced by the earth today. 2. Coal also produces carbon dioxide when burned compared to burning oil or gas. Additionally, it gives off sulphur dioxide, a kind of gas that creates acid rain. Sources of Energy Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels

3. Environmentally, the mining of coal results in the destruction of wide areas of land. Mining this fossil fuel is also difficult and may endanger the lives of miners. 4. Use of natural gas can cause unpleasant odors and some problems especially with transportation. 5. Crude oil contains toxic chemicals which cause air pollutants when combusted. Sources of Energy Major Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels are as follows: Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels

Sources of Energy A thermal power plant is generally a steam driven power plant. The force that spins the turbines in the plant is steam that is either used to drive an electric generator or any other work that requires power. Thermal Power Plant However there are variations in the functioning of different types of thermal power plants which mostly depends of the kind of fuel used. The most frequently used fuel for thermal power plants in India is coal. About 70% of the electricity consumed in India is generated through thermal power plants. India is home to numerous thermal power plants which are renowned all over the world.