40 Energy

Trends in energy use Key facts

Our consumption of energy resources—especially ✓ The use of fossil fuels has

fossil fuels—has increased dramatically in the last increased dramatically in
200 years. Because fossil fuels are nonrenewable and the last 200 years.
harm the environment, many countries are now trying ✓ The use of fossil fuels
to increase their use of renewable energy instead. is one of the causes of
climate change.
✓ Many countries are now
Energy consumption trying to reduce their
The graph shows how consumption of different energy
use of fossil fuels and
resources has grown since the year 1800, when the world
increase their use of
was starting to industrialize. The rise in the use of fossil
renewable energy.
fuels has caused a rise in the level of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere—the main cause of climate change.

Traditional Coal Crude oil Natural gas Renewables

biofuels
160
Renewables make up a small
fraction of energy resources used.
(petawatt-hour)

120
The use of crude oil and natural
gas grew rapidly as drilling
Energy

technology improved.
80

Because it is relatively easy to

mine, coal was the first fossil
40
fuel to become widely used.

0
1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
Year
1 petawatt-hour is the energy used when 1 million
billion watts of power is sustained for an hour.

Carbon capture and storage Power station

Carbon dioxide released when fossil fuels are burned

CO2 pumped
is the main cause of climate change. One idea underground
proposed to reduce emissions is carbon capture. The
carbon dioxide in waste gases from power stations is
made to react with chemicals called amines to form a
liquid that can be stored underground. Power stations
could cut emissions by 90 percent this way, but the
electricity they produce would be more expensive.