UNRENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY

Unrenowable sources of energy are all kinds of energy sources, that cannot be replenished in a short period of time. The rate at which they are used is greater than the rate at which they are created They are the main energy source for industry, power industry, transport and in households.

Unrenewable sources are most of all fossil fuels such as:  hard bituminous coal,  peat,  lignite / brown coal  crude oil / petroleum,  natural gas

Coal has the utmost importance in Poland because it meets 65% energy requirenments in our country. Polish reserves of this mineral are one of the biggest in the world, for many years Poland was ranked high among five top countries with the greatest extract of bituminuous coal. According to the information from 2000, Poland fell to 7th place, generally providing 2,8% of coal production in the world. In 2002,104 mln tonnes of this energy material was extracted in Poland. The greatest reserves of bituminuous coal are located in the east and south Cina, in the USA, India, RPA and also in Austria and Ukraine.

Hard bituminous coal is universally used as solid fuel.

Brown coal is a sedimentary rock of organic origin which was formed during the Tertiary in the Cenozoic era from plant remains saved by water and mud from oxidization. The coal content in it is 62-75%. It is often used as a source of fuel.

The places of coal output in Poland:  Konin Basin (Konin, Koło, Turek) Turoszow Coal Basin (Turów, Bogatynia)  Bełchatow Coal Basin (Bełchatów)  Sieniawa Lubuska

Peat –sedimentary rock which is formed as a result of changes in decaying plant material in special conditions usually in marshy areas. Plant remains, which had existed hundreds and thousands years ago,were absorbed by bogs and created a layer, which under pressure of next coats of deposits was gradually pressed. After the oxygen was removed the peat was created. As a result of next processes – pressure of upper–lying coats of deposits and removing the oxygen remains, after millions of years, peat transformes into brown coal and then into hard bituminous coal.

Peat is also used to heat houses.

The map of brown coal, hard bituminous coal and peat reserves in Poland

Crude oil ( rock oil, black gold) – a liquid mineral, consisting from a mixture of gas, liquid and solid hydrocarbons Reserves of crude oil are often found in porous rock formations of some areas of Earth’s crust. It is usually found in association with natural gas.

Petroleum is the main mineral of petrochemical industry used to produce :gasoline,different kinds of fuel oil,lubricating oils,asphalt. Crude oil is processed in rafineries.

 The Baltic Sea Basin: (Kamień Pomorski, Wolin)  on a shelf, in the south off the Rozewie Cape, from a drilling platform from under the bottom of the Baltic Sea  In the Carpathian Basin (Jasło, Krosno, Gorlice, reserves are depleting)  In Barnówek, near Dębna Poland is a poor country in this mineral. Places of the output:

Natural gas is a fossil fuel of organic origin. Its reserves are found in seams which fill spaces sometimes under high pressure. Reserves of natural gas are found separately or in oil fields and in hard coal beds.

First of all it is used to heat houses and other spaces.

It is also cheap car fuel.

 the Podkarpacie region  (Przemyśl, Husów, Sanok) and the Carpathian Depression (methane-rich)  Great Poland ( Wielkopolska ). In Poland, natural gas is mainly extracted in:

With an increase in population in the world the natural reserves of our planet are becoming reduced. Depleting them will cause great changes in our lives. People should manage them reasonably, as one day they may be used up. Because of alarming reports about depleting of fossil fuels we should promote using renewable sources of energy.

Prepared by eTwinning group: S. Andreasik, E. Czenczek, N. Drewniak, K. Kot, A. Miś, M. Mucha, A. Nowak, D. Pluta, D. Wyżykowski, M. Ziemba, project-coordinator- E. Gawron, translated by S. Skiba. Materials were used from:   