What Are the Advantages & Disavantages of Fossil Fuel?

Fossil fuels are a controversial topic. Their global use makes them a seemingly indispensable part of daily life--everything from electricity to cars is dependent on the availability of fossil fuels. However, that use of fossil fuels is also the greatest contributor to environmental damage, and the cost of using fossil fuels may come to outweigh its benefits.

Benefits of Availability and Transportation

• Oil refineries process oil before it is distributed

  Fossil fuels are obtained primarily by surface drilling and mining, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. Modern technology makes both of these processes safer for individuals who work on the machines as well as for the environment, although there are still environmental risks. Once extracted from the earth, fossil fuels can be sent anywhere in the world to be used. A great portion of oil used in the United States comes from foreign suppliers.

Disadvantages of Availability and Transportation

• Exploring alternative energy is important

  The world's supply of fossil fuels is dwindling, which means that it is imperative to find new energy solutions to power electricity, cars and other everyday parts of life. Water, wind and solar energy are alternatives to fossil fuels, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Additionally, the risks of easily available oil include events like the 1989 Exxon Valdez and the BP oil spill of 2010, which bring environmental and financial damage for decades.

Benefits of Using Fossil Fuels

• Electricity runs on fossil fuels

  Once obtained and refined into a usable form, oil and gasoline and other fossil fuel products create energy through the process of combustion. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, around 85 percent of all energy used in the United States comes from fossil fuels, around two thirds of all electricity and almost all transportation fuel. Creating energy from fossil fuels runs cars, trucks, airplanes, heats and cools homes, and powers electronic devices.

Disadvantages of Using Fossil Fuels

• Global warming is one consequence of fossil fuel use

  Although fossil fuels are relatively cheap and accessible, they cause a number of serious environmental problems. Fossil fuel use is directly linked to anthropogenic global warming. As fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. The use and process of obtaining and refining fossil fuels also creates large amounts of greenhouse gases, pollutes and destroys ecosystems and releases toxins into the atmosphere, which cause acid rain.