Fuel: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:58, 19 July 2012

The term fuel refers to any substance which is burned to produce energy, typically for heating, cooking, or producing mechanical work in a motor.

Firewood is the oldest fuel used by humans, and is still an important fuel source for home heating and for cooking in developing countries. Wood gas and charcoal are derivates of wood also used for extracting energy.

Coal was the most important fuel during the 19th century, and continues to be widely used in China and in the steelmaking industry.

Petroleum was the most important fuel during the 20th century. The transition from a petroleum-based economy to a post-petroleum economy is perhaps the most important issue facing the world today.

Biofuels including natural gas, and vegetable oils are widely used for home heating, cooking, industrial applications, and large-scale electricity generation.

Hydrogen, oxyhydrogen, nitrous oxide, syngas and other zero-emission gases are currently on the rise, yet efficient production thereof is often still problematic.

Nuclear fuel is another source of (zero-emissions) fuel

External links

Wikipedia:Fuel

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 The term '''fuel''' refers to any substance which is burned to produce [[energy]], typically for [[heating]], [[cooking]], or producing mechanical work in a motor.
-[[Firewood]] is the oldest fuel used by humans, and is still an important fuel source for [[home heating]] and for [[cooking]] in [[developing countries]].
+[[Firewood]] is the oldest fuel used by humans, and is still an important fuel source for [[home heating]] and for [[cooking]] in [[developing countries]]. [[Wood gas]] and [[charcoal]] are derivates of wood also used for extracting energy.
-Consumer and industrial use of [[fossil fuel]]s are critical to contemporary  society:
 *[[Coal]] was the most important fuel during the 19th century, and continues to be widely used in China and in the [[steel|steelmaking]] industry.
-*[[Petroleum]], or simply "oil", was the most important fuel during the 20th century. The transition from a petroleum-based economy to a post-petroleum economy is perhaps the most important issue facing the world today.
+*[[Petroleum]] was the most important fuel during the 20th century. The transition from a petroleum-based economy to a post-petroleum economy is perhaps the most important issue facing the world today.
-*[[Natural gas]] is widely used for home heating, cooking, industrial applications, and large-scale [[electricity generation]].
+*[[Biofuels]] including [[natural gas]], and vegetable oils are widely used for home heating, cooking, industrial applications, and large-scale [[electricity generation]].
+*[[Hydrogen]], [[oxyhydrogen]], [[nitrous oxide]], [[syngas]] and other zero-emission gases are currently on the rise, yet efficient production thereof is often still problematic.
-Transition to a post-petroleum economy focuses on developing alternatives: by developing alternative fuels such as [[biodiesel]] or [[hydrogen]]; or by modifying applications to reduce or eliminate the need for fuels, as by using [[solar heating]] instead of a gas burner, [[hydroelectric]] instead of a gas-fired generator, etc.
+*[[Nuclear power|Nuclear fuel]] is another source of (zero-emissions) fuel
-The appropriate role of [[nuclear power]] in the post-fossil-fuel economy  continues to be a source of great controversy.
 ==See also==
+*[[Comparison of alternative ICE fuels]]
+*[[Fossil fuel]]s
 *[[Diesel]]
+*[[Fuel oil]]
-== Interwiki links ==
+== External links ==
 * [[Wikipedia:Fuel]]
-{[stub}}
 [[Category:Energy]]
+[[Category:Energy storage]]
 [[Category:Stubs]]