Advantages and Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels: Do the Cons Outweigh the Pros?

Fossil fuels are a prominent source of energy in the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 60% of all electricity generation in the U.S. in 2023 came from fossil fuels.

Americans have utilized fossil fuels for over 100 years, and they have proven to be a low-cost and reliable energy source. However, burning fossil fuels causes incredible damage to human and environmental health. These negative impacts make fossil fuels contributors to human-induced climate change and global warming.

There are three major types of fossil fuels used for as an energy resource:

• Natural gas

• Coal

• Crude oil 

We break down the pros and cons of fossil fuels so you can better understand this energy source and some of the alternatives that exist. 

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Pros and cons of fossil fuels

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Advantages of fossil fuels

Though fossil fuels come with a longer list of negative impacts, there are some advantages to utilizing them as a source of energy. 

Fossil fuels are well-developed

Fossil fuels have been used for over 100 years, allowing plenty of time for technological advancement. Most of our infrastructure, including pipelines, refineries, power plants, and oil rigs, is built around fossil fuels.

There have been a century's worth of developments in the technology used to harness fossil fuels, such as hydraulic fracturing (also known as fracking) and horizontal drilling. These techniques have made the process of accessing fuel reserves easier and more efficient.

Cost-effective energy source

Due to their well-developed infrastructure, fossil fuels can be used and produced for a relatively low cost. Renewable energy sources are typically cheaper on average than fossil fuels, but fossil fuels are more heavily subsidized by the government.

Reliable source

When we say that fossil fuels are reliable, we are referring to them not being weather-dependent – like solar power and wind. 

For example, you can't harness solar power at night or when the sun isn't available, but burning fossil fuels can occur anytime and isn't hindered by weather patterns. Well, that's so long as the weather doesn't destroy the infrastructure in place. 

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Disadvantages of fossil fuels

As much as we use fossil fuels, they come with a lot of negative side effects. Here are some of the cons of using fossil fuels.

Contributes to climate change

Fossil fuels are the main contributors to global warming and air pollution. When burned, they release vast amounts of harmful byproducts called greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide or methane, into the atmosphere. 

These harmful emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and accelerate the effects of climate change. The United Nations reported that fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) account for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon emissions. 

Some of the biggest effects of climate change include hotter temperatures, increased severe storms, increased drought, loss of species, and more detrimental effects on human and animal life. 

Nonrenewable source

Fossil fuels are nonrenewable sources of energy, meaning their reserves are not replenished within a human lifetime.

Think of it this way: as you dig up coal, more doesn't magically appear. Fossil fuels are made up of decomposed organic matter, like dead plants and animals – and take millions of years to form.

So, as we use fossil fuel reserves, less and less is available for the future.

Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, don't reduce our fuel reserves. For example, harnessing solar power with solar panels doesn't make the sun any less bright.

Fossil fuels are unsustainable

While fossil fuels are a reliable energy source, they aren't sustainable. Operating on a model where we keep using more and more energy generated from depleting sources cannot work forever.

As reserves for fossil fuel sources dwindle, reliance on them will become more expensive as well, leading to long-term economic challenges.

This is why most energy markets are beginning to lean more heavily on generating clean energy from renewable sources. As energy needs rise, so will the need for sources that do not have negative environmental effects. 

Land degradation

Attaining fossil fuels from the earth's crust will have an impact on surrounding land and 

ecosystems. Coal mining, digging for pipelines, building power plants, and other methods will take up vast amounts of land that is crucial to different species.

As a result, this could negatively impact migration routes and breeding grounds for species that roam those areas. 

Accident-prone

As we've seen from the infamous Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill of 2010, which caused billions in damages and severely impacted the surrounding environment, the harnessing of fossil fuels can be accident-prone.  

Over the years, pipeline leaks, exploding drilling platforms, and plenty of other accidents have occurred, and there's no telling when the next major incident could happen or how detrimental it could be.

Human health impacts

Fossil fuels don't just harm the environment, they harm people too. The burning of fossil fuels releases particulate matter that can cause respiratory issues like lung cancer.

Research from Harvard University found that nearly 8 million people died as a result of fossil fuel pollution in 2018. These effects are usually felt the most by disadvantaged communities.

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Should we stop using fossil fuels? 

As seen above, the cons of fossil fuels heavily outweigh the pros. However, since fossil fuels are still such a major energy resource in the U.S., it will be difficult to quit using them altogether. 

However, it is important that we continue to transition away from them and turn to alternative energy sources for the sake of the health of our planet and humanity. If the government subsidized utility-scale renewable sources, like solar farms or wind farms, those sources would be more attainable. 

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Fossil fuels: FAQs