Most of the commonly used energy resources in the United States are derived from non-renewable geologic sources, such as coal, oil and natural gas. Information sources on these resources include statistical sites, which provide data on energy and resource use, electrical consumption, prices and forecasts, and reports on the availability of individual resources, including coal, oil and gas. The following sites are useful for locating data and information about energy resources in the United States.
Coal is a rock that contains carbonaceous material derived from the burial and compaction of plant remains. It is used to generate nearly half of the electricity used in the United States (Energy Information Administration 2010). The Energy Information Administration web sites described above provide statistics on coal use and production. The following web site contains information on coal resources in the United States.
Coal in Illinois
Oil is a naturally occurring liquid that is used to produce a wide variety of commodities, including gasoline, heating oil, plastics and other chemicals. Natural gas is gaseous hydrocarbons that are found with other hydrocarbons, including oil, coal and oil shale, which is primarily used as a fuel for heating, cooking and manufacturing. The Energy Information Administration web sites described above provide statistics on oil and gas production and use. The following web sites contain information on oil and gas resources in the United States.
Oil & Gas in Illinois
Geothermal energy makes use of heat from the ground to generate electricity and heat buildings and homes. Electrical generation requires deep wells or access to hydrothermal resources. Geothermal heat for buildings and homes makes use of the constant ground temperature on Earth. The following resources are useful sources of information about geothermal energy.
The supply of non-renewable fuels is limited. In addition, mitigating climate change requires a reduction in carbon emissions. The United States will have to find other sources to supply power. Nuclear power is one option that has been suggested. Nuclear power requires uranium or other radioactive elements, which release heat when they decay. The heat is used to generate steam, which drives the turbines that generate electricity. Publications about uranium geology can be found using the USGS Publications Warehouse, which is listed in the Publication Indexes & Databases section of this webliography. The following resources provide information on uranium resources, demand, and environmental issues.