Fossil fuels in industrial processes
Industries utilize diesel fuel, gasoline, natural gas, or coal to power furnaces and machinery.
Industries prefer fossil fuels because they are cost-effective, easily stored for continuous operations, and suitable for mobile machinery that cannot be connected to the electrical grid.
Notably, oil and coal companies themselves consume hydrocarbons throughout various stages of their operations, from excavating coal mines and drilling oil wells to processing coal, refining petroleum, leaking methane gas, and distributing coal or gas.
Clarifications on EPA’s categories referenced in this blog:
– Fuel used for transporting fossil fuels by truck or train falls under this category rather than the transportation category.
– The electricity consumed by industries, sourced from power plants, is classified under the “power plant” category rather than the “industry” category.