Fossil fuel

How it is used

Usually plural (fossil fuels) in talk about energy policy, emissions and the energy transition. Countries depend on, import, subsidise and move away from fossil fuels; fossil-fuel plants and fossil-fuel generation are common phrases.

Example sentences

1. The country still imports most of the fossil fuels it uses for power generation.

2. Our goal is to cut fossil fuel use in our factories by half before 2035.

Common collocations

• burn fossil fuels
• dependence on fossil fuels
• fossil fuel subsidies
• move away from fossil fuels

Related terms

• natural gasA fossil fuel made mostly of methane, burned in power plants, industry and homes. It emits less CO2 than coal for the same electricity, but it is still a fossil fuel.
• coal-firedDescribing a power plant or boiler that burns coal to produce heat and electricity. Coal-fired plants are among the largest sources of carbon emissions.
• carbon emissionsCarbon dioxide released into the air, mainly by burning coal, oil and gas. The term is often used loosely for all greenhouse gas emissions.
• renewable energyEnergy from sources that nature replaces all the time, such as sunlight, wind, flowing water, the Earth's heat and organic material, so they do not run out like coal, oil or gas.
• phase outTo stop using something gradually over a planned period, for example coal power, fossil fuel subsidies or inefficient light bulbs.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• fossil fuel · Environment & Climate

More terms: Energy Basics and Units

• kilowatt-hour
• megawatt
• energy mix