Energy & Natural Resources

a fuel such as coal, oil, or gas that was formed from the remains of plants and animals over millions of years

Many power stations still burn fossil fuels to generate electricity.

oil in its natural, unrefined state as it is taken from the ground

The country exports large quantities of crude oil every year.

a hard black substance dug from the ground and burned to produce heat or electricity

The factory relies heavily on coal to power its machinery.

a gas found under the ground or sea that is used as a fuel

Natural gas is often used for cooking and heating homes.

an amount of a natural resource that exists in the ground and can be used in the future

Scientists estimate that the country's oil reserves will last another twenty years.

a layer of a natural substance such as a metal or mineral that has built up in the ground over time

Engineers discovered a large deposit of copper beneath the mountain.

to remove a substance such as oil, gas, or a mineral from the ground

The company uses new technology to extract gas from deep underground.

to dig into the ground to remove coal, metal, or other minerals

Workers mine coal from deep underground tunnels.

the industry or process of digging minerals such as coal or metal out of the ground

Mining provides jobs for thousands of people in the region.

a large open pit from which stone or sand is dug out

The old quarry once supplied stone for buildings across the city.

relating to the production of electricity using the power of moving water

The government built a huge hydroelectric dam on the river.

a large machine that produces nuclear energy in a controlled way

The reactor generates enough electricity to power a whole city.

a network of wires and cables that carries electricity across a country or region

Solar farms feed extra electricity back into the national grid.

to produce energy or electricity

Wind turbines generate electricity without burning any fuel.

a machine that produces electricity

The hospital switched to a backup generator during the power cut.

the amount of energy, fuel, or a resource that is used

Household energy consumption rises sharply in the winter months.

to use up an amount of energy, fuel, or a resource

Older appliances tend to consume more electricity than modern ones.

the amount of a resource, such as energy or fuel, that is available for use

A sudden storm disrupted the electricity supply to the whole town.

a situation in which there is not enough of something that is needed

The country is currently facing a severe fuel shortage.

a situation in which something is difficult to find or obtain because there is very little of it

The scarcity of clean water affects millions of people worldwide.

having a limited size or amount that will eventually run out

Fossil fuels are a finite resource that will one day run out.

existing in large quantities

Sunlight is an abundant source of renewable energy in many countries.

an area of land or sea with a group of large turbines that produce electricity from wind

The new wind farm off the coast will power thousands of homes.

a measure of the force of an electric current

The device is designed to operate at a low voltage.

a factory where a raw material such as oil is made pure or turned into a usable product

The oil refinery employs hundreds of local workers.

a long line of connected pipes used to carry oil, gas, or water over long distances

The pipeline carries natural gas across three countries.

a large natural or artificial lake used to store water, often for producing electricity

The reservoir supplies water to the hydroelectric power station.

describes a natural resource that cannot be replaced once it has been used up

Coal and oil are examples of non-renewable energy sources.