fossil fuel

American  

[fos-uhl fyoo-uhl] / ˈfɒs əl ˈfyu əl /

noun

Energy.

1. any combustible organic material, as oil, coal, or natural gas, derived from the remains of former life.

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fossil fuel British  

noun

1. any naturally occurring carbon or hydrocarbon fuel, such as coal, petroleum, peat, and natural gas, formed by the decomposition of prehistoric organisms

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fossil fuel Scientific  

1. A hydrocarbon fuel, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from the accumulated remains of ancient plants and animals and used as fuel. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases generated by burning fossil fuels are considered to be one of the principal causes of global warming.

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Example Sentences

While fossil fuels still play a big part in the energy market, more power was generated by renewable energy in the EU last year for the first time.

From BBC

Green hydrogen is widely seen as a key pillar of the global shift away from fossil fuels.

From Science Daily

It also lets them claim their data centers are running on wind and solar power, even if the grid is backed up by fossil fuels.

From The Wall Street Journal

But many of Asia's data centres will add demand to grids still heavily reliant on planet-warming fossil fuels.

From Barron's

But it is refined from feedstocks that have captured atmospheric CO2, like waste forest or agriculture biomass, instead of fossil fuels that were previously locked away underground.

From The Wall Street Journal