IMPROPER FUEL STORAGE
IMPROPER FUEL STORAGE
Walking down the memory lane, man has used and still uses so many sources to generate energy. When man was still a Homo erectus (about 2 000 000 years ago), in a bid to generate heat, he substantially made do with burning of firewood to satisfy his need – heat. Over the centuries, several methods have evolved –with the previous method being a guideline for the next method- to generate energy. These methods are generally referred to as fuels. Fuels are any materials that store potential energy in forms that can be practically released and used as heat energy. Due to the relentless efforts of man as he evolved from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens (6000 BC), in his search for fuel, hydrocarbons (firewood, biofuels like alcohol; charcoal, fuel oil) are by far the most common source of fuel.
The importance of fuel cannot be underestimated, as it is an essential part of life. Civilization and technology, in their inter-woven relationship, have fuels backing them up.