The Impact of the Features of Energy Resources on their Use

Availability of Energy Resources

Global distribution affects access and extraction opportunities. Availability is not universally consistent, with fossil fuels located primarily in specific geographical locations.
Renewability is crucial. Non-renewable resources like coal, gas and oil are finite, creating reliability and future availability issues; renewable energy sources — wind, solar, tides, and geothermal — are virtually limitless.
Extraction technology is a determining factor, with accessible resources depending on the technology and infrastructure developed.

Energy Resource Efficacy

Energy density denotes the amount of energy that can be extracted from a unit of the resource. High energy-dense resources such as coal and uranium can generate significant energy.
Conversion efficiency is vital; less efficient resources result in more wasted energy when converted into usable forms, implying a greater environmental impact.
Ease of transport and storage significantly influence the overall use of energy resources. Liquid and gaseous fuels are typically easier to transport while solid fuels like coal are harder.

Impact on Environment and Health

Fossil fuels have significant carbon emissions resulting in environmental degradation, particularly atmospheric pollution and global warming.
Radioactive waste from nuclear power can persist for thousands of years, posing enormous long-term storage and disposal challenges.
Renewable energy sources generally have lower environmental impact, but construction and maintenance of infrastructure (e.g. wind turbine production, land usage for solar farms) may have significant environmental footprints.
Health impacts should also be taken into account, such as respiratory diseases from fossil fuel pollution, or injuries during resource extraction.

Economic Considerations

Cost of extraction and production: Resources that are difficult to extract (underground resources, deep-sea drilling etc.) are generally more expensive to produce.
The market price of energy resources is influenced by supply and demand. This can encourage or discourage the use of particular energy resources.
Investment in infrastructure to generate energy can be substantial — the construction of power plants for fossil fuels or renewable energy farms requires significant upfront capital.

Policy and Regulation

Government policies and regulations greatly influence the use of certain resources, often aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy, and managing nuclear power safety.
International agreements like the Paris Climate Agreement can drive national energy strategies and influence energy resource use.
Public opinion and acceptance play a significant role in energy policy, making the deployment of certain resources more or less acceptable in different regions.

Remember: The use of energy resources is not solely determined by the physical features of the resource, but also shaped by economic, environmental, technological, and political factors.