Australia (Commonwealth Union) _ Without sulfur in the form of sulfuric acid, companies would find it difficult to generate the phosphorus fertilizers that increase agricultural yields or extract the necessary metals needed in everything from solar panels to electric vehicle batteries. However, an issue that has mostly gone overlooked looms.
More than 80% of the world’s supply of sulfur comes from waste materials that were once used to produce sulfur dioxide, the gas that produces acid rain. These waste products were once used to produce fossil fuels like oil and natural gas, which generally contain between 1% and 3% sulfur by weight.
The annual supply of sulfuric acid will be reduced as a result of the elimination of fossil fuels in an effort to slow climate change. Sulfuric acid is already used by more than 246 million tonnes worldwide each year. Demand may exceed 400 million tonnes by 2040 as a result of the green economy’s rapid expansion and intensive agriculture.
Our most recent study indicates that a rapid decrease in fossil fuel use is necessary to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and that doing so could result in a sulfuric acid shortage of up to 320 million tonnes by 2040, or 130% of current production. Price increases for sulfuric acid would fuel a competitive environment where more lucrative green technology firms would likely undercut fertiliser manufacturers. Food would become more expensive for consumers as a result, especially in poorer nations where farmers would be least able to absorb the rising expenses. Numerous items contain sulfur, such as tires, sulfur fertilizer, paper, soap, and detergent. However, it is most significant use is in industrial chemistry, where it is used to break down a variety of materials.
Using present techniques, converting sulfates to sulfur uses a lot of energy and produces a lot of carbon dioxide. In addition to acidifying surface pools and aquifers and spewing poisons like arsenic, thallium, and mercury, sulfur mining and sulfide ore processing can damage the air, soil, and water. And there are always concerns about human rights when mining is done extensively.
