especially: unable to be replaced or replenished once used
… most of the natural resources that we exploit for energy and minerals are nonrenewable. Once they have been used up, they cannot be replenished—at least in our lifetime. Sheldon Judson and Marvin E. Kauffman
A nonrenewable resource is a resource that cannot be replaced after it is used. Minerals and many fuels are nonrenewable resources. Dr. Timothy Cooney et al.
Physical and economic shortages of nonrenewable resources require research programs aimed at developing renewable replacement resources. Predicasts Technology Update
Lubbock is the principal city of the semi-arid southern High Plains of Texas, where the extensive, nonrenewable Ogallala aquifer is the major water resource. AAG Abstracts
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebAlthough grids are currently powered through a variety of energy sources — including nonrenewable coal — many are shifting toward renewables over time. Chris Moody, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 That’s vindication for companies such as Shell and TotalEnergies, which invested in both renewable and nonrenewable energy, and for oil majors that made smaller bets on renewables, such as Chevron and Exxon. Peter Vanham, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2022 Making your house more energy-efficient and less reliant on nonrenewable energy sources should cost less after this bill takes effect. Jessica Roy, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2022 Companies should aim to prioritize sustainability initiatives in an industry that heavily relies on renewable and nonrenewable resources. Graham Farrar, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2022 Natural gas, a nonrenewable source, still makes up about half of California’s total in-state electricity generation, according to data from the California Energy Commission released in April. Yoohyun Jung, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 July 2022 Wise leaders a few generations ago had the ingenious idea of turning nonrenewable resources into generational wealth.Anchorage Daily News, 5 Aug. 2022 The recommendations include initiatives that would reduce the amount of food waste and nonrenewable energy from the school system.Washington Post, 29 Apr. 2022 Meanwhile, in New York City, the center’s gallery will close May 31 when its one-year, nonrenewable lease expires. Tamarra Kemsley, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 May 2022 See More