Alternative energy technologies and possible problems (to include new Developments and possible unintended consequences) In everyday life, the world produces carbon dioxide which is let out to the Earth’s atmosphere and will still be in the atmosphere in a centuries time. It is this carbon dioxide that causes the “Global warming effect” due to it increasing the heat of the Earth. One way to cut out global warming is to substitute current energy technologies with alternative ones that have better performance and also do not emit carbon dioxide. Alternative energies are renewable and are thought to be clean to the environment due to the low emission of carbon, unlike conventional energy sources, and will be explained in more detail below. Such alternatives are wind energy, solar energy, hydroelectric energy, geothermal energy and biomass energy. Another reason for alternative energies being imperative to the Earth is that BP and Shell, two of the biggest oil companies in the world, stated that “By 2050, one-third of the world's energy will need to come from solar, wind, and other renewable resources.” Wind Energy A lot of cultures have taken advantage of wind energy for hundreds of decades. It was used when sails were incorporated to navigate the River Nile in 5000BC and Persians used -windmills in 500AD so that they could pump water and grind grain. Now-a-days, wind energy is being realized as one of the “most promising new energy sources” and is going to be an important alternative in years to come. With the technology today, wind energy could provide around 1/5th of the electricity to America which is a about the same as what nuclear power provides. This would also be with the wind turbines being planted on less th... ... middle of paper ... ...is can lead to the spread of bacteria and therefore illnesses.7 Disasters Despite these alternatives energy sources being very useful, there are still faults in the functions that can have catastrophic effects: Rhosgoch wind turbine fire Figure 13 2009 Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric accident Figure 14 Figure 15 This is a picture of a hydroelectric dam in Russia that hada 6G-watt power generation loss. This led to 75 deaths due to turbine failure.9 These are just 2, quite recent, examples of failures in the various different forms of alternate energy and shows that there is still a lot of work to be done to make these as safe as possible. However, despite these disasters, the research of these energy sources still goes on and it is very likely that they will be pivotal in the future.
Central Idea: Nuclear energy only contributes a small amount to the world’s electricity yet it has hazards and dangers that far out-way its benefits. There are many other alternative power producing sources that can produce energy more efficiently and more safely than nuclear power plants can.
With concern over global warming growing, people are starting to turn a more serious eye toward cleaner sources of energy. Instead of solar power making a comeback as the ideal form, we are seeing a growth in the use of wind power. Wind farms are beginning to crop up all around the country. This new trend has gathered significant attention. Questions are being raised concerning the effects wind farms may have, from critics and supporters alike. Michelle Nijhuis, in the article “Selling the Wind” discusses the arguments on behalf of and in opposition to the increasing use of wind power, addressing what the consequences may be on the United States.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, over half of the oil used in the USA is imported. Most of this imported oil is located in the middle east and is controlled by OPEC members. Subsequent oil price shocks and price manipulation by OPEC have cost our economy dearly—about $1.9 trillion from 2004 to 2008—and each major shock was followed by a recession (Reduce). We may never be able to fully eliminate our need to import oil, but we can reduce cartel market control and the economic impact of price shocks by reducing our demand (Reduce). One way we can reduce our reliance on oil is through investing in renewable energy. Solar power, wind power, and hydro power are all forms of energy which come from renewable resources. Unlike oil, solar, wind and hydro electric power is abundant and can be obtained locally.
Alternative energy sources are renewable, and are most commonly referred to as free energy sources. There are many alternative energy sources such as hydro power, solar power, wind, biomass, and geothermal. Using alternative sources is more expensive in the long run, but it is the much safer option for our environment compared to fossil fuels. Although everything used is completely free, such as water and wind, the equipment used to generate these things is expensive. There are several pros and cons that come with the utilization of alternative energy sources.
Introduction (needs editing) Due to the increasing global temperatures, and the apparent threat of climate change to the Earth, many countries are switching to renewable energy sources to reduce the carbon footprint. In Australia, there is still debate over whether the country should invest in renewable energy, or whether we should keep using coal. While many see the benefits of environmentally friendly power and reduced carbon emissions, others argue that going renewable will damage the Australian economy, as coal mining and exportation is a major source of income. In his opinion piece, Reality check, Malcom: you’ve already lost the war on renewables, Mark Wakeham argues that the Government should support renewable energy.
Alternative energy is a great foot path for the U.S. to take in finding a new and abundant source of usable energy. Alternative energy is energy that is manifested in methods that do not take away from natural resources or damage the environment, specifically by evading the usage of fossil fuels and nuclear power. Wind power is just one of the many great ways to use an abundant and natural resource to make useable energy. Wind turbines are the central representative in the wind energy harnessing department. Although the costs of producing wind energy harnessing equipment could prove to be steep, the output of the products could make up for the costs.
Wind energy powers more than 60 gigawatts of the United States renewable energy without giving odd and pollution or using any water (“What We Do”). Also, nuclear energy uses about 600 times more water, and fossil fuels about 500 times more water than wind energy does to create the same amount of energy (“Wind Energy and Birds”). Also, coal produces over 70% of the power sector’s greenhouse gas emotions, yet it only creates less than 40% of the power (“Why Wind Energy”). Being Efficient is one of wind power’s many benefits. Wind energy is also affordable, as its price has dropped significantly.
According to EIA, “Renewable energy accounted for approximately ten percent of total U.S. consumption and thirteen percent of electricity generation in the year 2014.” These alternative energy sources include factors such as wind power, solar power, hydro power, geothermal power, and biomass. These alternative resources provide the Earth with power that is unlimited to the people, and after maintenance as well as building, is basically free. These alternative sources are cleaner for the earth, more cost effective for our economies, and they are not able to be depleted for they are non-renewable sources.
Based on the growth that wind energy has produced over the past years we must also consider an innovative improvement to the grid system in order to allow the higher production of energy by wind turbines. The Energy Department announced the progress of the U.S. offshore wind energy lines generating about 4,900 megawatts (MW) of potential offshore wind energy capacity for the U.S., expecting to raise this number in the following years with the installation of air turbines deep in the water in order to generate more energy that will be capable to provide electric energy to more than 17 million homes in the U.S. The U.S. electricity consumption has also increased over the years, and sources such as coal are contaminating the environment, therefore we must look at cleaner and safer energy sources that we have such as wind energy, but is wind energy the only energy source that can help the environment? It is visible that urban areas are the ones with the highest demand for the past years; we can see the demand decaying and the money invested in this project is been wasted, but lastly an increment in the past years.
The United States currently relies heavily on coal, oil, and natural gas for its energy. While the price of natural gas per barrel continues to plummet, the United States is constantly seeking new sources of renewable energy. Renewable energy consists of any type of natural resource (solar power, ocean power, wind power, rain, snow, etc.) that naturally and automatically replenishes itself. Renewable energy is important because it is infinite and everlasting, meaning our children and our children’s children will be able to utilize these resources long after we are gone. I believe the only way the United States and the world will see a large-scale transition to renewable energy sources is through education. Right now, it seems as though only a few pockets of people throughout the world are aware of the positive benefits of renewable energy sources. Not only is it better and cleaner for our environment, but the industry of renewable energy could also
The wind is an incredibly valuable renewable energy source and is in the forefront of renewable energy developments. It is used to convert wind energy into energy that can be harnessed and used via a variety of methods, including; wind turbines, windmills, sails and windpumps. For a renewable energy source, however, it is wind turbines that are used to generate electricity (see figure 1). Wind power has been used for this since the end of the nineteenth century, after Professor James Blyth of the Royal College of Science and Technology first attempted it (Boyle, 2012). However, It wasn’t until the 1980s that using wind power technology was sufficient enough to experience a rapid growth of the technology.
The problems associated with climate change are mainly due to the combustion of fossil fuels. It is difficult however to stop this problem. The solutions of being more energy efficient, and improving emissions-control technology, can help lessen the environmental damage done by fossil fuel use they ultimately only alleviate the pressure of increase of pollution and affluence(Delucchi, Jacobson 31).
There are different kinds of resources that we can use in order to produce renewable energy. Solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power are just some of the kinds of renewable energy that might be the best options to obtain energy because they come from natural resources. Although renewable energy can be expensive to build, it has less environmental damage in comparison to non-renewable energy. Besides the natural resources such as sun, wind, water and hydrogen, we also have geothermal power, and biofuels as renewable sources.
Wind is a form of solar energy. The term wind energy describes the process by which the wind is used to generate electricity or mechanical power. Wind turbines convert mechanical energy from the wind into electrical power. Wind turbines usually have three main parts. There are blades that connect to a central hub, a box behind the blades that contains the generator, and a long stem that connects to the ground. The way how it works is that the wind turns the blades, which spins a shaft that connects to a generator making electricity. After the electricity is produced it is sent through transmission lines to a substation that is sent to business and homes. For the sake of our planet, we must promote a renewable energy economy. Wind power can be a foundation of that sustainable energy future because it provides jobs in states that are building wind turbines, is a renewable energy source, and does not damage our environment. The environment will not be damaged by the pollution, the natural resources will not be used up, and there won’t be generating of hazardous wastes. Welcoming wind energy today will lay the foundation for a healthy tomorrow that will affect everyone in the United States. There are obstacles and challenges that will make it more difficult, but the environmental impact is well worth it to invest more money into wind energy.
Deal, W. (n.d.). Wind power: An emerging energy resource.Technology & Engineering Teacher, 70(1), 9-15. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=a747d6c4-9f9f-4066-be3e-d7d26a427ef2@sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=114&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zc2Mmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU=