“’Is renewable energy an economically viable option for South Africa?’’ For me it is, but you would need to consider many other factors such as will it pay off for our Nation in the long run, and in my opinion, it does!
Many of the world’s nations rely only on coal (South Africa being one of them) which is harmful to the environment due to the fact that it is a fossil fuel and is also limited, meaning in the future we will need to turn to an alternative source to generate power. There are also many types of Renewable energy sources such as: Solar Power, Geothermal energy, Wind Power and Hydropower.
The Sun is a great source of energy because it is the most powerful energy source and you can set up many solar panels. It will cost you a lot but in my opinion it will save lots of money in the future and will save time, rather than mining for fossil fuels such as coal. Burning Fossil Fuels also produce a greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming. (West, Top 7 renewable energy sources, 2014)
Geothermal Energy is a great way to power generators by the hot steam brought up by the hot air in the earth. Obviously it will cost a lot to put many wind turbines, solar panels and Hydroelectric and Geothermal generators into place but these small changes could move South Africa one step closer to a much brighter future. We need to think now about the road ahead and put in place systems that will assure us a decent standard of living in the soon to come future. (West, 2014)
South Africa is planning to get most of its generated energy from Solar Energy, which I think is a very wise idea.
South Africa has a projected 10 000 GWh of Renewable Energy. South Africa plans on producing 1 850 MW with onshore wind, 1 450 MW (MW means Million Watt...
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...g green! This is one step forward in the right direction and will open many doors for South Africa such as large companies around the world looking to expand in South Africa which will bring in even more money for the Country which will benefit the people (Keeping in mind the Government puts it to good use and plans on improving infrastructure, roads etc.).
These small changes will move us forward and will show other Nations that South Africa are going green and are willing to do what’s right for the people and most importantly the environment. And also moving away from the reliance on a polluting substance like a fossil fuel such as coal and we will be able to use renewable resources that can be re-used over and over again without the hassle of digging and mining into the earth to find these resources. All this is a very big solution to move South Africa forward.
Despite generating electricity with fossil fuels for years and years there is a much better way that does not harm the environment. Using Solar panels does not produce any carbon dioxide unlike fossil fuels that “produces huge volumes of carbon dioxide, which is a gas that influences the global climate” (“Solar Power Vs. Fossil Fuels”). Having the choice to get power in a new way that saves the environment, home owners should not have to think twice about trying solar. In fact if home owners collect some amount of watts per hour on Monday, that will not reduce the amount of solar energy a home owner can collect on Wednesday or any other day that week. They can always keep collecting the power. No matter what people may argue about how much coal, natural gas and petroleum remains buried in the Earth, those fossil fuels will run out far earlier than the life of the sun ("Solar Power Vs. Fossil Fuels"). Home owners should invest in solar energy because solar systems have very dependable technology with little maintenance, they offer financial savings and they are better for the environment.
The sun has been a major aspect of life since the beginning of time. People used many other forms of energy before electricity was discovered. There has been a debate over energy resources for years. Many people are worried about what current energy resources may be doing to the environment. Oil spills and nuclear power plant mishaps have only been a few accidents that have had a big impact on the environment and the people who inhabit it. There are plenty of energy sources that do not harm the environment and are still able to get the job done. Solar energy is one energy alternative that will insure the betterment of the country and, at the same time, protect the natural environment.
Energy is the basic necessity of daily life. Nowadays, dependence on fossil fuels for energy needs becoming lower in numerous countries due to the potential of renewable energy to supply sustainable energy to the huge populations in many developing countries who are short of clean and continues energy. Generally, renewable energy can be defined as energy that is derived from natural resources which are constantly replenished and theoretically inexhaustible. Fossil fuels on the other hand can be described as energy that cannot be renewed and will eventually diminish. Thus, in many developing countries renewable energy is the alternative energy to replace non-renewable energy or commonly known as fossil fuels. In addition, according to Sorensen (2004), there is a greater demand for renewable energy sources nowadays due to the uncertainty of fuel price rise in living expenses. Commonly, there are many types of renewable energy available in our world such as wind power, biomass energy, solar energy, hydroelectric power and geothermal energy. However, the main three example of renewable energy are hydroelectric power, solar and biomass energy (Refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).
In the debate of traditional energy vs. renewable energy the clear winner is renewable energy. Renewable energy is vastly superior over traditional energy because it decreases dependence on foreign resources, produces no emissions, and is not limited in quantity. Opponents of renewable energy are likely to argue that this is not the case and that instead, traditional energy is better because it creates job growth, is reliable during all hours and climates, and comes with a lower cost. These advantages however are either misconstrued or hardly outweigh the long-term positive benefits of renewable energy.
... and monthly water filling. Solar energy is the cleanest and purest form of energy, allowing for cleaner air overall in our environment. There is great hope for a lot more solar panels to be installed worldwide. Solar is a viable alternative energy with solar panels becoming more affordable and more efficiently designed.
However, with a scarcity of coal, more power would be generated from other sources like nuclear, solar and hydro. However, producing electricity from these sources for huge supply would be difficult.
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 am certain that all have heard of the terms green house gases, fossil fuels, and global warming. Have you ever questioned what will happen if nothing is done about the environmental problems facing the world today? What if I answer you that, we can merely use the power from the sun to power up our entire planet without the use of harmful energy sources, which affect our atmosphere? The power from the sun is what we call solar power. Solar power is the energy that comes from the sun as light and heat energy, and then it is later converted into electrical energy through solar panels (Nelson, 2008). This kind of power is completely free, right? Why should we put a lot of expense on other sources of energy, when there is a complete free and healthy power? It is evident that solar energy is a healthy source of energy, which will help stop global warming all together, but it is economically efficient to switch everything to solar energy. Solar energy is capable of becoming the world's future power supply because, it is renewable, eco-friendly, and extremely efficient when strategically placed.
South Africa wastes lots of money on non renewable energy sources in order to create electricity for example coal. The building of Wind Turbines, Hydroelectric power plants etc. Are costly, but once built are free as they use renewable energy sources. They do not contribute to global warming unlike nuclear power plant which is extremely bad for the air. There is also a risk of an accident such as the Chernobyl accident.
Wind and solar power are small contributing factors to South Africa’s energy supply, but over the next few years they may become big major energy contributors because we have vast open areas of solar panels and the coastal areas can get really w... ... middle of paper ... ... ica. Verster, R. pp.
One of the most compelling arguments for the use of renewable energy is how many forms exist of it. Nuclear power, solar power, wind power, tidal power, hydroelectric power, pumped storage, wave power, geothermal power, biomass, and biogas are the most widely known renewable energy sources (Darvill, 2013). This large selection of fuels supports the idea of renewable fuels one day powering the entire planet. All the sources of energy have different niches and benefits. Solar energy is extremely effective when providing energy for small establishments such as a house or small store, but hydrothermal power would be a more plausible solution for factories or large establishments....
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.
"Jobs in Renewable Energy Expanding." Worldwatch Institute. Worldwatch Institute, 8 July 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
The world that we live into today affords us the expectation that the flip a switch will turn the lights on. As populations increase and developing nations undergo dramatic economic growth, this energy demand will only continue to grow. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that “the world’s energy needs could be 50% higher in 2030 than they are today” (ElBaradei). Given this projected growth, it is necessary for world leaders must take action to secure the energy supply. Meaning that world leaders need to start seriously considering an alternative to non-renewable energy sources. “In 2012, the United States generated about 4,054 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. About 68% of the electricity generated was from fossil fuel (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), with 37% attributed from coal” (U.S. Energy Information Administration). The fossil fuels that are used to supply over half of our country’s energy are in finite supply and are increasing in price to astronomical heights.
Using fossil fuels such as coal and oil is inefficient, dangerous, and otherwise a process that is known to eventually fail as a long lasting energy source. Yet, there is hope for the future of energy, this new hope has many shapes and forms, but requires a chance to be fully implemented in our everyday life. Such energy sources like solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydro power are the key to our future. These energy sources are proven to be long lasting, safe, more reliable, and the next innovation. In short, all Americans should switch to renewable energy, resulting in a safer and more efficient world.