Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources that are restored naturally on a human timescale. This includes: sunlight, waves, tides, water, rain and geothermal heat. Roughly 16% of the world’s energy consumption is supplied by Renewable sources. Wind Energy Wind energy is the form of renewable energy that converts the wind energy from the wind currents into energy that can be useful to man. This is done using windmills (for mechanical energy), wind turbines (for electricity), sails (to direct ships) and wind pumps (for drainage or water pumping). A wind turbine converts the kinetic energy given off by the wind current into electrical energy. Hydroelectric energy Hydroelectric energy is the form of renewable energy that converts the gravitational energy of falling or flowing water into electrical energy. Hydroelectric energy is the most popular form of kinetic energy in the world, generating around sixteen percent of the globe’s electricity and is used in one hundred and fifty countries. The general cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, giving it a competitive edge in the market of renewable energy. However the damn that are required for hydroelectric energy can often damage the surrounding wildlife and ecosystems. The majority of hydroelectricity is sourced from turbines driven by the potential energy of dammed or flowing water. The amount of power that is able to be extracted from the water depends on the difference of height between the turbine and the point where the water is falling or flowing. The majority of South Africa’s electricity is sourced from fossil fuels such as Coal and Uranium. These sources are not not renewable and are damaging towards the environment. Due to the fact that fossil fuels are ... ... middle of paper ... ...er issues that are not natural include the lack of experience with renewable energy products. In addition to these barriers, the cost of the required necessities to make renewable energy a possibility go beyond the country’s funding. The Barrier of Finance plays a large role in the option of Renewable energy. The factors of an uncompetitive market and transactional costs may prevent renewable energy from becoming an option for South Africa Works Cited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectricit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy Pegels, Anna. "Renewable energy in South Africa: Potentials, barriers and options for support." Energy policy 38.9 (2010): 4945-4954. Owen, Anthony D. "Renewable energy: Externality costs as market barriers." Energy policy 34.5 (2006): 632-642.
Is Renewable Energy a Economically Viable Option First the first thing that I am going to do is define renewable energy “renewable energy is generally defined as energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind,rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat¹ .So by this definition of renewable energy i would classify solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, bioenergy,green power, ocean energy, hydrogen and fuel cell, hydro power all of these
Renewable energy is a very reliable source of energy in most parts of the world, but the question on most conservationists and scientists minds is if South Africa could use renewable energy efficiently and effectively. Renewable energy could be the solution to many of the country’s economic problems such as the supply and demand of electricity, the costs of electricity, and the need for jobs in South Africa. In this essay I will be explaining the expenses and down sides to renewable energy, and
“Is Renewable energy an economically viable option for South Africa?” “Renewable Energy is a source of energy that is not exhausted when used.” “Economical means giving good value in relation to the resources used or money spent.” “Viable means capable of working successfully; feasible.” (Soanes, Hawker & Elliot et al., 2005) So in other words, is renewable energy an affordable and successful option for South Africa. Per year South Africa uses 1.3 % of the world’s total energy. South Africa’s
Science Essay Competition Topic: “Is renewable energy an economically viable option for South Africa?” Renewable resources are an important aspect of sustainability. Some examples of renewable resources that are most frequently used are biomass, water, geothermal, wind and solar. Unlike fossil fuels, which are finite, we can regenerate or replenish renewable energy resources. With the rising cost and decreasing availability of non-renewable fossil fuels, renewable resources are receiving increasing
as the South African Department of Minerals and Energy and Solar Cooking International, on the efficacy and environmental impact of solar cookers will be further explored. The possible advantages and drawbacks of these cookers will be discussed as well the various types that have so far made their way into the market and their relevance to southern Africa. Solar cookers represent an eco-friendly form of cooking, and they signify one of the most fundamental methods of harnessing solar energy for human
for safe waste and more responsible water and energy usage when it comes to hydrometallurgical processes. A low to no waste technology solution should always be preferred as it minimizes the threat of environmental legislation, these include: low waste technology solutions (material recycling), chemical treatments (decrease toxicity of solids and solutions) (2). 2.1Consumption 2.1.1 Energy Many hydrometallurgical process and operations rely on energy,these include pumping of slurries leaching, electrowinning
Also, water supply option such as desalination and groundwater will be evaluated using cost, environmental impacts and its feasibility factor for both methods. 2.0 Background Study on Sudan Sudan is has a total landmass area of 1,886,068 square Km with an 853 km coastline bordered by the Red Sea. It has a population of about 37.2 million people with about 1.9 million people in Khartoum the capital. Sudan is bordered by these countries; Libya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Central African
Water is thought as a renewable resource, because it is replenished by rainfall (PIMENTEL – water resources – agricultural and environmental issues). Notwithstanding, its amount varies over different regions at different times of the year. Human water necessity is almost the same throughout the year; therefore human communities try to control its availability through the construction of dams in some major rivers and pumping of groundwater. At least 1.2 billion people live in areas of physical water