More handpicked essays just for you.
Benefits of renewable energy in south africa
Importance of utilizing renewable energy sources
Renewable energy advantages and disadvantages flashcards
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Benefits of renewable energy in south africa
The energy challenges in the last few decades and the higher environmental issues around the globe have been pushing many countries to provide incentives for promoting renewable energy source exploitation so as to replace or minimize the use of fossil fuels which emit pollutants and large amount of carbon dioxide. Renewable energy is a source of energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, geothermal heat and biomass. These are naturally replenished when used [1]. Large shares of renewable electricity generation are a promising possibility to address global warming and the rising scarcity of hydrocarbon fuels [2].
Solar energy is a well-known proven technology, because of its availability and it does not have negative effects on the environment compared to other conventional energy such as the use of fossil fuel which gradually increases the earth average temperature and pollution. Solar energy is also one of the most available forms of energy on the earth’s surface. The earth’s surface receives a daily solar dose of 10E+8 kWh, which is equiva...
Which technologies promote sustainable energy? These technologies include renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy, artificial photosynthesis, tidal power and also technologies designed to improve energy efficiency.
During the 21st century, we have been looking for ways to develop clean and renewable energy. As each year passes, we continue to pollute the Earth using non-renewable resources which causes destructive pollution to the atmosphere, destroying species to meet our energy supplies, and we end up creating inhabitable land for many years to come. Namely, our use in oil, coal, gases, and fracking is slowly killing us, and we would soon extinguish all resources on Earth. The method of renewable energy will help us as humans in our endeavor to survive as a society whose citizens uses clean energy. One of the ways we can achieve this is by using solar power, which is the answer to the energy needs of the future.
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).
Alternative energy sources are renewable, and is 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 are expensive. There are several pros and cons that come with the utilization of alternative energy sources.
Preview: Today I will discuss the potential that solar power has to become this country’s main supply of energy and the latest research that can make solar power more efficient and cost effective. I will also present the environmental benefits that come with using solar power over other and more harmful forms of energy.
The unsustainable nature of fossil fuels as an energy source, from the point of view of future availability and environmental impact, has spurred an interest in diversification of energy sources, with particular interest in renewable energy. The photovoltaic (PV) industry is a player...
Saini, Keshav. "Solar Thermal Energy Pros and Cons | Environmental Issues." Environmental Issues Blog. N.p., 6 Jan. 2012. Web. 04 Mar. 2014. .
How Efficient is Solar Energy Technology? Engineering Challenges. n. d. a. d. a. d. d. 8 April 2014. http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9082.aspx>. How do Nuclear Plants Work?”
Solar energy is clean energy that does not affect our environment. Solar power utilizes the sun’s energy to produce electricity, unlike other sources of energy, which rely on continual mining for raw materials. Consequently, producing solar energy from the heat from the sun does not result into the annihilation of the ecosystem, compared to the extraction of fossil fuels (Bode, 2005). Therefore, with the use of solar energy, it will help keep the environment clean, thus help to combat the issue of global warming, which is a threat to the world’s ecosystem worldwide. The use of solar energy will help save the worlds vegetation, and help prev...
In the search for alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists and policy makers have focused on three options: nuclear power, energy from biomass; and a combination of wind, water, and solar power. Nuclear power, however, is much more costly and runs the risk of having it fall into the wrong hands where it could be turned into a weapon of mass destruction. The third option entails wind turbines, photovoltaic power plants and rooftop systems, concentrated solar thermal power plants,...
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 main energy comes from coal, but one quarter of the coal we mine is exported to other countries. In 2009 71.1% of the total energy sources in South Africa were coal and hydroelectric energy had 0,1%. The one major reason hydroelectric energy in South Africa is so low is because this country is a water scarce one, which means that the hydroelectric power stations don’t have enough water to produce electricity efficiently.
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 ef...
In chapter thirteen of our book, Environment by Raven and Berg, it shows us just how important renewable energy sources are. Currently the United States of America thrives on the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power. The main problems with these types of fuel are that they are both limited and can be extremely harmful to our environment. They cause global warming, air pollution, acid rain, and oil spills (Environment), and not only that, but in the grand scheme of things, these sources really aren’t even that cheap of a fuel source. There are many alternatives to these all but outdated fuel sources.
Global warming is an extremely important and troubling aspect of the world’s current situation. This is due to the fact that the majority of the world’s energy production is from non-renewable energy sources, which are energy sources that either can not be naturally replenished or require thousands of years to be restored. Based on our current energy usage growth rates, there are an estimated 100 years left before our natural resource reserves are exhausted. (Non Renewable Natural Resources: How Much Is Left, Environmental Thinker) China alone consumes nearly as much coal as the combined usage of coal from the rest of the world. (US Energy Information Administration, China Consumes Nearly as Much Coal as the Rest of the World Combined) There is visible evidence of this happening with the increasing pollution levels. Carbon Dioxide and Methane pollution levels in the world reached a record high in 2012 and are 260% higher than the pre-industrial levels. (UN: CO2 Pollution Levels at a Record High, John Heilprin) Converting our world into a more renewable energy dependent society is the most advantageous and likely method for preserving our dwindling fossil fuel supply while also protecting the world that we call home.
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.