renewable energy facts
There are many energy sources today are very limited in supply. Some of these sources are petroleum, natural gas and coal. It is a matter of before time runs out.
Estimates are that only can meet our energy demands for another fifty to seventy years. Thus, in an effort to find alternative forms of energy, the world has turned to renewable energy sources as the solution. There are many advantages and disadvantages of this.
Sources renewable energy consist of solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, ocean and biomass. The most common advantage of each is that they are renewable and can not be depleted. This is a clean energy because it does not pollute the air, and do not contribute to global warming or greenhouse effect. Since their sources are natural the cost of operations is reduced, which also require less maintenance on their plants. A problem common to all is that it is difficult to produce large amounts of electricity their counterparts from fossil fuels are able to. Since they are also new technologies, the cost of starting is high.
solar energy uses energy from the sun. It is advantageous because the systems can fit into existing buildings and does not affect land use. But from the area of the collectors is large, more materials are required. Solar radiation is also controlled by geography. And it is limited to daylight hours and no cloudy days.
Energy wind energy uses wind to produce electricity. Although it is the largest producer of employment is dependent on the winds. Wind turbines are large and, although You can use the area under them for farming, many consider them unattractive looking. They are also very noisy to operate. Furthermore, threatening the population wild birds.
Hydropower uses water to produce energy. This is the most reliable of all sources of renewable energy. On the side below, it affects ecology and causes downstream problems. The deterioration of vegetation in the riverbed can cause the buildup of methane. Methane is a gas that contributes to global warming. Dams can also alter the natural river flow and affect wildlife. Colder, oxygen poor water can be released into the river, killing fish. And the release of water from the dam can cause flooding.
Geothermal energy uses steam from low Earth to generate energy. Use the smaller land areas than other power plants. They can run 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The disadvantages are that it is very specific site and, together with the heat of the Earth, can also bring toxic chemicals when obtaining the steam. Reservoirs drilling geothermal and finding them can be an expensive task.
Biomass electricity is produced through the energies of the timber, agricultural and waste municipal. It helps save on landfill waste but transportation can be costly and ecological diversity of the land may be affected. Furthermore, the process should be easier.
Ocean energy is a form of clean, abundant energy. However, they have high costs. Ocean thermal energy also requires close to forty degree Fahrenheit difference in water temperature throughout the year. Furthermore, the construction and laying of pipes can cause damage to ecosystem.
There are many advantages to using renewable energy sources. There are also some disadvantages. The fact is that energy demand will continue increasing. Through research and development technologies and new, the hope is that many of the disadvantages of renewable energy can be eliminated and can be incorporated successfully into our energy sources.
