The Pros and Cons of Renewable Energy Sources

Perpetual and renewable energy resources have their own advantages and disadvantages. Nuclear energy produces less air pollution, and they do not emit carbon dioxide or sulfur and nitrogen dioxides. Because of this, the use of nuclear power can help to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 128 million tons per year. (Kaufman and Franz, 1993, 228). While nuclear power plants are now much safer and efficient than earlier plants, they still have health, environment, and economic drawbacks. For example, nuclear power is more expensive than other energy sources. Also, nuclear power plants have environmental impacts like the creation and release of heat pollution, radiation, and other contaminants that have been linked to increased cancer rates.

Solar power is another renewable, or perpetual, energy source. (Kaufman and Franz, 1993, 232). It is a good option because there is an unlimited supply of this energy source, and it is available all over the world and not just in certain locations and deposits. It is nonpolluting and it could be implemented basically anywhere. On the other hand, solar power is not continuous. When the sun sets, the energy source is gone until the sun rises again the next day. In order to offset this drawback a storage devise is required. Another drawback to this energy source is that the reflective panels used to absorb the sun’s energy can be blinding to passing traffic.

Wind power is another very clean renewable energy source. (Kaufman and Franz, 1993, 233). In addition to the cleanliness of this energy source it is also perpetual. Unfortunately, wind power is very unreliable and its strength depends on local weather patters, temperature, time of year, and location. In addition to its unreliability, wind power equipment is also very expensive compared to other energy sources.

Hydropower can be harnessed by building a dam and hydroelectricity plant. One advantage of this energy source is that the means used to harness the power of water can also create other benefits like recreation. In addition to providing power and recreation opportunities, hydropower plants help to reduce the emission of 530 million tons of carbon annually. The drawbacks to this energy source are that the creation of dams disrupts habitats by flooding large areas behind the dam, and reducing water flow downstream. This disruption displaces plants, wildlife, and human populations, and can submerge cultural resources like cliff paintings, artifacts, and ancient settlements.

Another water energy source is ocean power. (Kaufman and Franz, 1993, 238). This energy source is desirable because it is nonpolluting and it is renewable. On the other hand, the energy plant needed to harness the ocean’s energy reduces the tidal range, reduces the tidal current flow, alters sea levels, and leads to the death and possible endangerment of migratory fish and wildlife species. (1993).

Solid waste can also be used as an energy source. (Kaufman and Franz, 1993, 240). In this instance waste from landfills is incinerated to generate energy. This helps to reduce the amount of refuse in a landfill and could potentially reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by 20,000 to 85,000 barrels of crude per day. (1993). The drawbacks related to this energy source include limited locations for solid waste conversion to larger cities with adequate landfills and waste resources, and it has a tendency to reduce the positive impacts of local recycling efforts.

Finally, biomass can be used to generate energy. (Kaufman and Franz, 1993, 239). The advantages of this energy source are that it is readily accessible, it is inexpensive, and it is a clean form of energy. On the other hand, the drawbacks of this energy source are that it removes nutrients and other beneficial residues from the soil, and it may lead to the exhaustion of natural resources through deforestation.

I think from an environmental standpoint, solar energy is the best alternative energy source. It is non-polluting and could be harnessed all over the world. It would be especially beneficial in areas that have large amounts of sun throughout the year, such as Africa. The best part of applying solar harnessing in Africa is that this is an area that is faced with poverty and ecosystem degradation because of past exploitation of natural resources. Solar energy would provide a reliable energy source that did not take anything more away from the local ecosystems, yet it would provide local residents with energy to pump water, generate electricity for public use, and generate a clean power source for local commerce.

Reference

Kaufman, Donald G. and Franz, Cecilia M. (1993). Biosphere 2000�Protecting our Global Environment. Dubuque, IA: Kendal/Hunt Publishing