Renewable Energy Sources are the Future
Solar, wind, and hydro technologies are becoming increasingly popular in the world. As a result, many countries and governments are switching to cleaner and greener power generation resources which carry the following limitations and advantages:
Table of Contents
Advantages of Renewable energy Resources
Completely Free
Renewable sources for energy come straight from nature and the environment. Renewable sources include air, water, and solar energy. In addition, biomass is considered another renewable energy source.
These sources will not run out. Solar electricity can be produced as long as the sun shines. As long as there is wind, wind turbines can be installed to generate electricity.
Fossil fuels are not renewable energy, and as we continue to use them, they will continue to deplete. This will hike up the extraction and process cost because of the scarcity element. Renewable energy sources also do not adversely contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Low Maintenance Cost
Renewable energy sources also arrive with minimal maintenance costs. However, using traditional means to generate electricity such as coal, petrol, or natural gas requires generators. These generators are expensive and require daily maintenance. Moreover, it is dangerous for the employees as petrol and natural gas are highly flammable.
However, renewable resources do not face the same conundrum. Wind turbines and solar panels require monthly or yearly maintenance. These components are not flammable or combust with the fuel resources they use to generate power. Everything is naturally drawn, which results in saving time, money, and human capital efforts.
Pollution-Free
Renewable energy does not result in releasing greenhouse gasses. These gasses include carbon dioxide and methane, which are very harmful to humans and other living organisms. Carbon dioxide is responsible for climate change and rising global temperatures. Thus, renewable resources are positively impacting the environment and reducing climate change speed.
Fossil fuel releases greenhouse gasses due to the combustion process when used for producing energy. Unfortunately, it also releases other pollutants, which can lead to serious health issues. These issues can include cardiac-related problems and respiratory diseases from the pollutant content in the air. However, such harmful effects are non-existent when it comes to renewable energy resources.
Opportunity Cost
Renewable sources are available locally. You are not importing coal from coal-producing countries or laying down gas pipelines from neighbouring countries with ample gas supply. When a country starts producing energy using sunlight, air, water resources present inside her boundary, she increases her reliance.
Laying down gas pipelines is extremely expensive when a country is already being financed with a budget deficit. Petroleum resources via ships and seaways severely increase public expenditure. Public money saved can be invested in infrastructure and industrial activities to promote economic activities, provide employment, and raise living standards.
Provides employment opportunities
As slightly discussed above, renewable energy production results in job creation. This results in numerous types of jobs:
- Manual labour installs machinery and transports it to the site.
- Major transportation vessels bring the equipment from the manufacturing location to the desired spot.
- Utility bidders hire engineers to install solar panels or wind turbines. They provide repair and maintenance services, so the renewable power plants operate at their peak performance for the long term.
Renewable energy results in stable job creation, not to mention the infrastructure network is also widened, which boosts economic activity.
Disadvantages of Renewable energy Resources
Limited Capacity
Foremost, renewable energy does not produce energy on a national scale. It can provide limited power to the countryside or a small town with limited power demand. However, at a countrywide scale, conventional power sources are our best option to produce electricity for the nation.
Moreover, renewable resources can be used as supplementary or additional power sources. They can be added to the national grid or kept separately to reduce the overall burden by providing shops or cities nearby. This concept raises discovering diversified energy sources for the perfect combination.
Dependency
Renewable energy such as solar and wind turbines are entirely dependent on the weather. Therefore, winter seasons can halt the solar energy supply. Similarly, wind turbines require a minimum airspeed to swirl and produce energy. Therefore, the blades will not turn if the air is not up to speed. Moreover, hydroelectricity cannot be a sufficient provider if there is not enough water in the dams.
In addition, water is required on the national scale for numerous reasons. It is required for sanitary, cooking, and laundry. The list is endless. A nation utterly dependent on hydroelectricity is likely to face a water shortage. Also, unpredictable weather patterns result in uneven ice melts from the glaciers.
Expensive Setup
Setting up solar plants and wind turbines comes with a high initial capital cost. The total cost includes transportation, purchase, and installing the equipment. The investments are usually high as not every nation produces them internally. Moreover, regular maintenance, breakdown fixing, and repair increase the costs even more.
The expenditures do not end here. When renewable sources begin producing energy, it is transmitted to local towns or the countryside. Laying down transmission wires, erecting electricity poles, and sometimes digging through roads and highways to lay down underground transmission lines is highly investment-inducing.
Geographical Factor
Not every location is ideal for installing wind turbines or solar panels. Geographical restrictions are the most significant challenge renewable resources are facing today. Topographies, vegetation, unpredictable climate, and sometimes hesitant landowners do not aid the situation. Wind turbines are ideal for countryside locations with uninterrupted air and open land area. On the other hand, a smaller building surrounded by taller buildings is not ideal for solar panel installation. Moreover, a location with mostly rain days or less sunny days is also not ideal for solar panels.
Solar energy also carries limited storage capacity. Therefore, sticking with conventional power generation would be wise if you are looking for a long-term solution.
The Final Words
There are two sides to any argument. First, renewable energy sources are a cleaner way to produce energy. Second, it does not harm the environment and will provide energy for the unforeseeable future. First, however, they must be incorporated as secondary power sources.