http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/category/solar-energy Advantages of Solar Energy Solar energy i.e. energy from the sun provide consistent and steady source of solar power throughout the year. As our natural resources set to decline in the years to come, its important for the whole world to move towards renewable sources. The main benefit of solar energy that it can be easily deployed by both home and business users as it does not require any huge set up like in case of wind and geothermal power stations. Solar energy not only benefits individual owners, but also benefit environment as well. 1. No Pollution : Solar energy is non-polluting, clean, reliable and renewable source of electricity. It does not pollute the air by releasing harmful gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide. Solar energy does not require and fuel and thus avoid the problems of transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste. 2. Long lasting solar cells : Solar cells make no noise at all and there are no moving parts in solar cells which makes them long lasting and require very little maintenance. Solar energy provides cost effective solutions to energy problems where there is no electricity at all.
Solar energy i.e. energy from the sun provide consistent and steady source of solar power throughout the year. As our natural resources set to decline in the years to come, its important for the whole world to move towards renewable sources. The main benefit of solar energy that it can be easily deployed by both home and business users as it does not require any huge set up like in case of wind and geothermal power stations. Solar energy not only benefits individual owners, but also benefit environment as well.
1. No Pollution : Solar energy is non-polluting, clean, reliable and renewable source of electricity. It does not pollute the air by releasing harmful gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide. Solar energy does not require and fuel and thus avoid the problems of transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.
2. Long lasting solar cells : Solar cells make no noise at all and there are no moving parts in solar cells which makes them long lasting and require very little maintenance. Solar energy provides cost effective solutions to energy problems where there is no electricity at all.
3. Renewable Source : Solar energy is a renewable source of energy and will continue to produce electricity as long as sun exists. Although solar energy can not be produce during night and cloudy days but it can be used again and again during day time. Solar energy from sun is consistent and constant power source and can be used to harness power in remote locations.
4. Low maintenance : Solar cells generally doesn’t require any maintenance and run for long time. More solar panels can be added from time to time when needed. Although, solar panels
have initial cost but there are no recurring costs. Initial cost that is incurred once can be recovered in the long run. Apart from this, solar panels does not create any noise and does not release offensive smell.
5. Easy Installation : Solar panels are easy to install and does not require any wires, cords or power sources. Unlike wind and geothermal power stations which require them to be tied with drilling machines, solar panels does not require them and can be installed on the rooftops which means no new space is needed and each home or business user can generate their own electricity. Moreover, they can be installed in distributed fashion which means no large scale installations are needed.
Solar power technology is improving consistently from time to time and as our non-renewable source decline its important for the whole world to move towards renewable sources of energy. There are however several things which is stopping solar energy from being used more extensively. Solar energy disadvantages are sure to be overcome as technology improves and its usage will increase as people begin to understand the benefits offered by solar energy.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy
Solar Energy is the energy that is produced by the sun in the form of heat and light. It is one of the most renewable and readily available source of energy. The fact that it is available in plenty and free and does not belong to anybody makes it one of the most important of the non-conventional sources of energy. Solar energy has been used by people since ancient times by using simple magnifying glasses to concentrate the light of the sun into beams so hot they would cause wood to catch fire.
Mainly, Solar energy can be used to convert it into heat energy or it can be converted into electricity. Solar energy can be converted into electricity by means of solar thermal energy and photovoltaic. Through Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) cells, solar radiation gets converted into DC electricity directly. This form of energy can be used to power solar watches, calculators or traffic signals. They are often used in locations that are not connected to electricity grid. Solar heat energy can be used to heat water or space heating which means heating the space inside the building.
Solar energy can be broadly categorized as active or passive solar energy depending on how they are captured and utilized. In active solar energy special solar heating equipment is used to convert solar energy to heat energy whereas in passive solar energy the mechanical equipment is not present. Active solar include the use of mechanical equipment like photovoltaic cells, solar thermal collectors or pumps and fans to trap the solar energy. Passive solar technologies convert solar energy to heat energy without use of active mechanical systems. It is mainly the practice of using windows, walls, trees, building placement and other simple techniques to capture or deflect the sun for use. Passive solar heating is a great way to conserve energy and maximizing it’s utilization. An example of passive solar heating is what happens to your car on a hot summer day.
Although Solar energy is considered to be one of the cleanest and renewable sources of energy among the available sources but is has some environmental impacts too. Solar energy uses photovoltaic cells to produce solar power. However, manufacturing the photovoltaic cells to produces that energy requires silicon and produce some waste products. Inappropriate handling of these materials may lead to hazardous exposure to humans and the environment. Installing solar power plants may require large piece of land, which may impact existing ecosystems. Solar energy does not pollute the air when converted to electricity by solar panels. It is found in abundance and does not help in global warming.
Future Of Solar Energy
Solar technology is now poised to play a larger role in the future, thanks to new developments that could result in lower costs and improved efficiency. In fact, the solar PV industry aims to provide half of all new U.S. electricity generation by 2025. More and more architects are recognizing the value of active and passive solar and learning how to effectively incorporate it into building designs. Solar hot water systems can compete economically with conventional systems in some areas. Perhaps the future is here now. Shell has predicted that 50% of the world’s energy will come from renewable sources by 2040. In recent years manufacturing costs of photovoltaic cells has dropped by 3-5% per year while government subsidies have increased. While to some such facts about solar energy seem trivial, this makes solar energy an ever-more affordable energy source. In the next few years it is expected that millions of households in the world will be using solar energy as the trends in USA and Japan show. Aggressive financial incentives in Germany and Japan have made these countries global leaders in solar deployment for years.
Fact 1: Wind power consists of turning energy from the wind to other energy forms. There are different ways to harness it. For example windmills produce mechanical energy, enable sails to move boats and generate electricity.
Fact 2: Windmills have been in use since 2000 B.C. and were first developed in Persia and China. Ancient mariners sailed to distant lands by making use of winds. Farmers used wind power to pump water and for grinding grains. Today the most popular use of wind energy is converting it to electrical energy to meet the critical energy needs of the planet.
Fact 3: Wind energy is underutilized as of now and holds tremendous potential for the future. Though there has been a 25% increase in wind turbine use in the last decade, wind energy still provides only a small percentage of the energy of the world.
Fact 4: Wind energy is mostly harnessed by wind turbines which are as high as 20 story buildings and have three blades which are 60 meter long. They resemble giant propellers of airplanes mounted on a stick. The blades are spun by the wind which transfers motion to a shaft connected to a generator which produces electricity.
Fact 5: The largest turbines can harness energy to power 600 American homes. These turbines form wind farms and hundreds are arranged in lines in windy spots like a ridge. A small turbine in the back yard can easily power a small business or a home. A wind farm is a collection of wind turbines in the same location. Many wind farms provide rental income to rural communities where they are situated.
Fact 6: Wind energy is valued because it is a clean source of energy and causes minimum pollution. Operational costs are minimal after the erection of turbines. Mass production and advances in technology are making turbines cheaper than never before. Wind energy is also receiving subsidies and benefits from governments keen to popularize this clean source of energy.
Fact 7: Wind turbines have been criticized for some reasons. It is claimed that wind turbines cause noise and disturb nearby residents. The slowly moving turbine fans are also accused of harming bats and bird populations of the locality but this accusation is unfounded as more
number of birds is killed by other factors such as power lines, cars and high rise buildings. Another criticism is that wind energy is variable- if there is no wind due to some reason, the generation of electricity stops.
Fact 8: The wind energy industry is burgeoning by leaps and bounds. Global generation saw quadrupling from 2000 to 2006. In 2012, more than 70,000 mega watts of global capacity were generated. A single mega watt is enough to power 250 homes. The most installed capacity of wind energy is in Germany followed by Spain. The US and China are also catching up. If this growth momentum is sustained, wind energy will be able to meet one-third of global energy demands by 2050.
Fact 9: Wind energy is the fastest growing mode of electricity production across the planet. In 2012, $25 billion was spent on wind energy investment. Modern turbines harness over 15 times the electricity generated in 1990. Wind power in the U.S. is a $10 billion a year industry. The biggest source of new generation capacity for electricity in 2012 was wind energy accounting for 40% of total capacity.
Fact 10: Wind power is also unique for the fact that it does not use any water. By 2030, wind power will save around 30 trillion bottles of water in the U.S.
Fact 11: Wind farms can be constructed in off shore locations. Winds are steadier and stronger in offshore locations but setting up infrastructure is costlier.
Fact 12: Isolated locations are provided power by small onshore wind farms. Power from small wind farms are purchased by utility companies.
Fact 13: Wind energy is renewable and pollution free source of energy. It is mostly used to generate electricity and is abundant source of energy in many parts of the USA.
Fact 14: Wind energy can be a great source of alternative to fossil fuels and has been growing trend in many countries, especially in Europe.
Fact 15: Most of the modern wind turbines have 3 blades which can reach speeds at the tip of over 320 kph (200 mph).
Fact 16: The largest wind turbine in the world is located in US in Hawaii. It stands 20 stories tall and has blades the length of a football field.
Fact 17: According to NREL, 1MW of wind energy can offset approximately 2,600 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Fact 18: The first modern wind turbine was built in 1940’s in Vermont.
Fact 19: Wind turbines can even be installed on floating structures that cans end the electricity back to land with the help of undersea cables.
Fact 20: As per the information released by Center for Biological Diversity, as many as 1,300 eagles, falcons, hawks and other predatory species are killed each year due to wind turbines that were constructed along a critical migration route.
Fact 21: In the year 2009, U.S. generated 1 percent of total nationwide electricity production at the time. The energy generated was approximately 52 billion KW hours in 2008.
Fact 22: Wind energy produces more than 20% of the total electricity production in countries such as Denmark and Portugal.
Fact 23: The major drawbacks of wind energy are: high installation costs, change in wind speed and not suitable for all areas.
Fact 24: Large groups of wind turbines called wind farms have been installed in 38+ states of U.S. and are currently operating utility-grade wind installations.
Fact 25: In the last quarter of 2012, Texas led the nation in new wind installations (with 1,289 megawatts), followed by California, Kansas, Oklahoma and Iowa.
Fact 26: The tips of very large wind turbines can reach eights up to 200 m (650ft).
Fact 27: Albert Betz, was a German physicist and a pioneer of wind turbine technology. He discovered wind energy theory and published in his book Wind-Energie.
Fact 28: 60,007 MW is the total installed wind capacity in the U.S. by the end of year 2012.
Fact 29: Approximately $25 billion of investment was done in 2012 in new wind projects and it brought the 5-year annual average investment to $18 billion.
Fact 30: As much as 20% of electricity consumed by U.S. could come from wind energy by 2030 but need for clean energy tax credits is must for achieving this target.
Fact 31: More than 45,100 of wind turbines were operating by the end of year 2012.
Fact 32: Various myths related to wind farms are: wind farms are ugly and popular, they are noisy and produce energy only 30% of the time.
Fact 33: Approximately 80,700 people were involved in various wind related jobs at the end of 2012 across fields such as development, siting, construction, transportation, manufacturing, operations, services.
Fact 34: A wind turbine has as many as 8,000 different components.
Fact 35: Smaller wind turbines can be used to charge batteries or as backup power in caravans and sailing ships.
Thus wind energy is a clean, pollution free, abundant and free source of energy. Crucially, it is a renewable source of energy unlike fossil fuels which are non renewable and cause pollution.
Excessive heating of earth due to burning of fossil fuels have forced people across the globe to generate power through wind. It is being used extensively in areas like USA, Denmark, Spain, India and Germany. Like any other source of power generation, wind energy has its own advantages and disadvantages.
1. Renewable Energy : Wind energy in itself is a source of renewable energy which means it can be produced again and again since it is available in plenty. It is cleanest form of renewable energy and is currently used many leading developed and developing nations to fulfill their demand for electricity.
2. Reduces Fossil Fuels Consumption : Dependence on the fossil fuels could be reduced to much extent if it is adopted on the much wider scale by all the countries across the globe. It could be answer to the ever increasing demand for petroleum and gas products. Apart from this, it can also help to curb harmful gas emissions which are the major source of global warming.
3. Less Air and Water Pollution : Wind energy doesn’t pollute at all. It is that form of energy that will exist till the time sun exists. It does not destroy the environment or release toxic gases. Wind turbines are mostly found in coastal areas, open plain and gaps in mountains where the wind is reliable, strong and steady. An ideal location would have a near constant flow of non-turbulent wind throughout the year, with a minimum likelihood of sudden powerful bursts of wind.
4. Initial Cost : The cost of producing wind energy has come down steadily over the last few years. The main cost is the installation of wind turbines. Moreover the land used to install wind turbines can also be used for agriculture purpose. Also, when combine with solar power, it provides cheap, reliable, steady and great source of energy for the for developed and developing countries.
5. Create Many Jobs : Wind energy on the other hand has created many jobs for the local people. From installation of wind turbines to maintenance of the area where turbines are located, it has created wide range of opportunities for the people. Since most of the wind turbines are based in coastal and hilly areas, people living there are often seen in maintenance of wind turbines.
Despite these advantages there few disadvantages too which makes wind turbines not suitable for some locations.
Disadvantages of Wind Energy
Disadvantages Of Wind Energy
Wind turbines provide clean an effective way of producing power for home or business. Wind turbines are built in the form of vertical axis and horizontal axis. The more common type of wind turbines built across the world is the horizontal wind turbine. Wind turbines have its own impact on wildlife and surrounding environment which contribute towards disadvantages of wind turbines.
Here’s are some of the major disadvantages of wind turbines.
1. Noise Disturbances : Though wind energy is non-polluting, the turbines may create a lot of noise. This alone is the reason that wind farms are not built near residential areas. People who live near-by often complaint of huge noise that comes from wind turbines.
2. Threat to Wildlife : Due to large scale construction of wind turbines on remote location, it could be a threat to wild life near by. Few studies have been done by wind turbines to determine the effect of wind turbines on birds and animals and the evidence is clear that animals see wind turbines as a threat to their life. Also, wind turbines require them to be dig deep into the earth which could have negative effect on the underground habitats.
3. Wind Can Never Be Predicted : The main disadvantage of wind energy is that wind can never be predicted. In areas where large amount of wind is needed or winds strength is too low to support wind turbine, there solar or geothermal energy could prove to be great alternatives.
That is one of the reasons that most of the companies determine wind turbine layout, power curve, thrust curve, long term wind speed before deploying wind turbines.
4. Suited To Particular Region : Wind turbines are suited to the coastal regions which receive wind throughout the year to generate power. So, countries that do not have any coastal or hilly areas may not be able to take any advantage of wind power. The location of a wind power system is crucial, and one should determine the best possible location for wind turbine in order to capture as much wind as possible.
5. Visual Impact : Though many people believe that wind turbines actually look nice but majority of them disagree. People consider wind turbines to have an undesirable experience. Petitions usually comes in court before any proposed wind farm development but few people think otherwise and feel they should be kept in tact for everyone to enjoy its beauty.
Although these disadvantages make it look that wind energy may not suitable for every country but its advantages make it a great source of energy.
As our reliance on fossil fuels have started to increase, geothermal energy is seen as the new source of power generation by digging out the heat stored inside the earth. Though not used fully due to factors such as location and high costs but in the years to come when fossil fuels would start to diminish, it will turn out to be the cheapest source of power generation. Geothermal energy suffers from its own advantages and disadvantages as described below.
Advantages of Geothermal Energy:
1. Significant Cost Saving : Geothermal energy generally involves low running costs since it saves 80% costs over fossil fuels and no fuel is used to generate the power. Since, no fuel is require so costs for purchasing, transporting and cleaning up plants is quite low.
2. Reduce Reliance on Fossil Fuels : Dependence on fossil fuels decreases with the increase in the use of geothermal energy. With the sky-rocketing prices of oil, many countries are pushing companies to adopt these clean sources of energy. Burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases which are responsible for global warming
3. No Pollution : This is one of the main advantage of using geothermal energy since it does not create any pollution and help in creating clean environment. Being the renewable source of energy, geothermal energy has helped in reducing global warming and pollution. Moreover,
Geothermal systems does not create any pollution as it releases some gases from deep within the earth which are not very harmful to the environment
4. Direct Use : Since ancient times, people having been using this source of energy for taking bath, heating homes, preparing food and today this is also used for direct heating of homes and offices. This makes geothermal energy cheaper and affordable. Although the initial investment is quite steep but in the long run with huge cost saving it proves quite useful
5. Job Creation and Economic Benefits : Government of various countries are investing hugely in creation of geothermal energy which on other hand has created more jobs for the local people
Though above said advantages prove that geothermal energy has big capability in itself in creating clean and safe environment and also it is an excellent source of cheap, reliable, simple, clean and renewable power but it also suffers from few drawbacks which is why it is not being utilized everywhere to its full capability. Here look at some of the disadvantages of geothermal energy.
Disadvantages of Geothermal
Energy created from geothermal power is safe, clean, simple, reliable and environment friendly as it is extracted from deep within the earths surface. But despite these advantages, geothermal energy is not being used widely. Geothermal energy suffers from its disadvantages as described below.
1. Not Widespread Source of Energy : Since this type of energy is not widely used therefore the unavailability of equipment, staff, infrastructure, training pose hindrance to the installation of geothermal plants across the globe. Not enough skilled manpower and availability of suitable build location pose serious problem in adopting geothermal energy globally.
2. High Installation Costs : To get geothermal energy, requires installation of power plants, to get steam from deep within the earth and this require huge one time investment and require to hire a certified installer and skilled staff needs to be recruited and relocated to plant location. Moreover, electricity towers, stations need to set up to move the power from geothermal plant to consumer.
3. Can Run Out Of Steam : Geothermal sites can run out of steam over a period of time due to drop in temperature or if too much water is injected to cool the rocks and this may result huge loss for the companies which have invested heavily in these plants. Due to this factor, companies have to do extensive initial research before setting up the plant.
4. Suited To Particular Region : It is only suitable for regions which have hot rocks below the earth and can produce steam over a long period of time. For this great research is required which is done by the companies before setting up the plant and this initial cost runs up the bill
in setting up the geothermal power plant. Some of these regions are near hilly areas or high up in mountains.
5. May Release Harmful Gases : Geothermal sites may contain some poisonous gases and they can escape deep within the earth, through the holes drilled by the constructors. The geothermal plant must therefore be capable enough to contain these harmful and toxic gases.
6. Transportation : Geothermal Energy can not be easily transported. Once the tapped energy is extracted, it can be only used in the surrounding areas. Other sources of energy like wood, coal or oil can be transported to residential areas but this is not a case with geothermal energy. Also, there is a fear of toxic substances getting released into the atmosphere.
Now that we have gone through the disadvantages of geothermal energy, lets go through it advantages too and understand why it is Here look at some of the advantages of geothermal energy.
Energy cannot be created nor be destroyed but it can be converted from one form to another. Nearly all the mass of the atom is concentrated in a tiny nucleus in the center. The nucleus is composed principally of two sorts of particles: the proton which carries the positive charge and the neutron which is electrically neutral and has a mass slightly bigger than that of proton. Nuclear energy is the energy released from the nucleus of an atom. When nuclear reaction occurs weather fission or fusion, it produces large amount of energy.
How Nuclear Energy is Produced
When the heaviest element, uranium was bombarded with neutrons, it was discovered that instead of inducing radioactivity as did other elements, something different happened. This process was named fission. When fission occurred, not only were two lighter elements and a lot of radiation produced, but also more neutrons. It was clear that these neutrons could in turn also cause fission, producing more neutrons and developing a chain reaction which might spread throughout all the uranium present.
In the fission of uranium 235 nucleus, the amount of energy released is about 60,000,000 times as much as when a carbon atom burns. Most of the energy from fission appears as kinetic energy as the fission products shoot apart and quickly share their energy with their surroundings, thus producing heat. The first reactors to produce a usable amount of power were built at Calder hall in England.
With pure fissionable material, atomic bombs can be made. Of the two bombs dropped on Japan to end the World War 2, one contained plutonium and the other very highly enriched uranium 235.
Advantages of Nuclear Energy
1. Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions : As per the reports in 1998, it has been calculated the emission of the greenhouse gas has reduced for nearly half due to the popularity in the use of nuclear power. Nuclear energy by far has the lowest impact on the environment since it does not releases any gases like carbon dioxide, methane which are largely responsible for greenhouse effect. There is no adverse effect on water, land or any habitats due to the use of it. Though some greenhouse gases are released while transporting fuel or extracting energy from uranium.
2. Powerful and Efficient : The other main advantage of using nuclear energy is that it is very powerful and efficient than other alternative energy sources. Advancement in technologies has made it more viable option than others. This is one the reason that many countries are putting huge investments in nuclear power. At present, a small portion of world’s electricity comes through it.
3. Reliable : Unlike traditional sources of energy like solar and wind which require sun or wind to produce electricity, nuclear energy can be produced from nuclear power plants even in the cases of rough weather conditions. They can produce power 24/7 and need to be shut down for maintenance purposes only.
4. Cheap Electricity : The cost of uranium which is used as a fuel in generating electricity is quite low. Also, set up costs of nuclear power plants is relatively high while running cost is low. The
average life of nuclear reactor range from 4.-60 years depending upon its usage. These factors when combined make the cost of producing electricity very low. Even if the cost of uranium rises, the increase in cost of electricity will be much lower.
5. Low Fuel Cost : The main reason behind the low fuel cost is that it requires little amount of uranium to produce energy. When a nuclear reaction happens, it releases million times more energy as compared to traditional sources of energy.
6. Supply : There are certain economic advantages in setting up nuclear power plants and using nuclear energy in place of conventional energy. It is one of the major sources of electricity throughout the nation. The best part is that this energy has a continuous supply. It is widely available, has huge reserves and expected to last for another 100 years while coal, oil and natural gas are limited and are expected to vanish soon.
7. Easy Transportation : Production of nuclear energy needs very less amount of raw material. This means that only about 28 gram of uranium releases as much energy as produced from 100 metric tons of coal. Since it’s required in small quantities, transportation of fuel is much easier than fossil fuels. Optimal utilization of natural resources in production of energy is a very thoughtful approach for any nation. It not only enhances the socio-economic condition but also sets example for the other countries.
No doubt, nuclear energy has made its way towards the future but like other sources of energy, it also suffers from some serious drawbacks. Let’s take a look at some of its disadvantages.
Disadvantages of Nuclear
1. Radioactive Waste : The waste produced by nuclear reactors needs to be disposed off at a safe place since they are extremely hazardous and can leak radiations if not stored properly. Such kind of waste emits radiations from tens to hundreds of years. The storage of radioactive waste has been major bottleneck for the expansion of nuclear programs. The nuclear wastes contain radio isotopes with long half-lives. This means that the radio isotopes stay in the atmosphere in some form or the other. These reactive radicals make the sand or the water contaminated. It is known as mixed waste. The mixed wastes cause hazardous chemical reactions and leads to dangerous complications. The radioactive wastes are usually buried under sand and are known as vitrification. But these wastes can be used to make nuclear weapons.
2. Nuclear Accidents : While so many new technologies have been put in place to make sure that such disaster don’t happen again like the ones Chernobyl or more recently Fukushima but the risk associated with them are relatively high. Even small radiation leaks can cause devastating effects. Some of the symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. People who work at nuclear power plants and live near those areas are at high risk of facing nuclear radiations, if it happens.
3. Nuclear Radiation : There are power reactors called breeders. They produce plutonium. It is an element which is not found in the nature however it is a fissionable element. It is a by-product of the chain reaction and is very harmful if introduced in the nature. It is primarily used to produce nuclear weapons. Most likely, it is named as dirty bomb.
4. High Cost : Another practical disadvantage of using nuclear energy is that it needs a lot of investment to set up a nuclear power station. It is not always possible by the developing countries to afford such a costly source of alternative energy. Nuclear power plants normally take 5-10 years to construct as there are several legal formalities to be completed and mostly it is opposed by the people who live nearby.
5. National Risk : Nuclear energy has given us the power to produce more weapons than to produce things that can make the world a better place to live in. We have to become more careful and responsible while using nuclear energy to avoid any sort of major accidents. They are hot targets for militants and terrorist organizations. Security is a major concern here. A little lax in security can prove to be lethal and brutal for humans and even for this planet.
6. Impact on Aquatic Life : Eutrophication is another result of radioactive wastes. There are many seminars and conferences being held every year to look for a specific solution. But there is no outcome as of now. Reports say that radioactive wastes take almost 10,000 years to get back to the original form.
7. Major Impact on Human Life : We all remember the disaster caused during the Second World War after the nuclear bombs were dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even after five decades of the mishap, children are born with defects. This is primarily because of the nuclear effect. Do we have any remedy for this? The answer is still no.
8. Fuel Availability : Unlike fossil fuels which are available to most of the countries, uranium is very scare resource and exist in only few of the countries. Permissions of several international authorities are required before someone can even thought of building a nuclear power plant.
9. Non Renewable : Nuclear energy uses uranium which is a scarce resource and is not found in many countries. Most of the countries rely on other countries for the constant supply of this fuel. It is mined and transported like any other metal. Supply will be available as long as it is
there. Once all extracted, nuclear plants will not be of any use. Due to its hazardous effects and limited supply, it cannot be termed as renewable.
Various nuclear energy programs are undergoing in developed as well as developing nations like India. Not to mention, nuclear energy advantages are far ahead of advantages of fossil fuels. That is the reason that it has become most favored technology to produce energy.
The highest consumption rate in today’s world is of fossil fuel. They are a man’s— best friend. Some thousands of years ago, in the carboniferous era, due to drastic changes in the earth’s— atmosphere today’s—fossil fuels were formed. From the day it has been extracted and discovered, they have served the mankind and are still one of the most useful tools for human existence. The fossil fuels include petroleum, coal and natural gas.
Advantages of Fossil Fuels
1. Easily Available : Since these fossil fuels have been of such a great utility, more and more extractions are going on every day. The geologists all around the world are trying to find out mines of coals. The pressure is even more as the population is increasing day by day. With the advancement in science and technology, the refineries and the extraction procedures have also improved a lot. This makes the availability even smoother.
2. Produce Large Amount of Energy : Fossil fuels are easily combustible. Most combustion engines need to be powered with little amount of fuel to and they can produce large amount of energy. Fossil fuels have been serving us for centuries. It is considered as a portable form of energy. Industrial revolution has popularized the usage of fossil fuel in the entire planet. All machines, devices, vehicles depend on the fossil fuels, may it be coal, petroleum or natural gas. Sustainable fuel sources like solar, wind or geothermal have complex process to harness energy from them.
3. High Calorific Value : All energy produced has some calorific value. The more the value, the more effective it is. Fossil fuels are the highest producers of calorific value in terms of energy. This is also one of the reasons why they are still preferred over the renewable sources of energy or the alternative sources of energy.
4. Stability : The fossil fuels are composed of the molecules of carbon, and hydrogen. This makes them very stable. The nuclear energy, for instance is produced from radioactive elements and the energy is produced due to their instability. Fossil fuels, due to their constancy in the constitution of the molecules are easy to store as well. They do not form any other compound if stored in the cans for a long time. For the same reason, carrying fossil fuels is also easy than any other form of fuels.
5. Transportation : The industries need regular supply of fossil fuel like oil, gas and coal. The biggest advantage of using fossil fuels is that they can be easily stored and transported from one place to another. This needs the fuels to be strong enough to be carried from one part of the land to another. Large reserves of coal are taken from the coal mines to the industries which are acres away from the mines. The petroleum is being carried too far off power stations to produce energy. These transportation are possible as these fuels are portable. Even natural gas is nowadays being transferred to different areas.
6. Abundantly Available : Though every effort is made to make the usage of alternative fuels popular, still fossil fuels are the most common ones in use. This is because, these are very easily available. They have a vast presence over the globe. Though it is known to everyone that fossil fuels are going to expire one day but they would still last for another 40 -50 years at current consumption rates.
7. Low Cost : Fossil fuels are available all over the world and the methods to extract energy from them are also not that expensive. To obtain the fossil fuels in their refined form, they need to be properly treated. This does not need a wide set up and is economical. Unlike other alternative sources like solar power or wind turbines whose initial investment cost are too high, fossil fuels have pretty low cost as compared to them. The high cost prevents many people from installing wind turbines or solar panels at their home.
8. Easy Set Up : Since they are widely available, the construction of fossil fuel power plant can take anywhere in the world as long as your get large quantities of fossil fuels to feed them. They are easier to extract and process and are capable to produce large amount of energy at a single location.
The by-products of After Refining
Petroleum extraction is done in blast furnace. There are certain steps that need to be followed in the refining of this fossil fuel. Every step performed in blast furnace produces one or many by products. These products are derivatives of petroleum. Naphthalene, wax, benzoyl, asphalt and many more examples are there which the widely used products are
The cosmetics that are used in today’s market are also majorly manufactured from the by-products of petroleum. Vaseline is one of the most famous companies. All these products form an industry of their own. They do not have any link directly with the fossil fuels. But they are obtained from them. They have their own utility and there are industries based on them. These industries, even considered as small scale industries, definitely contribute to the country’s soci0-economic development.
1. Environmental Hazards : Pollution is the major disadvantage that is formed due to fossil fuels. When burnt they give out carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which is the main aspect of global warming. Rise in temperature of earth have resulted in melting of polar ice caps, flooding of low lying areas, rise in sea levels. If such conditions conquer the face of earth will face radical changes.
2. Rising Prices : Middle-east countries have huge reserves of oil and natural gas and many other countries are dependent on them for constant supply of these fuels. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a group of 13 countries including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE. They are responsible for 40 percent of the world’s oil production and hold the majority of the world’s oil reserves, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). OPEC constantly monitor the volume of oil consumed and then adjusts its own production to maintain its desired barrel price. This result in worldwide price fluctuations, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
3. Acid Rain : When burnt, sulphur dioxide gas is also produced which is the factor for acid rain. Acid rain leads to destruction of monuments made up of brickwork or marbles, even crops are affected due to acidification of loams. Coal mining results in destruction of abundant lands and also endangers the lives of mineworkers. The natural gas causes nasty smells and also a lot of problems with transportation. Transportation of crude oil causes oil spills over seas reasoning to hazards to the aquatic life by lessening the oxygen content of water.
4. Human Health Getting Affected : The ozone layer is being worn-out due to the release of greenhouse gases from the fuels. Hence, ozone holes are being created from which harmful UV rays enter the earth surface that affect human life causing diseases like cancer. The melanin present in the skin reacts with these high wave radiations. Skin cancer is the major form of disease that is caused due to the reaction of infra-red rays and the pigment present in the skin.
5. Non-Renewable : As the fossil fuels are extracted to an unlimited level it is for sure that they will deplete some day or the other. Since they are non-renewable it is likely that fuels expenses will face a hike in near future. It would take millions of years to replace coal, and oil, and we are using them quickly. There is a limited amount of these fuels available and we are not actually sure where that limit is.
6. Impact on Aquatic Life by Oil Spill : Fossil fuels are needed in huge reserves wherever their plants are set up. This requires them to be transported to the desired location via truck, train, ship or airplane. Often we hear of some leaks in oil tankers or ship getting drowned deep under the sea that were carrying crude oil to get refined. The impact of this is that crude oil contains some toxic substances which when mixed up with water pose serious hazards to aquatic life.
7. Coal Mining : Extraction of coal from areas that have huge reserves is not only a difficult and dangerous task but also pose health hazard to the lives of several workers who work there. The coal mining destroys wide areas of land and results in ecological imbalance.
8. Need Huge Amount of Reserves : The coal power plants needs huge and regular supply of coal to produce large amount of electricity on a constant basis. This means they need reserves of coal almost train-loads of fuel near power stations to carry out the process of generating electricity. This is required since today also many nations are dependent on coal as a major source of producing power.
Technologies to get more out of the earth are progressing, but they don’t seem to be doing it as quickly as our demand is growing. In addition, while coal is much more abundant than oil, extraction of coal can be very unsafe, and is damaging to the environment on a large scale, causing erosion, acidification of the environment, and destruction of wild lands. Though the
fossil fuels meet our energy and fuel needs, still it’s a high time to look forward for the alternative renewable sources of energy such as wind turbines, solar panels, tidal generators and compost. As said by a great man, there is enough for everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed.
Hydro PowerThe sum total of all the external conditions affects the environment and all the living beings which exist in it. If the environment is affected by some means then all the animals, plants and human beings are also affected by the stimuli which occur in their behavior and survival. This change occurs by population explosion or distinction, depletion of natural resources and pollution. So anything that affects ecosystem is indeed harmful and needs to be eradicated. Similarly, hydropower is not the biggest source of energy on earth although it has a very less cost because it has many disadvantages.
Disadvantages of hydroelectric power
There are many disadvantages of hydroelectric power due to which it is not used on a very large scale all around the globe. Before employing something on an industrial level, you should consider its pros and cons. So the disadvantages are:
Emission of methane and carbon dioxideThe reservoir of water for hydroelectric power releases a large amount of carbon dioxide and methane. The area around the dam is filled with water. The plants and trees in them start rotting and decompose by other method
without the use of oxygen. So this type of decomposition dumps a great amount of methane and carbon dioxide which increase pollution.
Disturbance of habitatThe formation of large and huge dams destroys the living beings around them. Local life is disturbed as human can’t live in such a flooded area and plants are destroyed. People living nearby have to relocate.
Installation costsAlthough the effective cost is zero but the manufacturing and building a dam and installation of the turbines is very costly due to which many countries do not employ this alternative source of energy. If the initial cost had been less; then it would have used more commonly. Its construction requires a lot of human capital and labor. Its maintenance is also very costly.
Limited useAs the hydroelectric power is produced by the water which depend on the yearly rain falls so only those areas can use this method which receives a good amount of rainfall water because this method needs a huge reservoir of water.
Divert natural waterwayDams and rivers collect water for the production of electricity which alters the natural system of water flow thus depriving houses of the water they need.
Effects on agricultureMaking dams on rivers affect the amount, quality and temperature of water that flow in streams which has drastic effects on agriculture and drinking water.
Fish killingThe water while flowing through the dam collects nitrogen which can damage and also kills fish. They can also damage the reproduction of fishes thus eliminating the whole species of fishes.
Disputes between peopleChanging the river pathway and shortage of water can cause serious disputes between people.
Breaking of damsMany dams which were built for industrial use or for mills are not now used and occupying a great space but they can’t be broken or removed as it would cause serious flooding. This would not only affect the humans but also many buildings and property.
Deposition of siltSo the research is going on decrease its disadvantages and to make it happen on a large scale.
So hydropower is sustainable and long-lasting source of energy. It produces a great amount of electricity. Dams can also be used for other purposes like fishing and sports. All these advantages show the importance of hydropower
electricity which gives us a solution for the problems of this boom and gloom economy.
Advantages of hydropower:
No pollutants!The first benefit of the hydropower is that no air or water pollutants are produced. The water used does not contaminate the air or water by producing harmful wastes. No poisonous bi-products are produced. If we compare it to the a nuclear source which produce electricity from a radioactive substance in a nuclear reactor, then we notice that no pollutants are produced from a hydropower source as compared to the nuclear wastes and radioactive rays which are damaging the life on earth. These wastes from nuclear reactors then reach water due to power system and this is how water pollution takes place, not only affecting humans but also aquatic life.
Say no to greenhouse gasesNo greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are produced which makes this source of energy environment-friendly. It prevents us from the danger of global warming.
Saving natural resourcesThe hydropower does not use any fuel or fossil fuels. The natural balance in an ecosystem is not disturbed. The fossils are non-renewable so their saving is very important to make sure that they do not deplete.
It is a renewable resource as it can be pumped again and again and water is recycled on the earth naturally and artificially both through the water cycle. Water never actually completely depletes. It dominates other renewable resources like wind energy because it has a predictable nature. The forecast can tell us about the rainfall and we can keep ourselves prepared for water collection.
Dams as a water reservoirAnother benefit of dams is that they not only produce electricity but also saves and reserves water so that the water is not wasted into oceans and seas. So it is like two advantages in a single packet.
Economical advantageThis source not only assists environment but also the economy. As no fuel is used and we also know that the prices of fossil fuels are raising very high so not much cost in made on the production of electricity. Other than that, no imports are needed to be made which saves money. The cost of this electricity is less than electricity produced from fossil fuels and nuclear power.
Constant source of energyThe prices of fuels keep on increasing on and off. Due to which the cost of electricity also keeps on changing but due to rainfalls the rate of hydroelectricity remains constant somewhat and does not increase much. Hydropower source can lighten the country 24/7 whole year.
Controllable source of energyThe rate of electricity produced can be changed by varying the speed of water flow. The faster it would flow, the more energy it will have to run the turbines. So ultimately turbines convert the comparably greater amount of energy.
So hydropower is sustainable and long-lasting source of energy. It produces a great amount of electricity. Dams can also be used for other purposes like fishing and sports. All these advantages show the importance of hydropower electricity which gives us a solution for the problems of this boom and gloom economy.
