Renewable Energy ORIGINAL
Why does renewable energy matter?
The demand for energy is expected to double by the year 2050. If we will continue to source our energy needs from fossil fuels, we will do irreversible damage to our natural ecosystems. Is there a way to break this trend and make economic growth green? The solution may lie in renewable energy.
Why does renewable energy matter?
The demand for energy is expected to double by the year 2050. If we will continue to source our energy needs from fossil fuels, we will do irreversible damage to our natural ecosystems. Is there a way to break this trend and make economic growth green? The solution may lie in renewable energy.
Renewable vs. Non-renewable energy
As the name suggests, renewable energies are transmitted by sources that can be used over and over again. For instance, once we burn a fossil fuel, such as coal, we never get to use that same source ever again. Therefore, it is a non-renewable energy source. Examples of renewable energy include: solar, wind, hydroelectric, and biomass energy. These power sources will not run out on planet earth, but coal, oil, and other fossil fuels (non-renewable energies) will.
The following presentation will discuss the major types of renewable energy, the importance of renewable for our planet, and practical ways we can help conserve energy.
Renewable vs. Non-renewable energy
As the name suggests, renewable energies are transmitted by sources that can be used over and over again. For instance, once we burn a fossil fuel, such as coal, we never get to use that same source ever again. Therefore, it is a non-renewable energy source. Examples of renewable energy include: solar, wind, hydroelectric, and biomass energy. These power sources will not run out on planet earth, but coal, oil, and other fossil fuels (non-renewable energies) will.
The following presentation will discuss the major types of renewable energy, the importance of renewable for our planet, and practical ways we can help conserve energy.
- Wind energy makes up 4.4 percent of the total US electricity generation. In the last 10 years installed wind capacity has increased by nearly 880%. In 2012, wind was ranked the number one source of new U.S. Electricity generation capacity – representing 43% of all new electric additions.
- A single 1 Megawatt (MW) turbine can generate enough electricity to power 225-300 homes.
- To use wind energy, you have to rely on strong winds therefore you have to choose suitable site to operate them.
- Wind energy makes up 4.4 percent of the total US electricity generation. In the last 10 years installed wind capacity has increased by nearly 880%. In 2012, wind was ranked the number one source of new U.S. Electricity generation capacity – representing 43% of all new electric additions.
- A single 1 Megawatt (MW) turbine can generate enough electricity to power 225-300 homes.
- To use wind energy, you have to rely on strong winds therefore you have to choose suitable site to operate them.
- Solar installations in the US have become much more widespread, increasing seventeen fold since 2008.
- The solar resource is enormous. Just 18 days of sunshine on Earth contains the same amount of energy as is stored in all of the planet's reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas.
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When operating at optimal conditions our current solar capacity can produce enough energy to power 4 million American homes.
- Solar energy – while abundant – is not constant. The amount of solar energy hitting the earth’s surface varies depending on the time of day, time of year, weather patterns, and location. Solar energy plants are also vulnerable to changes in cloud cover and weather patterns – a plant’s efficiency may be significantly compromised by a cloudy day or afternoon storm.
- Solar installations in the US have become much more widespread, increasing seventeen fold since 2008.
- The solar resource is enormous. Just 18 days of sunshine on Earth contains the same amount of energy as is stored in all of the planet's reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas.
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When operating at optimal conditions our current solar capacity can produce enough energy to power 4 million American homes.
- Solar energy – while abundant – is not constant. The amount of solar energy hitting the earth’s surface varies depending on the time of day, time of year, weather patterns, and location. Solar energy plants are also vulnerable to changes in cloud cover and weather patterns – a plant’s efficiency may be significantly compromised by a cloudy day or afternoon storm.
- Unlike wind, solar, tidal energy, geothermal energy is available at all hours of the day, providing cities and industry a continuous supply of electrical power. While geothermal may not scale as well as other renewable resources, it can be used in combination with intermittent sources (like energy and wind) to supply additional power when demand is high.
Downsides
- Geothermal energy which can be used to generate electricity has side effects too. It can bring toxic chemicals beneath the earth surface onto the top and can create environmental changes.
- Unlike wind, solar, tidal energy, geothermal energy is available at all hours of the day, providing cities and industry a continuous supply of electrical power. While geothermal may not scale as well as other renewable resources, it can be used in combination with intermittent sources (like energy and wind) to supply additional power when demand is high.
Downsides
- Geothermal energy which can be used to generate electricity has side effects too. It can bring toxic chemicals beneath the earth surface onto the top and can create environmental changes.
- Today, hydroelectric generation provides roughly 6% of the United States’ electricity.
- Hydropower has a very high energy conversion efficiency. Energy conversion efficiency is the ratio between the output of an energy conversion machine and its energy input – the higher the ratio, the more efficient the power plant.
- Approximately 90% of the energy captured is able to be converted into electrical energy. The energy conversion efficiencies for solar and wind are much lower, averaging 15% and 59% (theoretical limit) respectively.
- Hydroelectric provide pure form of energy but building dams across the river which is quite expensive can affect natural flow and affect wildlife.
- Large scale hydroelectric plants can also have a negative impact on human populations. The Three Gorges Dam in China displaced more than 1.2 million people, flooding 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1,350 villages.
- Today, hydroelectric generation provides roughly 6% of the United States’ electricity.
- Hydropower has a very high energy conversion efficiency. Energy conversion efficiency is the ratio between the output of an energy conversion machine and its energy input – the higher the ratio, the more efficient the power plant.
- Approximately 90% of the energy captured is able to be converted into electrical energy. The energy conversion efficiencies for solar and wind are much lower, averaging 15% and 59% (theoretical limit) respectively.
- Hydroelectric provide pure form of energy but building dams across the river which is quite expensive can affect natural flow and affect wildlife.
- Large scale hydroelectric plants can also have a negative impact on human populations. The Three Gorges Dam in China displaced more than 1.2 million people, flooding 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1,350 villages.
- Biomass (plant material and animal waste) is the oldest source of renewable energy, used since our ancestors learned the secret of fire.
- Biomass comes in many forms and is easily adaptable to a variety of settings and environmental conditions. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that the nearly 140 billion metric tons of biomass is generated every year from agriculture can provide renewable energy to 1.6 billion people in developing countries, many of whom lack access to electricity.
- Like all our energy sources, biopower has environmental risks that need to be mitigated. If not managed and monitored carefully, biomass for energy can be harvested at unsustainable rates, damage ecosystems, produce harmful air pollution, consume large amounts of water, and produce net global warming emissions.
- Biomass (plant material and animal waste) is the oldest source of renewable energy, used since our ancestors learned the secret of fire.
- Biomass comes in many forms and is easily adaptable to a variety of settings and environmental conditions. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that the nearly 140 billion metric tons of biomass is generated every year from agriculture can provide renewable energy to 1.6 billion people in developing countries, many of whom lack access to electricity.
- Like all our energy sources, biopower has environmental risks that need to be mitigated. If not managed and monitored carefully, biomass for energy can be harvested at unsustainable rates, damage ecosystems, produce harmful air pollution, consume large amounts of water, and produce net global warming emissions.
1) It improves public health.
Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant public health benefits. The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy has been found to reduce premature mortality and lost workdays, and it reduces overall healthcare costs. The aggregate national economic impact associated with these health impacts of fossil fuels is between $361.7 and $886.5 billion, or between 2.5 percent and 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
2) Job creation
Compared with fossil fuel technologies, which are typically mechanized and capital intensive, the renewable energy industry is more labor-intensive. This means that, on average, more jobs are created for each unit of electricity generated from renewable sources than from fossil fuels.
Whether blue-collar, white-collar, or green-color, the solar and wind industries are putting more people to work per megawatt hour (MWh) of energy than the fossil fuel industry. Just take a look at the chart below.
The chart comes from the Department of Energy’s job data (in blue) and the Energy Information Administration’s electricity data (in orange) for the year 2016. What it shows is telling.
- First, the U.S. Solar industry currently employs more people than the US fossil fuel industry for electricity generation.
- Secondly, there are 7 jobs per GWh of solar energy and about 0.5 jobs per GWh of wind energy, whereas there is only 0.1 jobs per GWh of fossil fuel energy used for electricity generation.
3) Innovations in sustainable energy leads to less cost for everyone.
Renewable sources can cost less than consuming the local electrical supply. In the long run, the prices of electricity are expected to soar since they are based on the prices of crude oil, so renewable sources can cut your electricity bills. It also leads the creation of cool technology:
1) It improves public health.
Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant public health benefits. The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy has been found to reduce premature mortality and lost workdays, and it reduces overall healthcare costs. The aggregate national economic impact associated with these health impacts of fossil fuels is between $361.7 and $886.5 billion, or between 2.5 percent and 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
2) Job creation
Compared with fossil fuel technologies, which are typically mechanized and capital intensive, the renewable energy industry is more labor-intensive. This means that, on average, more jobs are created for each unit of electricity generated from renewable sources than from fossil fuels.
Whether blue-collar, white-collar, or green-color, the solar and wind industries are putting more people to work per megawatt hour (MWh) of energy than the fossil fuel industry. Just take a look at the chart below.
The chart comes from the Department of Energy’s job data (in blue) and the Energy Information Administration’s electricity data (in orange) for the year 2016. What it shows is telling.
- First, the U.S. Solar industry currently employs more people than the US fossil fuel industry for electricity generation.
- Secondly, there are 7 jobs per GWh of solar energy and about 0.5 jobs per GWh of wind energy, whereas there is only 0.1 jobs per GWh of fossil fuel energy used for electricity generation.
3) Innovations in sustainable energy leads to less cost for everyone.
Renewable sources can cost less than consuming the local electrical supply. In the long run, the prices of electricity are expected to soar since they are based on the prices of crude oil, so renewable sources can cut your electricity bills. It also leads the creation of cool technology: