Contents
Electricity from renewable energy sources produces between 90-99% less greenhouse gases (GHGs) compared with coal-fired plants and causes 70-90% less pollution. Focusing on renewable energy sources other than fossil fuels and coals might help in avoiding environmental impacts, specifically from air pollution and GHGs.
The most negative impact of this giant among the renewables is the flooding of an area. When the water stored within the dam is released all at once, it can cause the river downstream to suddenly flood. This can result in the destruction of agricultural land, forest, wildlife, and land.
- 1) A Fuel Supply That Never Runs Out. …
- 2) Zero Carbon Emissions. …
- 3) Cleaner Air and Water. …
- 4) A Cheaper Form of Electricity. …
- 5) Renewable Energy Creates New Jobs. …
- 1) Higher Capital Costs. …
- 2) Electricity Production Can Be Unreliable. …
- 3) Energy Storage Is a Challenge.
- The Electricity Generation Capacity is Still Not Large Enough. …
- Renewable Energy Can be Unreliable. …
- Low-efficiency Levels. …
- Requires a Huge Upfront Capital Outlay. …
- Takes a Lot of Space to Install. …
- Expensive Storage Costs. …
- Not Always a Commercially-viable Option. …
- It Still Generates Pollution.
Environmental Impacts of the Electricity System. … In general, the environmental effects can include: Emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, especially when a fuel is burned. Use of water resources to produce steam, provide cooling, and serve other functions.
In 2013 the burning of fossil fuels produced around 32 billion tonnes (32 gigatonnes) of carbon dioxide and additional air pollution. This caused negative externalities of $4.9 trillion due to global warming and health problems (> 150 $/ton carbon dioxide).
Renewable energy minimizes carbon pollution and has a much lower impact on our environment. And it’s having its moment in the sun. “Giving more New Yorkers access to renewable energy can allow them to reduce their own energy bills while reducing stress on the grid and demand for fossil fuel power.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|
• Renewable energy won’t run out | • Renewable energy has high upfront costs |
• Renewable energy has lower maintenance requirements | • Renewable energy is intermittent |
• Renewables save money | • Renewables have limited storage capabilities |
Energy has both positive and negative impacts on societies. Access to abundant, affordable, secure, safe, and clean energy is beneficial for humans. But energy extraction, transportation, and use can have negative consequences to the health, environment, and economics of a society.
The environmental problems directly related to energy production and consumption include air pollution, climate change, water pollution, thermal pollution, and solid waste disposal. The emission of air pollutants from fossil fuel combustion is the major cause of urban air pollution.
Pros: It is abundant, and can be used without interruption, cleaner than fossil fuel. Cons: Can result in air pollution, takes a lot of energy to produce, can be seasonable and competes with food production. Landfill gas, solid waste energy comes from harnessing the decomposition of organic material.
Although renewable energy sources produce relatively low levels of GHG emissions and conventional air pollution, manufacturing and transporting them will produce some emissions and pollutants. The production of some photovoltaic (PV) cells, for instance, generates toxic substances that may contaminate water resources.
1. One of the major disadvantages of non-renewable energy is that it is time-consuming. … Non- renewable energy can be dangerous and cause respiratory problems to humans because sources like fossil fuels emit gases such as carbon monoxide.
Energy resource | Generation of electricity |
---|---|
Oil and natural gas | The burning of oil or natural gas produces high pressure steam that is used to drive turbines |
Coal | Coal is burned and the heat energy is used to produce high pressure steam |
In the short term, immediate concerns include a potential gas supply and power crunch over the coming winter, the impact of record-high gas and electricity prices on end-users’ energy bills, and power shortages. For natural gas, however, the crisis may extend beyond the weather.
Renewable energies as a whole can play an important role in reducing pollution, particularly with the use of biomass for energy. … Sequestering the carbon for 20–60 years in the trees would stabilize CO2 levels in the atmosphere and then using the biomass to replace fossil fuels would result in a decrease of CO2.
One disadvantage with renewable energy is that it is difficult to generate the quantities of electricity that are as large as those produced by traditional fossil fuel generators. This may mean that we need to reduce the amount of energy we use or simply build more energy facilities.
Building wind and solar farms helps to reduce the human impact on climate change by displacing noxious emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Renewable energy often requires more land than fossil fuel production, with infrastructure fragmenting or even eliminating high-quality wildlife habitat, according to Moorman. It can also lead to a variety of other impacts on wildlife, including behavioral changes and direct mortality.
- It produces greenhouse gases.
- Its by products cause damage to the environment.
- Once exhausted they are not easily replenished.
- Rising cost.
- Its residual products are generally non-biodegradable.
- Its products pose potential threat to human health.
- Responsible for acid rain.
Energy ResourceAdvantagesWave generatorsClean and cheap to run and Scotland has a lot of coastlineTidal generatorsClean and cheap to run and produce a lot of electricity once runningHydroelectric power stationsClean and cheap to runSolar cellsClean and cheap to run