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Advantages and disadvantages

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Renewable Energy 101: How Does Biomass Energy Work?

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Biomass or Bioenergy refers to the use of organic material to produce energy.

Biomass
Definition
Biomass refers to the organic material that is used for production of energy. This energy production process is referred to as Bioenergy. Biomass is primarily found in the form of living or recently living plants and biological wastes from industrial and home use. Due to the breadth of the term, the physical composition of biomass is inconsistent, but generally includes carbon, water and organic volatiles.

For the production of energy from biomass, the term feedstock is used to refer to whatever type of organic material will be used to produce a form of energy. The feedstock must then be converted to a usable energy form through one of many processes.

Feedstock + Process -> Usable Energy Form

Some common biomass conversion processes include:

Combustion: the process by which flammable materials are burned in the presence of air or oxygen to release heat. It is the simplest method by which biomass can be used for energy. In its rudimentary form, combustion is used for space heating (i.e. a fire for warmth) but can also be used to heat steam for electricity generationBiomass Energy Centre.(BEC). Combustion. February 2015 http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,17502&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL Biomass Energy Centre.(BEC). Combustion. February 2015 http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,17502&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL Biomass Energy Centre.(BEC). Combustion. February 2015 http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,17502&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL .

Gasification: is the conversion of biomass into a combustible gas mixture referred to as Producer Gas (CO+H²+CH⁴) or Syngas. The gasification process uses heat, pressure and partial combustion to create syngas, which can then be used in place of natural gas Aboriginal Ankur Corporation (AAC). What is Biomass Gasification? February 2015 http://aboriginalankur.com/category/what-is-biomass-gasification/ Aboriginal Ankur Corporation (AAC). What is Biomass Gasification? February 2015 http://aboriginalankur.com/category/what-is-biomass-gasification/ Aboriginal Ankur Corporation (AAC). What is Biomass Gasification? February 2015 http://aboriginalankur.com/category/what-is-biomass-gasification/ .

Pyrolysis: Consists of thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen. It is the precursor to gasification, and takes place as part of both gasification and combustionBiomass Energy Centre.(BEC). Pyrolysis. February 2015http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,17506&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL Biomass Energy Centre.(BEC). Pyrolysis. February 2015http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,17506&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL . The products of pyrolysis include gas, liquid and a sold char, with the proportions of each depending upon the parameters of the process.

Anaerobic digestion (or biodigestion): is the process whereby bacteria break down organic material in the absence of air, yielding a biogas containing methane and a solid residue. The methane can then be captured to produce energy. Similarily, the solid residue can also be burned to produce energy.

Fermentation: involves the conversion of a plant's glucose (or carbohydrate) into an alcohol or acid. Yeast or bacteria are added to the biomass material, which feed on the sugars to produce ethanol (an alcohol) and carbon dioxide. The ethanol is distilled and dehydrated to obtain a higher concentration of alcohol to achieve the required purity for the use as automotive fuel. The solid residue from the fermentation process can be used as cattle-feed and in the case of sugar cane can be used as a fuel for boilers or for subsequent gasification.

Some feedstocks are more conducive for certain biomass conversion processes than others. The determination of which feedstocks and processes will be used is determined largely by the availability of resources and the desired end form of energy.
Context
Prior to the industrial revolution, biomass was the primary source of energy. Biomass now makes up only a small percentage of total world energy use. However, for approximately 2.5 billion people, it remains the primary source of energy for cooking and heating. The use of biomass is highly contextual to the region in which it is used - availability of resources, availability of technology and economic viability are all drivers of biomass use.

Some jurisdictions - especially those with sustainable forestry initiatives - have declared biomass a "carbon neutral" energy source. This is based upon the logic that carbon emissions from burning biomass will be recaptured by the plants grown to feed biomass reactors in the future, thus forming a carbon cycle for the plant Vieira da Rosa, A. (2013). Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes (3rd ed.). Oxford, UK: Academic Press. Vieira da Rosa, A. (2013). Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes (3rd ed.). Oxford, UK: Academic Press. .

The environmental benefits and costs are highly contextual depending on the technology and feedstocks used. While some biomass processes such as waste-to-energy are touted for their lower CO2 emissions, some processes, such as combustion, release carbon dioxide and particulate matter that is a significant concern for human health.

The world's most energy-poor peoples and regions still rely on biomass for the majority of their energy needs Bridge, G., & le Billon, P. (2013) Oil. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press. . The lack of appropriate ventilation mechanisms for burning biomass is a major health concern and contributes to short life expectancies in much of the developing world.

Concerns associated with biomass go beyond human health. Depending upon the source of biomass used, deforestation, cropland degradation (due to diverting agricultural residues), and land use alteration can all be relevant issues associated with biomass.

References

1. ^ Biomass Energy Centre.(BEC). Combustion. February 2015 http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,17502&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

2. ^ Aboriginal Ankur Corporation (AAC). What is Biomass Gasification? February 2015 http://aboriginalankur.com/category/what-is-biomass-gasification/

3. ^ Biomass Energy Centre.(BEC). Pyrolysis. February 2015http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,17506&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

4. a, b Bridge, G., & le Billon, P. (2013) Oil. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

5. ^ Vieira da Rosa, A. (2013). Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes (3rd ed.). Oxford, UK: Academic Press.

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Biomass or Bioenergy refers to the use of organic material to produce energy. Definition Biomass refers to the organic material that is used for production of energy. This energy production process is referred to as Bioenergy. Biomass is primarily found in the form of living or recently living plants and biological wastes from industrial and home use.

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Biomass explained - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

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How is biomass, such as plants, wood, paper and lumber mills waste, and municipal garbage converted into heat, into biogas, or into liquid biofuels.

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Energy use by source

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U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis

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Energy Information Administration - EIA - Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government

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Fossil fuels are hundreds of millions of years old, but in the last 200 years consumption has increased rapidly, leaving fossil fuel reserves depleted and climate change seriously impacted. Reserves are becoming harder to locate, and resources won't last forever - here's when fossil fuels could run out.

What are fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels are biological materials containing hydrocarbon, which can be burned and used as a source of energy. They're found in the Earth's crust, so we have to drill into the earth to extract them.

Fossil fuels developed billions of years ago, when dead organic matter became buried at the bottom of the sea and altered as a result of anaerobic digestion. Oil deposits in the North Sea are around 150 million years old, while much of Britain's coal began to form over 300 million years ago.

While we probably used fossil fuels as far back as the Iron Age, it wasn't until the Industrial Revolution that wide-scale extraction started. It completely transformed the way humanity lived and worked, allowing us to power our homes, businesses and machines with coal, oil and gas.

Why are fossil fuels bad?

We only have a finite supply of fossil fuels. The amount we use now simply isn't sustainable, and the problem is getting worse as the global population increases. The limited resources in the ground aren't even the biggest problem - there are plenty of downsides to plundering the earth for coal, gas and oil:

Carbon emissions. Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels accounts for 90% of all emissions from human activity. And while UK carbon emissions are dropping, global fossil fuel emissions are increasing and global temperatures are rising.

Air pollution. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which pollutes the air we breathe. Air pollution in cities has been linked to an increase in respiratory diseases, like asthma, particularly in young children and the elderly, along with shortened life expectancy.

Ocean pollution. Carbon dioxide dissolves into the sea, causing acidification which affects the life cycles of marine organisms. Our oceans absorb heat created from fossil fuel emissions, causing temperatures to rise and coral reefs to bleach and die.

Habitat destruction. Vast amounts of land are decimated to provide space for drilling wells, pipelines, and processing facilities used in oil and gas drilling operations. Habitat disruption and noise from drilling are some of the biggest threats to wildlife populations across the globe.

Transporting fossil fuels. Aside from the carbon emissions caused by burning fossil fuels, there's a huge environmental cost to transporting them. Diesel fumes from transportation add to CO2 emissions, oil spills threaten marine life, and flammable natural gas leaks have led to hundreds of human casualties in recent years.

Fossil fuels, as the name suggests, are very old. North Sea oil deposits are around 150 million years old, whilst much of Britain's coal began to form over 300 million years ago. Although humans probably used fossil fuels in ancient times, as far back as the Iron Age, it was the Industrial Revolution that led to their wide-scale extraction.

And in the very short period of time since then - just over 200 years - we've consumed an incredible amount of them, leaving fossil fuels all but gone and the climate seriously impacted.

Fossil fuels are an incredibly dense form of energy, and they took millions of years to become so. And when they're gone, they're gone pretty much forever.

How long will fossil fuels last?

Global fossil fuel consumption is on the rise, and new reserves are becoming harder to find. Those that are discovered are significantly smaller than the ones that have been found in the past. Oil reserves are a good example: 16 of the 20 largest oil fields in the world have reached peak level production - they're simply too small to keep up with global demand.

In order to keep average global temperature increases below 1.5°C, we need to leave up to 80% of our fossil fuel reserves in the ground - but globally, our reliance on fossil fuels is increasing. Here's how long current fossil fuel reserves could last:

*Graph showing future energy reserves for coal, gas and oil.

Oil

Globally, we currently consume the equivalent of over 11 billion tonnes of oil from fossil fuels every year. Crude oil reserves are vanishing at a rate of more than 4 billion tonnes a year - so if we carry on as we are, our known oil deposits could run out in just over 53 years.

Gas

If we increase gas production to fill the energy gap left by oil, our known gas reserves only give us just 52 years left.

Coal

Although it's often claimed that we have enough coal to last hundreds of years, this doesn't take into account the need for increased production if we run out of oil and gas.

If we step up production to make up for depleted oil and gas reserves, our known coal deposits could be gone in 150 years.

Are there any advantages to fossil fuels?

While there are some benefits to fossil fuel production, the adverse effects on the environment and overall public health far outweigh them. But governments and businesses around the world have placed short term gain from investing in fossil fuels above the longer term benefits of renewable energy.

What about fracking?

Fracking involves the extraction of shale gas by drilling into the Earth and pumping boreholes full of a high pressure water mixture. Shale gas is a type of fossil fuel, which means supplies will eventually run out.

It's unclear how much shale is available at fracking sites in the UK but, because current activity is still in the exploratory phase, virtually no planning permission is needed to begin drilling. Works have been halted in the UK due to earthquakes and seismic activity, but the government still provides backing to fracking companies, despite widespread public opposition.

You can find out more about fracking and the environmental risks posed by fracking activity here.

The green alternative

Unlike fossil fuels, green energy made from wind and solar power is sustainable, because its generated by resources that won't run out. Plus, it provides a way to fight climate change by reducing and even offsetting carbon emissions.

For example, the energy payback for solar power technology is just two years. That means it only takes two years for a solar park to make the same amount of energy used in its manufacture and installation. And after that, it can provide decades of clean energy that's better for the planet.

If we have any hope of fighting climate change and protecting the future of our planet, we need to ditch fossil fuels and start investing in renewable sources of energy. Find out how you can switch to green energy quickly and easily, and start building a greener Britain.
References
All fossil fuel reserve and consumption data from CIA World Factbook and Statista.

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Fossil fuels are hundreds of millions of years old, but in the last 200 years consumption has increased rapidly, leaving fossil fuel reserves depleted and climate change seriously impacted. Reserves are becoming harder to locate, and resources won't last forever - here's when fossil fuels could run out.

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Renewable & Nonrenew

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How much longer do we have before we run out of fossil fuels? 

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How much longer do we have before we run out of fossil fuels? 

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The End Of The Oil Age, How Much Is Left And What Will Happen When We Run Out

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Will Fossil Fuels Run Out? | Earth Science

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Advantages & Disadvantages

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The advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy have made this alternative energy source one of the most controversial on the market today. Advocates for and against nuclear energy are equally passionate about their causes. Understanding the pros and cons of this energy source can help you make a more informed decision about your own energy use.

Nuclear Power Source

Nuclear energy is used to produce electricity. Heat generated from the splitting of uranium atoms in a process known as fission is used to produce steam. This steam in turn powers turbines, which are used to produce the electricity that supplies the surrounding community.

Nuclear power stations are set up in a multiple-step process that has been designed to help contain the energy and many of its negative byproducts. This process alone is the base of several advantages and disadvantages for this energy source.

Advantages of Nuclear Energy

Despite potential drawbacks and the controversy that surrounds it, nuclear energy does have a few advantages over some other methods of energy production.

Expense

Less uranium is needed to produce the same amount of energy as coal or oil, which lowers the cost of producing the same amount of energy. Uranium is also less expensive to procure and transport, which further lowers the cost.

Reliability

When a nuclear power plant is functioning properly, it can run uninterrupted for up to 540 days. This results in fewer brownouts or other power interruptions. The running of the plant is also not contingent of weather or foreign suppliers, which makes it more stable than other forms of energy.

No Greenhouse Gases

While nuclear energy does have some emissions, the plant itself does not give off greenhouse gasses. Studies have shown that what life-cycle emissions that the plants do give off are on par with renewable energy sources such as wind power. This lack of greenhouse gases can be very attractive to some consumers.

Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

One of the reasons that nuclear energy falls under fire so frequently is due to the many disadvantages it brings.

Raw Material

Uranium is used in the process of fission because it's a naturally unstable element. This means that special precautions must be taken during the mining, transporting and storing of the uranium, as well as the storing of any waste product to prevent it from giving off harmful levels of radiation.

Water Pollutant

Nuclear fission chambers are cooled by water, in both the boiling water reactors (BWRs) and pressurized water reactors (PWRs). In PWRs, cold water enters through primary pipes and the secondary pipes remove the heated water away, so the coolant is not in contact with the reactor. In BWRs, water runs through the reactor core, so if there is any leakage of fuel, the water can get contaminated and is transported to the rest of system.

Used nuclear rods are immersed in water in the spent fuel pool, to cool them before they can be transported for disposal. Radio-active water can leak out of doors in the pool when the seals that keep the doors airtight malfunction.

Other pollutants released by nuclear plants are heavy metals and toxic pollutants that harm plant and animal life in aquatic bodies. Water is released into the atmosphere after being cooled but is still warm and damages the ecosystem of the sinks it flows into.

Waste

When the uranium has finished splitting, the resulting radioactive byproducts need to be removed. While recycling efforts of this waste product have been undertaken in recent years, the storage of the by-product could lead to contamination through leaks or containment failures.

Leaks

Nuclear reactors are built with several safety systems designed to contain the radiation given off in the fission process. When these safety systems are properly installed and maintained, they function adequately. When they are not maintained, have structural flaws or were improperly installed, a nuclear reactor could release harmful amounts of radiation into the environment during the process of regular use. If a containment field were to rupture suddenly, the resulting leak of radiation could be catastrophic.

Shutdown Reactors

There have been several nuclear reactors that have failed and been shutdown that are still in existence. These abandoned reactors are taking up valuable land space, could be contaminating the areas surrounding them, yet are often too unstable to be removed.

Inform Yourself

With so many advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy, it's no wonder that nuclear power remains one of the most controversial sources of energy in existence. Educate yourself on this topic to make an informed decision on your views of its use.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy | LoveToKnow

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The advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy have made this alternative energy source one of the most controversial on the market today. Advocates for and against nuclear energy are equally passionate about their causes. Understanding the pros and cons of this energy source can help you make a more informed decision about your own energy use.

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Pros & Cons

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As a result of the current discussion how further global warming could be prevented or at least mitigated, the revival of nuclear power seems to be in everybody's - or at least in many politician's - mind. It it interesting to see that in many suggestions to mitigate global warming, the focus is put on the advantages of nuclear power generation, its disadvantages are rarely mentioned.

Hopefully, the following summary of arguments for and against nuclear power can fill this gap:

Advantages of nuclear power generation:

Nuclear power generation does emit relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂). The emissions of green house gases and therefore the contribution of nuclear power plants to global warming is therefore relatively little.

This technology is readily available, it does not have to be developed first.

The problem of radioactive waste is still an unsolved one. The waste from nuclear energy is extremely dangerous and it has to be carefully looked after for several thousand years (10'000 years according to United States Environmental Protection Agency standards).

High risks: Despite a generally high security standard, accidents can still happen. It is technically impossible to build a plant with 100% security. A small probability of failure will always last. The consequences of an accident would be absolutely devastating both for human being as for the nature (see here , here or here ). The more nuclear power plants (and nuclear waste storage shelters) are built, the higher is the probability of a disastrous failure somewhere in the world.

Nuclear power plants as well as nuclear waste could be preferred targets for terrorist attacks. No atomic energy plant in the world could withstand an attack similar to 9/11 in New York. Such a terrorist act would have catastrophic effects for the whole world.

Both the nuclear waste as well as retired nuclear plants are a life-threatening legacy for hundreds of future generations. It flagrantly contradicts with the thoughts of sustainability if future generations have to deal with dangerous waste generated from preceding generations. See also here .

Uranium, the source of energy for nuclear power, is available on earth only in limited quantities. Uranium is being "consumed" (i.e. converted) during the operation of the nuclear power plant so it won't be available any more for future generations. This again contradicts the principle of sustainability.

During the operation of nuclear power plants, radioactive waste is produced, which in turn can be used for the production of nuclear weapons. In addition, the same know-how used to design nuclear power plants can to a certain extent be used to build nuclear weapons (nuclear proliferation).

The energy source for nuclear energy is Uranium. Uranium is a scarce resource, its supply is estimated to last only for the next 30 to 60 years depending on the actual demand.

The time frame needed for formalities, planning and building of a new nuclear power generation plant is in the range of 20 to 30 years in the western democracies. In other words: It is an illusion to build new nuclear power plants in a short time.

It is possible to generate a high amount of electrical energy in one single plant.

Disadvantages of nuclear power generation:

Sustainability: Is nuclear energy sustainable?

For several reasons, nuclear power is neither "green" nor sustainable:

Is nuclear power renewable energy?

Nuclear energy uses Uranium as fuel, which is a scarce resource. The supply of Uranium is expected to last only for the next 30 to 60 years (depending on the actual demand). Therefore nuclear energy is not a renewable energy.

Conclusion

From the above mentioned pros and cons of nuclear power plants, it should be evident that nuclear energy cannot be a solution to any problem. Even worse: it is the source of many further problems.

We must not any longer shut our eyes to the consequences of our being on earth. Besides moral, ethical and spiritual reasons, at least for the pure will to survive we should consequently strive for a sustainable living and realize it in our personal life. It's time for change!

The actual interests of the energy industry in nuclear power

Generally speaking, the electrical energy industry is aware of the substantial drawbacks of nuclear power generation. Nevertheless this industry is now spending an incredible amount of money and time, lobbying for the revival of nuclear energy. The main interest of the owners of existing nuclear power plants is however to prolong the life-span for existing nuclear plants. Because the existing plants will be amortised at the end of their originally planned life time, huge financial profits can be realised for any day longer which these plants can be kept in operation. This is much more lucrative than building new nuclear plants!

However, to operate nuclear power plants longer than originally planned can be quite dangerous since any plant or technical appliance usually gets more troublesome towards the end of its planned life expectancy.

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advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power

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As a result of the current discussion how further global warming could be prevented or at least mitigated, the revival of nuclear power seems to be in everybody's - or at least in many politician's - mind.

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Advantages

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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.

Lately, debates have raged over nuclear energy, which begs the question: Is nuclear energy the perfect formula that will finally satisfy the needs of the world's electricity or will it end up to be the evil power that devastates the world? Read on to find the answers to this question.

Although the subject of nuclear power has evoked bitter memories such as the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Three Mile Island disaster, the Chernobyl accident and the nuclear catastrophe in Japan, it has one very attractive feature; it's not fossil fuel. This means it does not need pumping out of the ground and does not contribute to dangerous emissions.

Nuclear energy is produced using two main processes; fission and fusion. Nuclear fission is able to generate well over 10 million times the energy which is produced by the combustion of fossil fuels. That's the good part. On the flip side, nuclear fusion (which involves joining nuclei) is able to produce vast amounts of nuclear energy, but safe control mechanisms have not been developed yet. Fusion occurs naturally up in the sun and the stars as well as in nuclear reactors built by humans.

Various Advantages of Nuclear Energy

While using fossil fuels to generate electricity may carry no threat of a large disaster, they are not good for the environment since they emit unlimited amounts of greenhouse gasses. Nuclear energy is completely safe for the environment if managed properly. Here is a rundown on the main advantages of nuclear energy:

Nuclear reactors offer impressive based-load electricity and operate and produce power over 90% of the time. The periods between refueling have been substantially extended, plus downtime for refueling has been significantly minimized. In the United States, for example, these enhancements through the years have been equated to building one reactor each year to the existing ones. Most nuclear reactors are designed to operate for more than 40 years. Most of the reactors are nearing that age in perfect condition and projections are that they could still operate for another 20 years.

Nuclear reactor operations emit zero greenhouse gasses. Although the process of mining, enrichment, construction and waste management of uranium involves emission of greenhouse gasses, the total emissions are way lower compared to emissions from fossil fuels.

The cost of nuclear power is very much stable and competitive. On the other hand, the cost of power derived from fossil fuels pretty much depends on the market. When the market is good, oil prices become stable. When the market is volatile, oil prices may shoot up or plummet.

A nuclear power station is compact, which means it quintessentially covers an area the size of a football stadium and the surroundings. Wind turbines, solar cells, and growing biomass all need huge area of land.

The modern day nuclear power plants are safe

Developers of the current nuclear power plants have drawn from the weaknesses of the past disasters like the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Japan. The current nuclear power plants do not depend on external electricity supplies or external water supplies for purposes of cooling. Instead, they utilize water fed by gravity, gas pressurized water tanks, and natural convection heat exchangers. These systems are referred to as ''passive safety systems." Another advantage is the reactors can be installed underground offering added insulation against unauthorized access and external hazards

Costs of operation are substantially low

Although the costs of setting up a nuclear power plant are extremely high, the electricity produced afterward is very cheap. To start with, the cost of uranium, the raw material for the production of nuclear energy, is not expensive. When the plant is up and running, the maintenance cost will hardly be felt. Even if market shifts occur and the cost of uranium shoots up, the effect on the cost of power will hardly be felt.

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.

Is Nuclear Energy Renewable?

The definition of renewable energy involves unlimited availability of the resource, the capability to replenish itself and the characteristic to cause minimum impact on the environment. The question of whether nuclear energy is renewable still elicits debates to this day despite the fact that it is a low-carbon power generation source. The 5 substantiated renewable sources of energy used on a daily basis include solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass.

However, the largest point of view stipulates that nuclear energy is not really renewable. This hinges on a wide range of facts such as:

The chief raw material for the production of nuclear energy (uranium) is not a renewable resource. Uranium resources are quite limited, and the mining and refining process mightily impacts the environment. Also, transportation of uranium is risky. Safe transportation involves significant capital outlay and a lot of energy consumption.

After processing uranium, significant amounts of radioactive waste are generated. The resultant elements have extensive storage requirements and are known to stay radioactive and hazardous for thousands of years. Most countries have tried to recycle it, but the whole process is ineffective and relatively expensive, not to mention it's a daunting task to store it safely. To add insults to the injury, nuclear storage sites can become prime targets for terrorists who are hellbent on killing more people simultaneously.

Some facts show that nuclear energy could become renewable

It's a well-known fact that uranium resources are limited. However, their conversion to plutonium can relatively elongate their availability. Light water reactors make use of use uranium-235, which attributes to 0.7% of all natural uranium. On the other hand, IFRs or fast breeder reactors utilize uranium-238, which attributes to 99.3% of all natural uranium. Fast-breeder kinds of nuclear reactors are able to generate huge quantities of fissionable plutonium capable of sustaining nuclear reactions way longer than traditional fuels. This process of plutonium production could give nuclear energy the renewable status. Another advantage to plutonium production is that the waste left behind is a lot less hazardous. The waste will stop being radioactive after a few hundred years.

The good thing about nuclear waste from nuclear power plants is that it can be transferred into reprocessing units such that 95% of the spent fuel is able to be recycled and transported back for use in the nuclear plant. This process enormously minimizes the amount and toxicity of radioactive waste, making room for separate handling (storage or destruction) of the waste. Reprocessing of radioactive waste has since turned political with anti-technology lobby groups striving to end the proliferation of anything related to nuclear by dwelling on the extraordinary costs of reprocessing and the threat of terrorism.
Verdict
Despite the raging debates and contradictions, nuclear energy doesn't qualify yet as a renewable energy considering the present state of production and waste disposal. Uranium, the chief raw material for nuclear energy production, is still a limited fuel resource (in fact, it occurs only in specific countries) and the reactors have the possibility of one day becoming unstable and dangerous. Also, reprocessing of nuclear waste is not happening as it should.

Nevertheless, if adjustments to the reactors under development and safe processing of radioactive waste would happen, nuclear energy could well be on its way to becoming a renewable energy.

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Advantages of Nuclear Energy - Conserve Energy Future

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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.

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Advantages & Disadvantages

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In this section we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy. Nevertheless, most organizations related to nuclear energy are already positioned for or against the use of nuclear energy. On this site we try to make an objective analysis about this question, giving all the relevant information and offering a space for different conclusions.

The advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy have made this alternative energy source one of the most controversial on the market today. Understanding the pros and cons of this energy source can help you make a more informed decision about your own energy use.

Advantages of nuclear energy

The generation of electricity through nuclear energy reduces the amount of energy generated from fossil fuels (carbon and petroleum). Less use of fossil fuels means lowering greenhouse gas emissions (CO ² and others).

Currently, fossil fuels are consumed faster than they are produced,so in the next future these resources may be reduced or the price may increase becoming inaccessible for most of the population.

Another advantage of nuclear energy is the required amount of fuel: less fuel offers more energy. It represents a significant save on raw materials but also in transport, handling and extraction of nuclear fuel. The cost of nuclear fuel (overall uranium) is 20% of the cost of energy generated.

The production of electric energy is continuous. A nuclear power plant is generating electricity for almost 90% of annual time. It reduces the price volatility of other fuels such as petrol.

This continuity benefits the electrical planning. Nuclear energy does not depends on natural aspects. It's a solutions for the main disadvantage of renewable energy, like solar energy or eolic energy, because the hours of sun or wind does not always coincide with the hours with more energy demand.

It's an alternative to fossil fuels, so the consumption of fuels such as coal or oil is reduced. This reduction of coal and oil consumption benefits the situation of global warming and global climate change. By reducing the consumption of fossil fuels we also improve the quality of the air affecting the disease and quality of life.

Disadvantages of nuclear energy

We've previously discussed the advantage of using nuclear energy to reduce fossil fuel consumption. Organizations often use this argument in favor of nuclear energy but it's a partial truth. Much of the consumption of fossil fuels is due to road transport, used in heat engines (cars, trucks, etc.). Savings in fossil fuel for power generation is fairly low.

Despite the high level of sophistication of the safety systems of nuclear power plants the human aspect has always an impact. Facing an unexpected event or managing a nuclear accident we don't have any guarantee that decisions we took are always the best. Two good examples are Chernobyl and Fukushima.

The Chernobyl nuclear accident is, by far, the worst nuclear accident in the history. Different wrong decisions during the management of the nuclear plant caused a big nuclear explosion.

Referring to the Fukushima nuclear accident, the operations done by the staff were highly questionable. Fukushima nuclear accident is the second worst accident in the history.

One of the main disadvantages is the difficulty in the management of nuclear waste. It takes many years to eliminate its radioactivity and risks.

The constructed nuclear reactors have an expiration date. Then, they've to be dismantled, so that main countries producing nuclear energy could maintain a regular number of operating reactors. They've to built about 80 new nuclear reactors during the next ten years.

Nuclear plants have a limited life. The investment for the construction of a nuclear plant is very high and must be recovered as soon as possible, so it raises the cost of electricity generated. In other words, the energy generated is cheap compared to the cost of fuel, but the recovery of its construction is much more expensive.

Nuclear power plants are objectives of terrorist organizations.

Nuclear power plants generate external dependence. Not many countries have uranium mines and not all the countries have nuclear technology, so they have to hire both things overseas.

Current nuclear reactors work by fission nuclear reactions. These chain reactions is generated in case control systems fail, generating continous reactions causing a radioactive explosion that would be virtually impossible to contain.

Probably the most alarming disadvantage is the use of the nuclear energy in the military industry. The first use of nuclear energy was the creation of two nuclear bombs dropped on Japan during World War II. This was the first and the last time that nuclear energy was used in a military attack. Later, several countries signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but the risk that nuclear weapons could be used in the future will always exist.

Advantages of nuclear fusion versus nuclear fission

Currently the generation of electricity in nuclear reactors is done by nuclear fission reactions. For the moment, nuclear fusion is not valid to generate electric power. Once developed, if nuclear fusion is really practicable, it will provide great advantages over nuclear fission:

Virtually inexhaustible sources of fuel.

No accidents in the reactor due to the chain reactions that occur in fissions.

The waste generated will be much less radioactive.

Last review: December 20, 2018

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear energy

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In this section we analyze the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy. Nevertheless, most organizations related to nuclear energy are already positioned for or against the use of nuclear energy. On this site we try to make an objective analysis about this question, giving all the relevant information and offering a space for different conclusions.

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Introduction
A natural resource is any material, substance, or organism found in nature that is useful to people. Some natural resources are necessary for life, whereas others have economic value and contribute to industry. Air, water, soil, wildlife, forests, minerals, and fossil fuels are among the most familiar of Earth's natural resources.

Most natural resources are not distributed evenly around the Earth. For example, some areas have abundant water, whereas other places may be arid or prone to drought. Countries that are richly endowed with natural resources have an economic advantage because they can sell those resources to other countries. For example, countries with large forests generally are major exporters of wood, paper, and paper products.

Natural resources can be described as either renewable or nonrenewable based on whether they can be replaced in nature after they are used. Wood is an example of a renewable resource. After a tree is harvested, a new tree can be planted to replace it. In contrast, metals are nonrenewable resources. When a metal such as copper is mined, it cannot be replaced.

Renewable Resources
A renewable resource is a natural resource that cannot be used up or it is one that can be replaced within a human life span. Air, water, soil, plants, and animals are examples of renewable resources.

With the exception of some microorganisms that cannot tolerate oxygen, all living things need air, making this one of the most essential natural resources. Air surrounds Earth as the atmosphere. However, though air is limitless in supply, air quality is a problem in many parts of the world because of pollution.

Water is one of the most important natural resources. All living things need fresh water to survive. Most organisms can live for weeks without food but only days without water. However, only about 3 percent of Earth's water is fresh water, and of this, only a tiny fraction is surface water, the water used by living things. Fresh water is not uniformly distributed around the world, and its availability strongly affects where and how organisms live. Getting enough fresh water is a serious problem in many places. Water pollution is a global problem affecting even areas with an abundant water supply. Thus, while water is a renewable resource, the supply of fresh surface water is limited in some places.

Although it cannot be used for drinking, salt water also is an important natural resource. The water in oceans, estuaries, and saline wetlands is a vital part of those ecosystems. Pollution, oil spills, and other disturbances of these areas can disrupt food chains and destroy plant and wildlife populations.

Like air and water, soil is necessary to life on Earth. Soil provides water and nutrients for plants and soil-dwelling organisms such as bacteria, worms, and fungi. Soil supplies a medium for filtering and breaking down wastes and plays a critical role in cycling carbon and other elements through Earth's systems. Only a thin layer of soil, called topsoil, can support plant life, including crops grown for food. Erosion, pollution, and poor land management can damage the topsoil layer, impacting soil fertility and usability.

Plants and animals are renewable resources of great importance to humans. Trees and plants provide food and raw materials for products ranging from clothing and furniture to medicines and fuels. Animals provide food and other products useful to humans. Plant matter and animal wastes are sources of alternative energy. Such energy sources are often termed biofuels because they come from living organisms.

As resources, plants and animals are only renewable if they are replaced when used. Trees cut down for lumber and other uses must be replaced soon after harvest with new seedlings. Similarly, the amount of fish caught by sport and commercial fisheries must be carefully managed to allow fish populations time to reproduce and replace lost individuals.

Most organic renewable resources-plants, animals, and related products and wastes-are biodegradable. (Organic resources are those that are, or come from, living things.) Biodegradation occurs when microorganisms degrade, or break down, organic matter into inorganic substances that can be used by other organisms or recycled through Earth's systems. The rate at which materials are degraded depends upon the type of material and conditions such as moisture, sunlight, and heat.

Nonrenewable Resources
Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that cannot be replaced after they are used. This means that they exist in a fixed amount on Earth. Rock, minerals, metals, uranium, and fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas are all nonrenewable resources.

Fossil fuels are so-named because they formed from the buried remains of ancient plants and animals over millions of years. Coal and liquid petroleum (oil) are used to generate electricity in power plants around the world. Oil and gasoline provide fuel for heating and operating machinery and motor vehicles. Petroleum is a source of chemicals used to make plastics, synthetic fabrics, medicines, and other products. Natural gas is used for heating and cooking.

Rocks, minerals, and metals are found within Earth's crust. Rocks are removed by quarrying; minerals and metals must be removed by mining. Rocks provide materials for building homes and roads. Minerals and metals are used for manufacturing products ranging from household products to paints, pipes and other building supplies, computer chips, and more.

Uranium is a radioactive element that occurs with many other minerals in Earth's crust. Uranium ore is removed from the Earth by mining. The mined ore is crushed and the uranium is chemically extracted. Uranium ore is an important source of nuclear fuel. One pound of uranium produces as much energy as 3 million pounds (1.4 million kilograms) of coal.

Inorganic nonrenewable resources such as uranium, minerals, metals, and petroleum-derived products such as plastics are not biodegradable. Because these materials cannot break down through natural processes, they may last hundreds of years in the environment when discarded.

Some nonrenewable resources that formed from organic matter are biodegradable. For example, liquid petroleum can be degraded by oil-eating bacteria that break down the hydrocarbons in oil. However, coal is not biodegradable, even though it formed from plant matter.

Distribution of Natural Resources
The uneven distribution of natural resources across the Earth is due largely to past geological processes such as plate tectonics and volcanic activity. For example, the abundance of petroleum in the Middle East resulted from tectonic plate movement. Over millions of years, shifting plates "trapped" vast amounts of decayed organic matter in deep basins in the Persian Gulf. Some of the world's most fertile soils are found near ancient and active volcanoes, where they formed through the weathering of volcanic rock. Most metal ore deposits formed around magma deep within ancient volcanoes over subduction zones.

Human Impact on Natural Resources
Human activities have greatly affected the supply and quality of natural resources. Cars and factories use vast amounts of petroleum products every day. About 40 percent of the world's electricity comes from coal-fired power plants. Such widespread use of fossil fuels is depleting reserves of these limited resources. Burning fossil fuels also impacts other natural resources by releasing toxic materials into the air, water, and soil.

Even renewable resources must be carefully managed to avoid misuse. Deforestation, mining, and land development have transformed natural areas, destroying ecosystems and harming soil and water supplies. Building dams and levees and redirecting water flow for irrigation have affected water quality and distribution in many areas.

The conservation of Earth's natural resources is a global concern. By the start of the 21st century, roughly 18 percent of global electricity was supplied by renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and water power. In addition, scientists and engineers were developing methods to produce goods with less pollution and waste.

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Introduction A natural resource is any material, substance, or organism found in nature that is useful to people. Some natural resources are necessary for life, whereas others have economic value and contribute to industry. Air, water, soil, wildlife, forests, minerals, and fossil fuels are among the most familiar of Earth's natural resources.

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You may have followed a bad external link, or mistyped a URL.

We have recently redesigned our website to make it easier and faster for you to find the information you need.
This means the bookmarks and addresses you have used in the past may no longer work.

If you got this page from a link within eia.gov or if the problem persists, please report the error to our webmaster.

You can also try the EIA site search below.

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U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

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You may have followed a bad external link, or mistyped a URL. We have recently redesigned our website to make it easier and faster for you to find the information you need.This means the bookmarks and addresses you have used in the past may no longer work.

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Data Highlights

up$3.48 from week earlier
down$16.95 from year earlier

down$0.385 from week earlier
up$0.070 from year earlier

down$0.016 from week earlier
down$0.519 from year earlier

up$0.011 from week earlier
down$-0.69 from year earlier

10/31/2020: 10.363 million tons

up0.187 million tons from week earlier
down2.308 million tons from year earlier

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Homepage - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

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up$3.48 from week earlier down$16.95 from year earlier down$0.385 from week earlier up$0.070 from year earlier down$0.016 from week earlier down$0.519 from year earlier up$0.011 from week earlier down$-0.69 from year earlier 10/31/2020: 10.363 million tons up0.187 million tons from week earlier down2.308 million tons from year earlier

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Benefits

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Pros & Cons

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As climate change becomes a bigger threat, countries all over the world are investing in renewable energy. One of the fastest growing renewable energy sources is wind energy.

Right now, wind power accounts for 7% of the total energy generation in the United States, and it has potential for significant growth. But when we're thinking about how to power our future, it's important to consider all aspects of an energy source.

In this article, we'll help you get a better understanding by breaking down its biggest pros and cons.

Pros and cons of wind energy

All sources of energy have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, and wind energy is no exception. Recently, there has been a lot of misinformation about wind energy floating around.

To clear up some of the confusion, we're going to outline a few of the most important pros and cons of wind energy, including:

What is wind energy?

There are several techniques we can use in order to harness energy from the wind, but the most popular method is by using wind turbines.

The way wind turbines work can get a bit complicated, but here's the gist: the kinetic energy stored in the wind turns the blades of the turbine around a rotor. The rotor spins a generator within the turbine, which is what creates usable electricity.

Wind energy has been used for quite some time. The first windmill used for electricity production was built in 1888!

Advantages of wind energy

1. Clean energy

Wind energy is one of the cleanest energy sources. Generating energy using wind turbines does not emit any greenhouse gases.

It is true that the manufacturing, transportation, and installation of wind turbines does release some pollution. However, it is nowhere near the level of emissions released from burning fossil fuels.

Because the actual production of energy does not have any greenhouse gas emissions, it is considered a source of green energy.

2. Renewable

Wind energy is a renewable energy resource, meaning that the source of energy is not depleted when it is used. So, as we use wind energy we don't decrease the amount of wind available.

This is not the case for non-renewable energy sources, like oil and natural gas. As we use fossil fuels, we reduce the amount that is available to be used in the future.

3. Space efficient

Wind turbines can't be placed too close to one another, which is what makes solar farms so large. The wind turbines themselve, however, don't take up that much space.

The space in between each turbine can be used for things like farming, which is why wind farms are popular in rural areas. Plus, each turbine has the potential to produce a lot of electricity - enough to power approximately 2,500 homes.

4. Low-cost energy

Although wind turbines have high upfront costs, the energy they produce is cheap. This is for a few reasons, one being that you don't have to pay for any fuel for the turbines. Wind is free! Turbines also have relatively low operating costs once they are erected, and need little maintenance.

When you consider the upfront investments and cost of operations and maintenance over the lifetime of the turbine, studies show wind energy costs about $0.029 per kilowatt hour.

That is much cheaper than coal, which comes out to about $0.036 per kilowatt hour when you consider the cost to build and operate coal power plants.

5. Promotes job growth

The wind industry is seeing rapid growth year after year. Between 2010 and 2018, the amount of installed wind capacity in the U.S. more than doubled, creating enough wind energy production to power over 30 million homes. This growth has created the opportunity for thousands of new jobs.

Currently, over 120,000 Americans have wind-powered jobs - ranging from installers to technicians and manufacturers. In fact, the role of wind turbine technician is the second-fastest growing job in America.

As wind energy continues to grow in popularity, it is predicted to support more than 600,000 new jobs by 2050.

Disadvantages of wind energy

1. Unpredictable

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage to wind energy is that it cannot be produced consistently. Energy will only be produced when the wind blows.

The amount of energy produced by turbines also depends on the wind speed. Therefore, wind energy is not well-suited to be a base load energy source - AKA our main source of power generation.

However, as energy storage technology continues to become more cost-effective, it could be possible to become more reliant on wind energy. For right now though, because of its unreliability, wind turbines have to be used in tandem with other energy sources to meet our electricity demands.

2. Threat to wildlife

Wind energy does not cause environmental problems through greenhouse gas emissions, however, turbines can have an impact on wildlife.

Birds, bats, and other flying creatures have slim chances of surviving when taking a direct hit from a rotating wind turbine blade. In fact, studies have estimated that between 140,000 and 500,000 birds die from wind turbines each year. As a comparison, collisions with buildings are estimated to kill between 365 and 988 million birds annually.

Carefully planning where wind farms will be built can mitigate how many bird collisions occur.

3. Noise

Noise is a problem for some people that live in the proximity of wind turbines. The generator within the turbine makes a mechanical hum, while the blades create a "whooshing" sound as they move through the air.

However, the good news is, newer wind turbines generate much less noise than older turbines, and they will likely become even quieter with more technological advancements.

4. Looks

Wind turbines need to be built high in order to capture enough wind, which makes them a prominent part of any landscape. Some people find that large wind turbines are an eyesore, however, this is more of a personal preference.

5. Location limitations

In order for wind turbines to be economically viable, they need to be installed in a place where they will produce enough electricity. Wind farms are best suited for coastal areas, the tops of hills, and open planes - essentially anywhere with strong, reliable wind.

Most of these suitable places tend to be in remote areas far outside of cities and towns, in more rural areas or offshore. Because of this distance, new infrastructure, such as power lines, have to be built in order to connect a wind farm to the power grid.

This can be costly, and may cause some harm to the surrounding environment (i.e by tearing down trees to make way for power lines).

Wind energy has a bright future

The bottom line: the future of the wind energy industry looks promising.

Although there are some downsides to wind energy, such as it being an intermittent energy source and a threat to certain wildlife, the benefits are impossible to ignore. This is why wind farms continue to get built, both on and offshore.

While you can get wind turbines built to power your home, it can be costly and difficult to find suitable space. If you want to power your home with clean energy, consider installing solar panels.

Using solar energy is clean, renewable, and it's a great financial investment for homeowners. Check out our solar calculator to see how much you can save with a solar power installation.
Looking for lists of pros and cons for other types of energy sources?

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As climate change becomes a bigger threat, countries all over the world are investing in renewable energy. One of the fastest growing renewable energy sources is wind energy. Right now, wind power accounts for 7% of the total energy generation in the United States, and it has potential for significant growth.

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Advantages & Disadvantages

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Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy

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Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy

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Advantages & Disadvant

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Geothermal energy refers to the heat found inside the earth's surface - right under our feet.

There are two ways in which geothermal energy is commonly used: as an eco-friendly source of heating and cooling in homes, or as a way to generate electricity in large geothermal power plants.

Geothermal energy has also been in one form or another for a long time, and it's considered a renewable and sustainable energy source.

However, despite all its benefits, geothermal energy remains little known compared to clean energy rivals like solar and wind power.

So what are the pros and cons of geothermal energy, and why isn't it more widely used? We answer those questions in this article.

The pros and cons of geothermal energy

Generally environmentally friendly; does not cause significant pollution

Some minor environmental issues

Renewable and sustainable

Sustainability relies on reservoirs being properly managed

Massive potential

Location-specific

Reliable

High initial costs

Great for heating and cooling

Can cause earthquakes in extreme cases

What is geothermal energy?

The Earth's crust is made of rocks and water, and a layer of hot molten rock (magma) below that. Magma is very hot - hotter even than the surface of the sun.

The heat produced by magma is a massive source of energy, and it can be converted into electricity. To do this, we drill down into the earth and as a general rule, the lower you go, the hotter it gets.

Subterranean heat is used to heat water, which turns into steam. That steam is then used to spin a turbine located above the ground, which produces electricity for the grid.

Geothermal is a renewable source of energy that is almost completely pollution-free and consistently reliable.

Advantages of geothermal energy

1. Environmentally friendly

Geothermal energy is generally considered environmentally friendly.

The carbon footprint of a geothermal power plant is minimal. An average geothermal power plant releases 99% less carbon dioxide (CO2) for every megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity it generates, according to the EIA.

While there are a few polluting aspects of harnessing geothermal energy, these are minor when compared to the pollution associated with conventional fossil fuel sources such as coal and natural gas.

Further development of our geothermal resources is considered helpful in the fight against global warming.

2. Renewable and sustainable

Geothermal reservoirs come from natural resources and are naturally replenished. Geothermal energy is therefore a renewable energy source.

"Sustainable" is another label used for renewable sources of energy. In other words, geothermal energy is a resource that can sustain its own consumption rate - unlike conventional energy sources such as coal and fossil fuels.

According to scientists, the energy in our geothermal reservoirs will literally last billions of years.

3. Massive potential

Worldwide energy consumption is currently about 17 terawatts (TW) of power from all sources, both fossil and renewable. While that may sound like a lot, it's just a small fraction of the heat energy stored inside the Earth!

That said, most geothermal energy is difficult or unprofitable to access. Realistic estimates for the potential of geothermal power plants vary between 0.035 to 2 TW.

Geothermal power plants across the world currently deliver just 12.7 gigawatts (GW) of electricity, with installed geothermal heating capacity a bit higher at 28 GW. This means there is a lot of scope for additional geothermal energy generation.

4. Stable

Geothermal energy is a reliable source of energy.

We can predict the power output of a geothermal power plant with remarkable accuracy. This is not the case with solar and wind, where weather plays a huge part in power production. Geothermal power plants are therefore excellent for meeting the baseload energy demand.

Geothermal power plants have a high capacity factor, meaning that they deliver a very high level of output relative to the total installed capacity.

Globally, geothermal plants operate at a capacity factor of over 80%, but capacity factors as high as 96% have been achieved right here in the U.S.

5. Great for heating and cooling

Generating electricity with geothermal energy requires high water temperatures - of more than 150°C (about 300°F) or greater - in order to effectively turn the power-generating turbines.

The other, easier way to utilize geothermal energy is to use it for heating and cooling. This approach makes use of the (relatively small) temperature difference between the surface and a ground source.

Earth is generally more resistant to seasonal temperature changes than air. Consequently, the ground only a few feet below the surface can act as a heat sink/source with a geothermal heat pump - much in the same way an electrical heat pump uses the heat present in the air.

We've seen tremendous growth in the number of homeowners that utilize geothermal heating/cooling in the last couple of years.

Disadvantages of geothermal energy

1. Environmental issues

There is an abundance of greenhouse gases below the surface of the earth. When geothermal energy is used, some of these gases escape towards the surface and into the atmosphere. These emissions tend to be higher near geothermal power plants.

Geothermal power plants generate small amounts of sulfur dioxide and silica emissions. The reservoirs can also contain traces of toxic heavy metals including mercury, arsenic, and boron.

That said, the pollution associated with geothermal power is very low, and just a tiny fraction of what we see with coal power and fossil fuels. Furthermore, there have been no reported cases of water contamination from geothermal sites in the US, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

2. Surface instability (earthquakes)

The construction of geothermal power plants can affect the stability of the land. In fact, geothermal power plants have led to subsidence (sinking of the Earth's surface) in both Germany and New Zealand.

Earthquakes can be triggered due to hydraulic fracturing, which is an intrinsic part of developing enhanced geothermal system (EGS) power plants.

In 2006, the construction of a geothermal power plant in Switzerland triggered an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.4 on the Richter scale.

3. Expensive

Commercial geothermal power projects are expensive. Total installation costs usually end up somewhere between $2.5-$5 million for a geothermal power plant with a capacity of 1 megawatt (MW).

The exploration and drilling of new reservoirs play a big role in driving up costs, typically accounting for half of the overall costs.

As previously mentioned, most geothermal resources cannot be utilized in a cost-effective manner, at least not with current technology, level of subsidies, and energy prices.

The upfront costs of geothermal heating and cooling systems for homes and commercial buildings are also steep. That said, these systems are likely to save you money years down the line, and should therefore be regarded as long-term investments. Ground source heat pumps typically cost $15,000-$40,000 installed, and generally have a payback time of 10-20 years.

4. Location-specific

Good geothermal reservoirs are hard to come by. Some countries have been blessed with great resources - Iceland and Philippines, for instance, meet nearly one-third of their electricity demand with geothermal energy.

If geothermal energy is transported long distances by means of hot water (not electricity), significant energy losses have to be taken into account.

5. Sustainability issues

Rainwater seeps through the earth's surface and into the geothermal reservoirs over thousands of years. Studies show that the reservoirs can be depleted if the fluid is removed faster than replaced.

Efforts can be made to inject fluid back into the geothermal reservoir after the thermal energy has been utilized (the turbine has generated electricity).

Geothermal power is sustainable if reservoirs are properly managed. This is not an issue for residential geothermal heating and cooling, where geothermal energy is being used differently than in geothermal power plants.

Geothermal: a clean energy source held back by high upfront costs

The bottom line is this: Geothermal energy is generally regarded as environmentally friendly, sustainable, and reliable. This makes geothermal energy a no-brainer in some places, but heavy upfront costs stop us from realizing its full potential.

How much influence geothermal power will have on our energy systems in the future depends on technological advancements, energy prices, and politics (subsidies). No one really knows what the situation will look like one or two decades down the line.

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Geothermal energy refers to the heat found inside the earth's surface - right under our feet. There are two ways in which geothermal energy is commonly used: as an eco-friendly source of heating and cooling in homes, or as a way to generate electricity in large geothermal power plants.

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The earth is hot and brimming with energy. If you've ever witnessed the spectacle of erupting volcano, visited the Geysers situated at Yellow Stone national park in the United States, or sat in a geothermal hot spring, you've already come across geothermal energy. The more you go underneath the earth's surface, the hotter it becomes. The earth's crust is composed of hot rocks and water. Below the earth's crust exists a layer of molten hot rock known as magma, which is considered to as hot as the surface of the sun. This heat found inside the earth is called geothermal energy.

By definition, geothermal energy is the energy stored as heat underneath the surface of the earth. Its net potential is limitless with regard to humans, and its energy is the same as the sun. Geothermal heat and water have been utilized for centuries. The Native Americans, Chinese and Romans utilized hot geothermal springs for cooking, bathing, and therapeutic applications.

In the modern day, geothermal energy is utilized in numerous applications, for example, heating, systems that provide hot water or steam to a wide range of units, along with heating and cooling of private and commercial buildings such as residential homes, offices, and shops by utilizing geothermal heat pumps. Also, geothermal energy has industrial potential to grow plants in greenhouses, heating water at fish farms, drying crops and many other industrial processes.

This enormous energy is also being harnessed to generate electricity through geothermal power plants. Using the modern day technology, humans are able to pinpoint the location of geothermal resource, drill wells a few kilometers deep and extract the hot water below.

Advantages of Geothermal Energy

Unlike fossil fuel plants, geothermal energy plants do not involve any form of combustion. This means they give off significantly few amounts of greenhouse gasses. Binary geothermal power plants, which are the most common in the world together, along with their flash binary counterparts emit close to zero greenhouse gas. Even dry steam geothermal power plants are more eco-friendly than fossil-fuel based power plants.

Geothermal heat pumps used for heating and cooling buildings are also ranked among the most efficient cooling and heating systems obtainable today. This is due to their relatively low electricity requirement. Their use massively minimizes emissions coming from power production. On top of those, geothermal energy boasts of small land-use footprint. In fact, it ranks among the smallest per kilowatt of all electricity production technology including nuclear, coal and other renewable energies.

Geothermal power generation injects a sense of reliability to the national power system. Geothermal energy can be generated as a base-load renewable energy resource, which means production occurs 24/7 despite changing weather patterns, thereby offering an exceptionally reliable and constant source of green energy. As a base-load source of power, geothermal energy is primed to take the place of coal in the traditional utility system.

Geothermal energy is also flexible enough to bridge the gap created by the intermittent renewable energy resources like solar and wind. Since geothermal energy production can be easily increased or decreased depending on current demand, it can be utilized to maintain the integrity of the national power grid, hence, ramping up the overall efficiency of the whole electricity generation system, while at the same time offering reliable and clean energy.

Geothermal energy is also highly scalable. This means small power plants (a few tens of KWS) are able to be economically set up and tailored to applications existing in communities.

Initiation of geothermal projects spurs the economy of rural areas, which are typically characterized by unemployment, thereby creating new jobs. A good example is the plan initiated in 2012 to set up a new power complex in Imperial Valley, California, a state that was experiencing the lowest unemployment rates in the United States. The planned investment involved injection of about $1 billion, which was projected to bolster the economy of the area. The project materialized and took about 4 years to complete.

On average, 323 workers were involved in the project. When the project was up and running, more than 57 jobs were created in the fields of maintenance, operations, engineering, and administration. This project underscores the sheer size of employment opportunities that a single geothermal power plant can create.

The earth's internal heat is available around the world. The only limitation is the capability to extract the energy. However, with advances in technology (geothermal heat pumps), individuals have been able to harvest this hot water from the reservoir below the earth to heat homes and businesses. Even so, advance resources are needed for converting this heat into electricity at individual level. With the rapid growth of technology, economic systems will be developed to convert this abundant heat into electricity by individuals in the near future.

Significant savings on your utility bills

Installation of geothermal energy systems requires high upfront capital investments compared to traditional systems due to the buried loop system. Some homeowners shy away from installing geothermal systems due to this initial cost, but fail to view the bigger picture. When the geothermal system is fully operational, you'll witness significant reduction in your utility bill (by up to 50%), plus they require low maintenance costs. Most institutions tie the upfront cost of installing a geothermal system to your monthly mortgage remittances or other interest financing alternatives. The savings accrued from your utility bills could be enough to offset the increase in your loan payment, offering you additional cash flow.

Generally, geothermal systems utilize small quantities of electricity to transmit heat to and from the ground to your house. Averagely, it's able to generate 4 units of energy per every unit of electricity utilized to drive the system. Even the top notch traditional systems convey less than 1 unit for every unit they consume. These days you can use online calculators to see the exact amount you can save per month by installing a geothermal energy system.

Geothermal energy is entirely available and produced locally, and it doesn't need fossil fuels to operate. This means it can comfortably minimize over-dependence on fossil fuel sources of energy. Additionally, since electricity is increasingly becoming utilized in the transportation sector, it's able to outrightly take the place of imported oil. Direct utilization of geothermal heat for specific industrial, commercial and agricultural purposes offers impeccable option to other thermal sources of energy such as oil, electricity, natural gas, and propane.

By ramping up the availability of local fuels around the world, geothermal energy is able to boost our capability to take charge of our economic future and bolster our national security, while at the same time preserving the available natural gas and oil resources for the most important uses, for instance, pharmaceuticals, liquid fuels for transportation and chemical feedstock.

A geothermal system uses exactly the same principles as a freezer or refrigerator. It operates quietly. It's a good system to maintain a good relationship with your neighbors. Traditional heating and cooling systems produce a lot of noise that can irritate you and your neighbors causing unnecessary disagreements.

As an added advantage, geothermal systems are able to generate some if not all of your hot water at higher efficiencies than conventional techniques. A simple modification is performed in your geothermal system to enable it to deliver hot water that can be stored in your water heater for later use. Also, during the cooling cycle, the heat extracted from the building is sent to the water heater instead of being transferred to the ground. This guarantees you free hot water as long as the geothermal system is functioning.

High efficiency coupled with low maintenance

Geothermal heat pumps are characterized by high efficiency. Averagely, they use 25% to 50% electric power for cooling and heating. And the fact that they come with flexible designs, means they can be tailor-made for various situations, needing a much lesser space compared to the traditional systems. Also, because geothermal systems are designed with fewer mobile parts, and these parts are housed in a building, makes their life expectancy significantly high.

These systems are also advantageous since the pipes come along with impressive warranty of up to 25 years, keeping in mind that the system can last for up to 20 years. This is, essentially, a lifetime warranty. Besides geothermal systems having a long lasting attribute, they are utterly user-friendly and convenient. Durability means they require low maintenance, which saves you a lot of extraordinary maintenance costs.

Although geothermal energy doesn't enjoy the popularity of other renewable resources such as wind and solar, it's an incredible, renewable and relatively cheap alternative that merits a multitude of support. In fact, governments are releasing reports stating the reasons why citizens should support geothermal energy developments to ensure more individuals are tapping this abundant resource to bridge the electricity gap.

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Advantages of Geothermal Energy - Conserve Energy Future

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The earth is hot and brimming with energy. If you've ever witnessed the spectacle of erupting volcano, visited the Geysers situated at Yellow Stone national park in the United States, or sat in a geothermal hot spring, you've already come across geothermal energy. The more you go underneath the earth's surface, the hotter it becomes.

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Advantages & Disadvantages

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If you're looking to install solar panels on your home, you'll find a wide range of information. This can make it difficult to figure out whether or not solar panels are the right fit for you.

To help you out, we've put together a conclusive list that weighs the pros and cons of solar.

Solar energy pros and cons

Looking at the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy from a homeowner's perspective is an important step in the research process when considering installing solar panels for your home.

Here are a few that come up most often:

Main solar energy pros and cons

Pros of solar energy

Cons of solar energy

Reduces electric bill

High upfront cost

Insurance against rising power prices

Intermittent energy source

Solar is cheaper than ever

Manufacturing panels has some impact on the environment

See a return on your investment

Requires space

Environmentally friendly

Not the best if you're planning to move

Energy independence

The argument for the average American homeowner to install solar panels for their home is now better than it has ever been, as the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

Let's take a closer look at each of these solar energy pros and cons.

Advantages of solar energy

1. Reduces your electric bill

One of the biggest benefits of solar panels is that they can provide you with substantial savings on your electric bill. Many states require utilities to offer net metering, which allows homeowners to offset their electric costs with the energy their solar panels produce.

They can then sell that excess energy to the utility. This will usually be added to their electric bills as a credit that can then be used to offset future electricity costs.

In many states, adding solar panels to your home can bring in electric bill savings of well over $1,000 per year. Residents of California who go solar save an average of $99,181 over the lifetime of their solar system!

2. Insurance against rising power prices

One thing most homeowners know is that electricity keeps getting more expensive. The price of electricity has increased steadily over the past 10 years, with an average increase of about $0.2 per year. The cost of electricity will continue to rise into the future, meaning your electric bill will continue to go up too.

Solar panels protect you from these rising electricity costs. Because you are producing your own energy, you don't have to buy that expensive power from your utility. So, rising electric costs are a worry of the past! In fact, rising prices might actually be a good thing when you install solar.

For example, let's say your utility charges 12 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity. That means with net metering, your utility would pay you 12 cents for each excess kWh of electricity your solar panels produce and send to the grid.

If your utility raises its electricity price to 13 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity, that means the power you send to the grid would also be worth 13 cents.

So, net metering is saving you more money each time your utility company raises its prices!

3. Solar is cheaper than ever

While electricity prices continue to get more expensive, the cost of solar has continued to fall. Solar is now cheaper than ever; in fact, the cost has fallen over 70% in the past decade. These low prices make solar more accessible to more homeowners than ever before.

Installing solar can be even cheaper when you take advantage of solar incentives. For example, if you install a solar system before the end of 2032, you could be eligible for the 30% federal tax credit.

This tax credit is equal to 30% of the total cost of your solar system and is applied to your income taxes. In addition to the federal tax credit, there are many other solar incentives offered locally.

4. See a return on your investment

Solar panels not only eliminate your electric bill, they can also be a source of extra income. As we mentioned before, net metering allows you to earn money by selling excess power your solar panels generate to your utility.

Some states have other performance-based incentives, like Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), that have the potential to earn you hundreds of dollars a year, depending on where you live.

The money you earn from net metering, combined with your electric bill savings and other incentives, goes towards paying back the cost of your system. In areas that have all of these incentives, the payback time for a solar panel system can be as little as four years.

Once your system is paid off, your solar panels will continue to generate free power for your home for the lifetime of the system!

5. Environmentally friendly

Another big selling point for solar is that it is a renewable energy source. This means that as you use the resource, it doesn't deplete the source. So, by using the sunlight that hits the earth and turning it into electricity, we don't deplete the sun's energy.

Plus, electricity created with solar panels does not produce any greenhouse gas emissions. Nothing is being released into the atmosphere when we produce electricity with solar panels. The only thing that's created is clean energy!

6. Energy independence

Having solar panels allows homeowners to create their own energy, thereby giving them energy independence. Essentially this means a solar home isn't as dependent on the traditional electric grid. This allows you to take power into your own hands and control where your home is getting its energy from.

On a larger scale, the United States making the switch to solar and other renewable energies would allow the country to achieve energy independence. The US would not have to rely heavily on other countries to get oil and gas like we do now.

Using energy created right here in the US and not relying on foreign sources is great for national security and for the country's economy.

Disadvantages of solar energy

1. High upfront cost

The large upfront cost is one of the biggest drawbacks of solar panel systems. As of January 2023, the average cost of solar in the U.S. is about $3.00 per watt. So, a 6 kW solar panel system would run you around $18,000, on average, before the federal tax credit is applied.

The actual cost of a solar system will vary by state, and by the incentives that you qualify for.

Luckily, there are solar financing options available. In many cases, you can qualify for a zero-down solar loan, which allows you to still save money on your electric bill and reap the benefits of owning a solar system.

2. Solar energy is an intermittent energy source

There are three main reasons why solar is considered an intermittent source of power:

1. The sun doesn't shine at night. Therefore solar panels don't generate power at night.

2. The intensity of the sun varies based on the location, the time of year, and the time of day.

3. Cloud, snow, and foliage cover can have a significant effect on the amount of energy produced by solar panels.

All of these factors have been used to argue that solar power cannot be relied on for base load or mission-critical applications. However, this is changing with the emergence of cost-effective battery solutions. Batteries allow homeowners to store their solar power and draw energy from the battery when their solar panels aren't producing energy.

The most popular residential solar battery is the Tesla Powerwall, a 13.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. Other manufacturers, such as sonnen, LG, and BYD, offer great solar batteries for home energy storage, as well.
Ongoing advances in battery storage are a sign that intermittency may not be a limitation on solar power for long.
3. Solar panel manufacturing has some environmental impact

While the power that solar panels generate is emission-free, it is important to note that there is some pollution associated with the manufacturing of solar panels.

Some solar panels contain harmful pollutants, like sulfur hexafluoride, which is more potent than carbon dioxide. However, the impact of carbon dioxide on the climate is much greater than that of sulfur hexafluoride.
The environmental impact of solar panels is minimal compared to the amount of damage associated with the mining and burning of fossil fuels.
4. Solar panels require space

Solar panels require space in order to meet energy needs. For residential installations, a roof will almost always have enough space. However, when you look at large grid-scale solar installations, space can be a bit of an issue.

This is because solar panels have a lower power density. Power density is how much power can be derived from an energy source within a certain area, measured in watts per square meter (W/m ²). The power density of solar panels is low compared to those of fossil fuels.

This means that you need a larger area of solar panels in order to produce the same amount of energy that a coal plant would. However, the amount of land that was mined for fossil fuels is not considered in this measurement.
So although you would need a large solar power plant and a small coal plant, the mining of coal destroys acres upon acres of land, whereas the solar power plant does not.
5. You can't take solar with you

One of the disadvantages of installing solar panels on your home is that it can be expensive to move them, should you decide to move. The net metering agreement with your utility is fixed to the property. Also, finding someone to remove and reinstall your solar panels can be costly.

But, solar panels do add value to your home, so even if you do move, you are likely to see the value of your solar panels reflected in a higher sale price.

If you do plan on moving in the near future, it is best to purchase your solar panels outright. If you have a solar lease or a power purchase agreement (PPA), you will need the new owner to take over your agreement, which can be a hassle.

Should you install solar panels?

The pros of solar energy greatly outweigh the cons. The cost to install solar is now cheaper than ever, the solar tax credit has been extended until 2035, and the price of electricity is only going to continue to rise. The sooner you make the switch to solar, the sooner you can start saving.

Use our solar calculator to find out how much solar can save you.

Related discussion topics

Pros and cons of polycrystalline vs monocrystalline solar panels
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Pros and cons of buying solar vs leasing solar vs PPA agreements

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If you're looking to install solar panels on your home, you'll find a wide range of information. This can make it difficult to figure out whether or not solar panels are the right fit for you. To help you out, we've put together a conclusive list that weighs the pros and cons of solar.

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Benefits

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The U.S. solar market grew 76% in 2012.[6] Never before has solar power been this available to American households. What are the reasons why so many homeowners choose to go solar these days? Without further ado, here`s Energy Informative`s top 10 benefits of going solar:

1. Save Thousands of Dollars

According to One Block Off the Grid, adding solar panels to your home can bring in monthly savings of well above $100 in many states. Extend this to two decades, less than the length of a typical solar panel warranty, and this translates to over $30,000. In Hawaii, residents save on average $64,000 the first 20 years!

Are you wondering how much you can save by going solar? Click here to find out.

2. Start Saving from Day 1
Solar purchase power agreements (PPAs) and solar leasing has made it possible for homeowners to go solar for little or no money down.
Many homeowners choose to finance their solar panels with one of the "pay-as-you-go" financing options. This means that a third-party company - the solar provider - owns the solar system and takes care of installation, maintenance, monitoring and repairs. You simply pay the solar provider for electricity - less than you would`ve paid the utility company.

As of June 2013, 75% of all American homes have access to pay-as-you-go solar.

Pay-as-you-go solar is an excellent option for many homeowners. However, we generally recommend that you should pay in cash (through a home equity loan or a second mortgage) if you can. This will bring in more long-term savings. More about this here: Benefits of Owning (vs. Leasing) Solar Panels.

3. Low Payback Period

If you choose to pay in cash, the payback period is in many cases less than ten years. In Hawaii, it takes homeowners on average 5 years before the monthly savings (in terms of lower electricity costs) meets the total costs of the solar system.

4. Increase Your Home Value

Buying a home with solar panels translates into lower electricity costs. Solar panels will increase a home`s attractiveness on the market, similarly to homes with low property taxes, homes in school districts and homes with good Home Energy Ratings (a measurement of a energy efficiency).
A study conducted by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) concluded that homes with solar panels sell 20% faster and for 17% more money.[1]
U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that the sales price of the average home increased $17,000 with solar panels.[2]

5. Take Advantage of Incentives

As of 2009, the $2,000 cap on the Federal Solar Tax Credit is lifted. You will get 30% of total system costs back (equipment and installation). This means you would save $7,500 on a solar system worth $25,000. Combine this with state and local rebates, Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and total costs can be cut in half. Take advantage of incentives while they last.

Data from One Block Off the Grid shows that the average solar home in New Jersey earns between $5,000 and $7,000 by selling their SREC credits every year.

To find out what state and local incentives apply to you (they can vary between ZIP codes), you should signup for free solar guidance.

6. Solar is a Secure Investment

The utility companies are notorious for their fluctuating and unreliable electricity prices. There is clearly an upward trend.

With solar panels and simple math, we can calculate how much electricity will be generated, and most importantly, at what price, for at least the next 20 years (fixed energy costs).

7. Guaranteed Performance

Solar panel manufacturers include a 20- to 25-year warranty (also known as a performance guarantee) with their solar panels. The industry standard guarantees 80% performance after 25 years.

The real lifespan of solar panels is much longer - your solar panels will likely generate a good amount of electricity 30-40 years down the line.

8. Save the Environment

We know that the majority of homeowners choose to go solar because it makes good sense from a financial point of view. That being said, the environmental benefits are also clearly worth mentioning.

The U.S. places second in the world in annual carbon dioxide emissions at 17.9%, right behind China.[3] You can go a long way in lowering your carbon footprint by replacing utility power with clean electricity from solar panels.

The average residential solar system offsets about 100,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide in 20 years - the equivalent of driving a car for 100,000 miles.

9. Create Energy Independence

The U.S. relied on net imports for about 40% of the petroleum (crude oil and petroleum products) that we consumed in 2012.[4]

You can help to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign energy. We will inevitably run out of oil, coal and natural gas. While we continue our consumption of these increasingly expensive and dangerous energy source, our national security and economy suffers.

Solar is one step in the right direction.

10. Solar is Easy

Shopping for solar used to be a long and complicated process. There are hundreds of solar companies in the U.S. alone.[5] It would take you weeks to find the best solar deal. Luckily things have changed.

To go solar has never before been easier. Our team of independent solar consultants will help you sort through your options. To see how much you can save, and for all other solar questions, request a free consultation. There's no obligation.

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Top 10 Benefits of Going Solar - Energy Informative

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The U.S. solar market grew 76% in 2012.[6] Never before has solar power been this available to American households. What are the reasons why so many homeowners choose to go solar these days? Without further ado, here`s Energy Informative`s top 10 benefits of going solar: 1.

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Advantages & Disadvantages

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Hydropower is one of the oldest forms of electricity generation. Hundred years back, this energy was captured to power domestic power lifts, saw mills and to perform mechanical tasks like grinding grains. It has since evolved to be chiefly used for the generation of electricity. Hydropower is undoubtedly the world's leading electricity source. In fact, it produces about a fifth of the entire world's electricity. Consumption of energy produced from hydropower continues to skyrocket. Predictably, electricity generated from hydropower plants is predominantly utilized in countries with bountiful supply of water resources. As a matter of fact, hydropower tops the list of the cheapest forms of energy today. When infrastructure needed to produce power is up and running, harnessing of energy from running water becomes absolutely free.

Hydropower is energy captured from the moving force of water. The energy can be used for various purposes including heating, lighting, and generation of electricity to power homes, businesses and industries. Hydropower is a renewable resource since it doesn't consume any water. It only harnesses kinetic energy from speeding water to produce electricity. Also, water sources are never-ending, which means there is zero possibility of drying up some day. The natural water cycle ensures that water is always available in the universe.

Various Advantages of Hydropower

Although the upfront costs of constructing and installing a hydropower plant are high, once it's functional, the costs relating to operation and maintenance become extremely low. And since water used in the generation of energy doesn't need to be transformed or purified like other fossil-based sources of fuel such as oil, there is virtually no production costs linked to hydropower. Unlike oil, water is not affected by market shifts that may trigger prices to explode. Finally, once hydroelectric power plants are up and running, they have insanely long lifespan. They can last between 50 to 100 years. Hydropower plants are also seamlessly adaptable and can easily be upgraded to inject new technology.

Renewable energy means energy that can be used until the end of time. Renewable energy is harnessed from a source that is never-ending like sun, water, and wind. With hydropower production, water is not used up. The hydropower technologies only derive the energy of moving water and convert it into electricity.

Hydroelectric power is a clean source of energy, which means it contributes small amounts of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. When compared to fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gasses, it's by far the cleanest. Utilizing hydropower is shown to mitigate the emission of the levels of greenhouse gasses that would typically occur from the equivalent of combusting 4.4 million barrels of petroleum each day across the globe. On top of that, hydropower production doesn't give off toxic byproducts that would harm the environment.

Hydropower has a vital benefit of being able to be accumulated. This means that it can be directed to meet variation in demand. If the demand for power goes out of the roof, more can be stored up for later use. Its flexibility is also manifested when looking at other renewable energy sources like wind and solar. These energy sources are only available at specific times. Wind energy is only available when it's windy. Solar energy is only available when the sun is shining. Water, on the other hand, is constantly available and is used to cover for wind and solar when they are unavailable.

When blackout occurs, or when demand is at peak, hydropower can flawlessly be fed into the main electrical grid compared to other sources of energy. This greatly assists in bringing equilibrium between the demand and supply of electricity.

Apart from the known main benefits hydropower to the community, it carries a host of secondary benefits. When hydropower is introduced to remote areas that lacked the resource, it promotes commerce, industry, and assists build up infrastructure and upgrade existing ones such as roads and navigation. Hydropower also helps people to easily access education and health. The local economy is also propped up by the creation of new jobs, recreation, tourism, and investments. And since this energy source has been in existence since hundreds of years ago, its wide-ranging effects are understood and manageable. This ensures less severe side effects.

Setting up a hydropower plant increases awareness of the areas nearby. Focus turns to animal species and ecosystems of the surrounding areas. This prompts enhanced exploration and study of the inhabitants, and this means they can be understood to facilitate better management.

Water is naturally used to power businesses and homes. Nonetheless, in the course of converting moving water into energy, rainwater is harvested and utilized for irrigation and drinking. These aspects are not only advantageous to the population, but assist in the reduction of vulnerability to both droughts and floods as well.

Uses of Hydropower Energy

The main use of hydropower today is generation of electricity. It's most preferred because it's relatively inexpensive and a less polluting power source. Although the construction of a hydropower plant can have little effect on the environment, it tops the charts in regard to better climate compatibility when compared to other energy sources such fossil fuels and nuclear. Hydropower is the main source of energy in most countries in South America and Nordic region. Countries like China and India that have high affinity for energy heavily rely on hydroelectricity to satisfy that demand. Fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas are being scaled back due to the grave environmental impacts they bring.

Long ago, hydropower was majorly used to grind grain to produce flour, for sawing timber and to provide water for irrigation. Ancient Egypt was the first civilization to tap hydropower for irrigation purposes. The government constructed huge flat basins adjacent to the Nile River with sluices that were able to divert water into those basins when floods were at peak. This enabled farmers to grow crops all year round even when there was drought. Today, agriculture is still the bedrock of most economies and hydropower plays a big role in pumping water to farms.

In ancient times, hydropower was utilized for industrial activities like driving bellows in small sized blast furnaces. It was also applied to the extraction of metal ores; a technique called hushing.

Fossil fuels are increasingly becoming susceptible to extinction. Hydropower, in conjunction with solar and wind power, is seen as the hope when these fossils fuels are depleted. Also, when there is power shortage, hydropower steps in to fill the slack.

Telling the time by driving clocks is an exhilarating way to use hydropower. Water clocks take advantage of flowing water via precise opening to compute the passage of hours. These range from the very simple clocks in households, to huge mechanical devices hanged on buildings or carried along by royal processions.

Despite the fact that hydropower might not be entirely perfect, it boasts clean and reliable source of energy with numerous benefits to the society and environment. Considering that only a small percentage of the available hydropower potential has been harnessed, humans have a lot to do to be able to enjoy this never ending energy resource fully.

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Various Advantages of Hydropower - Conserve Energy Future

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Hydropower is one of the oldest forms of electricity generation. Hundred years back, this energy was captured to power domestic power lifts, saw mills and to perform mechanical tasks like grinding grains. It has since evolved to be chiefly used for the generation of electricity. Hydropower is undoubtedly the world's leading electricity source.

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Advantages & Disadvantages

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In 2020, of the energy generated in the United States was from large-scale hydropower plants. Hydroelectricity, which is created by hydropower plants, is a popular form of renewable energy that uses the flow of water to generate electricity.

Hydroelectricity is a renewable form of energy , but what are the other advantages this technology offers? Are there any disadvantages? The answer to both those questions is yes, let's find out why.

Pros and cons of hydroelectric energy

Hydropower has been used for generations to provide the U.S. with reliable, fossil fuel-free electricity.

It is a great renewable energy source because water is usually very abundant, but it comes with some environmental drawbacks. While the power source itself is carbon dioxide-free, building dams along a river can have consequences for the native fish species.

Generally, the pros outweigh the cons for hydropower because unlike solar or wind, water can be relied on 24/7.

How hydroelectric energy works

Hydropower plants create energy by using the force of water to turn turbines. They operate similarly to how a coal-powered plant is run.

For example, when coal is burned in a coal plant, the steam that is created powers turbines that then create electricity. With hydropower, the energy source that generates power is water.

The most popular form of hydropower, also known as hydroelectric power, is a large dam that holds water in a reservoir, like the picture below. When electricity is needed, water is released from the reservoir, which then propels turbines to produce electricity.
Hydropower plants are powered by water, which spins turbines to generate electricity. Image source: USGS
While hydroelectric dams are a great way to produce electricity, there are some disadvantages to them, which we will detail below.

Advantages of hydroelectric energy

1. Renewable

Hydroelectric energy is classified as a renewable energy source because it is powered by water, and water is a naturally replenishing resource.

Since water is the energy source that powers a hydropower plant, there is no pollution emitted during the generation of power. Both of these factors make hydropower renewable, because water is naturally replenishing and because it is not a source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Read more: Examples of renewable resources

2. Low emissions

The action of generating electricity with hydropower energy does not emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that drives global climate change.

After a hydropower plant is built, it does not emit pollution into the atmosphere like many of its non-renewable energy counterparts, like coal and natural gas.

3. Reliable

Hydroelectricity is a very reliable renewable energy source.

Water flow is usually very predictable and is taken into consideration when determining where a hydropower plant is built, either on an actively flowing river or built with a dam to manage water flow.

Additionally, the output of electricity can be adjusted. If energy demand is low, water can be averted from the turbines and less energy will be produced. The opposite is true if more energy is needed - more water can flow into the plant for electricity production.

4. Safe

Generally, hydropower is a very safe form of power generation.

No sickness-causing pollution is emitted during energy generation and there is zero chance of oil spills or gas pipes breaking, since the only fuel used to power a hydropower plant is water.

Disadvantages of hydroelectric energy

1. Environmental consequences

Hydropower facilities can be tricky because when one is built with a dam, such as the famous Hoover Dam in Nevada, a previously dry land area will be flooded with water, in order to be used as a reservoir. That means whatever habitat was in that location will be ruined. Also, the natural flow of the river will be affected.

A non-natural water flow leads to issues ranging from less sediment reaching the end of the river, a natural way to build up and maintain land, to affecting fish migration patterns. Also, many rivers travel through multiple counties and if they are dammed, upstream countries could take more water than is fair and leave less water for countries downriver.

Before choosing locations for hydropower plants, the potential environmental effects should be carefully considered to make sure that the plant can be as environmentally-friendly as possible.

2. Expensive to build

Building any type of power plant is expensive - hydroelectric power plants can cost as much as $580 per kilowatt to be built, and they usually range from 10MW to 30MWs (where one MW is equal to 1,000 kilowatts).

This means that the upfront cost of building a hydropower plant can be millions of dollars. Compared to the falling prices of solar installations, for example, hydropower is a more challenging renewable project to finance.

3. Drought potential

The ability to create electricity can be severely reduced if there is a drought and not enough water is flowing into the plant.

The good news is, most droughts are a short-lived break from the typical water cycle and should only create a minor delay in electricity generation.

4. Limited reservoirs

It is challenging to find a suitable spot that has a large year-round water supply, with the right amount of water and is close enough to existing power lines. It is also a delicate balancing act to keeping enough river water wild (meaning without dams), versus damming up many rivers for power.

Hydropower vs other renewable power sources

The main advantages of hydroelectric power are that it is 100% renewable, it can generate electricity at any time day or night, and its operation is generally safe.

However, it is challenging to build hydropower plants because you need to completely dam up a river. Not many utility companies can afford this, and usually governments foot the bill for hydropower plants.

Interestingly, states with a lot of hydropower plants tend to have cheaper electricity costs. So if states are willing to pay the upfront costs to build hydropower plants, they can reduce consumers' electric bills.

Solar power is a cheap source of renewable energy but hydroelectric power is more consistent since water is rushing through the turbines 24/7, versus the sun that only shines during the day.

While windpower is also a very consistent form of renewable power, wind turbines will have a higher maintenance cost than hydropower plants because the turbines are larger and constantly moving, meaning they break down more easily.

As for biofuels, hydropower is superior because once the plant is built and running, the environmental impacts are less. With biofuels, you need to constantly cut down trees or plants that will be burned for fuel. But with hydropower, water is plentiful and does not emit CO2 when powering the plant.

Learn more about the pros and cons of other renewable energy sources:

While no power source is perfect, hydropower can provide a good balance of renewable energy that produces reliable power with limited environmental impacts. To combat climate change, hydropower will be a necessary part of the U.S. energy mix because it is both greenhouse gas emissions free and a relatively simple and reliable way to produce clean energy.
Looking for lists of pros and cons for other types of energy sources?

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In 2020, of the energy generated in the United States was from large-scale hydropower plants. Hydroelectricity, which is created by hydropower plants, is a popular form of renewable energy that uses the flow of water to generate electricity. Hydroelectricity is a renewable form of energy , but what are the other advantages this technology offers?

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benefits

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Benefits of Hydropower | Department of Energy

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There are many advantages to hydropower than conventional methods of generating electricity, from being a renewable, sustainable resource, to being a reliable back-up source of energy when there are disruptions to electricity.

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Science Links

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Helpful websites may include: World Book Kids, Kids Info Bits, or Science in Context (All found through the Jeffco Public Library Page: See helpful links page).

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TOUCH this image to discover its story. Image tagging powered by ThingLink

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Renewable energy explained - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

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Types and sources of renewable energy and contribution of renewable energy to U.S. energy supply since 1776.

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The numbers are in and the verdict is clear: clean energy is on the rise, both at home and around the world.

Last week, one of the Department of Energy's national labs, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, released the 2015 Renewable Energy Data Book. This annual publication illustrates the rapid progress that the United States and globe has seen on a variety of energy metrics over the past year - including electricity generation, investments, and technology-specific data.

There's a lot in this year's Data Book to be excited about. Let's take a look at four charts that tell the story of the clean energy revolution and why we need to continue our investments to ensure America leads the way to the stronger economy, jobs and cleaner future that these technologies can bring.

1. America's Diverse Renewable Portfolio Continues to Grow

Our country is blessed with a diverse array of high quality renewable energy resources. The deployment of wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass technologies continue to increase. In fact, renewable technologies accounted for 64% of all new electricity generating capacity constructed in the U.S. in 2015.

2. The Clean Energy Revolution Continues to March Forward

Affirming the findings of the Energy Department's recent Revolution...Now report on cost reductions and deployment of renewable technologies, the Data Book illustrates that long-term investment by the federal government and industry have led to accelerated renewable energy deployment. As one example, cumulative renewable energy capacity has grown from roughly 90,000 megawatts (MW) in 2000 to more than 194,000 MW in 2015 - a more than 115% increase!

Overall, renewable energy capacity now produces 14% of all domestic electricity. In 2015 alone, installed wind capacity increased by more than 12% (8,100 MW), accounting for more than half of all new renewable capacity additions. As Revolution...Now points out, this deployment is made possible by technology cost reductions that enable wind developers to sell their electricity at lower prices. With help from federal tax credits, the power purchase agreement price for wind has fallen from roughly 7 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2009 to an average of 2 cents per kilowatt-hour in some regions of the country today.

Solar capacity increased by 36% (5,600 MW), accounting for roughly 40% of all renewable projects completed in 2015. Revolution...Now illustrates that since 2008, the cost of utility-scale solar projects has decreased by 64% and the cost of distributed rooftop solar has decreased by 54%. The dramatic cost reductions continue to drive the deployment of solar technologies in the United States and around the globe.

3. Multiple Regions in the U.S. are Leading the Way on Renewable Installations

The Midwest is experiencing a true wind energy boom. Of the five states with the highest cumulative wind capacity, four of them are located in the Midwest.

Texas: 17,711 MW

Iowa: 6,209 MW

Oklahoma: 5,184 MW

Illinois: 3,842 MW

Adding to the impressive amount of wind capacity already deployed, just last year Texas installed more than 3,600 MW of new wind capacity, followed by Oklahoma which installed 1,400 MW.

Not surprisingly, the Southwest continues to be a hotbed for solar energy deployment. California and Arizona have the most cumulative photovoltaic solar capacity installed, totaling 11,987 MW and 2,020 MW, respectively. But solar deployment is also accelerating into other parts of the country as well.

Last year, five of the top 10 states for solar photovoltaic additions were on the East Coast, with North Carolina in second place nationally with the addition of 1,160 MW. North Carolina and New Jersey now have the third- and fourth-largest cumulative installed solar capacity at 2,087 MW and 1,632 MW, respectively.

Other regions are experiencing their own renewable energy breakthroughs as well. The Northwest continues to be a leader in hydropower deployment and innovation. Geothermal technologies are being steadily deployed in states around the Rocky Mountains, while the Southeast continues to install cutting-edge renewable biomass technologies.

4. Investment in Renewable Energy Continues to Increase

Globally, investment in clean energy in 2015 grew by more than 4%, totaling $329 billion. In the United States, clean energy investment grew by 10%, totaling $45 billion in 2015. It's clear that the market for clean energy is poised to grow in the years ahead.

As this year's Data Book illustrates, the clean energy revolution continues to expand in the U.S. and around the world. Innovation breakthroughs take time to take hold - especially in the energy space. But it's clear that investments in clean energy pay off in the long run and foster a stronger economy, more jobs and a cleaner future. Now, we need to keep up the pace of innovation to ensure that the U.S. leads the way in the global clean energy race.

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4 Charts That Show Renewable Energy is on the Rise in America

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The numbers are in and the verdict is clear: clean energy is on the rise, both at home and around the world. Last week, one of the Department of Energy's national labs, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado, released the 2015 Renewable Energy Data Book.

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How many jobs does this resource provide?

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Alternative energy encompasses all those things that do not consume fossil fuel. They are widely available and environment friendly. They cause little or almost no pollution. There have been several alternative energy projects running in various countries to reduce our dependence on traditional fossil fuels. There are many impressive options that you can take into consideration such as solar tankless water heater reviews. Here in you will learn more about alternative energy sources that you can take into consideration.

Solar Energy

Solar is the first energy source in the world. It was in use much earlier before humans even learn how to light a fire. Many living things are dependent on solar energy from plants, aquatic life and the animals. The solar is mostly used in generating light and heat. The solar energy coming down to the planet is affected by the orbital path of the sun and its variations within the galaxy. In addition, it is affected by activity taking place in space and on the sun. It was this energy that is believed to have been responsible for the breaking of ice during the ice age, which creates the separation of lands and sea.

Solar energy is one the alternative energy source that is used most widely across the globe. About 70% of the sunlight gets reflected back into the space and we have only 30% of sunlight to meet up our energy demands. While solar energy is used for producing solar energy, it is also used for drying clothes, used by plants during the process of photosynthesis and also used by human beings during winter seasons to make their body temperature warm. Solar energy can be extracted either by Solar Thermal or using Photovoltaic (PV) Cells. Learn more about these methods here.

There are two kinds of solar energy the active solar energy and the passive solar energy. Passive solar energy basically uses duration, position and sun's rays intensity to its advantage in heating a particular area. It also uses it to induce airflow from an area to the next. Active solar energy uses electrical technology and mechanical technology like collection panels in capturing, converting and storing of energy for future use.

Solar energy does not create any pollution and is widely used by many countries. It is renewable source of power since sun will continue to produce sunlight all the years. Solar panels, which are required to harness this energy can be used for long time and require little or no maintenance. Solar energy proves to be ineffective in colder regions which don't receive good sunlight. It cannot be used during night and not all the light from sun can be trapped by solar panels. Solar energy advantages are much more than its disadvantages which make it as a viable source of producing alternative energy.

Wind Energy

This is one of the energy sources that have been in use for a very long time and for centuries. It was used in powering sailing ships, which made it possible for explorers to sail around their trade routes in distant lands. A single windmill can power the crop irrigation, and the family energy needs, water pumping and electric lights. However, in the present time there are several windmills that are used to generate required energy mostly for industrial uses. Many of the wind turbines can capture much power all at once before feeding it to the power grid. This is commonly know as wind farms and has been in use for many years all round the world. It is only the United States that is going slow in terms of accepting this alternative energy source.

Wind power is renewable source of energy and reduces our alliance on foreign countries for supply of oil and gas. It does not cause any air pollution and have created several jobs in last few decades. Advancement in technologies has brought down the cost of setting up wind power plant. Wind energy can only be used in areas which experience high winds which mean that it cannot be used as a source to extract energy anywhere on earth. They sometimes create noise disturbances and cannot be used near residential areas. These disadvantages have made the use of wind energy to particular regions only.

Geothermal Energy

Please Enable Javascript for this Alternative Energy widget to work'Geo' means Earth and 'thermal' means energy. Geothermal energy means energy drawn or harnessed from beneath the earth. It is completely clean and renewable. Geothermal energy has been in used since last several years. The earth contains a molten rock called magma. Heat is continuously produced from there. The temperature increases about 3 degrees Celsius, for every 100 meters you go below ground. Below, 10,000 meters the temperature is so high, that it can be used to boil water. Water makes its way deep inside the earth and hot rock boils that water. The boiling water then produces steam which is captured by geothermal heat pumps. The steam turns the turbines which in turn activates generators. Read more about working of Geothermal energy here.

Geothermal energy can be found anywhere on the earth. Most countries tap this energy to generate electricity, using thermal mass flowmeters, and power millions of homes. The areas which have high underground temperatures are the ones which are the ones which are prone to earthquakes and volcanoes. The United States produces more Geothermal electricity than any other country in the world. Most hot water geothermal reservoirs are located in the western states, Alaska, and Hawaii. Geothermal energy is totally renewable as earth will continue to produce heat as long as we are all are here. If these resources are tapped and are utilized effectively, they can provide solution to the world's power problems.

Geothermal energy produces no pollution, reduces our alliance on fossil fuels. It also results in significant cost savings as no fuel is required to harness energy from beneath the earth. These advantages make geothermal energy as one the best alternative energy source. But, geothermal has its downsides too. It is suitable to particular region and cannot be harnessed everywhere. The earth may release some harmful gases while releasing the heat which may prove adverse from mankind. Also, the areas where this energy is harnessed are prone to earthquakes and volcanoes. Apart from that, setting up of geothermal power stations requires huge installation cost. Here are some pros and cons of geothermal energy.

Hydroelectric Energy

Solar energy is produced by sun and wind energy is produced by moving of winds. The heat caused by sun drives the wind. The movement of winds is then captured by wind turbines. Both wind and sun cause water to evaporate. The water vapor then turns into rain or snow and flows down to sea or oceans through rivers or streams. The energy of the moving water can then be captured and called as hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power stations capture the kinetic energy of moving water and give mechanical energy to turbines. The moving turbines then convert mechanical energy into electrical energy through generators. Dams around the world have been built for this purpose only. Hydropower is the largest producer of alternative energy in the world.

There are different types of hydropower plants. The selection of hydropower plant depends on many volume and flow of water. Hydropower is renewable, constant, predictable and controllable source of energy. They emit no greenhouse gases and are environment friendly. On the negative side, they may cause adverse effect on aquatic life, reduce flow of water which may affect agriculture, require huge costs to build and may cause havoc if they get breakdown.

Biomass Energy

This is the process by which an alternative energy is generated through conversion of biological materials and wastes into forms that can be used as energy sources for heating, power generation and transportation. Those carbon based substances or materials converted over a long period of time to fossil fuels are not regarded as biomass. However, in their original state they are regarded as biomass. This is because of the separation of the carbon they previously contained from the carbon cycle. This makes them figure differently affecting carbon dioxide levels in air.

Biomass energy has been around since ancient times when people use to burn wood or coal to heat their homes or prepare food. Wood still remains the most common source to produce biomass energy. Apart from wood, the other products that are used to create biomass energy include crops, plants, landfills, municipal and industrial waste, trees and agricultural waste. Biomass is renewable source of energy as we would be able to produce it as long as crops, plants and waste exist. It does not create any greenhouse gases and is can be easily extracted through the process of combustion. Another advantage of biomass is that it helps to reduce landfills. Biomass is comparatively ineffective as compared to fossil fuels. They release methane gases which can be harmful to the environment. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of biomass here.

Ocean Energy

The earth promises many power sources. Just like the geothermal and solar energy, which have long been used in heating homes and lighting as well when harnessed. Even in the last century these forms of energy was in use. Due to massive size of oceans, this energy can be used on much wider scale than other alternative sources of energy. The waves produced by the ocean and tides that hit the sea shore has enormous potential in them. If they are harnessed with full capacity they can go a long way in reducing world's energy problems. There are 3 ways i.e. Tidal energy, Wave energy and Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) via which ocean energy can be harnessed.

Tidal power basically involves using kinetic energy from the incoming and outgoing tides. The difference in high tides and low tides are also important in this respect. There is a lot of energy that can be harnessed from waves for use. It is another form of hydropower. The rise and fall of ocean tides are captured by tidal energy generators which turn turbines. The movement of turbines is responsible for producing electricity. In short, tidal energy generator captures the kinetic motion of the tides and converts them into electrical energy. The main advantage of tidal energy is that it is completely renewable and are much more predictable than wave energy. Learn more about the tidal energy here.

Hydrogen Energy

Hydrogen is the most abundant element available on earth but it is rarely alone. Even water contains two third of hydrogen. It is usually available with other elements and have to separated before we can make use of it. Hydrogen has tremendous potential and can be used to power up homes, vehicles and even space rockets. It takes a lot of energy to separate hydrogen from other elements and therefore it proves to quite expensive to extract it. Take a close look at hydrogen energy and see how it works.

The main benefit of hydrogen energy is that it is clean source of fuel and does not leave any waste elements behind except water. There are no harmful emissions and is environment friendly. It is completely renewable and can be produced over and over again on demand. Hydrogen can also be used to make bombs like the ones used by America on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which makes it highly inflammable. Dependency on fossil fuels still remains as we need them to extract hydrogen from other elements. Also, it is quite expensive to produce and store.

These are some of the alternative energy sources that can be taken into consideration when planning your energy production and usage. You can harness any of these and you will satisfy your power needs.

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Alternative Energy Sources - Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Biomass, Ocean and other energy sources

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Alternative energy encompasses all those things that do not consume fossil fuel. They are widely available and environment friendly. They cause little or almost no pollution. There have been several alternative energy projects running in various countries to reduce our dependence on traditional fossil fuels.

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Definition of Renewable Energy Source

Every day we rely on energy to provide us with electricity, hot water, and fuel for our cars. Most of this energy comes from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. These are nonrenewable energy sources, which means that if we use them all up, we can never get more during our lifetime. Fossil fuels also contribute greatly to global climate change by releasing carbon dioxide into the air when they are burned.

Because fossil fuels can run out and are bad for the environment, it is important that we start switching to other energy sources, like renewable energy sources. These are energy sources that are constantly being replenished, such as sunlight, wind, and water. This means that we can use them as much as we want, and we do not have to worry about them running out. Additionally, renewable energy sources are usually much more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. Overall, they release very few chemicals, like carbon dioxide, that can harm the environment.

Currently, less than ten percent of all the energy we use comes from renewable sources. So, you might be wondering, 'if renewable energy sources do not harm the environment and will not run out, then why are we not using them everywhere and all the time?' It is because many of them are currently expensive to harness, are inefficient, or have other disadvantages. For example, using energy from the wind might be great in an area that is really windy all year-round, but it wouldn't work so well in an area with very little wind.

Types of Renewable Energy

Let's look a little closer at five examples of renewable energy sources, including the pros and cons of each.

Solar energy, or energy from the sun, is harnessed using solar collectors. This collected energy can then be used to provide heat, light, or other forms of electricity.

Pros: Sunlight is free and readily available almost everywhere. Using it does not create any wastes or pollutants.

Cons: The technology needed to collect and use solar energy can be expensive. Sunlight can only be collected during the day when it is sunny.

Wind energy is just what it sounds like: energy that we get from the wind. Windmills have been used for hundreds of years to pump water from the ground. Today, we use large, tall wind turbines that use the wind to generate electricity. Many wind turbines are often placed together in wind farms in flat areas with strong winds.

Pros: Does not produce any waste or pollutants. It takes up little ground space.

Cons: Wind turbines can disturb or kill flying creatures, like birds and bats. Wind is not constant and reliable everywhere.

When water is used to generate electricity, it is called hydroelectric power, or hydropower. Most hydropower plants use a dam on a river to create a reservoir to store water. As water is released from the reservoir, it flows through a turbine and causes it to spin. This activates a generator that produces electricity.

Pros: Hydropower is relatively inexpensive, and it leaves no harmful chemicals.

Cons: Dams can change and destroy habitats near rivers. Dams can also prevent the migration of fish.

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what is a renewable energy source? - definition & example - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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What Is a Renewable Energy Source? - Definition & Example - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Every day we rely on energy to provide us with electricity, hot water, and fuel for our cars. Most of this energy comes from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. These are nonrenewable energy sources, which means that if we use them all up, we can never get more during our lifetime.