By Chris Thomas
Due to increasing worldwide energy use and the probable depletion of the planet's non-renewable energy sources, ways of exploring and employing alternative energy sources are being undertaken. Using alternative energy sources can be both advantageous and difficult. Let us take a closer look at the pros and cons of alternative energy sources below.
A major advantage of renewable energy is that it is renewable therefore it is sustainable and will never run out. More importantly, renewable energy creates little or no waste products that may contaminate or has damaging effects on the environment.
Some countries employing renewable energy as an alternative source of energy are also showing economic benefits, particularly in many regional areas. Most of their projects are situated away from the urban centers and capital cities, and these localized areas can benefit from the increased use of local services and even tourism revenue.
A general disadvantage of using renewable energy is that it is hard to yield large amounts of electrical energy comparable to that of conventional fossil fuels. Another common problem among alternative energy sources is the reliability of the energy source. Since it is naturally generated, renewable energy supplies rely on the weather conditions.
The other primary disadvantage related to alternative energy sources like wind, solar and hydro power is their large cost of set-up relative to conventional fossil fuel-producing facilities.
Listed below are several specific advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy sources.
Solar power - the sun is a great source of energy since it is free and efficient. It is possible to generate enough energy given by our sun to supplant traditional electricity. But there are limitations -- regions at higher latitude and places with frequent rains are not capable of producing enough efficient solar energy to replace traditional non-renewable sources.
Wind energy - wind is also an efficient power source. It is possible for wind energy to supplant up to 20 percent of the total power consumption in the future. It is also a very environmentally friendly source of energy because there are no damaging gases released in the process of converting the energy to electricity. Location is a very significant factor in the use of wind energy. High latitudes and coast lines are good places to put windmills, however a relatively big land area is required to put up enough number of windmills to produce the amount of power necessary to make a serious difference in our energy usage.
Hydro and tidal energy - both of these energy sources use water. Hydroelectric energy is mainly produced by dams. Tidal energy, however, uses the natural tides of the ocean. Although these sources of power are very clean, there are several disadvantages. Erecting river dams as generators of hydroelectric power is extremely expensive, while tidal energy depends much on the ocean. Since the ocean is unpredictable, there are only 9 locations on the planet that are suitable for this sort of electricity production. Tidal energy power plants are also said to produce damaging effects on migratory birds and fish.
Biomass - biomass consists of fermented animal waste, agricultural crops, grains and other naturally-produced products. It can be used to create ethel alcohol that can be used instead of gasoline. Although it recycles waste materials as an alternative energy source, a disadvantage is that it produces greenhouse gases like methane.
Although there are some disadvantages associated with renewable power sources, their unfavorable effects are relatively small compared to the harmful consequences of using conventional fossil fuels. The quest for a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative energy carries on, but we are getting closer every day.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Thomas is the author and webmaster of "Green-Yourself!", a blog dedicated helping people learn how to Go Green and save money. Please visit http://green-yourself.com/ for DIY Green Energy Tips and Resources, and learn how to Go Green today.
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