By Jenny Suh
447 quadrillion BTU - is the amount of energy released by a small atomic bomb and the amount of energy the world consumes in a year. By 2030, this figure has been projected to reach 702 quadrillion BTU. With the ever-increasing demand for energy and the dwindling of sources of coveted crude oil, understanding “the big picture” of the pressing energy situation has become a priority for governments and organizations. By necessity, renewable energy sources are increasing in popularity. Renewable energy supplies theoretically offer unlimited power because the source never runs out, or can be replenished. Advantages of using renewable energy sources have been publicized to an extent that even people with no expert knowledge can rattle them off, but the “cons of renewable energy” is not a topic that has been debated sufficiently.The phrase “renewable energy” brings to mind images of clean, green pastures, distant windmills, and people hugging trees. In fact, while renewable energy in the form of wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear power is established to be cleaner than energy produced by coal, gas, and other non-renewables, they come at a high environmental and economic cost.As they are alternatives to the conventional resources, it is inevitable that changing over to renewable sources would have an impact on the environment, some of it negative. Nuclear power, first used in 19541, has long since been strongly linked to radiation poisoning, heat pollution, and increased cancer rates. Granted, modern nuclear plants are safer and more efficient than earlier ones, but they still run the risk of accidents which may lead to environmental catastrophes like that of Chernobyl in 1986, the long-term effects of which are still devastating lives. On the other hand, wind power, which uses wind to turn a generator, causes “visual and noise pollution” with hulking buildings that impose on the scenery and noise from the wind turbines that grates on nerves. According to National Atlas, thousands of birds each year, including the endangered golden eagle, are caught and killed in the wind turbines. Hydroelectric power, which employs the flow of running water to turn a turbine-generator, too, has a detrimental effect on the environment. The creation of dams needed for these projects disrupts habitats by flooding large areas, and reduces the water flow downstream. This disruption runs the risk of causing drought, and displaces plants, wildlife, and human populations. Alex Yuan, a delegate from China, described the problems caused by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. “The pink skinned river dolphins are now extinct because of the dam,” she said. “Not only is the build up of sludge from the hydroelectric dam detrimental to the environment, but it also damages cultural relics, which have been immersed, and really, cannot be recovered ever again,” she added. Even solar power, a form of renewable energy which has been popularized for its versatility and cleanliness, is not without drawbacks; the manufacturing of the reflective panels results in dangerous toxic waste such as arsenic and gallium. Ironically, by using renewable energy sources to alleviate environmental problems, we have created a new set of environmental problems.Using renewable energy costs as much as two to three times as much as using non-renewable energy. According to the National Atlas, wind energy is twice as expensive as non-green energy. Using solar and hydroelectric power costs three or more times as much as using non-renewable energy. The unreliability of most renewable resources accounts for some differences in cost. Consider wind power: its overall economic viability depends on consistent wind flow, time of the year, and location. In addition to its unreliability, wind power equipment is expensive compared to other energy sources. On the other hand, solar power is not continuous, and in order to store the energy collected during the day over the night, an expensive storage device is required. Additionally, the cost of operating renewable energy plants, and switching factories to green must also be taken into consideration. Jean Choi from the Korean Minjok Leadership Academy said, “Methods of green energy are not so cost-effective as we want them to be.”Also important to take into consideration is government interference in the issue of renewable energy. While implemented with good intention, it has resulted in more problems than it has solved. The government quite often interferes with the marketing process by providing incentives to use renewable energy sources through raising the prices of existing resources and implementing laws. This type of government support shields producers from competition, and stifles technological innovations which are needed to bring the prices of renewable energy sources down. In this way, actions intended to promote alternative forms of energy may likely inhibit it. Although benefits of renewable energy largely outweigh the cons outlined above, these drawbacks should be kept in mind to produce genuinely clean energy resources. Each form of renewable energy has its individual environmental, economic, and technological limitations. Consider the present energy situation as a child emerging into adolescence: like the pressure teens experience to conform to this world, the pressure to go green is pervasive in that it is not limited to merely individuals or certain countries, and inevitable. As teens emerge as mature, responsible individuals, so too will, renewable sources mature, meaning a greener earth and cheaper energy prices.
447 quadrillion BTU - is the amount of energy released by a small atomic bomb and the amount of energy the world consumes in a year. By 2030, this figure has been projected to reach 702 quadrillion BTU. With the ever-increasing demand for energy and the dwindling of sources of coveted crude oil, understanding “the big picture” of the pressing energy situation has become a priority for governments and organizations. By necessity, renewable energy sources are increasing in popularity. Renewable energy supplies theoretically offer unlimited power because the source never runs out, or can be replenished. Advantages of using renewable energy sources have been publicized to an extent that even people with no expert knowledge can rattle them off, but the “cons of renewable energy” is not a topic that has been debated sufficiently.The phrase “renewable energy” brings to mind images of clean, green pastures, distant windmills, and people hugging trees. In fact, while renewable energy in the form of wind, solar, hydro, and nuclear power is established to be cleaner than energy produced by coal, gas, and other non-renewables, they come at a high environmental and economic cost.As they are alternatives to the conventional resources, it is inevitable that changing over to renewable sources would have an impact on the environment, some of it negative. Nuclear power, first used in 19541, has long since been strongly linked to radiation poisoning, heat pollution, and increased cancer rates. Granted, modern nuclear plants are safer and more efficient than earlier ones, but they still run the risk of accidents which may lead to environmental catastrophes like that of Chernobyl in 1986, the long-term effects of which are still devastating lives. On the other hand, wind power, which uses wind to turn a generator, causes “visual and noise pollution” with hulking buildings that impose on the scenery and noise from the wind turbines that grates on nerves. According to National Atlas, thousands of birds each year, including the endangered golden eagle, are caught and killed in the wind turbines. Hydroelectric power, which employs the flow of running water to turn a turbine-generator, too, has a detrimental effect on the environment. The creation of dams needed for these projects disrupts habitats by flooding large areas, and reduces the water flow downstream. This disruption runs the risk of causing drought, and displaces plants, wildlife, and human populations. Alex Yuan, a delegate from China, described the problems caused by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. “The pink skinned river dolphins are now extinct because of the dam,” she said. “Not only is the build up of sludge from the hydroelectric dam detrimental to the environment, but it also damages cultural relics, which have been immersed, and really, cannot be recovered ever again,” she added. Even solar power, a form of renewable energy which has been popularized for its versatility and cleanliness, is not without drawbacks; the manufacturing of the reflective panels results in dangerous toxic waste such as arsenic and gallium. Ironically, by using renewable energy sources to alleviate environmental problems, we have created a new set of environmental problems.Using renewable energy costs as much as two to three times as much as using non-renewable energy. According to the National Atlas, wind energy is twice as expensive as non-green energy. Using solar and hydroelectric power costs three or more times as much as using non-renewable energy. The unreliability of most renewable resources accounts for some differences in cost. Consider wind power: its overall economic viability depends on consistent wind flow, time of the year, and location. In addition to its unreliability, wind power equipment is expensive compared to other energy sources. On the other hand, solar power is not continuous, and in order to store the energy collected during the day over the night, an expensive storage device is required. Additionally, the cost of operating renewable energy plants, and switching factories to green must also be taken into consideration. Jean Choi from the Korean Minjok Leadership Academy said, “Methods of green energy are not so cost-effective as we want them to be.”Also important to take into consideration is government interference in the issue of renewable energy. While implemented with good intention, it has resulted in more problems than it has solved. The government quite often interferes with the marketing process by providing incentives to use renewable energy sources through raising the prices of existing resources and implementing laws. This type of government support shields producers from competition, and stifles technological innovations which are needed to bring the prices of renewable energy sources down. In this way, actions intended to promote alternative forms of energy may likely inhibit it. Although benefits of renewable energy largely outweigh the cons outlined above, these drawbacks should be kept in mind to produce genuinely clean energy resources. Each form of renewable energy has its individual environmental, economic, and technological limitations. Consider the present energy situation as a child emerging into adolescence: like the pressure teens experience to conform to this world, the pressure to go green is pervasive in that it is not limited to merely individuals or certain countries, and inevitable. As teens emerge as mature, responsible individuals, so too will, renewable sources mature, meaning a greener earth and cheaper energy prices.
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