Transitioning to Renewable Energy

Creator: Harsh Karia

As the world becomes more and more aware of the detrimental effects that come from

using fossil fuels, a new buzzword is constantly being thrown around—renewable

energy.

Renewable energy is energy that has been derived from earth’s natural resources and

is not finite or exhaustible. Renewable energy is an alternative to the traditional energy

that relies on fossil fuels, and it tends to be much less harmful to the environment. So

you may be wondering if renewable energy is seemingly infinite then why haven't we

already switched to it?

Well, renewable energy is infinite... but only at certain times. Because renewable

energy comes from the Earth and the Earth operates in a series of processes,

renewable energy is not readily available at all times. Take solar energy for example.

The amount of energy that the Sun sends to Earth in a single hour is enough to power

the entire world for over a year. In just one hour. While that is shocking, it is also true

that the Sun does not send energy towards the Earth at all hours of the day. Which is

why solar energy, although infinite, is limiting. Similarly, wind energy also requires that

there be wind in order for the wind turbines to spin naturally. While these factors are

limiting, the advantages of renewable energy far outweigh the drawbacks.

Let's take a deeper look into all benefits and drawbacks of solar energy, wind energy as

well as hydroelectric energy, another prominent energy source.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is basically energy that is captured from the Sun using photovoltaic (PV)

cells that convert direct sunlight into usable electricity using solar cells.

Benefits

Like I mentioned before, sunlight is practically limitless, at least for the next few billion

years so this energy source will stay around for a long time. On a more monetary side,

many governments offer rebates for installing solar as it helps with the environment so

this could save you money if you switch. And additionally solar power is also proven to

save money on the short term when compared to conventional methods and as solar

becomes more and more affordable, it will also become a cheaper option in the long

term.

Current Limitations

Although solar energy does save on your energy bill, it does require a significant upfront

cost to install making it less attractive to many households. Additionally, installing solar

panels at a home requires for the home to have ample sunlight as well as enough space

to install the necessary amount of solar panels.

Wind Energy

Wind energy comes from wind farms and wind farms capture the energy of wind flow

through turbines that convert it into usable electricity. This is usually done through the

help of wind turbines that spin as wind blows over their triangular structure.

Benefits

Wind energy produces no environmentally harmful byproduct, such as acid, smog, or or

and trapped gases. This allows wind energy to be truly clean and environmentally

friendly. Using wind energy will also open up many jobs as wind turbines require

constant maintenance.

Current Limitations

Wind turbines require a lot of space so they are usually placed in remote or rural areas

and far from many cities. Additionally, wind turbines need transition lines to transport

electricity which adds to their cost. And lastly, wind turbines negatively affect the wildlife

because many birds tend to get hit with the spinning blades of the turbines.

Hydroelectric Energy

The most common type of hydroelectric energy are dams. Water runs through the

turbines of the dam causing them to spin which generated electricity.

Benefits

Hydroelectric power can be used in both large scale commercial projects like the

Hoover Dam as well as smaller scale projects such as underwater turbines. Additionally,

the process of creating hydroelectric power does not cause any pollution so it is a very

environmentally friendly method of renewable energy.

Current Limitations

Most hydroelectric projects consume more energy than they produce which makes them

a questionable alternative to conventional methods. Additionally many hydroelectric

projects use fossil fuels to store the energy that is created which creates pollution.

Lastly, creating a hydroelectric plant causes disruption to the marine life in that

waterway.

While all of these energy sources have limitations, whether it be through unavailable

technology, lack of infrastructure, or missing capital, the future is bright for all of them

(no pun intended). These energy sources are something that you will continue to see

more of as our world progresses to a more economical and environmentally friendly

alternative to fossil fuels and it is certain that these new sources of energy will impact us

and many generations beyond us.

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