Renewable energy is any energy that is produced from a source that replaces itself organically over time. It consists of naturally occurring carbon-free energy sources like wind, tide, geothermal heat, sunlight, rain, and waves. This renewable source of energy competes with fossil fuels, which have a lower rate of replenishment than their rate of consumption. In 2020, renewable energy capacity increased by more than 45% from 2019. The four main applications of renewable energy are transportation, electricity generation, heating or cooling of air and water, and off-grid rural energy services.
Fossil fuels are examples of non-renewable energy sources; once used up, they take longer to refill, raising the cost of energy. The only alternative left for the globe is to switch to renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy because they are abundant, eco-friendly, and sustainable. The benefits and drawbacks go hand in hand, but given the demand for renewable energy in the future, I believe the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks.
Positive aspects of renewable energy
Renewable and trustworthy
Renewable energy sources are abundant and have little danger of running out in the future, in contrast to unsustainable fossil fuels that may soon run out. Examples of limitless and ongoing renewable energy sources are wind, sun, hydropower, and geothermal energy.
Dependence on fossil fuels has an impact on the economy because of a number of unforeseen problems, including political challenges, trade problems, price rises, and unforeseen wars. In fact, relying solely on wind and solar energy could not produce the required results at a specific place, but the issue can be mitigated if the plants are dispersed over a big area. Since the weather varies from location to location, if one area experiences any shortages, others can fill the gap.
benefits to health and the environment
Solar and wind energy fall under the category of eco-friendly sources because they emit no hazardous emissions. This lowers both the consumption of fossil fuels and air pollution. Global warming and climate change are caused by greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, which are byproducts of burning fossil fuels. In addition, sulphur emissions into the atmosphere result in acid rain, which is bad for both infrastructure and human health. These pollutants can also lead to issues with the heart and lungs. Reducing the combustion of fossil fuels improves the environment greatly, making it safer and healthier.
cost-efficient with little upkeep
Utilizing renewable energy lowers maintenance and operating expenses. Traditional fuel sources produce energy via turbines and generators, which are highly maintained. Because there are fewer moving parts in solar and wind turbines, maintenance costs are reduced. Numerous fossil fuels are required to run the generators, which raises the cost of energy production. However, the solar and wind energy production facilities do not incur this expense. The technology employed coupled with the other elements results in significant cost savings. We don’t need to refuel solar, wind, or steam-based energy production as frequently as fossil fuel-based technologies, which is another factor in cost reduction.
Waste recycling and stable global prices
Biomass energy has a special quality. It needs grain, algae, vegetable oil, and by-products from soybeans to produce the energy. By employing these organic goods, less garbage is sent to landfills and less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. In other words, we gain twice as much.
The use of renewable energy guarantees stable worldwide prices. The only factor affecting the price is the installation fees. The cost of fossil fuels, however, is dependent on availability and the rate of inflation, thus it is constantly changing. That implies that the government must focus on the first expense.
Issues with renewable energy
large investment
Installation of a plant for energy production is significant, as was previously said. Hydroelectric plants, wind turbines, and solar panels are pricy. Along with keeping maintenance costs under control, careful planning and execution are also necessary. Costs are increased by laying power lines for the supply of electricity. Rebates and tax credits, however, are quite helpful in reducing these expenditures.
Geographical diversity
The terrain and geography of a location are the key determinants of renewable resources. Every location has a different amount of sun and wind than another. In contrast to dense metropolitan settings, the wide space may be windy but not sunny, while rural locations may have more of both. Power outages could also result from this issue. Disasters caused by nature could potentially make renewable energy systems less effective. As a result, it is uncertain whether energy is available every single day. Another problem that plagues industry is the intermittent supply of energy, whereas fossil fuels do not have this issue.
Low efficiency and lower quantity
Technology has failed to create efficient ways to produce enormous amounts of power. Therefore, relying solely on renewable resources is not practical at this time. To fulfil the increasing demand for energy consumption, we still need to develop more effective methods. To entice investors to participate in initiatives that promise better returns, high installation and maintenance costs must be reduced. The newness of the technologies on the market is the cause of their lack of efficiency.
large installation
Technologies for generating electricity from renewable sources needed too much room to be installed. Solar panels needed lots of land, while windmills needed wide spaces. It only inhabits open farms, which are only found in villages. It is challenging for cities to obtain this much area. Consequently, supply lines raise the price of the energy once more. Energy generation is expensive, but energy storage is also expensive because intermittent power needs to be stored for later use.
When we weigh the benefits and drawbacks of renewable energy, we discover that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. It provides a clean and safe environment, and it also saves money, which are both significant factors.
