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Pros And Cons Of Alternative Energy Sources
Due to rising world-wide energy use and the likely exhaustion of the world's non-renewable energy sources, ways of extracting and using 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 makes little or no waste products that may pollute or has harmful effects on the environment. Some countries using renewable energy as an alternative source of energy are also showing economic benefits, particularly in some 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. One disadvantage of using renewable energy is the difficulty in yielding a large enough supply of energy to adequately replace conventional non-renewable fuels. For example, both wind and solar power sources are affected by shifting weather conditions, and scientists have yet to invent an energy storage mechanism that can efficiently store electricity generated during optimal conditions. The other drawback or disadvantage of alternative energy sources is that it is frequently relatively more expensive to set up the equipment required for generating the power. Listed below are some pros and cons of specific alternative energy sources: Solar power -- Our sun is the greatest source of power because its energy is free and abundant. Although it is very possible to produce enough power to replace conventional sources of electricy, cost of construction, changeable weather and energy storage challenges remain disadvantages of solar energy as a source of alternative power Wind energy -- The wind is also an efficient power source. It is possible for wind power to replace up to 20 percent of the total power consumption in the future. It is also a very environmentally friendly source of power since there are no damaging gases released in the process of converting the energy. Placement is a very significant factor when considering wind power. High latitudes and coast lines are great sites to put up windmills, however a relatively big land area is required to put up sufficient number of windmills to produce the amount of electricity necessary to make a real dent in our energy usage. Hydro and tidal energy -- Both of these sources of energy use water. Hydroelectric energy is mainly produced by dams. Tidal power, on the other hand, uses the ocean's natural tides. Although these power sources are very clean, there are several disadvantages. Constructing river dams as producers of hydroelectric electricity is extremely expensive, while tidal power depends much on the ocean. Since the ocean is irregular, there are only 9 spots on our planet that are suitable for this kind of power source. Tidal energy power plants are also said to provide damaging effects on migratory birds and fish. Biomass -- biomass consists of fermented animal waste, agricultural harvests, grains and other naturally-produced products. It can be used to create ethel alcohol that can replace gasoline needs. Although it recycles waste materials as an alternative energy source, a disadvantage is that it produces greenhouse gases like methane. By Chris H. Thomas - I'm a freelance writer & web designer based in Pennsylvania. I love hiking and backpacking, aviation, and building DIY green energy projects.|
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Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) - A Quick Overview
Renewable Energy Certificate
Renewable Energy Certificates RECs - Green Electricity
What is a Renewable Energy Certificate?
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