We have all heard about renewable energy sources like solar and wind, but are there any other energy sources that are functional enough for our society? Or are they just new ways to create electricity that will never fully eliminate pollution and extra greenhouse gases? Several natural renewable energy sources include solar, wind, biomass, and more.
Solar energy is one of the more popular energy sources, as many houses worldwide have it on rooftops, but the truth is that it has limited efficiency. If a solar panel runs for a whole day, it will only generate 2 kWh of electricity, which will only power a lightbulb for about four hours. Also, even the most advanced solar panels to date only harness 20-25% of the energy being produced by the sun and convert it to electricity. Many people are buying solar panels to “save money” on electricity bills, but the initial cost of solar panels is so high that it will take 6-10 years for them to pay for themselves. In addition, solar panels only work when the sun is out. So if you live in an overcast area, or it’s raining, you’re out of luck, and if it starts hailing, your solar panels are done for.
Wind energy is also pretty finicky, as you can not produce any power when it isn’t windy. While wind turbines produce significantly less CO2 than solar energy, it still severely affects the environment. Wind turbines are massive, and they are usually in large groups. If we were to convert our country to wind energy, we would have to use up so much land to house all of the turbines, and we would be harming our wildlife significantly. Also, the turbines could easily be broken in a storm, which would be much more expensive than replacing a solar panel. While wind energy is more efficient than solar, it is far less consistent and would have higher environmental consequences.
Biomass energy is another sustainable resource, as it is any organic material from plants or animals. Biomass can be burned for heat or converted into liquid and gaseous forms for fuel. Biomass would probably be the most straightforward replacement for coal and oil, as it works similarly but without CO2 emissions. However, taking organic material and natural fertilizers from our planet would also have side effects. However, biomass would be very efficient because although it would perform the same job as coal or oil, 20 lbs of biomass is the same fuel as a gallon of oil. With its low environmental impact, extraordinary simplicity, and efficiency, biomass may be the way for us to go.
RELATED STORIES
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/07/f24/biomass_basics.pdf
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/what-is-energy/sources-of-energy.php
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/renewable-energy-clean-facts
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