Current Energy Sources and Their Problems
The main energy sources used across the globe today can be divided into three categories: fossil fuels, renewable energy sources, and nuclear power. There are problems with each of these sources, relating to pollution, reliability, or safety.
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Fossil Fuels
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The three main fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas, which are burned to release energy. They are nonrenewable sources of energy, in that they are a finite resource. When burnt, fossil fuels release large amounts of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, according to the University of Michigan, which are damaging to the environment and promote the greenhouse effect that exacerbates global warming.
Renewable Energy Sources
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Renewable energy sources can be unreliable, placing a strain on power grids during times of high demand. For instance, during periods of low wind or no sunlight, neither wind power nor solar energy can be produced. Furthermore, there are often environmental issues with the development of renewable energy projects, such as hydroelectric power, which utilizes dams that block off rivers, leading to ecological impacts, in addition to increasing flood risk in some areas, according to the BBC.
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Nuclear Power
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Nuclear power, generated using uranium, currently produces approximately 11 percent of the world's energy supply, according to darvill.clara.net. The problem with nuclear power is that the waste produced is highly toxic and extremely dangerous. According to darvill.clara.net, it must be securely contained and kept safe until the radioactivity reaches safe levels, which can be thousands of years. Furthermore, there are high costs associated with making nuclear power safe, and if an accident were to happen, the environmental consequences would be disastrous, as in the case of the Chernobyl disaster.
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References
- Photo Credit power lines image by Edsweb from Fotolia.com
