The Pros & Cons of Alternative Sources of Energy
The best known alternative energy sources are sun, wind and water. Unlike fossil fuels plus gas and oil, these resources are renewable. However, while this is a positive aspect, there are downsides to alternative energy use, such as cost and availability.
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Advantages
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Sun, wind and water are sustainable resources as they are unlikely to disappear. The environmental advantages are that these sources don't produce carbon dioxide emissions or other pollutants. Large projects also generate employment; a wind farm, for example, is typically built in areas of low population and employment because of land availability. Another advantage is that the cost of maintaining alternative energy source generators is lower than that associated with fossil fuel generators.
Disadvantages
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As of 2010, renewable sources are still unable to produce the quantities of electricity generated by traditional power plants that use fossil fuels. Added to this, solar power is an effective source in areas with large amounts of sunshine but is an unreliable source in areas with little sun. Similarly, wind farms need a constant supply of wind to turn the turbines; again, this is not always available. Also, wind farms are known to threaten wild birds in the vicinity. Hydroelectric power is one of the most reliable sources, but it also causes ecological problems in rivers.
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Cost
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Cost remains a key issue when considering the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy. As of 2010, large scale solar and wind projects still have high capital costs, and residential alternative energy installation is also expensive.
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References
- Photo Credit ocean image by sergey2008 from Fotolia.com
