13. Evaluating Energy Sources

Summary

Solar Energy

Advantages

• Potentially infinite energy supply.
• It can operate at different scales including individual homes for electricity supply
• It can be integrated into other industrial systems such as desalinisation plants

Disadvantages

• The manufacture and implementation of solar panels are costly.
• Solar panels rely on sunshine and don't work at night making them intermittent
• Storage of energy on sunny days is also difficult and costly
• CSP systems can rely on lots of water in areas where water is scarce, taking away from local people

Wind Energy

Advantages

• Wind is a potentially infinite energy supply.
• Can be found singularly and can be built into walls and above city streets or supplied to single homes
• Usually located in clusters called wind farms.
• The development of wind farms generates many jobs and can stimulate the economy

Disadvantages

• The manufacture and implementation of wind farms can be costly. Some local people object to on-shore wind farms, arguing that it spoils the countryside.
• Some conservationists suggest they impact rare bird populations
• Wind doesn't blow all the time and it's difficult to store and transport energy to national grids when it is windy

Geothermal Energy

Advantages

• Potentially infinite energy supply.
• Already been used successfully in some countries, such as New Zealand and Iceland.

Disadvantages

• Can be expensive to set up and only works in areas of volcanic activity.
• Dangerous elements found underground must be disposed of carefully.
• Most countries are some distance from geothermal activity so there is no means to capture or transport energy

Tidal Energy

Advantages

• Ideal for island nations but not viable for many countries
• Potential to generate a lot of energy.
• Tidal barrages can have multiple uses. For example, they can double as a bridge and help prevent flooding.

Disadvantages

• Construction of the barrage is very costly.
• Not all estuaries are suitable.
• Environmental groups argue they have negative impacts on marine life and sediment flows
• They may also reduce tidal flow and impede flows of sewage out to sea.

Hydroelectric

Advantages

• Creates water reserves as well as energy supplies
• Can produce a lot of energy
• Small units can provide energy when it is most needed to cover surges in demand

Disadvantages

• Costly to build.
• Can cause the flooding of surrounding communities and landscapes.
• Dams have major disruptive ecological impacts on local hydrology
• Dams can create geopolitical tension with neighbouring countries in international rivers
• Can have a limited lifespan

Biofuels

Advantages

• Can be produced at large scales and is a viable fuel for transportation as a replacement for oil or to reduce its use

Disadvantages

• Requires a large area of land
• Replaces forests with monoculture, which has a high ecological impact
• Can dislocate Indigenous people and rural poor from territories and land

Fossil Fuels

Advantages

• reliable efficient energy all the time
• the infrastructure for its transportation is already in place
• the time to transition to renewable energy is long.
• Infrastructure for storing and transporting renewable energy still needs to be developed.

Disadvantages

• Disadvantages are that they damage air quality, especially coal  and diesel fuel
• They are also the main cause of greenhouse gases and climate change
• Their use prevents countries from reaching mitigation targets

Nuclear Energy

Advantages

• It produces a high amount of energy with the use of very little uranium or platinum
• It produces very few carbon emissions
• Because of the high level of safety concerns, it is relatively safe

Disadvantages

• It is controversial and divides opinion based on perceived dangers
• Nuclear waste is costly to dispose of
• Nuclear power stations are costly to build and maintain
• They require a lot of water and there are concerns that they contaminate the water
• In the past nuclear disasters have led to the leaking of radiation. Chornobyl in Ukraine and Fukushima in Japan