Renewable Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Renewable Energy - Essay Example In terms of expense, it is expensive to set up a wind farm. Furthermore, wind is unpredictable as it changes with weather and in other places; wind power cannot support a wind farm because it is too weak. Wind strength is also variable with time. Therefore, wind mills do not give out uniform amount of energy at all times. Sometimes, not even the slightest amount of power becomes generated (Kaltschmitt, Streicher & Wiese 96). If everybody is to turn to wind as an energy source, large tracts of wind farms would become needed to supply sufficient electricity. For instance, the most immense wind mill available in the United States is only able to supply electricity to about 400 homes. Solar energy is another renewable source of energy that people have failed to embrace fully. Solar energy has been in use since ancient times, with several technologies getting harnessed to collect heat and light from the sun with two main systems been used in this modern age (Boyle 89). These are photovolt aic, also known as solar cell and concentrated solar power systems. Concentrated solar systems have lenses which concentrate a significant area of light into a beam. The concentrated heat becomes used as a heat source. The photovoltaic cell, on the other hand, converts light into electric current. Solar energy gets applied in several fields, for instance industries located in remote places, use solar energy to power monitoring devices as well as corrosion protection devices (Johansson 66). Residents living in such areas use it to pump water, to cook, through the use of solar cookers, to heat and purify water and to dry fruits and herbs. Tests are underway on the use of solar powered planes. Recently, solar trash became designed in some of the big cities. Solar... Renewable Energy This essay demonstrates the comparison of different renewable energy sources types, their advantages, and disadvantages suitability, sustainability, and profitability if they are used during a long period of time. It talks about the possibility of fossil fuels replacement by new types of energy sources. Various researches are being carried out all over the world by scientists to come up with cost-effective, and environmentally friendly sources of energy. One of the analyzed sources is solar energy that people have failed to embrace fully. Solar energy is cost effective, easy to install, present almost everywhere, silent and do not pollute the environment to large extends. However, the initial cost to install solar cells is high, making it costlier to other traditional sources such as coal. It can also be limited by weather conditions, especially when clouds cover almost the whole sky all day. Another example of renewable energy is hydropower. This energy is generated from flowing water. It is the most affordable source of energy across the world. It is also readily available and pollution due to hydroelectric energy is minimal. It is, however, expensive to build and construct large dams. Furthermore, the giant dams have become associated with serious geological damage. Though, due to various shortcomings of these sources of energy, the non-renewable sources continue to be widely used. Therefore, the two sources become required to complement each other, but complete dependence on either of them is unwise.