Pros and cons of solar power

¶ … Environment

Pros and Cons of Solar Power

The United States currently depends overwhelmingly on coal, oil, and natural gas -- fossil fuels -- to supply its energy needs, which are massive. All of these fuels are not found in quantities that allow them to continue forever. They are nonrenewable. When they are gone, they are gone. It would take thousands if not millions of years for nature to reproduce them.

And for man to re-invent them in some artificial form would be too costly or it would cause irreparable environmental damage. However, renewable energy -- wind, solar, the tides, geothermal -- are continuously available from mother nature and will not be depleted ever.

It is interesting to note when one thinks about it, that most of our renewable energy technology is powered by the sun -- either directly or indirectly with the help of nature.

The earth radiates as much heat into space as it receives from the sun. Scientists refer to this as equilibrium, and the resulting level of energy may be described as Earth's climate (windturbine.me).

Oceans absorb much of this solar radiation, mostly at the lower latitudes near the equator. But the energy generated is distributed all over the globe by winds and ocean tides and currents.

The motion of waves might transfer energy between the atmosphere and the oceans through the winds. As well, solar energy distributes precipitation which is used by dams and other hydroelectric projects, and for plants which are used to create biofuels (windturbine.me).

The message is that not only are there almost infinite quantities of renewable energy sources, but there are also more and different types of sources than one might imagine. For purposes of this paper, we will discuss solar, wind power, and wave/tidal power plants.

Solar Power

Large, flat panels made of hundreds (thousands) of individual solar cells, collect sunlight and then convert it to electricity. Simple. Not so much. But with a large array of solar panels, massive amounts of electricity may be produced and it becomes a valid supplemental power source for the United States. It can be utilized in remote locations where no other power source is available, but more and more it is being thought of as an urban source as well. It can be used for both residential and industrial purposes.

The Pros of Solar Power

The first consideration in our environmentally-conscious, green world is that solar power is the ultimate no-pollution renewable energy source. There are no pollution emissions created by the solar panels. Though there may be a small amount of pollution that occurs while the hardware is being transported, that is unavoidable.

And no pollution includes no sound pollution either unlike conventional plants. The electric power is produced so quietly, that is why its use for residential areas is so favorable.

Another advantage, unlike any other power source, renewable or not, solar power can and does power satellites in space including the International Space Station. And any remote area can utilize the sun's rays to produce power through the use of very highly efficient photovoltaic and solar cells.

The installation in a rural area is normally less expensive than the miles it might take to run a high voltage wire and use conventional electrical power.

Solar power can be easily stored and backed up as well so that on overcast days or even at night the electrical energy can be continuously produced.

Other than the initial installation, the cost advantage of solar power is in the lack of maintenance needed. Keeping the solar panels in working order is quite easy. Most of the repairs to solar equipment is to the casing or frame. And the useful life of a solar panel is usually about 20-30 years, so costly long-term warranties are really not necessary as long as quality equipment is purchased from a reputable manufacturer.

Cons of Solar Power

Solar power can be expensive for the initial installation. One medium-quality solar power generator run around one thousand dollars. Installation in the proper location with enough sunlight is crucial as well. If it is not located properly or faced in the right direction much of the economy of solar power is lost. The environmental advantages are maintained of course, but if the solar system does not work properly due to poor location, then more conventional electricity may have to be used to make up the difference.

Though, as we mentioned, solar power can be backed up and stored, the solar power generators themselves can only actually manufacture electricity during sunlight hours. Therefore, they are of "half-use" part of the day.

Though air pollution is not caused by solar power, it can be affected by pollution in the air.

In geographic areas where pollution is high, the electricity generated can be reduced significantly due to blockage of part of the sunlight. Urban areas are particularly susceptible to this (solar-power-advice.com).

Cons of Wind Energy

The biggest drawback of wind energy is that you need a relatively high speed wind to produce electricity. For example you will require wind at a speed not less than 20 miles per hour. Probably, we cannot afford the wind energy in the regions where there is little wind.

Maintenance costs could be expensive. Since most of the parts of the system are moving, they will require lubrication -- gears, as well as the blades, so that they require the least wind and move optimally (Gold).

Though not necessarily a disadvantage, since the structures are so tall, they will require FAA lighting systems to warn off aircraft -- another maintenance cost.

Wave/Tidal Power Plants

Tidal energy is produced through the use of tidal energy generators. These large underwater turbines are placed in areas with high tidal movements, and are designed to capture the kinetic motion of the ebbing and surging of ocean tides in order to produce electricity. Tidal power has great potential for future power and electricity generation because of the massive size of the oceans. These articles explore the potential energy of tidal power technologies (Tidal Power).

A. Types of Technology

Ocean energy refers to a range of technologies that utilize the oceans or ocean resources to generate electricity. Many ocean technologies are also adaptable to non-impoundment uses in other water bodies such as lakes or rivers. These technologies are can be separated into three main categories (Alternative Energy):

Wave Energy Converters: These systems extract the power of ocean waves and convert it into electricity. Typically, these systems use either a water column or some type of surface or just-below-surface buoy to capture the wave power. In addition to oceans, some lakes may offer sufficient wave activity to support wave energy converter technology. (Alternative Energy).

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC): OTEC generates electricity through the temperature differential in warmer surface water and colder deep water. Of ocean technologies, OTEC has the most limited applicability in the United States because it requires a 40-degree temperature differential that is typically available in locations like Hawaii and other more tropical climates (Alternative Energy).

Offshore Wind: Offshore wind projects take advantage of the vast wind resources available across oceans and large water bodies. Out at sea, winds blow freely, unobstructed by any buildings or other structures. Moreover, winds over oceans are stronger than most onshore, thus allowing for wind projects with capacity factors of as much as 65%, in contrast to the 35-40% achieved onshore (Alternative Energy).

Pros of Wave Energy

Wave energy is predictable since they are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon. And the tides can be predicted; they occur every day, virtually on schedule, twice every 24 hours.

The tides ebb and flow, and this is caused by the gravitational pull of the moon, and to a lesser degree the sun, on the earth. This means any shortage in supply can be prevented, and these shortages can cause brownouts and blackouts because there is too much demand. Tidal power pros and cons should be carefully considered against every other alternate renewable energy source, as well as all the fossil fuels, so that the best choice can be made. Another benefit of tidal/wave energy is the fact that this process does not emit greenhouse gases or particle pollution, which fossil fuels like oil and coal do, which can have a devastating effect on the environment and all living things on the planet. There is no mining or drilling involved either, which can rip up large chunks of the earth or poison the seas (Hydro Energy).

Cons of Wave Energy

One of the tidal/wave power cons when this energy source is compared to solar power is that tidal power plants must be located in a very specific location, one that meets all of the needed requirements. There must be a significant tidal flow of water through the area to turn the equipment. Nova Scotia and France are the two countries which have successfully developed and built these facilities so far (Hydro Energy).

Wave/tidal energy can lead to the relocation or destruction of habitats for wild life. And it can only be used where tidal/wave flow and energy are available. Therefore inland locations are not viable, and there are limited locations along the oceans that are ideal for the volume of wave/tidal flow.

Maintenance is extensive and costly because of the salt problems. Salt resistant parts are required and are also expensive. Some of the technology disrupts the movement of marine animals and can disrupt and even destroy fish. Serious problems could be created for the local ecosystem.

Germany's Natural Resources and Renewable Energy

Germany is a major success story for renewable energy. Its goal is to be 100% renewable- energy-powered by the year 2050. It has already made major strides in that direction.

The country is utilizing an integrated approach to utilizing its current natural resources with greater efficiency while working steadily on every type of renewable energy it can get its hands on. Germany is also spending tens of millions on research and development of green technology (Burgermeister).

"It's ambitious, but Germany can be running on renewable energy by 2050 if there is the political will," said David Wortmann, Director of Renewable Energy and Resources at Germany Trade and Invest, a government body supporting the country's renewable energy sector. (Burgermeister).

By 2020 the country plans on renewable energy supplying 33% of its needs. That sounds impossible if not for the fact that, in 2008, Germany renewable energy consumption as a percentage of the total was 7.3%. No other European country, or the U.S. is anywhere close.

The integrated plan involving reduction of current dependency plus the incorporation of renewables includes the construction of a smart electric grid which will cut energy consumption by almost 30% by 2030. That alone will cut billions from the current energy imports. Making optimal use of Germany's natural wind resources concentrated along the northern coastlines, huge offshore wind parks, placed in the North Sea, should have the capacity to generate as much as 10,000 MW, feeding electricity into a smart national grid able to transport the energy from the north and east of the country or from the south and west with optimal efficiency using high voltage direct current. Within 12 years, 30% of Germany's electric consumption will be coming from renewable energy, with wind contributing 15%, hydropower 4%, and by 2015 solar power is expected to be affordable enough to become commercially viable (Burgermeister).

"The technical capacity is available for the country to switch over to green energy, so it is a question of political will and the right regulatory framework. The costs are acceptable and they need to be seen against the huge costs that will result if Germany fails to take action to cut its carbon emissions," he said. He said that Germany plans to use all the renewable energy sources at its disposal -- wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower and biomass -- in an optimal mix.

(Burgermeister)

With new research institutes and projects constantly being launched across Germany, many more breakthroughs can be expected, helping Germany to become the world's first green energy economy (Burgermeister).