Solar and Wind Power

Energy use is expanding and includes several different ways to harness power. From hydropower, to solar energy, to wind energy, the world is using the elements to create electricity for homes and businesses. While some favor solar power for use as the new kind of energy; businesses and those aiming to power many homes, opt for wind energy. Regardless of what is used, there is still a long way to go before people move away from traditional forms of energy like hydropower to more cost-effective ways like solar.

I myself use hydropower or batteries to get through my days and understand the need to save energy and increase my power source options. Most of the sources of energy I use are non-renewable except my re-chargeable solar batteries. These can be charged with sunlight and thus recharged from a renewable source. A second way I use energy each day is cooking. I cook with natural gas that is non-renewable as it needs to be drilled from underground to collect.

Electricity from my blow dryer is renewable because it comes from a hydropower plant that uses water to collect electricity. My fourth energy usage is regular batteries that are not renewable as they cannot be charged by a renewable source. The next energy expenditure is my daily hot shower where the water is heated with natural gas. Natural gas is not renewable. Aside from hydropower, solar power and wind power are the most often used renewable energy sources.

Because it is very sunny with minimum rain here, a solar power source is excellent for this location. Solar energy relies on clear sunny days (Foster, Ghassemi, & Cota, 2010). Wind energy relies on windy days to generate power (Nelson, 2013). Because there is not much wind here, this would be the least appropriate choice. In terms of advantages of the energy sources I have, natural gas is non-renewable, but commonly used. Hydropower is most often seen in the United States and is renewable. However, only in locations with enough water.

If droughts were to happen, this could change. Natural gas is dangerous to the earth because fracking causes earthquakes (Bjorklund, 2015). Hydropower has minimal effect except dam building. Building of dams can interrupt wildlife habitats and lead to loss of homes for fish, deer, and other wildlife (Billington, Jackson, & Melosi, 2005). Solar and wind power has minimal effect on the land and can even be used for residential areas. They are cost-effective, and technology is making them cheaper to buy.

Solar panels used to be very expensive and few would purchase them. However, no solar panels are small, inexpensive, and easy to install. Making solar energy a better option for those looking to cut electricity costs in the long run. There are several ways to reduce energy. For example, one way to reduce energy consumption is unplugging electronics when not in use. “And the DOE says that anywhere from 5% to 10% of your residential electricity is sapped by devices that are plugged in 24 hours a day” (KHALFANI-COX, 2011).

Another way is to keep one’s thermostat at room temperature. Higher or lower wastes unnecessary energy when one can easily tolerate room temperature year-round. The last way is to microwave foods instead of baking them if possible. For example, it only takes 8 minutes to cook a potato in the microwave versus 30 minutes to an hour in the oven. In conclusion, energy is a sacred thing for humanity. It helps people get through everyday tasks. However, humanity’s.