Essay On Advantages And Disadvantages Of Renewable Energy
1339 Words6 Pages
Prior to industrialization the main source of energy as was sunlight, other forms of energy were wood, straw, dried cow dung etc. and these resources were infinite (Union of Concerned Scientists; 2017). For transportation muscle energy of horses was used, in the sea wind was used on sails to drive ships also water and wind was utilized to drive simple machines i.e. to pump underground water. Union of Concerned Scientists (2017) further stipulates that simple machines with power to harness steam were created and date further before industrialization to the time of Alexandria and was powered by wind energy and hydro-energy, with evolution of technology the simple steam engines evolved and were perfected in the 1700s by Thomas Newcomen and James Watt. Their new model was powered by coal and was convenient since coal powered engine could do more…show more content… This may mean that the reduction of the amount of energy being used or simply build more energy facilities. It also indicates that the best solution to the energy problems may be to have a balance of many different power sources (www.brownpaperbag.com.au; 2017). Another disadvantage of renewable energy sources is the reliability of supply. Renewable energy often relies on the weather for its source of power. Hydro generators need rain to fill dams to supply flowing water. Wind turbines need wind to turn the blades, and solar collectors need clear skies and sunshine to collect heat and make electricity. When these resources are unavailable so is the capacity to make energy from them. This can be unpredictable and inconsistent. The current cost of renewable energy technology is also far in excess of traditional fossil fuel generation. This is because it is a new technology and as such has extremely large capital cost (www.brownpaperbag.com.au;