The Pros And Cons Of Renewable Energy

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Energy is a crucial component in our daily lives. It can be classified into renewable and non-renewable energy. Currently, non-renewable energy such as coal, oil and natural gas are the main consumptions in industries, transportation and power generation (International Energy Agency [IEA], 2015). However, there are adverse effects due to combustion of fuels such as air pollution and global warming. According to IEA (2015), worldwide carbon dioxide emission due to fuel combustion in 2013 is more than 30,000 metric tons. Hence, clean alternative sources are used to reduce consumption of fuels. Twidell and Weir (2006) defined renewable energy as “energy obtained from natural and persistent flows of energy occurring in the immediate environment”…show more content…
This form of energy has been used for various purposes since ancient times. As explained by Nersesian (2010), people have used hot springs for cooking, heating buildings and medicinal purposes such as treating eye and skin diseases. There are three types of geothermal power plants: flash steam plants, dry steam plants and binary cycle power plants (U.S. Energy Information Administration [EIA], 2015). The most commonly used is the flash steam plant. High-pressure hot water separates into steam and water following a drop in pressure as it rises from the depths of the earth. Steam is delivered to drive the turbine which powers the generator and when it cools, it condenses to water which will be injected back into the ground to be reused and to maintain a constant pressure in the reservoir (Nersesian, 2010). The main benefit of geothermal energy is that there is limitless heat from the earth and it is constantly available regardless of season or climate (European Renewable Energy Council [EREC], 2010). Some disadvantages of geothermal energy are drilling deep into the earth may cause land structure instability which may lead to earthquakes in extreme cases. The lifespan of equipment in geothermal plants is limited because geothermal fluids are corrosive (Sawhney,

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