Pros and Cons of Renewable/alternative Renewable/alternative sources of energy Pros
Cons
Tidal Energy Renewa wabl ble. e. Re Requ quir ires es no • Rene fuel.. fuel • Emission-free • Reli Reliab able le,, a pl plan antt can can la last st 100 years • Hig e!ici cie ency • Pr Pre" e"ic icta tabl ble e ou outp tput ut • Coul" poten potentiall tially y pro#i"e pro#i"e a storm surge barrier. • En#ir En#ironmen onmental tal impacts impacts are are local, not global
•E$pensi#e to buil" • %ery loca locatio tion n speci speci&c &c 'only 'only 20 sites i"enti&e" sites i"enti&e" wit ig potential( • )on-continuous, storage storage or gri"bac*up require" •+ocations are often remote • arrages may restrict access to open water •Can cange ti"al le#el of surroun"ing area • mpact on &s, marine mammals an" bir"s • isrupts regular ti"al ti"al cycles •ecreases salinity in in ti"al basins • /u /u" " ats ats 'wer 'were e many many bir"s bir"s fee" fee"(( a"#ersely"irt, impacte" • Captures waste an" pollution near te coast •Re"uces *inetic energy in te ocean
Wind energy energy Clean energy, no fuel to "rill, s mentione" earlier earlier,, te win" is frac*, mine, transport or inconsistent, unstea"y an" burn unpre"ictable • Re Rene newa wabl ble e an" an" su sust stai aina nabl ble e • 4in 4in" " power power is is not cea ceap p an" an" li*e li*e • Co Cost sts s are are re rela lati ti#e #ely ly lo low w an" an" many energy sources, rely on continue to "ecrease go#ernment subsidies subsidies to to remain • b bun un"a "ant nt "o "ome mest stic ic su supp pply ly competiti#e. •
•
'deand 16X current electric deand2( 2( • 3 3e e powe powerr is is ess essen enti tial ally ly fre free e once te infrastructure is pai" for. • +o +ow w lif life e cyc cycle le ca carb rbon on footprint. rea*e#en in eig!t ont!s. ont!s. • Can be use" alost anyw!ere.. anyw!ere
• 4in" 4in " farms farms aretat are genmigt generall erally y locate" loca in rural areas be te" oterwise picturesque. 3ey are consi"ere" by some people to be an eyesore. • 5ome peop people le compla complain in of nois noise e from te turbines. • 4il" 4il"life life impact impact.. )ot only only bir"s bir"s,, but bats a#e e$perience" fatalities. • +oca +ocali6e" li6e" impa impact ct on on nigt-ti nigt-time me temperatures temperatur es an" weater
"iofuel #roduction by algae •
io-base" fuel wit essentially
•
)ee" to be grown un"er controlle"
•
carbon neutral combustion rop in replacement for
•
temperature temperatur e con"itionsamount of Requires a consi"erable
• •
•
•
•
•
• •
•
petroleum-base" e" liqui" fuels petroleum-bas nerently renewable bsorbs carbon carbon "io$i"e as it grows ot waste C78 an" wastewater can be use" as nutrients Higer energy per-acre tan oter bio-fuels Can be grown on lan" unsuitable for oter types of agriculture 5calable9 $tudy foun" foun" tat 1: percent of ;.5. oil imports coul" be met wit algae n#estments are being ma"e Pro"uction is presently scaling up ')a#y buying 100%000 gallons tis gallons tis year( Researc as been un"erway for <0 years
• •
•
•
• •
lan" an" water Cold &ow issues issues wit algal biofuel 5ome researcers using genetic engineering to engineering to "e#elop optimal algae strains Requires #!os#!orus #!os#!orus as as a fertili6er wic is becoming scarce =ertili6er pro"uction is carbon "epen"ent Relati#ely ig upfront capital costs )ot clear yet wat te ultimate cost cost per gallon will be. Presently too ig.
$olar #ower fro #!otovoltaic cells
•
•
• •
•
•
• •
•
•
• •
•
Clean energy. )o combustion. )o greenouse gas emission from use. ne$austible an" abun"ant >fuel? supply #ailable #ailab le nearly e#erywere e#erywere 4ell suite" for "istribution generation 3ecnology e$ists to"ay an" is rapi"ly impro#ing @enerates electricity "irectly from sunligt )o mo#ing parts require" Power generation generation is silent. )o noise or pollution. +ittle or no transmission require" /atces up well wit aircon"itioning nee" Require minimal maintenance @rants an" incenti#es are sometimes a#ailable E'cess !eat can be use" for co(generation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• •
•
ntermittent source. )ot a#ailable at nigt or un"er clou"s. Relatively !ig! cost, cost, especially wit storage Requires in#erter to pro"uce C current Requires storage or gri" connection for continuous roun"te-cloc* use +ess a#ailable for eating "eman" 'time ofaterials require" "ay an" season( E'otic aterials require" in many tin-&lm systems Requires a relati#ely large amount of open space Relati#ely low e!iciency 'around 'around 1)(*0 #ercent+ =ragile materials Possible Possib le aestetic issues 3ecnology ris*9 a muc better system migt come out ne$t year