Green Energy Technology - Essay Example

Green Energy Technology Thesis Green energy technology such as wind, tidal, or solar power will not prove to overcome the challenges of providing energy to the world without inducing global warming. The use of green energy has been a debate for the last decade. It has been fueled by global warming and changing climate patterns that have been caused by the use of carbon producing fuels as a source of energy. Scientists and researchers have come up new ways of obtaining green energy. They have either ‘sold their ideas to energy producing firms or issued it to the public to help them come up with green energy. Fossil fuels when burnt to produce energy emit carbon dioxide, which is a threat the ozone layer that protects humans from harmful radiations from the sun. However, the ongoing debates have led to the rise of people against green energy. Critics who claim that green energy can only be technically achieved rather than being achieved in real life. Green energy can be harvested from natural sources such as the sun, wind and tidal waves in seas and oceans. Scientist has proven the use of green energy technically possible. However, how will the public take the new technology on green energy? That question has caused mixed reactions in energy debates globally. Not all people in the society may accept green energy. The producers may go ahead and produce green cabs and cars but who will buy them? Most people prefer buying vehicles that they have been used to rather than those using green energy such as electricity. In some cases, since they have not undergone massive tests, they do not work as to the set standards and conditions. For example, one may purchase a green vehicle to help in solving the global warming change but he/she makes a very small fraction of the whole population globally. These ideas are mostly generated in developed countries and introduced to markets in the same countries. However, in the second and third world countries, the problem of pollution is still a menace. Industries and production firms that produce poisonous gases into the atmosphere leading to global warming may not make their ways in developed countries but in the third world countries. Legal and economic structures in these countries are not stable like those found in the developed countries. This means that with all the ideas, there are no enough implementation plans that backup technology. For example, due to inappropriate leadership styles in underdeveloped countries, factories and industries may continue polluting the environment. This at times happen in the presence of strict warning and fines but due to corruption they continue producing. This means that the use of green energy is realistically impossible. There is an increased rate of energy consumption by the increasing population. This is due to increased households and firms that produce goods to cater for the population. In some countries, there are energy deficits. Since green energy on the other hand has not being wholly adapted, it makes it impossible to shift to clean energy. Critic claims that green energy cannot be enough for the entire population and has to be backed up by other sources of energy. For example, a city like New York needs a lot of energy in the grid to run its operations. This means that green energy cannot be used ‘alone. It can only be used to clear the energy deficit gap that is present due to increasing demand. Since green energy use natural sources of energy, there is a probability that Mother Nature may turn against them making them useless. For example, the use of tidal waves may be rendered useless by hurricanes and tsunamis that are present in the ocean (Quaschning 25). This makes green energy unreliable with all the technology and resources pumped into these projects. Wind turbines uses to harvest wind energy has also been a threat to wildlife such as birds and other migrating animals. In the future, the disadvantages will be more than the advantages. In other countries, there may be the presence of resources and technological ideas but do not have the right geographical terrain to help in setting up green energy sources. For example, land-locked countries do not have access to seas and oceans making it impossible to harvest energy form tidal waves. Other countries do not have the required wind speeds to turn the wind turbines. In some regions, the winter period is prolonged making it impossible to harvest solar energy. To implement the technological ideas into working projects, there is a need for both natural and manmade resources (Quaschning 15). As most critics put it, green energy is unaffordable. Funds have been a threat to implementation of many projects. This makes it hard for green energy consumption. According to research, the production and use of green energy is only evident in developed countries, which have the economic might to fund projects. In continents such as Africa, it is difficult for scientists to come up with research laboratories due to lack of funds. In cases where loans and grants are offered from developed countries, there is misallocation of funds. This is due to issues of corruption and greedy leaders. It makes the realization of green energy as a new source of clean energy a mystery. The purchase of vehicles that use clean energy has been a debate since it can only the rich can afford. However, the rich or economically stable in most regions make a very small fraction of the population (Morriss 12). Most of the middle-class earners cannot afford to buy these cars. Solar panels for solar energy are also costly making it hard to be adopted by most households and firms. The technological knowhow to set up and operate these green sources of energy is limited to some regions. This leaves behind countries such as those in Africa, which have greater problems to handle such as poverty, food shortages, and healthcare (Morriss 22). This makes it hard for the adoption of green energy. The use of renewable energy is also expensive hence making it hard to be realized. Lack of investors in the energy sector has also made it impossible for adoption of green energy. This is because researchers and scientists have come up with better ideas but fail investors to provide resources to come up with green energy. Finally, with the discussed setbacks, green energy is realistically impossible in spite of it being technically possible. Works Cited Cardwell, Diane, and Matthew Wald. "A Huge Solar Plant Opens, Facing Doubts About Its Future." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. . Font, Vince. "The Solar Energy Outlook for 2014." Renewable Energy World. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. . Morriss, Andrew P.. The false promise of green energy. Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute, 2011. Print. Quaschning, Volker. Understanding renewable energy systems. London: Earthscan, 2005. Print. Reuters. "Global carbon emissions rise to new record in 2013: report." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 18 Nov. 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. . Read More