Comparison of Oil and Alternative Energy Sources - Research Paper Example

? Comparison of Oil and Alternative Sources of Energy of of Background Oil accounts for over 40% of the world'stotal energy consumption (May and Caron, 2009). This means that the world relies heavily on oil for its energy needs. This is because oil has certain advantages which make it a preferred alternative to other systems of energy generation. Basically, oil is cheap and fairly easy to process (Nagle and Guinness, 2011 p361). Oil occurs naturally underneath the earth. It is often in huge deposits that make way for the exploration of millions of barrels each day. This makes it an abundant resource that can sustain various energy requirements around the world. Also, when the appropriate technology is put in place in a given area, it is fairly easy for oil to be explored in perpetuity with little additional costs. Although oil machinery and infrastructure is expensive, when they are set up, they can extract crude oil at costs at as low as $2 per barrel. With a high market rate of between $30 and $100, the profit margins are always high for these petroleum companies and they recover their costs in a short time. It must also be pointed that there are two inherent weaknesses in the use of oil. First of all, oil is a non-renewable energy source. This means that once it is extracted from the earth, it cannot be replaced. As such, it is prone to exhaustion. This implies that there will be a time where oil will no more be available to people in the world. Nagle and Guinness (2011 p364) indicate that the International Agency has identified that peak oi will occur in the period between 2013 and 2037. In other words, within this timeframe, oil production will be at the highest levels. And due to declining levels of oil reserves around the world, oil production will begin to fall after this time. This means that the levels of oil will fall in the near future after oil reserves are used up. It is speculated that based on current production levels, known oil reserves will run out between 15 and 80 years (Nagle and Guinness, 2011 p364). Although these figures might be generated through pessimistic estimates, there is a genuine cause for alarm, because if production continues, it is a known fact that oil reserves are going to run out. This therefore presents a strong case for the identification and exploitation of alternative sources of energy. Also, oil leads to high carbon emissions which lead to global warming and climate change (May and Caron, 2009). This is because the oil taken from the earth directly, known as crude oil needs to be refined. In refining crude oil, it needs to be burnt at high temperatures in the process of fractional distillation. This leads to high degrees of emissions into the atmosphere. Also, the usage of oil in cars and other machines leads to combustion which causes the emission of high degrees of pollutants into the atmosphere. These pollutants get into the atmosphere and modify the character of the ozone layer. This leads to a situation where the ozone layer traps the reflection and release of heat from the earth into space. Due to this, the temperature in the world becomes high and this affects the balance in the natural environment. These two inherent weaknesses present compelling case for the introduction of a new and more efficient method of satisfying the energy needs. Research Framework This paper explores the research question: Are alternative energy sources the answer to ending human dependence on oil? In answering this research question, the writer will address the following objectives: 1. A critical analysis of alternative energy sources. 2. A comparison of the alternative energy sources to oil. 3. An evaluation of how appropriately the alternative energy sources could be used in lieu of oil. Alternative Energy Sources Turk and Bensel (2011 p252) identify a paradox relating to the dangers of using fossil fuels and oil. They state that: “Can the global society make the massive shift to using windmills, solar panels and other renewable energy sources, coupled with nuclear power to replace fossil fuels?” In doing this, the rest of this paper will examine seven energy forms that can potentially replace oil. This will involve an analysis of the strengths of each of the power source and how they relate to oil and how appropriate they are for the global economy. The energy sources examined are: 1. Nuclear power 2. Hydro-electric power 3. Wind power 4. Biofuels 5. Solar power Nuclear Power Nuclear energy is manufactured through a sophisticated and advance processing and enrichment system that processes Uranium and other radioactive chemicals to produce energy for public consumption (Vandermy et al, 2012 p193). Nuclear energy can be used as a replacement for oil and fossil fuels due to several key facts that relate to it. Due to the complications in the processing of nuclear energy, it can only be processed through highly specialized nuclear reactors and other facilities. These facilities process the nuclear products and also takes care of the radioactive emissions of the nuclear processing stages. The reactors need to be cooled from time to time according to specific instructions in order to prevent deadly radioactive emissions and nuclear accidents which can be fatal. In relation to fossil fuels, the set up cost for reactors are slightly lower than that of oil exploration infrastructure. This is because most nuclear reactors are single facilities that require a few administrative and other related facilities to get it running. On the other hand, oil rigs require a lot of capital investments and other support services like logistics and refinery systems which can be very costly. In terms of emissions, nuclear energy produces absolutely no emissions. This is because they are produced through a system that does not release poisonous gases into the atmosphere at the rate of fossil fuels. For fossil fuels and oil, emissions occur in the refinery state and at during usage. As such, cars and other vehicles that use oil and fossil fuels end up releasing gases into the atmosphere that adds up to the phenomenon of global warming. On the other hand, nuclear energy produces radioactive substances that are more lethal and dangerous when they get into the natural environment. However, there is a very small probability that these radioactive substances can get into the natural environment and nations have gone great lengths to set up high safety standards. These safety requirement mean that the reactors are cooled on a regular basis. This leads to a critical system for the maintenance of the nuclear power plants which is not so much necessary with fossil fuel exploration. Another advantage that nuclear energy possesses over oil and petroleum is that it involves a relatively simple processing structure. Vandermery et al (2012 p194) identify that a single plant can produce large amounts of energy with just 1 kilogram of Uranium. This energy will be equivalent to burning 2.5 million kilograms of coal. This shows that the process of nuclear power generation is relatively simple, easy and convenient. Also, the environmental savings are very large and can lead to very effective use of material. In spite of the cost saving advantages and low carbon emissions that nuclear energy promises, it has some inherent disadvantages. Nuclear energy is prone to major accidents that can lead to severe and untold consequences on human lives and the natural environment. Radioactive wastes and nuclear accidents are major causes of concern in places where nuclear reactors exist. An example is the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 which had serious consequences on the people in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. It s even reported that emissions from the disaster could be felt as far away as Italy (Vandermey et al, 2012 p194). This is because the radioactive substances are very strong and diverse in chemical composition and when it is released into the environment, can lead to so much destruction of human lives, animal and plant life. These radioactive leakages can affect the natural cycles like rain and air and this can cause the radioactive effects to last for several decades. The remnants of the Chernobyl disaster is still affecting pregnant women in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus which were worst hit by the disaster. In 2010 and 2011, an earthquake that hit Fukushima in Japan showed that nuclear accidents could sometimes get uncontrollable. This is because in spite of the numerous efforts made by the Japanese authorities to prevent disaster in times of earthquakes, the reactor got close to explosion and there was some degree of radioactive leakages, albeit very small in relation to the Chernobyl incident. Due to this, many Japanese demonstrators demanded an end to nuclear energy production on Japanese soil. If the demands of such persons are upheld, the world will have to rely on oil and petroleum since that will be the only replacement for nuclear energy. Another aspect of nuclear energy which makes it a dangerous source of power generation is its potential use in weapons of mass destruction. Since enriched nuclear materials can be easily placed into warheads and missiles and used to launch attacks on enemy states, it is always a subject of controversy. The only time that the atomic bomb was used in history was in the Second World War. This was based on a very basic technology that has now been replicated on several levels to create the nuclear reactors we have today. As such, with the current stocks of nuclear energy, there is a tendency that any assault or usage of nuclear technology in war will cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. This therefore implies that it is dangerous to encourage nuclear energy throughout the world. It is therefore logical that oil production cannot be replaced by nuclear energy in nations where there are major tendencies and likelihoods for wars like the Middle East. This explains why nations like Iran have been chastised and sanctioned for attempting to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In its stead, a nation like Iran cannot replace its reliance on oil and petroleum which it has in large quantities. Hydro Electric Power Hydro electric power is generated through winding turbines that get rotated through the control of the movement of waterbodies. It often comes to place when a dam is constructed at an important point in the course of a river. With this dam, the flow of the water downstream is controlled. The available water is channeled into a system of turbines which rotate. As the turbines are rotated, the energy that comes with the movement is tapped and converted into electricity. The electricity is thus distributed through a grid system. The main advantage of hydro electricity over petroleum and oil is that it is renewable. Due to that, there is absolutely no risk of it becoming exhausted. On the other hand, petroleum resources could run out and systems that use crude oil as source of energy risk becoming dormant. Secondly, hydro-electricity does not produce any forms of emissions. It is clean and does not cause damage to the natural environment during usage. This makes it a very good substitute for petroleum and oil. Also, hydro-electric energy is a cost effective option. This is because once the infrastructure is set up, there is little cost of maintaining it. This means that hydro-electricity is quite cheaper than the exploration of oil, which comes at higher costs. On the other hand, hydro-electricity has its downsides which makes it difficult for it to be used as a substitute for oil and fossil fuels. First of all, it has huge impacts on the natural environment (Nagle and Guinness, 2011 p368). This is because the creation of the dam obstructs major rivers and hinders aquatic life. Also, it leads to the deterioration of river quality. It leads to flooding in large areas behind the dam. Additionally, it submerges huge forests and vegetation which leads to major losses in flora and fauna. The creation of dams also causes modifications in the sub-climate of the area that it is created over. In spite of its advantages, hydro-electric power has some inherent limitations. First of all, it cannot be used in certain key polluting units like cars. This is because technology does not permit the usage of electric oriented cars. As such, it will be difficult for hydro-electric power to be used as replacement for fossil fuels in cars. Wind Power Wind power is obtained through the spinning of a windlass or a similar equipment by moving air masses. As the windlass revolves, energy is generated, tapped and distributed. First of all, it is not limited in capacity as fossil fuels might be. As long as the wind blows, wind power can always be generated. Secondly, it has a potential for technological advancement. This is because more research has shown that it could be improved as a source of energy. In relation to oil and petroleum, wind power has the advantage of not producing any forms of emissions. This makes it a more preferred method of generating power in the 21st century where carbon emission is a major concern. The demerits of wind power lies in the fact that it comes with some location concerns. In other words, most ideal locations are not available because of the presence of a built environment. This makes it impossible to site such plants near residential or industrial neighborhoods due to the risk of collapse of the windlass. Also, most of the wind power sources can work best in coastal areas. However, land values in these areas are always higher. Due to this, it is not ideal to replace oil and petroleum with wind power. Additionally, wind power is limited in application in vehicles. This is because there are few electric cars that can utilize energy from these wind power sources. As such, it is difficult to replace such power sources. Biofuels This involves generating energy from a range of agri-crop materials. Crops like sugar in fermentation produces ethanol that can be burnt to produce energy. Other plants that produces oils and wood that produces fuel can be used in stead of fossil fuels. The advantage is that it produces very little emissions into the atmosphere. Also, it is renewable in nature and does not risk being exhausted. Additionally, biofuels are easy to produce. Another advantage is that biofuels can be used directly to replace petrol and diesel in cars. In Brazil, numerous projects have successfully converted automobiles into ethanol consuming vehicles that replace the need for oil and petroleum (Lichtfouse et al, 2011 p403). This makes it a convenient replacement for oil and petroleum. On the other hand though, biofuels lead to competition in land use. This can lead to the usage of land for cash-oriented biofuel production to the detriment of other genuine land use types. Also, it leads to the destruction of natural vegetation as more and more lands are cleared for farming to produce agri-crop materials for use in biofuels. Solar Energy Solar power evolves from the use of energy from the sun to produce power for consumption. It was originally used on a small scale. However, it is increasing rapidly due to technological advancement. The advantages of solar power over hydrocarbons is that it produces no emissions. It is also renewable. Additionally, it is easy to use and can produce very strong and high results. The disadvantages are that it can be costly to install. Additionally it cannot be used on a large scale and is dependent on the climate. Since solar energy cannot be used in vehicles, it is very difficult for it to be used to replace oil and petroleum Conclusion The world depends heavily on oil and petroleum for its energy needs. However, oil, petroleum and other fossil fuels have two main disadvantages. First of all they produce high carbon emissions which leads to global warming. Secondly, they are non-renewable and ran the risk of exhaustion. Due to this, there is the need for the world to find alternative sources of energy to satisfy its need for energy. Nuclear energy is one of the best alternatives. This is because it is cheap, produces no emissions and can be easily set up. On the other hand, it is quite risk since it could explode and cause radioactive disasters like the Chernobyl incident. Additionally, it is not easy to replicate it for usage in vehicles. Hydro-electric power, bio fuels, solar power and wind power promise to be alternatives. However, the scale of production is very limited. Most of them cannot be used in vehicles and are limited on several grounds. References Lichtfouse, E., Hamelin, M., Navarrate, M. and Pebaeke, P. (2011) Sustainable Agriculture Vol 2 New York: Springer. May, E and Caron, Z. (2009) Global Warming for Dummies Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Mulvaney, D. (2010) Green Energy: An A – Z Guide New York: SAGE Publications Nagle, G and Guinness P. (2011) Geography 2nd Edn, London: Hodder Education Turk, J. and Bensel, T. (2011) Contemporary Environmental Issues San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Inc. Vandermery R., Meyer, V., Rys, J. V. and Sebranek, P. (2012) COMP Mason, OH: Cengage Read More