Alternative Energy Sources And Sustainable Development - Essay Example

? Alternative energy sources and sustainable development: Introduction Solving environmental issues and sustainably developing a country is one of the exact key concerns that many countries in the world are currently facing. Take for instance the natural resources which Earth has, oil is one of the scarce natural resources, and it is imperative to certain activities run by humankind on earth. Furthermore, it can be related to industrial development, for which an access to oil is one of the fundamental factors for industrial growth today. Such a necessity to have an access to oil is more than just safeguarding current generations with an access to it. This implies the benefit of safeguarding and sustaining the resource for both the present and future generations (Hurt, 2008). The concept of sustainable development found in the topic of environmental conservation, is a well known international issue, found in various aspects of international legal instruments which relate to economics, human rights and environmental issues. Even though, this concept is not explicitly described, it has indeed become a crucial factor towards the development of international environmental policies, and as having critically influenced the existing policies on environmental issues. The most common definition of the term sustainable development, is the development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability and capability of future generation to achieve their own needs. It is clear that it was more an objective than a way to an end. This can be the key aspect of the concept. In essence, sustainable development is a gradual process off alteration in which the exploiting of resources, the pattern of investments, the advancement of technological progress and institutional changes are all harmonized and enhanced by both current and future generations (Hurt, 2008). The world must hence accept and start using other alternative energy resources apart from oil. This is to save the depletion of oil. Oil can result in many cases of environmental pollution, and it is a matter of time that such disastrous damages need to be stopped. Alternative sources of energy other than oil (Choice 1) It can be observed that other vital sources of energy can become a vital substitute for fossil fuels. This can be made possible if we put much effort and genius, just the same way the world discovered the first atomic bomb. The best source would be hydrogen fusion, but this miracle may be far than imagined. It became discovered that wind, solar, biomass, among many others, may also serve as a success, but require further effort to enhance them. Essential and crucial to whatsoever success is the ability to be able to achieve anything. Furthermore, renewable energy, can and certainly make a replacement of both fossil fuel and nuclear power as fast as possible if the globe is to avoid the hazardous effects of runaway climate change. Although wind, solar, biofuels and nuclear try to compete with oil as alternatives of basic energy, their contribution to the global energy in total can be limited or restricted since they are expensive compared to oil. In the case of nuclear, it can be restricted by waste and their disposal problems. As we acknowledge the hazards of climate change, we nonetheless, make a conclusion that the globe will continue to demand oil and gas for most of the basic supply of energy for several decades to come (Hurt, 2008). Wind energy is another key aspect. In the year of 2007, approximately twenty thousand megawatts became installed worldwide, enough to power 6 million homesteads. Nevertheless, most wind energy manufacturers can not be restricted to the USA, thanks to decades of funding cuts by the conservatives. Moreover, new wind can be poised to be a large contribution to America and worldwide generation of electricity, compared to nuclear power in the future decades. Furthermore, solar energy could be an even larger energy source, and it can share and distribute power lines with the wind. This implies we can visualize an electric grid that would be built around renewable electricity having no greenhouse gas emissions, zero fuel cost, no future volatility of the energy prices, and zero radioactive waste. The wind does not necessarily always blow, and sunshine is not always present for each solar panel. Alternative form of energy hence requires an extremely powerful battery. Without any kind of energy storage, renewable would be restricted to less than a 20 per cent grid sharing. At this 20 per cent, renewable are more of nagging factor than a resource for the grid manager. This shows that electricity storage tools are way far expensive (Linkin, 2001). In USA, since the onset of the year 2007, the Energy Department announced over one billion of various investments to enhance the growth and development of a sustainable biofuel industry, with a key focus on cellulosic biofuel obtained from streams of waste and not edible fuel sources. Newer areas of this became emphasized, inclusive of solar energy and wind energy, geothermal power, fuel cells of hydrogen, and hybrid vehicles run by electricity. Any comprehensive strategy imposed must recognize that USA power setbacks have lasted decades in the making hence can not be resolved at an instance. Even as emphasis can be placed on usage of alternative renewable energy, and other fuels, it is still clear that the economy for a certain period of time would be dependent on fossil fuels. Hence, we must diversify the supply which is currently available, of the conventional fuels and expand productivity all over the world, since this would be an environmental efficient and effective way. Moreover, we must strive to maintain a sufficient natural gas infrastructure of natural gas that can be liquefied, and enable the usage of non-traditional fuels (Linkin, 2001). There happens to be a stoppage at the first half of the oil age, because of the current economic and financial crisis, which is torturing the globe. Natural gas and oil can be set to fall during the second half of the oil age, to levels of exhaustion by the end of the century because of continuous depletion. Today, renewable energy, inclusive of hydro, accounts for not more than twelve percent of the globe’s total energy consumption. It can hence be known that their demand for them would grow rapidly in the forthcoming years, but it can be doubted if they can be used to replace fuels of fossil origin. Upgraded efficiency and changed lifestyles can be called to encounter the setbacks imposed. Hence, the tensions and setbacks of such a transition threaten to be disastrous (Linkin, 2001). We strive for a revised energy policy which no longer puts subsidies on oil which can be entrenched, electric, and nuclear and coal mining interests. We need an energy policy which can be considered to be effective, environmental friendly and that which is sustainable. They must invest in energy policy which can be diversified, which includes renewable power such as wind, and other various types of solar energy, extremely efficient automobiles, businesses, homes, which breaks and ends the dependency to oil, coal and atomic power. Moreover, a new clean energy paradigm, implies more employment opportunities, more security, increased health levels, and increased environment protection and conservation. Nevertheless, currently, we have no alternative power sources having the high energy returns of oil, natural gas and coal. It can be evident that when such non-renewable resources can be depleted and start to decline, many things will change in the world (Linkin, 2001). References Hurt, F. (2008). Insight into enrgy crisis in the USA. New York: New York Press. Linkin, D. (2001). Are renewable sources the answer to fossil fuels? London: Oxford Press. Samuel, P. (1999). Solar power generation and its benefits. London: Oxford Publishers. Watson, G. (2005). 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