The Alternative Energy Resources - Research Paper Example

?The Impact of Alternative Energy Resources in a Sustainable World The use of alternative energy resources such as solar power, hydel power, tidal power, wind energy, geothermal energy and biogas as a substitute to fossil fuel-based energy resources is being discussed at various levels. The issue is being analyzed from technical, economic, environmental and political perspectives, with a number of arguments coming in favour of the use of alternative energy resources as well as arguments against it. In the sections below, the arguments made in favour as well as against the substitution of alternative energy resources for fossil fuel resources are identified and discussed. Arguments in Favour of Alternative Energy Resources for a Sustainable Environment The arguments typically made in favour of the use of alternative energy resources as opposed to fossil fuel resources tends to emphasize the ubiquity and clean effects of these resources (Nelson, 2011, p. 4). Alternative Energy Resources are Renewable The argument made in favour of replacing fossil fuels with alternative energy resources states that alternative energy resources such as solar power, wind and ocean tides are renewable (Miller and Spoolman, 2007, p. 304). In other words, they cannot be depleted so we do not have to worry about increasing costs as a result of declining supply. On the other hand fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas are non-renewable. Or at least, the formation process can take millions of years. This creates a gap between the rate of production and the rate of consumption of these fuels, which is not conducive to a sustainable environment. For example, it is expected that the oil resources of the United Arab Emirates will be depleted in the next 90 or so years (Gulf News, 2008). Similarly, Pakistan has been experiencing an energy crisis because of declining natural gas production. When the supply of these fuels is reduced, the price increases as a result of market forces, which creates economic problems of its own. Alternative Energy Resources are Ubiquitous A second argument made in defense of alternative energy resources is that compared to fossil fuels, they are more widely available. For example, oil is concentrated in certain regions of the world such as the Middle East and the Gulf of Mexico. On the other hand, alternative energy resources such as wind and water are available in several parts of the world in forms that are conducive to power generation. The fact that alternative energy resources come in various forms increases the likelihood of some type of alternative energy resource to be present in a particular part of the world. For instance, the countries along the equator are blessed with longer hours of daylight and sunshine compared with countries further away from the equator. At the same time, certain regions of the world have access to coasts and rivers that can be harnessed to deliver energy. The use of alternative energy resources will reduce the transport of fossil fuels through tankers and pipelines to far-off places. This will reduce the energy costs significantly. As a consequence, the cost of goods and services that are directly influenced by the rising energy costs, such as agricultural produce, will not be affected adversely. Alternative Energy Resources are Non-Polluting The strongest argument made in favour of alternative energy resources by the environmentalists is that such resources are non-polluting. It has become a much discussed fact the persistent discharge of carbon emissions into the atmosphere is related to the environmental disasters that threaten the sustainability of the ecological system. The depletion of the ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, global warming and climatic changes have all been attributed to the use of fossil fuels. The greenhouse effect, for instance, is caused by the increase of fossil fuel based emissions in the atmosphere. These emissions form a blanket that prevents solar heat from escaping the atmosphere thus increasing the temperature of the Earth. This has resulted in many of the drastic changes in world climate that have been witnessed in recent years. In 2005, the Hurricane Katrina devastated the American coastline while in 2010 unprecedented huge floods in Pakistan crippled the economy of that country. Even when fossil fuels are not being burned, they cause a lot of pollution simply through transporting huge volumes of them over long distances. The Exxon Valdez oil spill is a well-remembered incident. In more recent years, the Gulf oil spill of 2010 resulted in widespread damage to wildlife in the waters along the Gulf coastline. The use of alternative energy resources such as solar or wind power does not result in pollution of the environment because negligible greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere (Demirbas, 2010, p. 24). In this way, alternative energy resources are more conducive to a sustainable environment than fossil fuel resources. Arguments Against Alternative Energy Resources for a Sustainable Environment The arguments that are made against the replacement of fossil fuels with alternative energy resources usually center around the lack of reliable supply and other forms of pollution. These are discussed in detail in the sections below: Alternative Energy Resources Do Not Have a Reliable Supply Compared to fossil fuels, the supply of alternative energy resources is not stable or reliable. As such, they cannot be depended upon to produce an uninterrupted supply of energy. For instance, the efficient use of solar power requires long hours of sunshine that can be blocked by cloudy weather. At times, unpredictable weather or rains can disrupt the production of solar energy. On the other hand, the supply of natural gas or crude oil is not affected to that extent by climatic changes as the technology used in the extraction and distribution process is fairly sophisticated. Similarly, the production of wind energy requires continuous supply of wind, which cannot be ensured at all times. This can lead to fluctuations in power generation that can damage the equipment and lead to poor supply across the distribution network. In another example, the absence of requisite rainfall in a particular region can result in lower water levels in dams built across rivers, which makes hydel power generation unreliable too. Unlike the above examples, it is easier to ascertain the volume of oil or natural gas or crude oil present in a deposit with greater accuracy. This helps to ensure a regular and consistent supply of fossil fuel that does not disrupt the power generation and transmission process. Alternative Energy Resources Create Social and Environmental Problems While fossil fuels result in air and water pollution, alternative energy resources also result in other kinds of pollution and social problems. In order for a dam to be created so that hydel power can be generated, large swathes of land in the surrounding area need to be cleared. This results in the displacement of thousands of people who have to leave their ancestral lands and are often not compensated fairly for their distress. In addition, the local wildlife and ecosystem is also damaged when the land is cleared. Apart from social problems, alternative energy resources also result in environmental problems. Wind farms have come under much criticism for the fact that they create visual and noise pollution (Gamboa, Munda and Russi, 2008, p. 350). The wind mills create a lot of noise that scares away local wildlife. Many people also find them a visual pollutant to the natural surroundings. Wind mills also result in loss of wildlife since bats and birds often get sucked in by the wind current and get killed by the blades of the wind mills. Large areas of land have to be cleared for solar panels to be laid, which could have been put to other more productive uses. Hence, for these reasons, the use of alternative energy resources might be as damaging to the environment as the use of fossil fuels. They cannot be said to contribute to a sustainable world. Alternative Energy Resources are not Economically Efficient A third argument made against alternative energy resources is that they are not as efficient at producing energy as fossil fuels. Setting up a renewable energy plant also has higher initial costs compared to non-renewable energy plants (Sen, 2008, p. p. 35). This results in a higher cost to the energy consumer. On the other hand, technology used in the fossil fuel-based process of energy production has had a longer time to develop efficiency levels. This makes it more economically efficient to produce energy through fossil fuels in comparison. Although it may be argued that over time, research into developing more efficient solar panels could help to bring down the cost to the consumer, it would still not be able to compete with the efficiency and low prices that fossil fuel-based energy production can provide. Summary Thus, it can be summarized that the use of alternative energy resources such as solar power, wind power, hydel power, and geothermal power as a means of helping to create a sustainable world can be supported on certain grounds. These include claims that these resources are more diverse, renewable and less polluting compared to fossil fuels. On the other hand, arguments that alternative energy sources cannot be depended upon for reliable and uninterrupted power supply, create social and environmental problems of their own, and are not economically efficient drive some people to oppose the idea. References Demirbas, A. (2010). Biorefineries: For Biomass Upgrading Facilities. Springer. Gamboa, G., Munda, G., & Russi, D. (2008). Tackling Local Conflicts Caused by Renewable Energy Reosurces: Lessons Learned from Real-World Case Studies. In. J. C. J. M. van der Bergh & F. R. Bruinsma (eds.). Managing the Transition to Renewable Energy: Theory and Practice from Local, Regional and Macro Perspectives. Edward Elgar Publishing. Gulf News. (2008). UAE’s Oil Will Last 92 Years at Current Production Levels. Available from: [Accessed 25 February 2013]. Miller, G. T., & Spoolman, J. S. (2007). Environmental Science: Problems, Concepts, Solutions.Cengage Learning. Nelson, V. (2011). Introduction to Renewable Energy. CRC Press. Sen, Z. (2008). Solar Energy Fundamentals and Modeling Techniques: Atmosphere, Environment, Climate Change and Renewable Energy. Springer. Read More