Solar and Wind Energy Sources - Report Example

Other (s) Solar and Wind Energy Sources Introduction Overdependence on fossil fuels hasincreasingly posed a number of challenges some of which include its rising costs, environmental impacts as well as the geopolitical ramifications. Consequently the United States currently needs alternative energy sources that are not only secure and reliable but are also able to protect the environment, improve public health and address climate change. Although the federal government has always been actively involved in the funding, coordination and expansion of the development of various alternative energy sources, the country still faces the challenge of finding viable alternative energy sources that will ultimately help solve the current energy problems (Lamb, 261). Generally unlike fossil fuels which are considered to be expensive, pollutants and non-renewable energy, the new alternative energy sources like wind and solar energy should be encouraged and supported by the federal government in an attempt to curb the nation’s increased demand for conventional fuel. This paper proposes the development and support of solar energy and wind power as some of the best alternative sources that should receive government assistance to enable the country address some of its energy related challenges. Solar energy Solar energy refers to the clean energy that is derived from the sun in form of solar radiation. Generally the current technology primarily harnesses solar energy either through the use of solar thermal collectors or the more complex photovoltaic cells. Although currently only 1% of the total energy consumed in America is derived from solar energy, the renewable energy source has got immense potential in the future and is consequently one of the best energy sources that should receive federal funding and support. One of the primary reasons why solar energy is considered one of the best alternative energy sources that should receive government assistance is that the power source is absolutely free. Unlike fossil energy and other conventional energy sources, solar energy does not require any raw material and has significantly low operational and production costs. Recently the Federal bureau of land management nearly 17 solar energy zones which covered a total area of about 97.9 million acres across the United States. According to Bradford “this is a relatively large area with an untapped potential to produce up to 76,000MW of clean photovoltaic electricity.”(106). On the other hand, there is also a huge energy potential in solar thermal power plants. Although critics argue that such plants often occupy large tracks of land, a comparison of their electricity output verses land size reveals that solar thermal plants use significantly less land than hydroelectric power or coal plants. It is also worth noting that adopting solar energy will significantly help the government in its efforts to reduce the emission of green house gasses that have been largely associated with the fossil fuels. This is particularly because solar power is a clean energy source that does not produce any green house gases, smoke or other chemical by products. Consequently as a green energy technology, assisting the development of solar energy will also help the United States to be a leader in addressing the issue of climate change and curbing emissions. Lastly solar energy is a decentralized power source that does not need to be transported from one place to the other within the country or internationally and therefore its adoption will bring additional benefits such as reduced pollution due to transport as well as less tear and wear of our roads (Scheer, 67). Generally the role and purpose of the federal government in the development of solar energy include the provision of incentives such as loan guarantees and tax credits, funding researches on solar energy and developing policies that support investment in such renewable energy sources. Wind power Wind power is another important alternative energy source that should receive considerable assistance and support from the government. In the United States, wind power is primarily generated in large scale wind farms that are usually located on land or off shore and are then connected to the power grid to serve electricity consumers. Although wind power currently provides only about 1.2% of the total energy consumed and 3% of the nation’s electricity, it is a viable renewable energy source that can significantly contribute towards the current energy problems. Generally, the United States has a potential of installing up to a total of 14million MW of onshore and offshore wind energy. With the assistance from the government, it is widely envisioned that wind energy can provide up to 20% of all the total US electricity needs by 2030. Additionally the federal government will have to support the installation of more transmission lines to help bring wind electricity from windy states to the rest of the country. One of the main reasons why wind power is best suited to receive government assistance is that just like solar energy, wind power is a clean energy source that can significantly reduce the current energy problems associated with overdependence on fossil fuels. For example, apart from reducing the rising demand for petroleum products, adopting wind energy will also help the government to drastically minimize the emission of greenhouse gases which are considered to be a major contributor towards of global warming. Wind energy is has a great potential and many analysts concur that it can supply up to 20% of the American electricity demand in the near future. They site its upsides as being economical. Another likely benefit of developing wind energy is that its cost of production has significantly come down over the last few decades. Additionally land used for wind farms can also be used for agricultural purposes at the same time. Just like in solar energy, some of the roles of the government in the development of wind power include supporting basic research in the energy sector and providing incentives such as funding and tax cuts to the private investors in wind power. Harvesting wind is a clean exercise that reserves resources. Although wind farm may cover an extensive area of land, small plots are spared for the turbines without destroying land or interfering with the human and animal population. In consideration of America’s geo-political enemies and ease of interference with power plants, the US encourages wind energy to safeguard against terrorist attacks that threaten power plants. Counter arguments Critics of both solar and wind energy have opposed increasing government assistance towards the development of the two energy sources arguing that wind power and solar energy requires extensive land that could otherwise be used for other more productive purposes. For example, some of the critics of wind energy suggest that the land area required to produce wind power of the same output as nuclear power will be 2000 times larger(Fthenakis, 7). On the other hand, solar energy has also received some criticism regarding its inefficiency. This is particularly because most of the photovoltaic cells currently in the market are only able to convert up to 22% of the sun’s energy into electricity. Consequently a relatively large surface area is required to produce commercially viable electricity. Conclusion In conclusion, despite some of the counterarguments against solar energy and wind power, the current technological research on clean renewable energy is likely to improve the efficiency of the two energy sources and ultimately make them economically sustainable in the near future. Both solar and wind technology are currently improving and researchers are likely to make enormous development in these technologies. The high costs, bulkiness and inefficiency of the two alternative energy sources in the yesteryears is likely to be transformed into cheaper, more efficient and easily accessible sources of energy if the government supports their development. Works Cited Bradford, Travis. Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry. Boston: MIT Press. 2006. Print. Fthenakis, Kim, V. “Land use and electricity generation: A life-cycle analysis”. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 13.6(2009): 6-7.Print. Lamb, John. The Greening of IT: How Companies Can Make a Difference for the Environment. New York: IBM press. 2009. Print. Scheer, Hermann. The Solar Economy (Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future. New York: Earthscan Publications Ltd. 2002.Print. Read More