How to Reduce Environmental Pollution Using Alternative Energy Sources - Essay Example

How to Reduce Environmental Pollution Using Alternative Energy Sources Lecturer: Due: Environmental pollution is a subject that has elicited lots of concern and reaction from a number of individuals, organizations and even governments. More interesting is when the aspect of pollution is a byproduct of or an inadvertent action of an industrial driven economy. Energy is the driving force of an industrial process, however all the energy sources have serious ramifications on the environment. It is against this background of pollutant emission by energy sources that attempts have been and are being made to delve deep into finding solutions for a pollution free environment, or at least reduce it significantly. This has called for the use of alternative sources of energy as opposed to the natural sources, fossil fuels, which are coal, oil and natural gas (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2012) which most researchers in this field present in a concordance voice as contributing immensely to climate change. This paper therefore presents how environmental pollution can be minimized by the use of alternative sources of energy. What then is an alternative energy? Alternative energy refers to energy sources that have no undesired consequences such for example fossil fuels or nuclear energy, and they are renewable (Alternative Energy, 2013)The alternative sources of energy, or the so called green energy or renewable energy comprises of solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower and biomass technology ( National Atlas of the US ,2013). Electricity from these sources do not contribute to climate change or air pollution, writes (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2012), since there is no fuel combusted in the process of their production as opposed to the fossil fuels. The dangers posed by the fossil fuels are many and varied. Union of Concerned Scientists website (2012), enumerates these as: air and water pollution, damage to public health, wildlife and habitat loss, water use, land use and global warming emissions. Echoing the same sentiments is the author of Life on Earth, who posits that pollution threatens biodiversity as it poisons plants and animals, interferes with physiological processes, degrading habitats and altering animal behavior. Nature not only exists for humans alone but also for all species and as such, argues Miller et al. (2008 p, 17) there is need to encourage environmentally friendly forms of economic growth and development and discourage earth degrading forms (such as toxic emission from fossil fuels). It is here that the renewable sources of energy come in to help avert the dangers posed to the environment by the fossil fuels. To what level, it should be asked, do alternative energy sources help arrest the situation? And how ‘clean’ are the alternative sources? The benefits of alternative sources are well known, authoritatively asserts Renewable Energy Resources (2007, p, 207). They produce little or no pollution emissions and reduce dependency on the finite resources. The National Atlas of the US website (2012) also confirms this, but is quick to point out that even though the renewable sources are non-polluting, the structures built to harness them are two edged: they impact both positively and negatively on the environment. The intensity of the environmental impact or emissions caused by power generation depends on a number of factors such as the electricity generation technology used, how much electricity is generated, air pollution control devices used, the geographical location among other factors( US Environmental Protection Agency ,2012). A closer look at each of the renewable sources in many ways tries to answer the questions asked above. Solar Power Solar power is arguably the best thing going, at least from the environmental perspective. With it there are no acid rains, no urban smog or pollution of any kind (Alternative Energy, 2013). Clean and sustainably energy, that’s how the US Environmental Protection Agency (2012) describes solar power. Solar technologies use the sun’s energy to provide heat, light, hot water and cooling. Although sunlight is free, there are costs involved in the acquisition of the solar cells and equipments used in harnessing solar energy. This, the National Atlas of the US (2012) confirms, is an expensive undertaking. As a matter of fact, generating electricity from solar cells is more than twice as expensive as electricity from fossil fuels. More so, solar cells can only operate during the daylight setting a major drawback to the solar power. Abbasi (2010,p 261) summarizes, though in a cautionary manner, that it is important to consider the costs, hazardous wastes and land use issues associated with solar technology when comparing it to conventional alternatives. These drawbacks however should not foreshadow the primary benefits of solar energy which Miller et al.( 2008, p, 10) puts succinctly as a perpetual resource which is continuously renewed and is expected to last for 6 billion years as the sun completes its life cycle. Wind Power Wind turbines are mounted on tall towers with the primary aim to capture the most energy. The turbines do have two or three blades and as the blades turn, the central shaft spins a generator to make electricity. Wind power helps in the generation of electricity without polluting the environment (National Atlas of the US, 2012). Union of Concerned Scientists (2013) describes the process of harnessing wind energy as one of the cleanest and most sustainable ways to generate electricity. More so, it produces no toxic pollution or global warming emissions. Nevertheless, wind is inexhaustible, abundant and affordable making it a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Despite the vast potential, warns Union of Concerned Scientists (2013), there are a number of environmental impacts associated with wind power generation. These include the effects of wind turbine on wildlife and habitat more particularly birds and bats, sound and visual impact among others. The National Atlas of the US (2012) however, appears to offer solutions to the above challenges posed by wind power to the environment. Appropriate location of wind farms and individual turbines, it says, can reduce the impact of wind power on wildlife. Moreover, studies have shown that the number of bats and birds killed by collision with turbines is lower than that from tall structures such as buildings. In addition, noise generated by older turbine designs has been eliminated through improved technology. Biomass power Biomass is any natural organic material such as wood, crop wastes or other vegetation, animal dong, or fuel such as charcoal derived from organic material (Hill p, 399). As such the term biomass generally encompasses both phytomass (plant biomass) and zoomass (animal biomass). However, animal biomass contribute very little to the overall biomass potential compared to phytomass( Abbassi , 2010, p, 246).Biomass power does not only help generate electricity but it also serves as a waste management infrastructure. Biomass can be used for direct heating, for generating electricity, or it can be converted directly into liquid fuels. Biomass fuels recycle the atmospheric carbon and may reduce global warming impacts (National Atlas of the US, 2012) Liquid fuels produced from plants (biofuels) are majorly two: Ethanol and biodiesel. And the fact that biomass power is produced from plant sources it can be potentially produced anywhere (National Atlas of the US, 2012). Union of Concerned Scientists (2012) does make a comparison between biomass power and that of fossil fuels, making a clear cut distinction between the two. In both it says, there is the combustion of a feedstock to generate electricity. This it argues, makes biomass plants to raise similar, but not identical concerns about air emissions and water use as fossil fuel plants. In contrast, the feedstock for biomass plants can be sustainably produced while that of fossil fuels is non-renewable. A renewable source of energy it is but, biomass can impact both positively and negatively to the environment. It may reduce emissions and pollutants, says National Atlas of the US website (2012), but factory farming of biomass crops can reduce biodiversity and impact negatively on wildlife habitat. More so, municipal solid waste may contain toxins which could cause pollution if used as a biomass feedstock. Also, as Abbasi (2010, p, 252) puts it, biomass does not only contain carbon but also nitrogen and other essential nutrients. Consequently, an intensive biomass cultivation carries with it serious environmental effects. Geothermal Power There are three types of geothermal resources which are: hydrothermal, dry hot rock and geopressures. Of the three it is only hydrothermal resources which have been exploited currently (Abbasi, 2010, p, 270). Geothermal power plants convert hot water or steam to electricity. The hydrothermal plants are located near geological ‘hot spots ‘where hot molten rock is close to the earth’s crust and produces water, The most common type of geothermal power plant today is the flash steam plants. Geothermal power use is efficient, reliable and environmental friendly (National Atlas of the US, 2012). However, the adverse environmental effects of geothermal energy sources are varied and substantial, records Abbasi (2010, p, 271). They include surface disturbances, physical effects caused by fluid withdrawal (such as land subsidence), noise, thermal pollution and release of offensive chemicals. It is important to note that geothermal plants differ in terms of the technology they use to convert the resources to electricity; direct steam or flash or binary and the type of cooling technology, be it water or air. As such, environmental impacts differ depending on the conversion and cooling technology applied (Union of Concerned Scientists, 2012). Hydropower Hydropower refers to the use of water to produce electricity. The hydroelectric power plants use dams to store water which are released from behind the dam flowing through a turbine. The water then spins the turbine, turning a generator to produce electricity. It is one of the least expensive sources of electricity. Not only does the dams provide power but also other substantial benefits such as recreation opportunities on upstream reservoirs, habitat for aquatic and terrestrial organisms, diversion of water for irrigation and control of destructive flooding. The environmental impacts of dams vary widely, but current regulations and policies have attempted to address the issues. For example, fish migration has been has been addressed with the use of fish ladders and other structures (National Atlas of the US, 2012). In conclusion, renewable sources of energy provide a better alternative to the conventional energy sources, at least with the aim of curbing global warming and pollutant emissions. A shift from the fossil fuels to the renewable sources therefore promises a healthier environment. However, there seems to be other factors such as economic growth, population and consumption of the energy and other resources that are proving to be hindrances in this mission of relieving the overburdened Mother Nature. Unless there is a reduction in energy use and other resources, renewable energy alone cannot achieve this mission of combating global warming. References ” Renewable Energy Resources", 2007, Energy Futures and Urban Air Pollution: Challenges for China and the United States, The National Academies Press, Washington, DC. Abbasi SA, 2010, Renewable Energy Sources: Their Impact on Global Warming, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, India. Alternative Energy, 2013, Alternative Energy, viewed 29 April 2013, http://www.altenergy.org/ Hill,(n.d), Understanding Environmental Pollution, Cambridge UP, London. Miller, TG & Spoolman, 2008, Sustaining the Earth: An Integrated Approach, Cengage Learning, Belmont. National Atlas of the United States, 2013, Renewable Energy Sources in the United States, viewed 29 April 2013. http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/people/a_energy.html U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2012, Clean Energy, U S, viewed 29 April 2013, http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/ Union of Concerned Scientists, 2012, Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies, Cambridge, MA, viewed 29 April 2013, http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-of.html Life on Earth, (n.d), ABC-CLIO, Goleta, CA, USA. Read More