Cost-Benefit of Renewable Energy - Essay Example

Renewable Energy The world has experienced drastic changes in climatic conditions due to irresponsible handling of natural resources. The product of industrialization, growth, technological development and urbanization all account to rises in greenhouse gases. Due to the alarming consequences brought about by the continuing increase in levels of greenhouse gases at unprecedented pace, scientists all over the world drastically made efforts to inform the international organizations in charge of environmental protection, and to focus on measures to utilize renewable energy. The Atoms for Peace (2010) described renewable energy as “a source of energy or power that has the capacity to replenish itself. Renewable energy can sometimes be called infinite energy, because it relies on energy that is in infinite supply. Renewable energy is also considered clean energy, because it does not produce toxins or pollutants that are harmful to the environment in the same manner that non-renewable energy does. Thus, renewable energy is also known as green or clean energy” (Atoms, 2010, pars. 1 & 2). The . The alternative fuel sources such as solar power, wind power, geothermal, biofuel and tidal power have ultimately been proven and needed to sustain life and uphold the objective of providing a cleaner and healthier environment as a legacy to the next generations to come. Potentials for renewable energy sources actually abound. Ironically, despite man’s rapid growth and development, the most plausible alternative sources which remain to be available are the wind, tide and sun. These are not only renewable but perpetual. The essay hereby aims to proffer relevant aspects of hydrogen as fuel for transportation of the future. Specifically, the discourse would perform a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis on hydrogen as a direct combustible fuel for transport by 2025. Inititally, hydrogen would be discussed in terms of qualifying it as a portable energy storage method, rather than a renewable energy, per se. Prior to the presentation of a SWOT analysis on hydrogen as fuel for transport, a general discussion of the benefits of renewable energy would be enumerated, as well as its disadvantages, to highlight evaluative factors of renewable energy, as a whole. Cost-Benefit of Renewable Energy The utilization of renewable and alternative energy sources with emphasis on utilizing solar energy, the tides and the wind could provide man with the following benefits. There are advantages which are clearly identified in utilizing alternative fuel sources. Among these are: (1) tax incentives, (2) reduced emissions, (3) long term cost savings and revenues from stored solar energy, (4) gets more mileage per gallon. (Bright 2009) Of course, utilization of these would help preserve the conventional energy sources. On the other hand, one of the biggest disadvantages of alternative and renewable energy is that it can be expensive to invest in and implement into already set up infrastructures. Most of the alternative energy resources available today require a different type of wiring system than are currently in place. (Chapo, 2007) Hydrogen: Portable Energy Storage Method The discourse presented by WordIQ (2010) revealed that hydrogen is a “portable energy storage method, because it must be manufactured by other energy sources in order to be used. As a storage medium, it may be a significant factor in using renewable energies. It is widely seen as a possible fuel for hydrogen cars, if certain problems can be overcome economically. It may be used in conventional internal combustion engines, or in fuel cells which convert chemical energy directly to electricity without flames, in the same way the human body burns fuel” (WordIQ, 2010, 5.1) As indicated by Professor Turner T. Isuon, the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology at the Federal Republic of Nigeria, “hydrogen is the third most abundant element on the earth’s surface. It is mostly found in water and organic compounds” (Isuon, 2005, 1). The following characteristics were noted for hydrogen: environmentally friendly combustible fuel; releases thermal energy upon combustion with only water as the eminent by-product; and “light and has good safety records during storage, transportation and utilization” (Isuon, 2005, 1). In this regard, its potentials for fuelling the transport system of the future is highly viable. SWOT Analysis Strengths: among all of its potential applications, hydrogens only waste or byproduct is H 2 O pure water, hydrogen fueled combustion engines actually clean the air they pass through (Alternative Energy, n.d., par. 3). This has been validated by Isuon who indicated it as one of the characteristics of hydrogen during combustion. Weaknesses: it is costly to produce, dangerous to store, difficult to transport, tricky to distribute and its volumetric energy intensity is much lower than that of other liquid fuels like ethanol or gasoline. Safety would be another problem and it would be an enormous job, and would take many years, to accomplish the logistics and infrastructure changes required by moving from standard liquid fuels to hydrogen (Cordeiro, 2010). Since hydrogen is a portable energy storage method, problems of production, storage, transport and safety needs to be further addressed and eventually refined. Opportunities: their ability to support the new wave of vehicle electronics that is being introduced (National Academy Press, 2010, p. 26); provide additional attractions to automakers: by eliminating most mechanical and hydraulic subsystems, they provide greater design flexibility and the potential for using fewer vehicle platforms and therefore more efficient manufacturing approaches (National Academy Press, 2010, p. 27). The opportunities for hydrogen as fuels for transport has been identified by Isuon (2005) as he averred that “the technology provides a fuel that is environmentally sound and sustainable for the transportation sector” (3 & 4). The ongoing research and production of Hybrid cars prove the vast opportunities for hydrogen as direct combustible fuel in the future. Threats: for the fore-seeable future they will likely be expensive, have less range, and be more difficult to refuel. Their ability to satisfy other demands and requirements is more ambiguous, depending on perceptions, design decisions, and near-term engineering improvements (National Academy Press, 2010, p. 27). The cost implications and restricted option for refueling are threats that must be addressed to sustain the applicability of hydrogen as fuels in future transport. Conclusion The discourse was able to achieve its objective of performing a SWOT analysis on hydrogen as the direct combustible fuel for transport by 2025. It likewise, highlighted the characteristics of hydrogen and other pros and cons for renewable energy, in general. Identified weaknesses and threats must therefore be addressed to ensure that the opportunities and strengths inherent in hydrogen could be utilized to their full potentials. Reference List Alternative Energy n.d. Hydrogen and Fuel Cells – Hydrogen Power, [Online]. Available at: http://www.altenergy.org/renewables/hydrogen_power.html [Accessed 04 December 2010]. Atoms for Peace 2010. Renewable Energy, [Online]. Available at: http://www.ifpaenergyconference.com/Renewable-Energy.html [Accessed 05 December 2010]. Bright, P 2009. Advantages of Alternative Fuels, [Online]. http://www.ehow.com/about_4797660_advantages-alternative-fuels.html [Accessed 05 December 2010]. Chapo, R 2007, April 11. Disadvantages of Alternative Energy, [Online]. Available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Disadvantages-of-Alternative-Energy&id=523873 [Accessed 05 December 2010]. Cordeiro, JL 2010. Energy 2020: A vision of the future, [Online]. Available at: http://lifeboat.com/ex/energy.2020 [Accessed 04 December 2010]. National Academy Press 2010. The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers, and R&D Needs, [Online]. Available at: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10922&page=R1 [Accessed 05 November 2010]. WordIQ 2010. Renewable Energy – Definition, [Online]. Available at: http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Renewable_energy#Hydrogen_fuel_cells [Accessed 05 December 2010]. Read More