You be the Judge: Pros and Cons of Renewable Energy Sources

You Be the Judge: Pros and Cons of Renewable Energy Sources

Nuclear Power

Pros 

-Can help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 128 million tons per year 

-Nuclear power plants are now much safer and efficient than earlier plants.  

Cons 

-More expensive compared to other energy sources 

-Have environmental impacts like the creation and release of heat pollution, radiation, and other contaminants that have been linked to an increase in cancer rates

Solar Power

 Pros 

-Unlimited supply of this energy source, along with the availability of being all over the world, and not just in certain places.  

Cons 

-The reflective panels used to absorb the sun’s energy can be blinding to passing traffic, so it will need to be located where there is no traffic, or very little.  Either or, it’s a driving hazard. 

-Solar power is not continuous; so when the sun sets, the energy source is gone until the sun rises again the next day.  To offset this drawback, there needs to be some type of storage devise, which will cost a lot of money for being a new technology.

Wind Power 

Pros 

-Very clean renewable energy source  

Cons 

-Unreliable and its strength relies on the local weather 

-The equipment is also very expensive compared to other energy sources

Hydro power
 

Pros 

-Hydro power plants help reduce the emission of 530 million tons of carbon annually 

Cons 

-The creation of dams disrupts habitats by flooding large areas behind the dam which reduces the water flow downstream.

Ocean Power

Pros 

-Nonpolluting and renewable  

Cons 

-The energy plants needed to harness the oceans energy reduces the tidal range, tidal current flow, as well as alters sea levels which result in the possible endangerment of migratory fish and wildlife species.

Biomass

Pros 

-Readily accessible 

-Inexpensive 

-Clean form of energy  

Cons 

-Removes the nutrients and other beneficial residues from the soil which can lead to the exhaustion of natural resources through deforestation. 

 

By Andrew Kim

For more information:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/13512/the_pros_and_cons_of_renewable_energy.html?cat=58