As fossil fuels diminish, the advantage of renewable energy is quickly becoming more understood. The population of the earth is growing and with that growth additional pressure is placed on the already depleting energy sources commonly used like fossil fuels.
While there are plenty of advantages to Mother Earth that renewable energy sources provide, there come some disadvantages as well. In order to shift from our dependence on fossil fuels, we need to discover ways to minimize the challenges so that it becomes more possible for everyone who wishes to use renewable energy sources.
The main sources of renewable energy include solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower.
Solar Energy
One of the most utilized forms of renewable energy is solar power collection. Solar power harvests the sun radiation and heat and converts these into electricity that can be used to power a home or business. The excess energy can also be fed into the electrical grid of a local utility company for credit and possible payment. While solar energy has very little impact on the Earth when installed on existing structures, there are some limitations associated with its use.
Solar energy can only be harvested optimally when the sun is shining. Changes in weather like rain, snow or cloudy weather can reduce or eliminate the amount of energy harvested. In some parts of the world, solar panels are not optimal due to consistent bad weather and few sunny days.
Wind Energy
For some parts of the world, wind energy is a fantastic source of supplemental electrical energy. Wind farms are popping up left and right collecting enough energy to support entire communities and small towns. While wind farms leave a very small impact on the Earth, the upkeep and initial cost is often higher than other alternative energy choices.
The upfront investment for harvesting wind energy can range from $40,000 to $70,000 for a 10 kilowatt system. On average, it is estimated that a wind farm will break even on these upfront costs in about 17 years. Another cost associated with wind energy systems is maintenance. While professional wind farms hire technicians to maintain the turbines, a residential system may be costly to maintain.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is considered one of the least polluting types of alternative energy. The advantage of renewable energy harvested as heat is the lower cost of maintenance with a high expected energy yield. The upfront cost of establishing a geothermal plant is huge and there is always the chance that the heated energy source is not as renewable as once thought.
Advanced drilling techniques are needed to establish a connection with the Earth
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