Renewable Energy: Difference between revisions

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==Relevance==
==Relevance==


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'Every forecast you hear about solar, wind and clean technology going forward, they're all wrong - by half. They're too small,' said Joseph Stanislaw, a former economist at the International Energy Agency. There are currently only 7 quads of solar energy that are used in each year in the United States. Optimists have shown that it will be possible to produce up to 37 quads of solar energy and we are heading in this direction. (1 Quad = 1015 BTU  (World energy usage is about 300 Quads/year, US is about 100 Quads/year in 1996. <http://www.physics.uci.edu/~silverma/units.html>) The Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century, a policy group that promotes the expansion of renewable energy worldwide, found that renewable electricity-generation capacity reached an estimated 240 gigawatts worldwide last year, an increase of 50 percent over 2004.  
'Every forecast you hear about solar, wind and clean technology going forward, they're all wrong - by half. They're too small,' said Joseph Stanislaw, a former economist at the International Energy Agency. There are currently only 7 quads of solar energy that are used in each year in the United States. Optimists have shown that it will be possible to produce up to 37 quads of solar energy and we are heading in this direction. (1 Quad = 1015 BTU  (World energy usage is about 300 Quads/year, US is about 100 Quads/year in 1996. <http://www.physics.uci.edu/~silverma/units.html>) The Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century, a policy group that promotes the expansion of renewable energy worldwide, found that renewable electricity-generation capacity reached an estimated 240 gigawatts worldwide last year, an increase of 50 percent over 2004.  
 
 
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Today, most solar energy comes from biomass and hydroelectric power. By the year 2050 the other forms of solar-based energy, wind power, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy and passive solar heating, will be developed and will provide energy without interfering with food and forest production. Nuclear energy is much more efficient than solar-based energy and the amount of waste that it creates is miniscule compared to the density of the source, uranium. If the US could get over its fear of nuclear energy we would have a solid source of energy for a very long time.
Today, most solar energy comes from biomass and hydroelectric power. By the year 2050 the other forms of solar-based energy, wind power, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy and passive solar heating, will be developed and will provide energy without interfering with food and forest production. Nuclear energy is much more efficient than solar-based energy and the amount of waste that it creates is miniscule compared to the density of the source, uranium. If the US could get over its fear of nuclear energy we would have a solid source of energy for a very long time.
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Alternative energy sources simply can't make up for the amount of oil and gas that we use, especially without large investments. Tax dollars that are put into renewable energy may not even benefit us and could potentially just be making others rich. The only way to solve the energy crisis is to decrease per capita energy consumption and reach negative population growth.
Alternative energy sources simply can't make up for the amount of oil and gas that we use, especially without large investments. Tax dollars that are put into renewable energy may not even benefit us and could potentially just be making others rich. The only way to solve the energy crisis is to decrease per capita energy consumption and reach negative population growth.
[[Image:World-energy-usage.jpg]]


==References==
==References==
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http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=6110
http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=6110


http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/world.html






[[Optimist Pessimist Debate]]  |  [[Population]]  |  [[CO2 Emission]]  |  [[Fossil Fuel Reserves]]  |  [[Renewable Energy]]  |  [[Free Trade]]  |  [[Agriculture]]
[[Optimist Pessimist Debate]]  |  [[Population]]  |  [[CO2 Emission]]  |  [[Fossil Fuel Reserves]]  |  [[Renewable Energy]]  |  [[Free Trade]]  |  [[Agriculture]]

Latest revision as of 03:32, 2 May 2008

Relevance

Currently renewable energy only provides 8% of energy needs for the US. Many renewable energy technologies need to be developed further in order to make a greater contribution to the overall energy consumption of the US. While this process is underway, fossil fuels have to be used more efficiently and solar energy needs to be utilized since it is the most developed form of alternative energy. Although renewable energy is usually a better source of energy than fossil fuels, many sources of renewable energy still require the use of some fossil fuels in order to acquire the energy.

The following is a list of the sources of renewable energy that are being developed: Biomass, Ethanol, Methanol, Hydrogen, Hydroelectric systems, Ocean tides, currents and waves, Wind power, Photovoltaics, Solar thermal conversion systems, Passive heating and cooling of buildings, Nuclear, Geothermal

Each of the above sources of energy has its pros and cons, but each one will only be utilized if it is capable of providing a lasting source of energy for a large amount of people.

Optimist

'Every forecast you hear about solar, wind and clean technology going forward, they're all wrong - by half. They're too small,' said Joseph Stanislaw, a former economist at the International Energy Agency. There are currently only 7 quads of solar energy that are used in each year in the United States. Optimists have shown that it will be possible to produce up to 37 quads of solar energy and we are heading in this direction. (1 Quad = 1015 BTU (World energy usage is about 300 Quads/year, US is about 100 Quads/year in 1996. <http://www.physics.uci.edu/~silverma/units.html>) The Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century, a policy group that promotes the expansion of renewable energy worldwide, found that renewable electricity-generation capacity reached an estimated 240 gigawatts worldwide last year, an increase of 50 percent over 2004.



Today, most solar energy comes from biomass and hydroelectric power. By the year 2050 the other forms of solar-based energy, wind power, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy and passive solar heating, will be developed and will provide energy without interfering with food and forest production. Nuclear energy is much more efficient than solar-based energy and the amount of waste that it creates is miniscule compared to the density of the source, uranium. If the US could get over its fear of nuclear energy we would have a solid source of energy for a very long time.

In developing countries, there is enormous potential for expansion of renewable energy. Few third-world countries currently have the funds to utilize most sources of renewable energy. The US, on the other hand, has more than enough funds to help establish renewable energy in these countries. Since the US relies on these countries for production of many goods as well as energy sources, our government should be willing to make this small investment in order to further develop renewable energy.

In order for renewable energy to expand successfully, it will have to be easier and cheaper to use than energy from fossil fuels. The government can make this possible by discontinuing subsidies for fossil fuels, limiting greenhouse gas emissions and instituting worldwide carbon taxes.

Pessimist

Although renewable energy may be better than using fossil fuels, it does not change the fact that it still uses scarce resources and creates pollution. Most solar-based energy technologies require land, which can interfere with agriculture and forestry. Renewable energy is a source of many of the same water and air pollutants that are produced by fossil fuels. For example, hydrogen fuel produces emissions of nitrogen oxides and hydrogen peroxide pollutants. Emissions from renewable energy are obviously lower than those from fossil fuels but this does not change the fact that pollutants are bad for the environment.

Nuclear energy is the latest source of alternative energy being considered. Although nuclear power is efficient and capable of generating large amounts of energy, it is unsafe, expensive and diverts dollars from conservation, energy efficiency, wind, solar, and energy-storage technologies. Nuclear power also presents the possibility of a radioactive accident and the release of nuclear waste.

Alternative energy sources simply can't make up for the amount of oil and gas that we use, especially without large investments. Tax dollars that are put into renewable energy may not even benefit us and could potentially just be making others rich. The only way to solve the energy crisis is to decrease per capita energy consumption and reach negative population growth.


References

http://dieoff.org/page84.htm

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/04/28/news0442.htm

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=f0cbf6d0-ddb6-4149-9333-d463761a5a7e

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/may/02-is-nuclear-energy-our-best-hope

http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=6110

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/world.html


Optimist Pessimist Debate | Population | CO2 Emission | Fossil Fuel Reserves | Renewable Energy | Free Trade | Agriculture