Blogs
Australia : To What Extent is Renewable Energy an Effective Method to Reduce Carbon Emissions?
To What Extent is Renewable Energy an Effective Method to Reduce Carbon Emissions?
By Chloe Davidson
Renewable energy is an increasingly popular method in today’s society to generate electricity. This kind of energy includes solar power, wind power, biomass, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy, all of which harness power from natural and renewable resources. There are several advantages and disadvantages associated with adapting these methods of producing electricity. The most prominent advantage is the extensive benefits to the environment. Many of these methods produce little to no waste products, greatly decreasing carbon emissions and assisting in combating global warming. It also involves little long-term cost, which will reduce and stabilise electricity costs and are very reliable and eliminate the possibility of resources running out. However, disadvantages of renewable energy include possible damage to the environment from geothermal and hydroelectric energy, high initial costs, and restricted resources in several parts of the world.
Carbon emissions are a significant issue in today’s society; with the increased need for electricity the amounts of these emissions being released into the air are rapidly growing. This is contributing greatly to global warming and causing many dire effects such as melting ice caps, rising sea levels, severe weather events, and destruction of habitats. Along with this, many other human activities, such as extensive industrialisation and deforestation, are interrupting the carbon cycle and thus causing excess carbon to remain in the atmosphere. A popular method in reducing the effects of carbon emissions is to invest in renewable energy, which eliminates the need to burn fossil fuels. These fuels are becoming scarce and create a lot of pollution. Due to the increasing population it is necessary to utilise an alternate method of producing energy to ensure that the catastrophic effects of global do not continue.
The most prominent advantage to introducing renewable energy is the benefits that they offer to the environment. The most popular renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy produce little to no waste products, which will dramatically reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the atmosphere (Conserve-Energy-Future, 2014). Currently, the most common method of producing energy is burning fossil fuels, particularly coal and with the increasing needs for electricity more and more emissions are being released. In America, the production of electricity accounts for over a third of total emissions, with 25% being generated by coal-fired power plants (Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d.). As these extensive amounts of carbon are causing several issues to the environment, particularly global warming and climate change, the introduction of renewable energy would significantly reduce this number. In was found by U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory that if by 2050 80% of electricity was generated by renewable sources carbon emissions could be reduced by 80% (Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d.). This reduction in emissions would provide countless benefits to the environment, reducing the risk of the global temperature continuing to rise, preserving several critical environments around the world, and combating climate change. However, not all forms of renewable energy provide this protection of the environment, with some having harmful byproducts or damaging the environment. Renewable energy is not exclusive to environmentally friendly methods, such as solar or wind power, but also includes biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric energy, which can be detrimental to the environment. For example, biomass involves the burning of plants and animals, which release carbon emissions into the air, adding to the already increasing emissions and global warming (Www3.epa.gov, n.d.). Also, hydroelectric energy involves the placement of dams, which can interrupt the natural flow of rivers and damage ecosystems and geothermal can contaminate water (Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d.). So while these methods of generating energy are renewable, they do not necessary benefit the environment.
Renewable energy is a reliable source of electricity, eliminating the possibility of resources running low and reducing the risk of widespread power loss. Renewable energy facilities are commonly spread out of large geographical areas, taking advantage of locations that will provide the best and most efficient energy production (Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d.). Therefore, if severe weather or other events cause these systems to lose function, only a small portion will be affected and will not cut power to a large region. Additionally, this equipment commonly consists of several individual units, such as solar panels or wind turbines. Thus, the remainder of equipment can continue to operate even if some is damaged (Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d.). Adopting renewable energy methods would also eliminate the possibility of loss of resources. Other methods, such as coal, rely heavily on non-renewable sources, the availability of which are continually decreasing, or using up crucial natural resource like water. For example, large amounts of water are often used for cooling in power stations. This can be impractical in periods of drought, whereas renewable methods like solar and wind do not require the use of these products and will never run out (Union of Concerned Scientists, n.d.). With differing climates and weather conditions across the globe, renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power, are not always plausible. Many countries in the upper Northern Hemisphere, particularly those close to the arctic circle, can have as little as five hours of sunlight per day during winter (Timeanddate.com, n.d.). This restricted sunlight would not be adequate to produce a sufficient amount of electricity. Similarly, facilities to generating power natural resources can only be located where suitable conditions exist. In addition to this, solar and wind energy rely heavily on the weather, which is greatly out of human control. Unpredictable weather patterns mean that this type of energy production is not entirely reliable (Conserve-Energy-Future, 2014).
The implementation of renewable energy sources will provide many economic benefits. Once built, they operate at very low costs, with little maintenance and attention required. Additionally, the fuel used is free. It is estimated that if the renewable energy target is achieved in Australia, the average household electricity bills could drop by up to $91 a year, or $1.75 a week (Gittins, 2014). It would also stabilise the cost of electricity, reducing the current fluctuations in price involved with burning fossils fuels. If the current method of generating electricity continues, household bills could be approximately $45 - $65 higher per year (Gittins, 2014). Therefore, it would provide extensive economic benefits. While renewable energy can provide some long-term economic benefits, the initial implementation and manufacturing of equipment required is costly. For large-scale renewable energy projects, great amounts of equipment are necessary in order for it to be effective. It is estimated that the Australian labor government’s renewable energy plan would cost up to $60 billion dollars to put in place. This expensive endeavor could cost Australian households an extra of up to $5 per week, which is $250 a year, before the project is complete, where the costs would eventually began to incline (The Conversation, 2015). In the UK it is expected the manufacturing and maintenance of hydroelectric power plants to cost as much as twice as coal or gas power plants that produce the same amount of energy and would need years of government subsidies to overcome (Miningoilgasjobs.com.au, n.d.). So overall, initial costs are quite extensive.
In conclusion, many benefits are involved in the introduction of renewable energy around the world. Clean methods of energy, such as solar and wind power, not only provide extensive environmental advantages in producing little to no waste products but will also reduce and stabilise electricity costs and provide a reliable and ongoing source of energy. However, some disadvantages are also associated with renewable energy. Not all renewable energies, particularly biomass and hydroelectric, are good for the environment, with these methods releasing hazardous waste products or damaging crucial habitats. Also, critical resources for renewable energy are not available all over the world and cost significant amounts of money to implement. Overall, the environmental benefits of renewable energy outweigh the detriments, and in the majority of locations around the world is a plausible and effective method in reducing carbon emissions.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Conversation, (2015). How much would Labor's 50% renewable energy policy cost Australian households?. [online] Available at: https://theconversation.com/how-much-would-labors-... [Accessed 13 Nov. 2015].
Conserve-Energy-Future, (2014). Advantages and Disadvantages of Renewable Energy - Conserve Energy Future. [online] Available at: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-a... [Accessed 10 Nov. 2015].
Gittins, R. (2014). How the renewable energy target affects the cost of living. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/how-the-renewable-en... [Accessed 12 Nov. 2015].
Timeanddate.com, (n.d.). Sunrise and sunset times in Reykjavik. [online] Available at: http://www.timeanddate.com/sun/iceland/reykjavik [Accessed 13 Nov. 2015].
Union of Concerned Scientists, (n.d.). Benefits of Renewable Energy Use. [online] Available at: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choi... [Accessed 11 Nov. 2015].
Www3.epa.gov, (n.d.). Biomass Energy | A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change | US EPA. [online] Available at: http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/solutions/t... [Accessed 13 Nov. 2015].
