Activity 3.2.3 - Alternative Energy - Solar Energy

Define:

Alternative Energy- Energy sources that in general, aren’t used as a main sources of energy.

Describe:

Argument for Alternative Energy-

Even though renewable energies are considered an alternative energy in paragraph 4.1 it states that “ Energy is an important ingredient in all phases of society. We live in global society, and access to adequate and reliable energy resources is crucial for economic growth and for maintaining the quality of our lives.” (Mutiti, 2018). Later it also states that the level of energy consumption is so high and our heavy reliance of fossil fuels will eventually be depleted. With economies around the world developing more and more the amount of energy produced will increase. As of now the amount of energy consumed from fossil fuels are close to 80% and though there has been a decrease in consumption of fossil fuels, as the economy grows the consumptions rapidly increases. It would make sense to start trying to implement renewable energy sources to help “balance” the amount of non-renewable resources consumed.

Address:

Assess solar energy and explain its advantages and disadvantages. Include its limitations.-

Solar energy is considered the ultimate source of energy as it provides life on earth. Even though only one billionth of the sun's energy actually reaches earth it is more than enough to meet the requirements to be the world's energy consumption. Active solar power is a system that harnesses the sun's energy and transforms it into other forms. If 4% of the world's desert areas were covered with photovoltaics, which are active solar power systems, it could supply all of the world's energy. Other ways solar energy can be used is by solar thermal collectors which pump heat absorbing fluid into a collector to be stored and then distributes the energy. They can use the energy stored to power generators which can then produce electricity. Many people have found the benefits of solar energy and have installed solar panels on homes, businesses, and rooftops.

Downsides to solar energy is that solar energy is not evenly distributed throughout the globe, which only makes it so certain places are more suitable solar investments. Another downside to solar energy is that it can only be harnessed when the sun is out and shining, which can mean during night time and cloudy days the amount of energy that is produced can be little to none. Because solar energy cannot be stored and used on demand it makes it difficult for people to overcome the intermittent power. Another problem is building solar farms as they often occur in the deserts where it can damage the ecosystem with the large panels. Some solar thermal systems also use fluids that could be potentially hazardous if not handled properly when disposing. Solar systems in a concentrated area need to be cleaned and cooled off on the regular with water which are from underground wells, and the water may affect the ecosystem especially in arid environments.

Work Cited:

Mutiti, S., Mutiti, C., Manoylov, K., VandeVoort, A., & Bennett, D. (2018). Introduction to environmental science (3rd ed.). Biological Science Open Textbooks. University System of Georgia.