Shahjahan Shamim

Professor Moser

English 21007

4/21/2020

The Benefits of Moving to Alternative Energy Sources

(Source: National Geographic)

Introduction:

            Currently our world is ran on non-renewable sources of energy, which soon enough will begin to became scarce to get ahold of. But, not only will they be hard to access, but they for the most part pollute our planet and continue to damage the natural ecosystems of our world. The goal of this report is to show alternative energy sources that can greatly change the way in which our world functions and reduce many of the issues caused by fossil fuels and non-renewable energy sources. I will introduce three well known examples of renewable energy sources (Hydro, Solar, Wind) and use data and analysis to show how they are beneficial.

Hydroelectricity

(Source: Tennessee Valley Authority)

The idea of hydroelectricity is quite ingenious in the sense of how simple it is. Water flows and such causes a turbine to spin, which then allows for a metal shaft in the electric generator to spin as well, thus creating electricity in the motor. A coal ran factory works the same, using the steam from the burning coals to spin the turbine and create electricity in the motor. This system is so great for the simple fact that compared to a coal powered factory, a hydroelectric plant can easily produce 90% efficient electricity versus the typical 50% electric efficiency within the top non-renewable plants. It is also great in the sense it does not create greenhouse gases and will greatly reduce pollutants being released into the atmosphere. It has been successful to the point that Norway has actually taken one of the biggest initiatives of making 99% of their electricity to be produced through 20 hydroelectric plants in their country. Hydroelectricity works in the sense that it can be used on small and large scale situation, you can have a small river and set up a hydro station and be able to power some home, but the Hoover Dam is one of the largest examples of hydro plants and in such can power hundreds of thousands of homes all over the country. Hydro plants can also help in times of blackouts because they can be up and running in an instant, since they also have ways to reuse water to continually keep their pumps and system running and such can have homes and buildings back up and running within minutes.

Solar Electricity

(Source: Kenbrook Solar)

            Solar energy “works by allowing photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity,” according to Live Science. This in a more technical sense is saying that the solar panels photovoltaic cells turn from energy in the sunlight into electricity. Specifically, it turns in to direct current (DC) power and then that power is sent into an inverter that turns the electricity to alternative current (AC) energy, this is the conventional energy source we use when we plug in our phones at night. In a larger scale, solar plants create tons of electricity, typically 1 megawatt, which is enough to power 200+ homes on average. Also, a key feature of solar power is that it is renewable, clean, and green for our environment. This in simple terms means public health will improve because no greenhouse gases or toxins are released into the atmosphere. Usually, cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses can occur from fossil fuel powered plants and this is greatly reduced, solar panels are built to last so less resources are used to create the panels. Solar energy also allows for home owners to save on their electric bills being as they are using free sunlight in order to power their homes and also those who do not have their own panels, but run off solar plants save money since it’s a steady power source, the price does not fluctuate as much as a typical coal plant. The energy you would typically use, if ran from a solar power source could possible save up to 150 trees. In New York, the average home uses 7,248 kWh of electricity annually. Choosing a clean source of electricity like solar panels can eliminate the same amount of carbon emissions that would result from burning over 5,000 pounds of coal each year.

Wind Power

(Source: Toshiba Energy)

            The process of wind power is a very simple process, even more so than solar energy. Air flow or wind are used to spin a large propeller and in such the propeller create energy and powers a an electric motor that store the created electricity. These propellers are actually designed after aircraft wings and propellers, when wind hits on side of the propeller pressure builds up on that side and the opposing side decreases, in such that’s how the propeller spins. This is of course a renewable source of energy that does not require fossil fuels and does not release or create pollutants that can affect the environment or public health. They are highly efficient and sustainable, to the point in which some experts suggest, 35% of the electricity in the US could come from wind power plants. These plants also allow for many jobs to be created, since it is a major process to build, design, and maintain such larger structures that would need to make sure they are always at the best shape since they would be powering many homes and businesses. This also allows economic growth for farmers, who in recent times do not have it easy when trying to make a living, many wind plants can be made on already existing farms and in such companies or the government can pay the farmers rent to use the land to create the energy the country would so benefit from. Being as it is a stable power source, this means the cost of actually using the electricity from wind plants would be very cost-effective and beneficial for many people, including lower income people.

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