Alternate Energy?

I'm a Big Fan.

by Claire Lytle

Imagine a world where the wind starts your coffee machine, the sun
powers your lights, plants fuel your car, and the very earth heats your home.
This world is closer than you may think. Currently, the leading source of
energy is fossil fuels; fuels derived from long dead remains of living
organisms. These fuels, most commonly found in the forms of coal and gas,
release harmful gasses into the atmosphere. Alternate energy, also known
as green energy, is energy generated without the use of fossil fuels and
without harmful gas emissions. There are four main sources of alternate
energy: solar, wind, biofuel, and geothermal. These alternate sources of
energy, while they do have their faults, are better for the environment.

Alternate energy is derived from the world around us. For example, solar
energy utilizes the largest source of power in our solar system: the sun.
Photovoltaic cells (solar panels) are made out of materials that react with
sunlight (usually silicon, phosphorous, and boron) to generate electricity
(Union of Concerned Scientists, 2015). As the sun wont burn out for another
five billion years, there will always be access to solar energy. This means
that it is a renewable energy, unlike fossil fuels. Another example of
alternate energy is found in geothermal energy. Geothermal energy uses the
heat from the earth core to heat water into steam in a vague approximation
.

of an old-fashioned steam engine (Scientists at UCSUSA, 2014). Steam is not

a pollutant, making geothermal energy cleaner than traditional fossil fuels.It,
too, is a renewable source of energy because the earths core will never lose
its warmth. These pieces of evidence are two of many that prove that
alternate energy comes from the world around us.

What are the Benefits?

Alternate energy is clean and renewable. According to
NREL experts in 2015, both types of biofuel, ethanol and
biodiesel, are often used to reduce carbon emissions
when gasoline is in use when they are not being used as
fuel on their own. This means that biodiesel is a cleaner
fuel than fossil fuels. It also shows that biofuels are
better for the environment. Another study shows that,
unlike fossil fuels, is renewable (NRDC, 2011). Having a
renewable source of energy is beneficial because it will
never run out or will quickly replenish itself, meaning that
it will always be available. These are just some examples
of how alternate energy is clean and renewable.

What are the Problems?

Unfortunately, there are some distinct problems with
alternate energy. For example, electricity lines often
cannot handle the influx of energy that comes from solar
energy production (UCSUSA, 2015). This can result in the
failure of the lines, delaying the delivery of electricity.
Another problem with alternate energy is found in
biofuel. Biofuel requires massive amounts of farmland to
grow crops to be transformed into biofuel. This growing
of crops can deplete the soil of its nutrients (Various
Professional Scientists, 2015). Depleting the soil of its
nutrients is a problem because it can eventually render
the farmland unusable. It can also lead to erosion. These
are some of the several problems currently plaguing the
alternate energy industry.

What is causing the

Problems?

Thankfully, researchers know what is causing these

problems. When discussing the current problems with
solar energy, experts at UCSUSA went on to say that
the leading cause for most of the issues is the fact that
this is an entirely new situation. There is a problem
with electricity flowing away from homes because such a
thing has never happened before this technology was
introduced to the public. There is simply a lack of
experience in dealing with this problem. According to
experts at North Carolina State University, nutrients are
stripped from the soil because plants grow on it. Plants,
as they need nutrients such as phosphorus to survive,
absorb the nutrients from the soil as they grow. Thus, if
the same sort of plant is the only thing to grow in the
same area for a long period of time, will result in all of
the nutrients being taken from the soil. This damages
the harvest because it allows for less plants to survive.
These are two of the several causes of the problems
with alternate energy.

What are Current Solutions?

There are solutions to these problems. The same
experts from UCSUSA recommended the use of
batteries as a solution to the surplus of solar energy on
high production days. These batteries would store this
surplus energy to take stress off of the feeder lines
directing away from homes and into the grid. This
electricity would be later used on a low production day,
saved for a rainy day, if you will. To combat the problem
with the depletion of nutrients from the soil, experts
from greenfacts.org stated that crop rotation is a
possible solution. Crop rotation is the changing of crop in
a specific area to replenish nutrients to the soil. This
would effectively negate the negative effects of biofuel
in the crop form. There are, of course, other solutions
tothese problems; these are just two of many.

What are the Impacts to the

Environment?

What are the Impacts to

Local Communities?

As with all things, there all environmental effects

that go along with the use of alternate energy
sources. For example, utility scale solar farms take up
large amounts of land. The clearing of this land can
disrupt habitats and, by extension, the biodiversity of
the area. Large solar plants can also increase runoff
and erosion in the area (Solar Energy Development
Programmatic EIS, n.d.). This means that both the
animal life and the very ground are affected if they
are situated near a large solar plant. Another example
of alternate sources of energy having a negative
effect on the environment is found in geothermal
energy. Geothermal energy, as it requires a location
close to geothermal hotspots, damages natural
features. In addition, the extraction of geothermal
fluids reduces underground pressure which can cause
the land to sink (Carol Stewart,2012). Both of these
effects can result in habitat damage and water
pollution. These are some of the major negative
effects that alternate energy has on the environment.

The use of alternate energy sources also has an

effect on communities at the local scale. For example,
wind energy results in noise pollution (Wind Energy
Development Programmatic EIS, n.d.) . This can be an
irritant for communities that are situated in close
proximity to wind turbines. It also can alter the habits
of local wildlife. Another example of alternate energy
affecting communities can be found in geothermal
energy. In extreme cases, the production of
geothermal energy can cause earthquakes (Mathias
Maehlum, 2013). These earthquakes can result in
destruction of property at a local scale, affecting the
lives of both people and animals. Thus, the combined
examples provide proof that the production of
alternate energy has an affect on local communities.

Alternative energy, while ultimately better for the environment, has its faults. It creates electricity without the
use of fossil fuels but it also has its share of problems and obstacles. Thankfully, there are solutions on the
market. The production of alternate energy can have negative effects on both the environment and local
communities. While the day where our world and lives are powered by alternative energy is coming fast, it still has
a way to go.

Work Cited
Greenfacts.(2015).LiquidBiofuelsforTransportProspects,risksandopportunities.

Retrievedfrom
http://www.greenfacts.org/en/biofuels/l3/4environmentalimpacts.htm

MaehlumM.(2013).GeothermalEnergyProsandCons.Retrievedfrom

http://energyinformative.org/geothermalenergyprosandcons/

NRDC.(2011).RenewableEnergyforAmerica.Retrievedfrom

http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/wind.asp

UnionofConcernedScientists.(2015).HowSolarPanelsWork.Retrievedfrom

http://www.ucsusa.org/cleanenergy/renewableenergy/howsolarpanelswork#.Vo2XRS
fwvIU

SolarEnergyDevelopmentProgrammaticEIS.(n.d.).SolarEnergyDevelopment

EnvironmentalConsiderations.Retrievedfrom
http://solareis.anl.gov/guide/environment/

Stewart,C.(2012).Story:GeothermalEnergy.Retrievedfrom
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/geothermalenergy/page5

UnionofConcernedScientists.(2015).HowSolarPanelsWork.Retrievedfrom

http://www.ucsusa.org/cleanenergy/renewableenergy/howsolarpanelswork#.Vo2XRSfw
vIU

Wind Energy Development Programmatic EIS. (n.d.) Wind Energy Basics. Retrieved from
http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/

Images Cited
[FarmlandforBiofuel].Retrievedfrom

http://www.climatetechwiki.org/technology/agriculturebiofuelproduction

[SolarPanelsSunset].Retrievedfrom

http://my.whirlwindsteel.com/blog/bid/390493/SolarPanelsandMetalRoofingAMatchMad
einInstallationHeaven

[UnderWaterTurbines].Retrievedfrom

http://teeic.indianaffairs.gov/er/hydrokinetic/restech/uses/index.htm

[WindTurbinesandSolarPanels].Retrievedfrom

http://www.caribbean360.com/news/stkittsstepsupeffortstoharnessgeothermalenerg
y