My thesis paper I wrote on Climate Change
Dakota Close
Sonja Linman
Navigating An Argument
19 May 2015
Climate Change
What is Climate Change? This phrase gets tossed around so frequently in politics, the news, and everyday life, but what exactly is Climate Change? “Climate Change is a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.” "Definition of Climate Change in English:." Climate Change: Definition of Climate Change in Oxford Dictionary”. Climate Change has become a growing concern and is an actual occurrence in temperature change throughout the world. A major contributor to such change, in today’s world, are the greenhouse gases that are being emitted at such a high frequency. If we don't take care of the level of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere, soon this planet will be uninhabitable.
Climate change has become a political issue in an effort to transform our dependence on fossil fuels to an alternative. There have been many controversies regarding the use of renewable resources and the conflict in trying to get people to use things like solar power, wind turbines, and hydroelectric. As of March 2001, US President George W. Bush had bridaled the US from the Kyoto Protocol and the
senate's opposition stated that limiting greenhouse gas emissions would negatively impact the US economy. There have been more recent arguments on climate change regarding politics. Recent studies have shown that President Obama has pushed toward the limitation of Greenhouse Gasses unlike president George W. Bush. Even though fossil fuels are still being used today in excess these renewable resources are slowly making their way into the hands of the public.
Solar power has become a more common use for energy this year (2015) then any year prior. This rise in solar energy usage could result from the recent increase in interest and information about greenhouse gases that has caused a growth in solar energy sales. To illustrate, solar power is taking the sun's rays and transferring that energy into electricity. Access to power has evolved a lot since the last presidency and has become more reliable and sustainable for a renewable resource. Even though there have been multiple viewpoints on this renewable resource it has continued to advance and given the public a positive overview of the efficiency and dependency of this resource. In addition, new information regarding climate change has recently made the fear of destroying our earth with the energy we use, more urgent. The Chinese and U.S have come to an agreement in 2014 “ Obama reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping that set a goal of reducing overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. China agreed to begin lowering its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, with the intention of trying to do so earlier.”(www.seekingalpha.com) With these two large economies coming to an
agreement on setting restrictions on carbon emissions it will in turn drastically change the greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere.
Solar power may be the most popular renewable energy resource, but one of the most widely used renewable resources, mostly throughout farmland, is wind energy. Wind energy is produced when the wind turns wind turbines, causing energy to be produced. Some politicians state that wind energy is more efficient than solar energy and hydroelectric.
There are politicians that believe more strongly than others on the threat that the amount of emissions being released into the atmosphere will have on this planet. Al Gore, Vice President from 1992-2008 had very strong beliefs on climate change and started the evolution of renewable resources, including solar power, wind power, and hydroelectric. Gore believed so strongly in this change that he created a video explaining that if there isn't a reduction of greenhouse gases then there is a possibility that the Pacific Islands would drown and the population of the polar bears would slowly die off. After his vice presidency many people asked the question “why haven't we made a change?” This concept of change has pushed Obama, our current president, to take a position and strive to encourage country's reduction of greenhouse gases and lean towards the use of these renewable resources. This country's current status on renewable resource use is 9.5% higher than it had been in 2000. One statistic states that, “4.5% of the world's population in 2010 was responsible for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions.(http://www.solarpoweristhefuture.com/how-does-a-solar-battery-work.shtml)” So the only logical question you can ask is “why haven't we made change”? The reason we haven't made a change is because some people disagree that there is such thing as climate change and others continue to profit from the current fossil fuel industry. But there are facts and actual events taking place right now that can prove that this planet is changing due to the excessive emissions of greenhouse gases. Clearly climate change is progressing and politics can no longer get in the way of urgency. The technology exists, and it is time to act. Along with the proven effectiveness of these renewable resources, there is also a history and evolution to making the most efficient and affordable of these resources.
There's science behind each one of these renewable resources. Scientists have been doing research and studies on renewable resources and how efficient these resources can be for the the future world. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric all work differently but produce the same energy. The way solar panels work is inside each panel there are photovoltaic cells that transform the sun's rays into a current which then leads to it generating DC electricity. This DC electricity later goes through an inverter that transfers it into AC electricity that we use in our everyday lives. Solar power is fairly efficient, depending on the climate and region that these solar panels are being located. According to scientists, solar panels can match the same reserves as oil, coal, and natural gas from only 20 days of harnessable sunlight. On a cloudless day around noon a square meter of these solar panels can collect approximately the same energy equivalent to a barrel of oil each year over a 24 hour basis. On a global scale this use of solar panels will reduce the amount of emissions by one third. The mechanics and essential “arteries” of any solar panel is the batteries that store the energy from the sunlight. There's a process that this energy being harnessed goes through. This energy goes through an inverter first starting as DC battery voltage measured from 12, 24 or 48. Once that DC voltage travels through inverter it is equivalent to 120 AC voltage, which would power any home appliance. Along with these inverters there is another key component for the functionality of the solar panel, which is the cells that make up the structure on the inside of the solar panel. Solar panels are comprised of silicon, about 95% for that matter. But, there are two different types of cells most commonly used today in solar panels. Those two different cells are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline cells are the more efficient out of the two. The monocrystalline cells are more efficient because the silicone that makes up the monocrystalline cells is more pure and well designed. The design of these cells is cylindrical which is efficient relative to their generation intensity. The less efficient cell is the polycrystalline. This cell was first introduced in the late 1980’s. The reason this cell is less efficient than its cousin monocrystalline, is because when polycrystalline is being formed it is shaped into a square not a cylinder. Since these cells are molded into a square and not a cylinder it decreases the efficiency because when molded it isn't as pure as the monocrystalline cells that are cut into cylinders.(http://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-industry-data) Many people have positive encouragements on the use of solar power.
Notorious for their huge blades and massive columns, wind turbines are another renewable resource that is being utilized in today’s world. Wind energy, among the other renewable resources is not as present or common but, is still a reliable source for energy. Wind energy dates back all the way to 5000 BC when wind was used to navigate boats on the Nile River. This utilization of wind had the Dutch fascinated which later lead them to build windmills on their farms in order to thrive and survive. It took close to 500 years to finally meet modern standards regarding the blades and the mechanics of these turbines. Now turbines are commonly used on farm lands and ranches. Within those lands where these turbines are being placed they only take up 5% of that area, which leaves the remaining 95% for ranching or farming. Its estimated that by the year 2020 ten million US homes will be powered by wind energy. And that use of wind energy instead of fossil fuels will prevent 100 million metric tons of carbon emissions every year. The mechanics of a wind turbine are simple, whenever the wind blows it causes these blades to spin, powering up a generator that is connected to a power outlet and continuously generates electricity until the wind dies down. Even when the wind isn't blowing these turbines still rotate to create energy, due to the internal mechanics of these towers. When these turbines rotate without wind energy they are using the gears and drive shaft inside this machine. Many people fear that there is risk for a grid failure or blackout when these turbines are being less effective or when there is no wind, but with the fluctuation of the wind, utility companies are adapting to this change and will be able to ensure that there won't be a failure or blackout. The design of these turbines are all the same. Each turbine is 280 feet tall. This height is adequate because it allows the turbines to catch all the wind passing by. More importantly these are a clean efficient way to create electricity on a global scale.
All renewable resources are clean and green. One of the most commonly used energy resources around water and the western United States is hydroelectric. Much of this nation relies on hydroelectric power. About 96 percent of this nation's renewable energy is produced by hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is one of the more commonly used renewable resources around Colorado because of the access to the Colorado River. With this flow of water being easily accessible, the Colorado
State Division Five Water Resources Dept. designed a hydroelectric plant in the Glenwood Canyon in 1886. This plant is not like the others, it creates white water rapids that stimulates our economy as tourist attractions of kayaking, rafting and fishing. The functionality of this hydropower plant is simple. When flowing water hits the blades of a turbine it turns those blades which then turns the generators rotor and changes kinetic energy into mechanical energy. This change in energy than gets transferred into electricity. The process of this transfer from kinetic energy into mechanical energy is easily obtained through these plants that are normally located by bodies of water or a constant flow of water. Along with the functionality of these plants the science of hydroelectricity shows how and when these renewable resources were designed and built. The very first hydropower plant was created on September 30, 1882 in Appleton, Wisconsin. This small hydropower plant created about 12.5 kilowatts which was fairly large considering the small town that it was located in. A year before this plant was built the first power station was located at the Niagara Falls in the U.S side which did produce electricity. By the 1940’s hydroelectric power produced about 75% of electricity consumed in the West and pacific Northwest. Hydroelectric power has been the largest renewable resource in the United States for the past six years, generating about 5.6 to 7.8 percent of the electricity used. All hydroelectric plants have a base system as to calculating the generating of the electricity. There are three main factors in the facility that determine the amount of electricity generated. The factors that are involved are the turbine generating capacity, the turbine discharge flow, and the site head. The turbine generating capacity is measured by the amount of water flow. In relation to that, the turbine discharge flow is also measured by the amount of water flowing through. Last but not least is the site head. The site head is the vertical distance between the highest point of the water source and the turbine. With a higher site head there is more gravitational energy involved when the water passes through the turbine. Throughout the United States, these hydropower plants convert about 90 percent of falling water into electricity. Currently in the US there is estimated 78,000 megawatts of hydropower being generated, enough to supply 28 million households with electricity or replace 500 million barrels of oil (http://www.c2es.org/technology/factsheet/hydropower). The most beneficial thing about hydroelectric power is the zero emissions that it creates so in turn it has no impact on the environment. The reason this renewable resource creates zero emissions is because all these plants need to run is bodies of water or areas of flowing water. In all the development of these renewable resources there's pros and cons involved, but hydroelectric energy is clean, and is a viable resource for our future.
Although solar power is easily obtained there are multiple downsides to having solar energy. Solar energy is great if these panels are located in areas of high sun activity. Most solar panels are typically pretty expensive to install depending on the grade of the solar panel itself. The average cost to install a solar array is around 23,000 dollars, which is just the base price. The price of these solar panels is determined by the kilowatts that it creates. A higher producing kilowatt solar panel that can create upwards of 24,000 megawatts in present day costs around 32,000 dollars. But beside the price these solar panels are an efficient way to create electricity. If solar panels are placed in areas of high sun activity their productivity is greatly beneficial. In the US today these solar panels are now generating 20,000 megawatts which is powering over four million homes throughout the United States. So in relation to the cost of these solar panels, if they are located in the most beneficial areas that have more sunlight than others, the cost is overruled by the productivity of these solar panels. Although there are considerations and cost during the transformation to solar, it is generally balanced through productivity and it is worth the environmental benefits.(http://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-industry-data)
Wind energy has been around for many years and engineers have been working on designing more efficient turbines. The most harmful effect wind turbines create is the environmental impact that occurs when these turbines are built. Most turbines are built on vast open land where wildlife is free. Building these turbines on these areas creates a disruption on the land and causes a change in habitat for specific inhabitants. The cost is not cheap to build these machines either. The average price to build and install one of these wind turbines is around 350,000 doallas. The cost to install a single off grid wind turbine that only generates about one kilowatt is generally around 9,000 dollars. Along with the cost of building these turbines there have been complaints from communities and neighbors. Some people say that sound and vibration are affiliated with the functionality of these turbines. These complaints have caught the eye of the industries that are building them, and many companies are re engineering the turbines to address these concerns.On the flipside of these negative impacts there is also a benefit to the production of the wind turbine.(://www.explainthatstuff.com/windturbines.html) Wind turbines generate electrical energy at the source, which is free. With this fuel being free it eliminates the need for the shipping and processing that is involved when using other resources, like coal, or fossil fuels. Another positive impact related to wind turbines is the non fluctuation of costs because this fuel is fixed and sustainable. Wind energy will also be an energy source for our future as it does not impact the environment once installed.
Last but not least of renewable resources is hydropower. Hydropower has many pros and cons. The majority of these hydropower plants are built to retain water and allow flow of the water when needed. This retaining of water creates a dam which has environmental impacts on the area that it is being maintained. However, the benefits outweigh the costs. The marine may face the chance of being sucked into the turbines, and humans as involved can be at risk when downriver of dams. When these plants are built they are constructed to be structurally sound so that there is no possible outcome of a flash flood, as engineers address these issues, hydropower becomes even more valuable as water is maintained in its purest form as opposed to using water for fossil fuel development.
All hydroelectric plants are renewable. Every one of these plants is reliable in terms of generating electricity because there is very little fluctuation of the electrical power. Hydropower has created 90% of the electricity in the United states in the past year, and has a historical track record that provides clean and sustainable energy.
Using fossil fuels is slowly becoming a thing of the past as consumers and environmentalists stand up to these industries that are promoting fossil fuel use around the world. All contributaries to renewable resources make a difference whether it be small or large. The time is now to finally take a stand and make this planet healthier through the use of renewable resources. If there is not a drastic change in greenhouse gasses being emitted into this atmosphere our planet will inevitably be uninhabitable.
Sonja Linman
Navigating An Argument
19 May 2015
Climate Change
What is Climate Change? This phrase gets tossed around so frequently in politics, the news, and everyday life, but what exactly is Climate Change? “Climate Change is a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.” "Definition of Climate Change in English:." Climate Change: Definition of Climate Change in Oxford Dictionary”. Climate Change has become a growing concern and is an actual occurrence in temperature change throughout the world. A major contributor to such change, in today’s world, are the greenhouse gases that are being emitted at such a high frequency. If we don't take care of the level of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere, soon this planet will be uninhabitable.
Climate change has become a political issue in an effort to transform our dependence on fossil fuels to an alternative. There have been many controversies regarding the use of renewable resources and the conflict in trying to get people to use things like solar power, wind turbines, and hydroelectric. As of March 2001, US President George W. Bush had bridaled the US from the Kyoto Protocol and the
senate's opposition stated that limiting greenhouse gas emissions would negatively impact the US economy. There have been more recent arguments on climate change regarding politics. Recent studies have shown that President Obama has pushed toward the limitation of Greenhouse Gasses unlike president George W. Bush. Even though fossil fuels are still being used today in excess these renewable resources are slowly making their way into the hands of the public.
Solar power has become a more common use for energy this year (2015) then any year prior. This rise in solar energy usage could result from the recent increase in interest and information about greenhouse gases that has caused a growth in solar energy sales. To illustrate, solar power is taking the sun's rays and transferring that energy into electricity. Access to power has evolved a lot since the last presidency and has become more reliable and sustainable for a renewable resource. Even though there have been multiple viewpoints on this renewable resource it has continued to advance and given the public a positive overview of the efficiency and dependency of this resource. In addition, new information regarding climate change has recently made the fear of destroying our earth with the energy we use, more urgent. The Chinese and U.S have come to an agreement in 2014 “ Obama reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping that set a goal of reducing overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. China agreed to begin lowering its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, with the intention of trying to do so earlier.”(www.seekingalpha.com) With these two large economies coming to an
agreement on setting restrictions on carbon emissions it will in turn drastically change the greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere.
Solar power may be the most popular renewable energy resource, but one of the most widely used renewable resources, mostly throughout farmland, is wind energy. Wind energy is produced when the wind turns wind turbines, causing energy to be produced. Some politicians state that wind energy is more efficient than solar energy and hydroelectric.
There are politicians that believe more strongly than others on the threat that the amount of emissions being released into the atmosphere will have on this planet. Al Gore, Vice President from 1992-2008 had very strong beliefs on climate change and started the evolution of renewable resources, including solar power, wind power, and hydroelectric. Gore believed so strongly in this change that he created a video explaining that if there isn't a reduction of greenhouse gases then there is a possibility that the Pacific Islands would drown and the population of the polar bears would slowly die off. After his vice presidency many people asked the question “why haven't we made a change?” This concept of change has pushed Obama, our current president, to take a position and strive to encourage country's reduction of greenhouse gases and lean towards the use of these renewable resources. This country's current status on renewable resource use is 9.5% higher than it had been in 2000. One statistic states that, “4.5% of the world's population in 2010 was responsible for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions.(http://www.solarpoweristhefuture.com/how-does-a-solar-battery-work.shtml)” So the only logical question you can ask is “why haven't we made change”? The reason we haven't made a change is because some people disagree that there is such thing as climate change and others continue to profit from the current fossil fuel industry. But there are facts and actual events taking place right now that can prove that this planet is changing due to the excessive emissions of greenhouse gases. Clearly climate change is progressing and politics can no longer get in the way of urgency. The technology exists, and it is time to act. Along with the proven effectiveness of these renewable resources, there is also a history and evolution to making the most efficient and affordable of these resources.
There's science behind each one of these renewable resources. Scientists have been doing research and studies on renewable resources and how efficient these resources can be for the the future world. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric all work differently but produce the same energy. The way solar panels work is inside each panel there are photovoltaic cells that transform the sun's rays into a current which then leads to it generating DC electricity. This DC electricity later goes through an inverter that transfers it into AC electricity that we use in our everyday lives. Solar power is fairly efficient, depending on the climate and region that these solar panels are being located. According to scientists, solar panels can match the same reserves as oil, coal, and natural gas from only 20 days of harnessable sunlight. On a cloudless day around noon a square meter of these solar panels can collect approximately the same energy equivalent to a barrel of oil each year over a 24 hour basis. On a global scale this use of solar panels will reduce the amount of emissions by one third. The mechanics and essential “arteries” of any solar panel is the batteries that store the energy from the sunlight. There's a process that this energy being harnessed goes through. This energy goes through an inverter first starting as DC battery voltage measured from 12, 24 or 48. Once that DC voltage travels through inverter it is equivalent to 120 AC voltage, which would power any home appliance. Along with these inverters there is another key component for the functionality of the solar panel, which is the cells that make up the structure on the inside of the solar panel. Solar panels are comprised of silicon, about 95% for that matter. But, there are two different types of cells most commonly used today in solar panels. Those two different cells are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline cells are the more efficient out of the two. The monocrystalline cells are more efficient because the silicone that makes up the monocrystalline cells is more pure and well designed. The design of these cells is cylindrical which is efficient relative to their generation intensity. The less efficient cell is the polycrystalline. This cell was first introduced in the late 1980’s. The reason this cell is less efficient than its cousin monocrystalline, is because when polycrystalline is being formed it is shaped into a square not a cylinder. Since these cells are molded into a square and not a cylinder it decreases the efficiency because when molded it isn't as pure as the monocrystalline cells that are cut into cylinders.(http://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-industry-data) Many people have positive encouragements on the use of solar power.
Notorious for their huge blades and massive columns, wind turbines are another renewable resource that is being utilized in today’s world. Wind energy, among the other renewable resources is not as present or common but, is still a reliable source for energy. Wind energy dates back all the way to 5000 BC when wind was used to navigate boats on the Nile River. This utilization of wind had the Dutch fascinated which later lead them to build windmills on their farms in order to thrive and survive. It took close to 500 years to finally meet modern standards regarding the blades and the mechanics of these turbines. Now turbines are commonly used on farm lands and ranches. Within those lands where these turbines are being placed they only take up 5% of that area, which leaves the remaining 95% for ranching or farming. Its estimated that by the year 2020 ten million US homes will be powered by wind energy. And that use of wind energy instead of fossil fuels will prevent 100 million metric tons of carbon emissions every year. The mechanics of a wind turbine are simple, whenever the wind blows it causes these blades to spin, powering up a generator that is connected to a power outlet and continuously generates electricity until the wind dies down. Even when the wind isn't blowing these turbines still rotate to create energy, due to the internal mechanics of these towers. When these turbines rotate without wind energy they are using the gears and drive shaft inside this machine. Many people fear that there is risk for a grid failure or blackout when these turbines are being less effective or when there is no wind, but with the fluctuation of the wind, utility companies are adapting to this change and will be able to ensure that there won't be a failure or blackout. The design of these turbines are all the same. Each turbine is 280 feet tall. This height is adequate because it allows the turbines to catch all the wind passing by. More importantly these are a clean efficient way to create electricity on a global scale.
All renewable resources are clean and green. One of the most commonly used energy resources around water and the western United States is hydroelectric. Much of this nation relies on hydroelectric power. About 96 percent of this nation's renewable energy is produced by hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is one of the more commonly used renewable resources around Colorado because of the access to the Colorado River. With this flow of water being easily accessible, the Colorado
State Division Five Water Resources Dept. designed a hydroelectric plant in the Glenwood Canyon in 1886. This plant is not like the others, it creates white water rapids that stimulates our economy as tourist attractions of kayaking, rafting and fishing. The functionality of this hydropower plant is simple. When flowing water hits the blades of a turbine it turns those blades which then turns the generators rotor and changes kinetic energy into mechanical energy. This change in energy than gets transferred into electricity. The process of this transfer from kinetic energy into mechanical energy is easily obtained through these plants that are normally located by bodies of water or a constant flow of water. Along with the functionality of these plants the science of hydroelectricity shows how and when these renewable resources were designed and built. The very first hydropower plant was created on September 30, 1882 in Appleton, Wisconsin. This small hydropower plant created about 12.5 kilowatts which was fairly large considering the small town that it was located in. A year before this plant was built the first power station was located at the Niagara Falls in the U.S side which did produce electricity. By the 1940’s hydroelectric power produced about 75% of electricity consumed in the West and pacific Northwest. Hydroelectric power has been the largest renewable resource in the United States for the past six years, generating about 5.6 to 7.8 percent of the electricity used. All hydroelectric plants have a base system as to calculating the generating of the electricity. There are three main factors in the facility that determine the amount of electricity generated. The factors that are involved are the turbine generating capacity, the turbine discharge flow, and the site head. The turbine generating capacity is measured by the amount of water flow. In relation to that, the turbine discharge flow is also measured by the amount of water flowing through. Last but not least is the site head. The site head is the vertical distance between the highest point of the water source and the turbine. With a higher site head there is more gravitational energy involved when the water passes through the turbine. Throughout the United States, these hydropower plants convert about 90 percent of falling water into electricity. Currently in the US there is estimated 78,000 megawatts of hydropower being generated, enough to supply 28 million households with electricity or replace 500 million barrels of oil (http://www.c2es.org/technology/factsheet/hydropower). The most beneficial thing about hydroelectric power is the zero emissions that it creates so in turn it has no impact on the environment. The reason this renewable resource creates zero emissions is because all these plants need to run is bodies of water or areas of flowing water. In all the development of these renewable resources there's pros and cons involved, but hydroelectric energy is clean, and is a viable resource for our future.
Although solar power is easily obtained there are multiple downsides to having solar energy. Solar energy is great if these panels are located in areas of high sun activity. Most solar panels are typically pretty expensive to install depending on the grade of the solar panel itself. The average cost to install a solar array is around 23,000 dollars, which is just the base price. The price of these solar panels is determined by the kilowatts that it creates. A higher producing kilowatt solar panel that can create upwards of 24,000 megawatts in present day costs around 32,000 dollars. But beside the price these solar panels are an efficient way to create electricity. If solar panels are placed in areas of high sun activity their productivity is greatly beneficial. In the US today these solar panels are now generating 20,000 megawatts which is powering over four million homes throughout the United States. So in relation to the cost of these solar panels, if they are located in the most beneficial areas that have more sunlight than others, the cost is overruled by the productivity of these solar panels. Although there are considerations and cost during the transformation to solar, it is generally balanced through productivity and it is worth the environmental benefits.(http://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-industry-data)
Wind energy has been around for many years and engineers have been working on designing more efficient turbines. The most harmful effect wind turbines create is the environmental impact that occurs when these turbines are built. Most turbines are built on vast open land where wildlife is free. Building these turbines on these areas creates a disruption on the land and causes a change in habitat for specific inhabitants. The cost is not cheap to build these machines either. The average price to build and install one of these wind turbines is around 350,000 doallas. The cost to install a single off grid wind turbine that only generates about one kilowatt is generally around 9,000 dollars. Along with the cost of building these turbines there have been complaints from communities and neighbors. Some people say that sound and vibration are affiliated with the functionality of these turbines. These complaints have caught the eye of the industries that are building them, and many companies are re engineering the turbines to address these concerns.On the flipside of these negative impacts there is also a benefit to the production of the wind turbine.(://www.explainthatstuff.com/windturbines.html) Wind turbines generate electrical energy at the source, which is free. With this fuel being free it eliminates the need for the shipping and processing that is involved when using other resources, like coal, or fossil fuels. Another positive impact related to wind turbines is the non fluctuation of costs because this fuel is fixed and sustainable. Wind energy will also be an energy source for our future as it does not impact the environment once installed.
Last but not least of renewable resources is hydropower. Hydropower has many pros and cons. The majority of these hydropower plants are built to retain water and allow flow of the water when needed. This retaining of water creates a dam which has environmental impacts on the area that it is being maintained. However, the benefits outweigh the costs. The marine may face the chance of being sucked into the turbines, and humans as involved can be at risk when downriver of dams. When these plants are built they are constructed to be structurally sound so that there is no possible outcome of a flash flood, as engineers address these issues, hydropower becomes even more valuable as water is maintained in its purest form as opposed to using water for fossil fuel development.
All hydroelectric plants are renewable. Every one of these plants is reliable in terms of generating electricity because there is very little fluctuation of the electrical power. Hydropower has created 90% of the electricity in the United states in the past year, and has a historical track record that provides clean and sustainable energy.
Using fossil fuels is slowly becoming a thing of the past as consumers and environmentalists stand up to these industries that are promoting fossil fuel use around the world. All contributaries to renewable resources make a difference whether it be small or large. The time is now to finally take a stand and make this planet healthier through the use of renewable resources. If there is not a drastic change in greenhouse gasses being emitted into this atmosphere our planet will inevitably be uninhabitable.