The Pros and Cons of Different Energy Sources free essay sample

They are an important source of energy that we have come to rely on, however, these days there many discussions have been taking place concerning their usage and the impact they play on the environment. As such, I will now list the pros and cons of fossil fuels. The pros of fossil fuels are as follows: 1) One of the advantages of fossil fuels is their existence as high efficiency sources of energy. The reason for this is that, when consumed they produce large amounts of usable energy. 2) Another one of the advantages of fossil fuels is their availability. Fossil fuels are not difficult to obtain from the earth. Also, due to the fact that the extraction and refining processes don’t take long, the fuels are able to be converted from their crude form into forms that could be used for a number of different purposes (Buzzle. com, 2013). 3) The third advantage that fossil fuels have is the ease at which they can be transported. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pros and Cons of Different Energy Sources or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Fossil fuels like coal are able to be transported by train, while oil and natural gas are transported by pipelines. This ease of transportation enables the places that convert these fossil fuels into usable forms, to not have to worry much about location (Buzzle. com, 2013). 4) And lastly, fossil fuels are not only used for energy, but also to create byproducts such as plastic that are used in almost everything (Locsin, n. d. ). Now, the cons of fossil fuels are as follows: 1) One of the major cons of fossil fuels is the danger they pose to the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels causes the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is bad because carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. And that is not all, another one of the gases that is released when burning fossil fuels is sulfur dioxide. This toxic gas produces acid rain when it interacts with the atmosphere. 2) Another one of the cons of fossil fuels is the damage that is done to the landscape when collecting it. An example of this can be seen in coal mining. The landscape where coal is mined is damaged to the point where it is not able to be used for anything else. ) And last but not least, fossil fuels are a non-renewable source. And right now they are being used at an alarming pace because of how modernized our society is these days. So it might not be too far off in the future, when a time will come where we won’t be able to obtain anymore fossil fuels (Buzzle. com, 2013). What are the pros and cons of nuclear energy? The pros of nuclear energy are as follows: 1) One of the pros that nuclear energy b rings is a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. 2) The second advantage is their relatively low operating costs. ) And lastly, nuclear energy has a large power generating capabilities, that allow for it to be used for industrial and city aspects (Buzz, 2009). The cons of nuclear energy are as follows: 1) The cost of constructing a nuclear energy power plant is high. And that is due to the equipment that is needed to contain the radiation. 2) One of the major concerns of nuclear energy is the disaster that could follow in the event of an accident. 3) And last but not least, another con that really is troublesome is the trouble of disposing of the waste. For one, the waste can last for a couple hundred years. Also, there is the ever present danger that it could leak out and contaminate ground water sources in the area (Buzz, 2009). What are the pros and cons of solar energy? The pros of solar energy are as follows: 1) Solar energy is renewable source of energy. As long as the sun is shining, solar energy is able to be produced. 2) The second advantage is that it is a clean source of energy. 3) And lastly, solar energy is a free source of energy, and its solar panels require almost no maintenance (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). The cons of solar energy are as follows: 1) Solar energy can only produce its maximum of energy during the day, and when the sun is shining the longest. 2) Solar panels are very expensive. 3) And lastly, a lot of space is needed in order so the exact amount of solar panels that are needed could be installed (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). What are the pros and cons of wind power? The pros of wind power are as follows: 1) It is a renewable source of energy. 2) It is also clean and free source of energy. 3) It won’t take long to recover the cost of purchasing and installing the wind turbine. ) And finally, a cool advantage of wind power is the fact that the electric company will reward for any excess energy that you produce but don’t use (Bernard, n. d. ). The cons of wind power are as follows: 1) One of the cons of wind power is its inconsistency. Since wind does not blow continually, wind turbines usually operate at 30% of their capacity. 2) Wind turbines have expensiv e upfront costs. 3) And lastly, another con of wind power is location. A wind turbine requires a lot of open land, in order to operate properly (Bernard, n. d. . What are the pros and cons of water (hydro) power? The pros of hydro energy are as follows: 1) Hydro power is a clean, renewable source of energy. 2) With the construction of a dam, there will be an abundance of electricity produced for many years. The cons of hydro power are as follows: 1) One of the cons of hydro power is the cost of constructing the dam. 2) The dams have to be built to the highest of standards. Precision, accuracy, and the right materials need to be utilized in order to achieve that goal (Energy for Mankind. org, 2011). What are the pros and cons of biofuels? The pros of biofuels are as follows: 1) Biofuels produce less carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than a fossil fuel like oil. 2) Another advantage of biofuels is that they are immediately useable. 3) And lastly, Biofuels are high quality fuels that have allowed us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels (Biofuel sustainability pros amp; cons, 2006). The cons of biofuels are as follows: 1) One of the cons of biofuels, is an increase in the clearing of rainforests in developing countries, in order to grow biofuel crops like corn. ) The growth of biofuel crops can have a negative impact on the prices and security of food. 3) And lastly, the creation of biofuels burns more energy than what is contained in the finished product. Therefore it isn’t an efficient fuel (Cunningham, n. d. ). When it comes to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, two of its provisions that I found interesting are the daylight savings time extension, and the creatio n of the energy star program. In the provision concerning daylight savings time; the daylight savings time was extended two weeks in the spring, and one week in the fall. These changes were to take place in the month of August of 2006. On the other hand, in the provision about the creation of the Energy Star program, the government created the program under the DOE and Environmental Protection Agency. The symbol of the Energy Star serves as an indicator of energy-efficient products and buildings. Last but not least, some of the tax incentives included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, were for the installation of energy efficient appliances, residential energy properties, new homes, commercial buildings and more (Think Energy Management, LLC. n. d. ). References Bernard, M. (n. d. ). Pros and Cons of Wind Energy. Retrieved from, http://greenliving. lovetoknow. com/Pros_and_Cons_of_Wind_Energy Biofuel sustainability pros amp; cons. (2006). Retrieved from, http://curtrosengren. typepad. com/alternative_energy/2006/08/biofuel_sustain. html Buzz, P. (2009). Nuclear Energy: Pros and Cons. Retrieved from, http://www. triplepundit. com/2009/02/nuclear-energy -pros-and-cons/ Buzzle. com. (2013). Fossil Fuels Pros and Cons. Retrieved from, http://www. buzzle. com/articles/fossil-fuels-pros-and-cons. html Cunningham,