Pros and Cons of Renewable Energy
We talk a lot about how renewable energy is awesome, but it’s important to look at its potential flaws as well. Considering some of the drawbacks to renewable energy, will it still become the future of our nation’s energy production? We definitely think so! Here’s a look at some pros and cons:
Pros
- Renewable energy offers stable prices and a clean, continual source of energy. Renewable energy is dependable.
- Since these renewable energy sources produce very small amounts of carbon emissions, they are much better for the environment than traditional fossil fuels.
- To create a large enough industry to support an entire nation would require the creation of many jobs, which would stimulate the economy. This can be seen on a much smaller scale today.
- Renewable energy systems have a low cost of operations.
- Micro-station options are a possibility with renewable energy. This means that particularly in areas where the grid isn’t as reliable, it’s possible to generate energy off of the conventional energy grid, thanks to renewable energy technology.
Cons
- Since renewable technology is new (compared to energy technology that is commonly used at present), there are a fair number of costs associated with making renewable energy systems accessible to the masses.
- Most renewable energy depends on weather conditions to be most effective. For example, solar and wind energy, the two most common forms of renewable energy, depend on sufficient wind and sunlight to generate electricity.
- The underdevelopment of the industry at present precludes the idea of leaning heavily on renewable energy as an entire nation–for now.
- Given the weather concerns with renewable energy, it may not be possible to create enough energy in some regions of the country to make it worth the investment in renewable energy systems.
- To capture large amounts of renewable energy, a great deal of land is required to install solar panels, wind turbines, etc.
Many of the road blocks that are in the way of embracing the renewable energy industry as a unified nation can be solved with the advancement of renewable energy technology—both advancements that reduce the space it requires to generate energy and the cost of creating and distributing that energy. In fact, the possible creation of a smart energy grid would make renewable energy a very attractive option for our nation’s energy future.
What do you think about renewable energy? Do you think it will be the future of energy production? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
