Environmental Issues- Renewable Energy
Renewable energy sources, such as wind, have advantages and disadvantages when implemented on a large scale. When compared to fossil fuels, wind energy appears to have more environmental benefits to commercial users. For instance, wind energy does not result in corrosion of the ozone layer and subsequent challenges, such as unpredictable weather in affected areas. However, the turbine speeds of wind energy cause the loss of fauna, such as exotic birds. In contrast, the effects of burning fossil fuels on birds are slow and may be difficult to detect. Nevertheless, drilling oil wells, burning coal, and extracting natural gas destroys the aesthetics of a habitat, yet this effect is minimal in wind energy installation processes. The extensive analysis of the large-scale implementation of wind energy shows how its challenges and advantages compare to those of fossil fuels. Hire our assignment writing services if your assignment is devastating you.
Wind energy is advantageous over fossil fuels when implemented on a large scale because it does not result in the emission of harmful greenhouse gases. Therefore, the environment where wind energy is installed will remain clean even in the long run. In contrast, when fossil fuels are burned for commercial use, they release carbon gases that penetrate the protective ozone layer and cause climatic changes. Further, wind energy does not cause environmental disasters, such as floods and droughts, when consumed on a commercial basis (Fawzy et al., 2020). In contrast, fossil fuels release greenhouse gases that alter the climate and cause affected regions to experience the environmental disasters mentioned.
However, wind energy causes the loss of habitat in areas where it is implemented on a large scale. The installation of wind turbines destroys the natural homes of flora and fauna, and the cold generated by the high turbine speeds causes animals to migrate (Lee et al., 2015). Fossil fuel extraction and drilling also cause the destruction of nature, but as it is temporary, the affected regions can always restore their aesthetics in the future. Lastly, wind energy is the primary cause of the death of birds when they collide with turbines rotating at high speed. Fossil fuels do not cause birds in the extraction region to die, as the process is performed through underground sources. Overall, fossil fuels and wind energy have pros and cons when implemented on a large scale.
References
Fawzy, S., Osman, A. I., Doran, J., & Rooney, D. W. (2020). Strategies for mitigation of climate change: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 2069–2094. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-020-01059-w
Lee, T. M., Markowitz, E. M., Howe, P. D., Ko, C., & Leiserowitz, A. A. (2015). Predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perception around the world. Nature Climate Change, 5(11), 1014-1020. https://doi.org/10.1038/
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Question
Select a type of renewable energy. Compare it to fossil fuels by explaining two pros and two cons for its implementation on a large scale.
Maintain an environmental focus (do not just give economic reasons).