The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum releases emissions that contain greenhouse gases and cause air pollution and acid rain, whereas most forms of renewable energy are nonpolluting. In addition, because the earth has a finite supply of fossil fuels, the development of renewable energy sources is important to the long-term future of humankind.
The environmental movement and the oil crises of the 1970s led to interest in the development of energy sources that would offer alternatives to the use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are limited resources, and the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy creates emissions of carbon dioxide, toxic chemicals, and air pollutants that harm the environment and human health. Because renewable, or clean, energy systems use natural, local sources that are inexhaustible and such systems have fewer negative impacts on human life and the environment, governments have provided increasing support for the development of renewable energy technologies.
Reference
Myers, A. (2020). Renewable energy. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Science.
The combustion of fossil fuels is largely responsible for the problems of climate change, air pollution, and energy insecurity. A combination of wind, water, and solar power is the best alternative to fossil fuels, the authors write, because renewable energy sources have near-zero emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, no long-term waste disposal problems, and no risks of catastrophic accidents. Compared with nuclear energy and biomass energy, the authors find that wind, water, and solar power, alone, would not only be advantageous but also feasible to meet 100 percent of the world’s energy needs. They explain how renewable energy systems can be designed and operated to ensure that power generation reliably matches demand; they calculate that these energy sources would cost less than fossil fuels when all costs to society are considered; and they recommend policies for easing the transition to energy systems based entirely on wind, water, and solar power.
References
Delucchi, M. A., & Jacobson, M. Z. (2013). Meeting the world’s energy needs entirely with wind, water, and solar power. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 69(4), 30–40.
https://caccl-smccd.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CACCL_SMCCD/1slusvf/cdi_crossref_primary_10_1177_0096340213494115
Scientists have been building to this moment for at least a decade, analyzing various pieces of the challenge. Most recently, a 2009 Stanford University study ranked energy systems according to their impacts on global warming, pollution, water supply, land use, wildlife and other concerns. The very best options were wind, solar, geothermal, tidal and hydroelectric power--all of which are driven by wind, water or sunlight (referred to as WWS). Nuclear power, coal with carbon capture, and ethanol were all poorer options, as were oil and natural gas. The study also found that battery-electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles recharged by WWS options would largely eliminate pollution from the transportation sector.
Our plan calls for millions of wind turbines, water machines and solar installations. The numbers are large, but the scale is not an insurmountable hurdle; society has achieved massive transformations before. During World War II, the U.S. retooled automobile factories to produce 300,000 aircraft, and other countries produced 486,000 more. In 1956 the U.S. began building the Interstate Highway System, which after 35 years extended for 47,000 miles, changing commerce and society.
Is it feasible to transform the world's energy systems? Could it be accomplished in two decades? The answers depend on the technologies chosen, the availability of critical materials, and economic and political factors.
References
Jacobson, M. Z., & Delucchi, M. A. (2009). A path to sustainable energy by 2030. (cover story). Scientific American, 301(5), 58–65.
https://caccl-smccd.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CACCL_SMCCD/1slusvf/cdi_proquest_miscellaneous_743733073