| There are many energy sources today that are | | | | This is the most reliable of all the renewable energy |
| extremely limited in supply. Some of these sources | | | | sources. On the down side, it affects ecology and |
| include oil, natural gas, and coal. It is a matter of time | | | | causes downstream problems. The decay of |
| before they will be exhausted. | | | | vegetation along the riverbed can cause the buildup |
| Estimates are that they can only meet our energy | | | | of methane. Methane is a contributing gas to |
| demands for another fifty to seventy years. So in an | | | | greenhouse effect. Dams can also alter the natural |
| effort to find alternative forms of energy, the world | | | | river flow and affect wildlife. Colder, oxygen poor |
| has turned to renewable energy sources as the | | | | water can be released into the river, killing fish. And |
| solution. There are many advantages and | | | | the release of water from the dam can cause |
| disadvantages to this. | | | | flooding. |
| Renewable energy sources consist of solar, hydro, | | | | Geothermal energy uses steam from the Earth's |
| wind, geothermal, ocean and biomass. The most | | | | ground to generate power. It uses smaller land areas |
| common advantage of each is that they are | | | | than other power plants. They can run 24 hours per |
| renewable and cannot be depleted. They are a clean | | | | day, every day of the year. Disadvantages are that |
| energy, as they don't pollute the air, and they don't | | | | it is very site specific and, along with the heat from |
| contribute to global warming or greenhouse effects. | | | | the Earth, it can also bring up toxic chemicals when |
| Since their sources are natural the cost of operations | | | | obtaining the steam. Drilling geothermal reservoirs and |
| is reduced and they also require less maintenance on | | | | finding them can be an expensive task. |
| their plants. A common disadvantage to all is that it is | | | | Biomass electricity is produced through the energies |
| difficult to produce the large quantities of electricity | | | | from wood, agricultural and municipal waste. It helps |
| their counterpart the fossil fuels are able to. Since | | | | save on landfill waste but transportation can be |
| they are also new technologies, the cost of initiating | | | | expensive and ecological diversity of land may be |
| them is high. | | | | affected. In addition, its process needs to be made |
| Solar energy makes use of the sun's energy. It is | | | | simpler. |
| advantageous because the systems can fit into | | | | Ocean energy is a clean and abundant energy form. |
| existing buildings and it does not affect land use. But | | | | It does, however, have high costs. Ocean thermal |
| since the area of the collectors is large, more | | | | energy also requires close to a forty degree |
| materials are required. Solar radiation is also controlled | | | | Fahrenheit difference in water temperature year |
| by geography. And it is limited to daytime hours and | | | | round. In addition, construction and laying pipes can |
| non-cloudy days. | | | | cause damage to the ecosystem. |
| Wind energy uses the power of the wind to produce | | | | There are many advantages to the use of renewable |
| electricity. Although it is the largest job producer, it is | | | | energy sources. There are also some disadvantages. |
| reliant on strong winds. Wind turbines are large and, | | | | The fact is energy demands will continue to increase. |
| although you can use the area under them for | | | | Through research and development, as well as, new |
| farming, many consider them unattractive looking. | | | | technologies, the hope is many of the disadvantages |
| They are also very noisy to operate. In addition, they | | | | of renewable sources of energy can be eliminated |
| threaten the wild bird population. | | | | and we can successfully incorporate it into our power |
| Hydroelectric energy uses water to produce power. | | | | supplies. |