The Hidden Facet Of Green Power Environmental Sciences Essay

Wind Power: This conversion of wind energy into useful form of energy, rather electricity is done by large scale wind farms connected to electric power transmission network. It is attractive as a power production option because it is plentiful, clean and renewable. Solar Power: Electricity may be generated from sunlight in two of these ways: Either directly from photovoltaic (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar Power (CSP). Solar Energy is the most abundant form of energy source for earth. Nuclear power is considered another form of green power. Legal inclusion of it with other renewable energies is long debated but fact is that it releases nothing into atmosphere-no carbon dioxide, no sulphur and no mercury. Power is produced from controlled nuclear reaction. Heat produced from fission reactions is used to heat water which is used to produce electricity. (Wikipedia)

Wind power is getting popular and now many countries rely on this source for meeting more than 10% of their energy requirements .It has negligible fuel costs and relatively low maintenance costs. It has low marginal cost and high proportion of capital cost. Solar technology has moved ahead for facing the solar energy production. Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Once infrastructure is made, human intervention is minimum for future power production. Considering the nuclear power, it must be reminded that it is the least expensive form of energy available. Irrational fears regarding its safety is now misplaced. The safety level in nuclear-energy production surpasses fossil sources.

World energy requirement is to increase by approximately 60% by 2030 and 2040.Two thirds of this from developing world. Fossil fuels account to about 85% of increase in energy consumption. But there is practical limit to production of fossil fuels. Demand for energy grew by 2.3% in 2003.Oil gas demand increase by 2%. Natural gas increased by 2%. Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached. Considering even the possible future discoveries of oil wells, the peak is already passed away at around year 2000.Rate of production of oil is facing a terminal decline. Population growth is an issue. This decade leaving the recession part is golden era in terms of development by G.D.P. Thanks to modern technology and health reforms. Thereby urban population growth rate is getting faster. Urban population has more energy requirements. Energy requirements must be met with both economical and environmental perspectives. Considering the above aspects the urgency of creating green energy in large scale efficiently is understood. (University of Illinois official website)

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Uses of green power source being: The sun and wind energy are free to use. After an outstanding first investment on solar panels, windmills, and geothermal energy equipment, the only expenditure incurred by the consumer is that of any necessary maintenance. There is no further hidden cost or any kind of increase in expenditure from gas, energy or electricity companies. One could be totally energy efficient, decreasing the world’s reliance on the fast exhausting fossil fuel resources. The best reason, though, is that the government is ready to invest in common people’s projects depending on its feasibility and environment or area of operation.

Some of the disadvantages as for green power in terms of production, cost or consumption could be: The initial investment as mentioned earlier of renewable energy technologies may be out of bounds for many middle class families. It is highly improbable that one will be able to totally replace one’s present energy or power to the use of non exhaustible energy, but one could make it a feasible possibility with a practical budget and a pragmatic set up or establishment of different energy production methods, such as a wind mills and solar devices, such as solar heaters, solar cells, and many more.

Terrestrial solar power is an intermittent energy source, which means solar energy is not available all the time. The amount of power generated is dependent not only on intensity of solar radiation but also the angle of incidence of radiation on the solar panel. Storage time of power generated is also an issue. Solar power establishment needs a larger surface region or area as compared to the normal sources to have any substantial output. The weather can affect the efficiency of solar panels. Pollution is also a concern. After optimal radiation intensity and angle of intensity, other issue that concerns power production is efficiency of the cell used and geographical location of the panel. Wind power is also an intermittent energy source, because availability and speed of wind is not guaranteed. People consider wind turbines have undesirable shapes. National Lightning Institute also indicated that wind turbines are highly prone to lightening. Not practical to install for home purposes unlike that of solar panel which can be of help for an extent. Birds getting hit by turbines are also an issue. They create lot of noise pollution. Thereby in present scenario both solar and wind power asks for supplement source of energy, which may be hydro or fossil fuel source. Building up of highly secure nuclear reactors is cumbersome and time taking. Only one nuclear plant is being currently built in America and 44 are under construction in other countries. Meltdown is common problem in case of nuclear power generation. If there is loss of coolant water in fission reactor, the rods would overheat. This might expose the fuel present inside. Proper storage facilities must be present for the waste disposed. Apart from technical reasons, despite protection measures, if the reactor is aimed for terrorist threat, it could be worst for any nation. Uranium the nuclear energy source is scarce on this planet. Radiation is an issue.

The process of burning fuels to make products of everyday importance is our way of making life. But the world cannot survive like this. We say we need to cut down on this unruly consumption, in order to provide a more sustainable future. Many people are now developing questionnaires and alternative solutions and flourishing in their role in relation to cutting down carbon dioxide emissions and consumption of carbon fuels. People have so much access to knowledge on this department that they are beginning to question experts and organizations on their methods and techniques. Though it is just the start, carbon counting is one of the ways by which we can check carbon emissions. There are carbon counting toolkits given out by organizations that help in measuring the level of carbon. This is possible for all sectors today, whether it be construction, transport or even diet. Green power typically ends up costing us a bit more, around about an extra one to two cents per kilowatt-hour, although that is not the exact figure. For residential customers, this usually means $5 to $10 a month extra. This is because the green or non-exhaustible energy industry is still an infant on its way to growing up and does not yet enjoy the same investments and interests as traditional power and production. Power from these renewable sources is, at this moment of time in history, costlier than traditional methods and resources like oil, gas, coal, wood. The Australian green power agency Diamond Power objectives include the economic return clause as one of the most important jobs to be carried out alongside environmental stability. Diamond Energy’s electricity retail arm “CommercialGreen” delivers many of green power options to the industrial and residential sector. Hence, that green power has been identified as the next big thing, and that many corporate like McKinsey and Co. have incorporated a separate department for climate and environment change is sign that green power is here to stay. (Diamond Energy official website)

The government has itself identified the present crisis facing our future generations. The rate at which we are exhausting coal and the natural reserves of oil and fossil fuels, there is hardly any going to be left for future generations. Hence the government has offered to help agencies working in such fields to keep up their good work by offering subsidy on many products like hybrid vehicles, pollution checks, etc. The British government has announced plans to offer subsidies of 5000 pounds for motorists to purchase electric cars. Car makers have shifted their attention to the hybrid car market, for example, GM has Volt, while Toyota has come out with Prius. Apart from the transport sector, the government has helped many agencies, collaborated with many a companies to set up windmills to exploit wind energy as a useful source of renewable power. In many countries, governments give out environmental responsibility awards to the company or agency that has worked the best and helped achieve predefined goals in the field of power consumption and production through green means. Though the future of green power may look extremely bright, the present scenario is one of tested patience amongst both investors and stock traders. They are weighing their options before finally plunging into shares of green companies. Till then, though, green companies have to trust on the governments that they are working together, which, it seems, is highly in favour of them. This is a good sign for these companies as it will eventually lead to joint ventures and private investors putting in their money once it becomes obvious to everyone that green power is the method of the future. Once we talk about the third world, it is necessary to understand that in different areas of the world, different modes of production are favoured. Middle East countries will prefer burning up their oil rather than try something greener or non exhaustible because of the terrain they reside in. Deserts offer little help in setting up greener ventures. Though, third world countries do depend on their better counterparts to help them with this decision. Lately, the surge of green power has hit the third world countries who depend on oil and gas imports for their economies. This type of power production empowers them to create and sell power, thereby also increasing their exports. (BBC UK official website)

That green power is an idea of the future is evident. But the world has brought this upon itself to implement that idea today itself because of the way the resources are being devoured by the countries in a mad rush to get to the top of the economic ladder. But recent climactic trends and fashions have opened eyes and gates to alternative power production sources. Wind power, for example is a simple but highly productive way of utilizing wind to electrify remote areas. Solar energy is widely in use these days. Transport sector is in transition mode. Cars have been developed, and as aforementioned, the governments have only aided this cause by providing customers added incentives if they support these green causes. The possibility that natural resources will expire sooner than later looms larger as the days go by. The day is not far when green power will have overtaken traditional procedures in terms of technology, efficiency, economy and acceptance. The amount of grants being thrown in by governments and organizations for research in this area is humongous. This only holds well for the future of the world. (Green Power Group official website)