Advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy

Energy is of renewable origin when its source is inexhaustible on the scale of human life and is therefore quickly renewed. Renewable energies are grouped into 5 main families. Are they completely non-polluting? What are the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energies? See instead

The sun is necessary for all life on earth. It brings heat, light and many other treasures. And man knows how to exploit these riches better and better. There are two types of solar energy.

Solar thermal energy consists of using the heat produced by the sun's rays to:

• heat the premises like thermal sensors;
• heat water like solar water heater;
• heat food like the solar oven.

Photovoltaic solar energy is produced from solar radiation. This is the principle of photovoltaic panels.

Wind power

The wind turbines of the 21st century  are a kind of windmill. They capture the kinetic energy of the wind with their blades then transform it into electrical energy using a generator.

There are two types of wind turbines.

• Onshores are installed on dry land.
• Offshores are located at sea. They can be floating or placed on a foundation.

France has the 4th largest  wind farm in Europe. In 2019 it connected 15,757 MW. The projection for 2023 is 27,000 MW. The connected power should reach around 40,000 MW in 2028 .

Hydro-electric power

Like the water mills of yesteryear, man uses water in all its forms to generate electricity:

• waves ;
• tides ;
• underwater currents;
• osmosis generated by the meeting between fresh water and salt water;
• the temperature difference between seawater on the surface and in the underwater depths.

Hydraulic energy is the leading source of renewable energy in France. It represents 10% of the electricity consumed.

Biomass

These are all organic materials that can generate heat or electricity, or even be transformed into biofuel. Three families of biomass are to be counted.

• Solid biomass: wood, paper, straw, corn bunches, etc.
• Biogas comes from the fermentation of organic materials such as animal manure, agricultural or food waste. We are talking about methanization.
• Biofuel is produced from beets, cereals or even oilseeds such as rapeseed or sunflower.

Geothermal energy

It is the transformation of heat found in the subsoil into energy. Provided by the constantly boiling magma under the earth's crust, the heat can reach 1000 degrees at a depth of 30 km.

Advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy

Are you thinking of installing or using renewable energy? Before you decide, discover the pluses and minuses of these energies.

The virtues of renewable energies

The advantages of renewable energies are numerous.

• Clean energy. Renewable energies release little or no greenhouse gases. They also do not release a huge amount of waste and do not use fuel to operate. It is a low-polluting energy.
• Free energy. The source of renewable energy is part of nature. To transform it into energy, it is certainly necessary to put in place an appropriate system. But afterward, all you have to do is enjoy nature's bounty.
• Unlimited energy. On the scale of humanity, the radiation of the sun, the force of wind and water are inexhaustible resources. Even if the quantity supplied may vary.
• Safe energy. Few accidents have been reported with these devices linked to renewable energies.
• Decentralized energy. Renewable energy generation systems can be implemented throughout the territory. Their implementation often generates jobs for the receiving territories. 

Renewable energies: are they also green?

Against all expectations, the disadvantages of renewable energies exist.

• Impacts on the lives of residents, both visual and audible. This is the case for solar panels on the roofs of houses, offshore wind fields or those installed near homes.
• A non-constant source of energy. Solar or wind power depends on the weather. A cloudy day produces less electricity and if there is no wind, the wind turbines would not work.
• A costly installation in some cases. The installation of photovoltaic panels, wind turbines or even hydraulic dams generates significant costs. But this is the price to pay for having clean and unlimited energy.
• An impact on the ecosystem. Yes, you read correctly. The installation of a hydroelectric dam involves flooding valleys and disrupting local flora and fauna. This is the case for the immigration of certain fish, for example.
• A CO2 emission. If the production of renewable energy does not result in CO2 emissions, the manufacturing of equipment such as photovoltaic panels does.

In short

Sustainable energies are inexhaustible and produce little waste. However, the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energies must be looked at closely. The manufacturing of production systems sometimes requires the use of fossil fuels and their implementation in certain cases leads to negative impacts on the lives of residents.