We all know about renewable energy. Generally speaking, renewable energy is green energy. It does not produce carbon dioxide and good for our environment. Is it true, or there are some disadvantages to renewable energy? If we compare renewable energy and Fossil fuel energy. Yes, renewable energy is the way we should go. But it also has some disadvantages.
Disadvantages of renewable energy:
1. The fluctuation of energy supply
The wind speed varies depending on the time and season. On a cold and cloudy day, wind speed is maybe high. It can generate a high amount of energy on that day. But it might drop suddenly. Wind energy is very difficult to predict. Similarly, solar energy also has problems. Sunny summer days provide a huge amount of solar energy. On the other hand, cloudy winter days generate little energy. Fluctuation is one of the most disadvantages of renewable energy. For this fluctuation, we need alternative sources of power supply.
2. The short life span of Renewable Energy source
According to EIA, the life span of a wind turbine is about 20 to 25 years. If you compare this life span to other powerplants, which is significantly low. Solar Power Plants also have 25 to 30 years of life span. Although Hydropower Plants have a life span of about 100 years. For this reason, wind and solar power plants are not economically profitable and sustainable.
3. The storage problem
As we know, Solar Energy produces an abundance in hot summer days. But the storage capacity is very limited. Pump-hydro contributes to 90% of energy storage. The storage is one of the biggest disadvantages of renewable energy. A lot of research is going on to find a suitable solution to this issue. Li-ion Batteries are not a sustainable solution to this problem. Li-ion battery needs Nickel and Cadmium which are harmful to the environment. Aging is another problem with Li-ion batteries. It is extremely expensive to build a large capacity for storage.
4. Environmental Impact
Hydro energy is considered one the greenest way to produce energy. But we should not forget it creates a massive impact on the environment. A hydropower dam changes the water flow and submerged a vast amount of land. It has a bad effect on the surrounding ecology and wildlife. Solar and wind farm also need massive space to produce energy. Wind turbine creates noise pollution and kills thousands of birds and insects every year.
5. Geographic Limitation
Another disadvantage of renewable energy is a geographic location. The geographical locations near the sea have high wind speed. Those areas are really good for wind farms. Higher latitude has less solar potential.
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Insightful. For the time being we can continue using Hydro energy till we have more effective storage solution. But what about tidal energy?
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