COMPARISON OF SOURCES
COMPARISON OF SOURCES
SOLAR
ENERGY
ü Nonpolluting
ü Most abundant energy source available
ü Systems last 15-30 years
ü High initial investment
ü Supplemental energy may be needed in low sunlight areas
ü Requires large physical space for PV cell panels
ü Limited availability of polysilicon for panels
ü No emissions
ü Affordable
ü Little disruption of ecosystems
ü Relatively high output
ü Output is proportional to wind speed
ü High initial investment/ongoing maintenance costs
ü Extensive land use
ü No emissions
ü Reliable
ü Capable of generating large amounts of power
ü Output can be regulated to meet demand
ü Hydroelectric dams are expensive to build
ü Dams may be affected by drought
ü Potential for floods
ü Widely available
ü Cleanest-burning fossil fuel
ü Often used in combination with other fuels to decrease
pollution in electricity generation
ü Transportation costs are high
ü Lack of infrastructure makes gas resources unavailable from
some areas
ü Burns cleanly, but still has emissions
ü Pipelines impact ecosystems
ü Efficient transportation fuel for the world
ü Basis of many products, from prescription drugs to plastics
ü Economical to produce
ü High CO2 emissions
ü Found in limited areas
ü Supply may be exhausted before natural gas/coal resources
ü Possible environmental impact from drilling/transporting
BIOMASS
ü Abundant supply
ü Fewer emissions than fossil fuel sources
ü Can be used in diesel engines
ü Auto engines easily convert to run on biomass fuel
ü Source must be near usage to cut transportation cos
ü Increases emissions of nitrogen oxides, an air pollutant
ü Uses some fossil fuels in conversion
COAL
ü Abundant supply
ü Currently inexpensive to extract
ü Reliable and capable of generating large amounts of power
ü Emits major greenhouse gases/acid rain
ü Mining can be dangerous for miners
URANIUM
ü No greenhouse gases or CO2 emissions
ü Efficient at transforming energy into electricity
ü Uranium reserves are abundant
ü Refueled yearly (unlike coal plants that need trainloads of
coal every day)
ü Higher capital costs due to safety, emergency, containment,
radioactive waste, and storage systems
ü Heated waste water from nuclear plants harms aquatic life
ü Potential nuclear proliferation issue
GEOTHERMAL
ü Minimal environmental impact
ü Efficient
ü Power plants have low emissions
ü Low cost after the initial investment
ü Geothermal fields found in few areas around the world
ü Wells could eventually be depleted