Activity 3.2.3 Alternative Resources - Wind Energy

 Alternative Energy: "Energy generated in ways that do not deplete natural resources or harm the environment, especially by avoiding the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power.

The arguments being made for alternative energy at the moment would be the inefficiency of being able to distribute energy without losing it. An example would be heat coming from a lightbulb or heat coming from the battery of your computer. The heat being produced is energy wasted that did not transfer completely into the system to run these appliances. But as we learn more, and technology continues to advance alternative energy will become more prominent across the U.S.


            Wind energy is a form of renewable energy that harnesses the power of wind to generate electricity. It has become greatly popular to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and decrease the amount of greenhouse gases we are releasing onto the planet currently. There are many advantages when it comes to wind energy. This source of energy is both clean and renewable! This means that it does not produce harmful pollutants or greenhouse gases. Wind turbines have a small environmental footprint compared to other sources of energy like coal-fired power plants. Wind energy also does not require any fuel to generate electricity, as it is a form of indirect solar energy. This form of energy relies on windy areas to pass over the blades of the turbine which turns it and converts this into electricity. Many towns and farmland are already being powered by wind energy.

            Though wind energy is amazing, it also has some downfalls as well. You can’t put a wind turbine somewhere where it isn’t windy, or else it won’t produce anything. So, it has its limitations on potential use for the entirety of the U.S. They also have a visual impact amongst many people, who find them “unsightly.” It would probably be best to make most of these turbines offshore. There is also a complaint of it being a noise polluter. This is a concern for many residents, which further pushes the agenda to build them offshore. And they can have an environmental impact, so far it has been shown that birds and bats are being killed by these turbines. This can be difficult, especially with species that are already endangered as is. 

            To summarize, wind energy has several advantages as a clean and renewable energy source, but it also has some disadvantages and limitations as well. As technology continues to improve and policies are put into place, we will see more use and improvement of our alternative energy resources. The use of wind energy has doubled compared to the data from 2010, which is a positive sign that we are moving in the right direction.


Citations:


Mutiti, S., Mutiti, C., Manoylov, K., VandeVoort, A., & Bennett, D. (2018). Introduction to environmental science (3rd ed.). Biological Science Open Textbooks. University System of Georgia.


What are the benefits of wind power?: Acciona: Business as unusual. ACCIONA. (n.d.). Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.acciona.com/renewable-energy/wind-energy/?_adin=02021864894 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Activity 3.3.3 My Plastic Use

Image
  Plastic pollution has become a major environmental concern, with widespread attention on larger plastic debris like plastic bags and bottles that litter our beaches and harm marine life. However, there is a more insidious and hidden threat lurking in our oceans - microplastics. These tiny particles, often smaller than 5mm in size, are pervasive in our environment and pose significant risks to both humans and the ecosystem. (a) Definition of Microplastics and Their Sources Microplastics are small particles of plastic that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items or are intentionally produced as tiny plastic beads in consumer products. They can be categorized into two types: primary and secondary microplastics. Primary microplastics are designed to be small, such as microbeads in personal care products like toothpaste and exfoliators, and are directly released into the environment. Secondary microplastics are the result of larger plastic items breaking down due to weatheri...
Read more

Activity 3.3.1 Air Pollution (Core Activity)

  Air Pollution Basics   Sulfur Pollutants :  Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) is an incredibly important gaseous air pollutant. It is colorless but not odorless, known to have a pungent smell to it. Sulfure can combine with many other compounds to become oxidized, depending on which compound SO2 combines with the average atmospheric residence time is between 1 to 4 days. Although it may disperse long distances from its point of emission, this kind if dispersal is known as long-range transportation of air pollution. When combined with ammonium nitrate, this is what forms a fine particulate haze you see in larger cities.    Nitrogen Pollutants :  Nitric Oxide (NO), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), and ammonia (NH3) are the more important nitrogen-based gases. Ammonia is a colorless gas and is mostly emitted from wetlands, produced through the decomposition of dead biomass, and stays within the atmosphere for up to seven days.  Nitric Oxide (NO) is colo...
Read more

Activity 3.2.1 - Natural Resources Review

Image
            When looking at our concept map, we can see that it revolves around Natural Resources. This can branch off in a multitude of ways, from sustainability to alternative resources, to renewable and nonrenewable resources.              Let’s first look at the sustainability of our natural resources. It all depends on how that resource is being maintained so as it’s not overused or over damaged in the long run. The problem with this is over population and over consumption our world is facing daily.              Next, we have our alternative natural resources which include synthetic materials. These of course are not quite as good of quality and may pose a threat if not properly disposed of. Let’s think plastic water bottles not being recycled to be reused in the future.         ...
Read more