10.4 Environmental Sustainability
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be provided from a power grid across our towns and cities. Of course, the efficiency
of this energy source will vary depending on geographical location as well as the
amount of sunlight received year-round at different latitudes and seasons.
Wind energy is another renewable source that has the capacity to provide
vast quantities of power. Alongside solar power, this energy has become heavily
commercialized in today’s modern world. Many companies are investing in power
grids and wind turbines that allow us to tap into this energy source. There is some
disagreement in the use of wind turbines, as many people see them as unsightly,
and do not want them “on the doorstep”, blocking their views and becoming an eye
sore. However, the development of offshore wind farms, where wind turbines are
built in large numbers in the ocean and out of sight, provides us with an answer to
this problem of aesthetics. In the past, the cost of power produced from offshore
wind farms has been much higher than from onshore farms. However, since 2016
this has decreased substantially and there are now many more offshore farms in
development around Europe. If these offshore wind farms can become a mainstay
in the future, they could provide vast quantities of clean, green energy without any
negative effects on the beauty of our natural environment.
What are the major benefits of wind as a sustainable source of energy over
other sources?
Geothermal energy allows us to fetch energy from below the earth. By installing
geothermal power stations, we can use the heat rising from the Earth’s core to
generate electricity. The temperature below earth at around 10,000 meters deep can
be high enough to boil water in some locations. This heat can be used to produce
steam and move turbines that produce electricity. However, while there are vast
sums of this heat rising up through the Earth, its use as a renewable energy source
is more limited in its application (Kaygusuz 2012). Geothermal temperatures vary
at different locations around the globe and may not be high enough to move the
turbines. However, for regions that have high seismic and volcanic activity, it can
be harnessed in an environmentally friendly way to produce electricity on a 24/7
basis.
What deters countries from fully harnessing geothermal energy?
Biomass energy is produced through the burning of timber, wood, and municipal,
agricultural, and landfill waste. It is completely renewable and does not produce
harmful gases. Unlike other sources of renewable energy, it also has the added
benefit of aiding in our waste management systems. It is considered a carbon neutral
energy source, as while CO 2 is released through the burning of this fuel, it is taken
267
be provided from a power grid across our towns and cities. Of course, the efficiency
of this energy source will vary depending on geographical location as well as the
amount of sunlight received year-round at different latitudes and seasons.
Wind energy is another renewable source that has the capacity to provide
vast quantities of power. Alongside solar power, this energy has become heavily
commercialized in today’s modern world. Many companies are investing in power
grids and wind turbines that allow us to tap into this energy source. There is some
disagreement in the use of wind turbines, as many people see them as unsightly,
and do not want them “on the doorstep”, blocking their views and becoming an eye
sore. However, the development of offshore wind farms, where wind turbines are
built in large numbers in the ocean and out of sight, provides us with an answer to
this problem of aesthetics. In the past, the cost of power produced from offshore
wind farms has been much higher than from onshore farms. However, since 2016
this has decreased substantially and there are now many more offshore farms in
development around Europe. If these offshore wind farms can become a mainstay
in the future, they could provide vast quantities of clean, green energy without any
negative effects on the beauty of our natural environment.
What are the major benefits of wind as a sustainable source of energy over
other sources?
Geothermal energy allows us to fetch energy from below the earth. By installing
geothermal power stations, we can use the heat rising from the Earth’s core to
generate electricity. The temperature below earth at around 10,000 meters deep can
be high enough to boil water in some locations. This heat can be used to produce
steam and move turbines that produce electricity. However, while there are vast
sums of this heat rising up through the Earth, its use as a renewable energy source
is more limited in its application (Kaygusuz 2012). Geothermal temperatures vary
at different locations around the globe and may not be high enough to move the
turbines. However, for regions that have high seismic and volcanic activity, it can
be harnessed in an environmentally friendly way to produce electricity on a 24/7
basis.
What deters countries from fully harnessing geothermal energy?
Biomass energy is produced through the burning of timber, wood, and municipal,
agricultural, and landfill waste. It is completely renewable and does not produce
harmful gases. Unlike other sources of renewable energy, it also has the added
benefit of aiding in our waste management systems. It is considered a carbon neutral
energy source, as while CO 2 is released through the burning of this fuel, it is taken