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Breyhauna Johnson

Instructor: Malcom Campbell

English 1102

March 26, 2014

A Green World Awaits

As years pass, we constantly hear the topic of renewable energy and how it is being

integrated into the world’s current system of energy production. Dictionary.com defines

renewable energy as “Any naturally occurring, theoretically inexhaustible source of energy, such

as biomass, solar, wind, tidal, wave and hydroelectric power that is not derived from fossil or

nuclear fuel.” The fossil or nuclear fuel would be classified under nonrenewable energy,

meaning once we run out of these sources we are out of the supplies to produce energy.

Although nonrenewable sources are currently producing enough energy to meet our energy

supply, soon we will need to start relying more heavily on renewable sources to fulfill our energy

needs. Renewable energy will have to make up most of our energy production in the near future.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, currently only about ten percent of

world energy consumption is from renewable energy sources. This number is expected to rise

significantly within the next decade, as each renewable energy source is being improved to

provide better efficiency and cost. As the world’s economy and environment continue to

decline, people need to continue looking into renewable energy resources to ensure a sustainable

society for many generations to come. Renewable energy sources will branch out and continue

to provide benefits globally through the improvement of the economy and the environment,

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while nonrenewable sources slowly deplete and the world no longer depends on them for the

greater percentage of energy.

The environment has seen increasingly detrimental damage as fossil fuels are

implemented for the production of energy for the worldly population. Many impacts are endured

including global warming and air, water and land pollution. Several gases are released in the

burning of fossil fuels, with carbon dioxide appearing the most abundantly. Carbon dioxide is a

gas that traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Burning fossil fuels has resulted in more than a

twenty-five percent increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere over the last 150

years. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists in their article “The Hidden Cost of

Fossil Fuels,” over the last century, the average global surface temperature has risen 0.5-1.1

degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have

concluded that this rise in average temperature is likely to be completely unnatural by itself and

human interference on the global climate is evident (“The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels”). This

statement claims that humans have influenced the rise of temperature on earth and I believe this

is most likely from the burning of fossil fuels. Nonrenewable technologies such as coal, which a

little less than fifty percent of energy we consume comes from, releases large quantities of

carbon dioxide. As stated before, carbon dioxide traps heat, which would explain the earth’s

average temperature increase. The question, “Why is an increase in the average global

temperature a big deal?” may arise. Just a slight increase in the temperature can have major

effects seen in many areas. Flooding of areas around oceans like river deltas, wetlands and

populated places may occur due to the rise in sea-level, which may occur when giant ice glaciers

melt (“The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels”).

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Besides global warming, there are other environmental impacts that nonrenewable

technologies inflict. In addition to carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere by the

combustion of fossil fuels, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and hydrocarbons

are some other pollutants released. Smog buildup in many major cities is caused by the

combination of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons which form tropospheric ozone, the main

component of smog. These pollutants are not only harmful to the environment; humans are

inadvertently affected as well. Clean air is essential to maintaining health in a human body and

these pollutants may make that difficult. Burning fossil fuels also produces particulates, which

results in acid rain formation (“The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels”).

Amanda Staudt, a Senior Scientist in the Climate and Energy Program at National

Wildlife Federation states, “The problem is that most of the energy infrastructure in the United

States was built to withstand the climate and weather extremes of the past, not the future. To

date, there have been no comprehensive efforts to carefully assess the vulnerability of our energy

systems to these threats.” Staudt makes an excellent point; back a century ago, we weren’t

worried about the consequences of producing energy, just the fact that we had it.

The BP oil spills aren’t really news to anyone; they didn’t happen yesterday. The last

major spill happened just a few years ago, and is still being cleaned up. People around the world

depend on oil for gas to run their vehicles. The explosion of a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico

has been said to become “The worst environmental disaster in U.S. history” (“100 Days of the

BP Spill: A Timeline”). This spill, like any oil spill whether it be major or minor, is extremely

dangerous to the environment, as well as the endangerment to the people around these areas. Oil

spills leave waterways and their surrounding shores uninhabitable for long periods of time,

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killing varieties of plant and animal life (”The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels”). The oil spills are

just one example of nonrenewable technologies destroying our land and water.

Coal mining affects our environment just as much, if not more. As water washes through

mines, pyrite, a sulfur compound found in coal, forms a dilute acid which then carries on to

nearby streams and rivers. After mining is completed, the surrounding land remains barren

unless land restoration is ensured through a special process in which proper topsoil is used when

the area is replanted (“The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels”). Most mining companies are there for

one job; to strip land and obtain coal from it. Various laws have been out in place which require

the replenishing (or the best ability of it at least) of the land that was stripped. In places that do

not require this, the land is left like it is when the job is finished. Even when land is restored to

meet standards, does this sound like an appealing place to live in?

Where is the oil located that so many people worldwide depend on? Foreign dependency

on oil has resulted in many issues of its own. In the U.S., we obtain some of our oil supply from

the Middle East. This has been a contributing factor to wars, like the Persian Gulf War, that we

have been involved in. Also, if there is a shortage, we don’t have a way to control it. Suddenly

our fuel and tax prices rise, causing us to spend even more unnecessary money. Currently, about

one-third of oil supply in the U.S. comes from the Middle East, and if we do not start investing in

renewable technologies, two-thirds of our supply may be coming from the Middle East (“The

Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels”). I believe this is because the U.S. is steadily growing and is going

to rely more heavily on energy production to meet the demand of this growing population, which

would be coming from nonrenewable sources. These statistics are unappealing and nonsensical

when we have many renewable energy sources that we could invest in to wing off of these

troublesome fossil fuels.

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In spite of the fact that there are a tremendous amount of detrimental impacts that

nonrenewable technologies cause, renewable technologies have a few damages as well.

Harnessing wind power is the cleanest and one of the most effective renewable technologies

today, but can have effects on bird and bat ecosystems. Collisions with wind turbines as well as

the change in air pressure and habitat disruption have caused several deaths within the bird and

bat communities. Though this happens, the National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC)

concluded these impacts to be relatively low, not threatening the species population

(“Environmental Impacts of Wind Power”). The most common documented problems with wind

power are the sound and visual impacts. The aerodynamic and mechanical sounds have been

reported as being disturbing to people living near wind facilities. Wind turbines are also

unattractive, which can visually destroy a place. Like wind power, solar power also has some

environmental impacts. Larger utility-scale solar facilities have raised concerns with land

degradation and habitat loss. These larger Photovoltaic (PV) systems can range from 3.5 to 10

acres of land per megawatt produced. The main concern with the manufacturing of solar cells

for the PV system is the use of many hazardous materials. Chemicals including hydrochloric

acid, sulfuric acid, and acetone can be harmful to the environment and the people working if not

handled and disposed of properly (“Environmental Impacts of Solar Power”). There are many

different precautions and procedures to take, depending on which chemicals are being disposed

of. Even though renewable energy sources cause some damage, there isn’t a perfect energy

source. Furthermore, the environment incurs a significantly less amount of damage with

renewable technologies than with nonrenewable technologies.

As environmental impacts of both renewable and nonrenewable technologies exist,

economic impacts are within reach as well. The combustion of fossil fuels has obviously worked

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for the past century and a half. Burning coal is a lot cheaper than harvesting PV cells and

obtaining sunlight for energy conversion. This is why we have relied on sources like coal and oil

for so long; the prices have been incomparable. As Robert L. Bradley states in his publication to

the Cato Journal, “new solar-power capacity is triple  the cost of new gas-generated electricity

and quadruple  the cost of surplus power.” Although this statistic may have held true two

decades ago, utility-scale solar may be nearing a pivotal price threshold. According to Martin

LaMonica with Greentech Media, Utility Xcel Energy chose solar and wind in its planning

process strictly for economic reasons instead to just meet Colorado’s renewable energy standard.

Utility-scale solar prices are becoming competitive with natural gas as PV systems are

improving, something that we never thought we’d see.

As the utility-scale solar prices are improving, so are the residential solar prices. Solar

panels and PV systems are still an expensive route to go though, at least at first. The average

initial installation of a PV system in your home can range from $10,000-$20,000 in the U.S.

Most average Americans don’t have this kind of money to drop. Although this investment may

seem expensive, it can save the average family so much money in the long run. Since most, if

not all, of the energy will be supplied from the solar panels, there won’t be any more bills from

the electric companies. This is a benefit all in itself. The average family may be paying

anywhere from $120-$200 a month on electricity. Producing your own energy can save a family

anywhere from $1440-$2400 a year. At this rate, the buyback period of the initial investment in

a PV system is 10-20 years, assuming a loan was taken out and all fees are being paid back along

with the initial amount. On a small scale of energy production, this is as economically valuable

as it gets! With the continuing improvement of solar technology increasing comes the decrease

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of price. Soon, the marketability of solar panels will be comparable in price with existing

nonrenewable technologies, making renewable technologies a no-brainer for our society.

The continuation of nonrenewable sources has put a dent in the United States’ wallet.

“Extreme weather events already cost the country $17 billion a year on average” (Staudt). Staudt

agrees that our heavy reliance on fossil fuels to produce energy is costing us too much money.

She goes on to talk about many different occurrences because of these weather events. More

frequent weather and climate extremes are contributing to the power outages occurring. Power

outages cost the U.S. between $25 and $180 billion every year. As stated before, oil rigs are a

major environmental hazard. They are also a major threat as hurricanes intensify in the Gulf

region. The year that Hurricane Katrina hit, the energy industry estimated a total loss of $15

billion. Knowing that nonrenewable resources are the main cause of these economic crises, why

doesn’t it make sense to just integrate renewable energy into our lifestyles?

With the economy declining so rapidly in today’s time, the job market’s direct

relationship is affected. The number of jobs available in the United States has continually

decreased as the economy continues to crash. Renewable energy gives the job market a chance.

The Solar Foundation, an independent research organization, show a 13 percent growth in high-

skilled solar jobs spanning installations, sales, marketing, manufacturing and software

development, which is bringing in 119,000 jobs. It is estimated that more than a quarter million

highly-skilled solar workers will contribute to the U.S. economy (“Solar Among the Fastest

Growing Job Markets in America”). This is just the solar part of the renewable energy

technologies. Other technologies produce jobs, also. With all of these combined technologies

creating new jobs, the job market along with the economy will strive.

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The concept of using alternative sources to produce energy isn’t a new one. This dates

back to seventh century B.C. when people used magnifying glasses to start fires or burn

something (“Sunshot Initiative”). It may seem uneconomical at first to invest in solar panels for

a house (spending anywhere from $10,000-$20,000), or to invest in a brand new electric car ran

solely from electricity (spending anywhere from $17,000-$30,000). The amount of money saved

from these investments is incredible though. Saving that extra $100-$200 a month that would

have been spent on the electric bill, and the $70 a week on gas can go a long way, especially in

this economy. Nonrenewable technologies affect the economy as well as the environment. “The

serious impacts are yet another reason why renewable energy is in our national interest” (Staudt).

Renewable energy sources will soon be more eminent as nonrenewable sources continue to show

their true colors; the world will soon have no choice but to make the transition.

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Works Cited

"100 Days of the BP Spill: A Timeline." Time. Time Inc. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.

Bradley, Robert L., Jr. "Renewable Energy: Not Cheap, Not "Green"" Policy Analysis. Cato

Institute, 27 Aug. 1997. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.

"Environmental Impacts of Solar Power." Union of Concerned Scientists. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

"Environmental Impacts of Solar Power." Union of Concerned Scientists. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

"Environmental Impacts of Wind Power." Union of Concerned Scientists. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

"The Hidden Cost of Fossil Fuels." Union of Concerned Scientists. 29 Oct. 2002. Web. 20 Apr.

2014.

"How Much of World Energy Consumption and Electricity Generation Is from Renewable

Energy?" How Much of World Energy Consumption and Electricity Generation Is from

Renewable Energy? U.S. Energy Information Administration, 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 Jan.

2014.

LaMonica, Martin. "Xcel Energy Buying Utility-Scale Solar at Prices Competitive With Natural

Gas." Greentechsolar. Greentechmedia, 02 Oct. 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.

"Renewable Energy." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.

"Solar Among the Fastest Growing Job Markets in America." Energy.gov. 08 Nov. 2012. Web.

22 Apr. 2014.

Staudt, Amanda. "Climate Risk: Yet Another Reason to Choose Renewable Energy." Renewable

Energy World. National Wildlife Federation. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.