SOURCES OF

ENERGY
ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS ECONOMIC BENEFITS
FOSSIL FUELS Pollution is the major disadvantage that is formed due to fossil fuels.
When burnt they give out carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which is the
main aspect of global warming. - See more at: http://www.conserve-
energy-
future.com/Disadvantages_FossilFuels.php#sthash.N6khZcD8.dpuf
Produce Large Amount of Energy : All machines, devices, vehicles
depend on the fossil fuels, may it be coal, petroleum or natural gas.

High Calorific Value : All energy produced has some calorific value. The
more the value, the more effective it is. Fossil fuels are the highest
producers of calorific value in terms of energy. - See more at:
http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Advantages_FossilFuels.php#sthash.GYV2lk03.dpuf
HYDROELECTRIC
POWER
can not only disrupt the natural flow of rivers but can also cause earthquakes,
erosion, landslides and serious geological damage. Sometimes, it can even
lead to major flooding
they not only produce electricity but also saves and reserves water so that
the water is not wasted into oceans and seas.
cost of this electricity is less than electricity produced from fossil fuels and
nuclear power. - See more at: http://www.conserve-energy-
Hydroelectricity means clean and cheap energy for today and for
tomorrow.
Hydroelectricity is a fundamental instrument for sustainable
development.
SOLAR POWER Pollution : Most of the photovoltaic panels are made up of silicon and other
toxic metals like mercury, lead and cadmium. Pollution in the environment
can also degrade the quality and efficiency of photovoltaic cells.
Long lasting solar cells : Solar cells make no noise at all and there are no
moving parts in solar cells which makes them long lasting and require
very little maintenance. Solar energy provides cost effective solutions to
energy problems where there is no electricity at all
WIN D POWER Threat to Wildlife : Due to large scale construction of wind turbines on
remote location, it could be a threat to wild life near by. Few studies have
been done by wind turbines to determine the effect of wind turbines on
birds and animals and the evidence is clear that animals see wind turbines
as a threat to their life. Also, wind turbines require them to be dig deep
into the earth which could have negative effect on the underground
habitats. - See more at: http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Disadvantages_WindEnergy.php#sthash.RJ1mwaEA.dpuf
Noise Disturbances : Though wind energy is non-polluting, the turbines
may create a lot of noise. This alone is the reason that wind farms are not
built near residential areas. People who live near-by often complaint of
huge noise that comes from wind turbines. - See more at:
http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Disadvantages_WindEnergy.php#sthash.RJ1mwaEA.dpuf
Create Many Jobs : Wind energy on the other hand has created many
jobs for the local people. From installation of wind turbines to
maintenance of the area where turbines are located, it has created wide
range of opportunities for the people. Since most of the wind turbines are
based in coastal and hilly areas, people living there are often seen in
maintenance of wind turbines - See more at: http://www.conserve-
energy-future.com/Advantages_WindEnergy.php#sthash.NkK16Usa.dpuf

land used to install wind turbines can also be used for agriculture
purpose. Also, when combine with solar power, it provides cheap,
reliable, steady and great source of energy for the for developed and
developing countries. - See more at: http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Advantages_WindEnergy.php#sthash.NkK16Usa.dpuf
GEOTHERMAL May Release Harmful Gases : Geothermal sites may contain some
poisonous gases and they can escape deep within the earth, through the
holes drilled by the constructors. The geothermal plant must therefore be
capable enough to contain these harmful and toxic gases. - See more at:
http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Disadvantages_GeothermalEnergy.php#sthash.OEU8Bjhl.dpuf
Job Creation and Economic Benefits : Government of various countries
are investing hugely in creation of geothermal energy which on other
hand has created more jobs for the local people - See more at:
http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Advantages_GeothermalEnergy.php#sthash.WdCGkgLK.dpuf

Significant Cost Saving : Geothermal energy generally involves low
running costs since it saves 80% costs over fossil fuels and no fuel is
used to generate the power. Since, no fuel is require so costs for
purchasing, transporting and cleaning up plants is quite low. - See more
at: http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Advantages_GeothermalEnergy.php#sthash.WdCGkgLK.dpuf

NUCLEAR
POWER
1. Radioactive Waste : The waste produced by nuclear reactors needs to
be disposed off at a safe place since they are extremely hazardous and
can leak radiations if not stored properly. Such kind of waste emits
radiations from tens to hundreds of years. The storage of radioactive
waste has been major bottleneck for the expansion of nuclear programs.
The nuclear wastes contain radio isotopes with long half-lives. This means
that the radio isotopes stay in the atmosphere in some form or the other.
These reactive radicals make the sand or the water contaminated. It is
known as mixed waste. The mixed wastes cause hazardous chemical
reactions and leads to dangerous complications. The radioactive wastes
are usually buried under sand and are known as vitrification. But these
wastes can be used to make nuclear weapons.
2. Nuclear Accidents : While so many new technologies have been put
in place to make sure that such disaster dont happen again like the ones
Chernobyl or more recently Fukushima but the risk associated with them
are relatively high. Even small radiation leaks can cause devastating
effects. Some of the symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and
fatigue. People who work at nuclear power plants and live near those
areas are at high risk of facing nuclear radiations, if it happens.
3. Nuclear Radiation : There are power reactors called breeders. They
produce plutonium. It is an element which is not found in the nature
however it is a fissionable element. It is a by-product of the chain reaction
and is very harmful if introduced in the nature. It is primarily used to
produce nuclear weapons. Most likely, it is named as dirty bomb.
- See more at: http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Disadvantages_NuclearEnergy.php#sthash.IAz02SxG.dpuf
4. Cheap Electricity : The cost of uranium which is used as a fuel in
generating electricity is quite low. Also, set up costs of nuclear power
plants is relatively high while running cost is low. The average life of
nuclear reactor range from 4.-60 years depending upon its usage. These
factors when combined make the cost of producing electricity very low.
Even if the cost of uranium rises, the increase in cost of electricity will be
much lower.
5. Low Fuel Cost : The main reason behind the low fuel cost is that it
requires little amount of uranium to produce energy. When a nuclear
reaction happens, it releases million times more energy as compared to
traditional sources of energy.
6. Supply : There are certain economic advantages in setting up
nuclear power plants and using nuclear energy in place of conventional
energy. It is one of the major sources of electricity throughout the nation.
The best part is that this energy has a continuous supply. It is widely
available, has huge reserves and expected to last for another 100 years
while coal, oil and natural gas are limited and are expected to vanish
soon.
- See more at: http://www.conserve-energy-
future.com/Advantages_NuclearEnergy.php#sthash.5YQABNlf.dpuf