Sources of Energy

SOLAR ENERGY:

1. Lower production in the winter months

Pros and Cons of Solar Energy

Advantages of Solar Energy Solar Energy Disadvantages

Renewable Energy Source Cost

Reduces Electricity Bills Weather Dependent

Diverse Applications Solar Energy Storage is Expensive

Low Maintenance Costs Uses a Lot of Space

Technology Development Associated with Pollution

Benefits of solar energy: top pros to keep in mind

Advantages of Solar Power

 Solarenergy is an immaculate and renewable energy source.
 Once a solarpanel is installed, solarenergy can be produced free of charge.
 Solarenergy will last forever while it is estimated that the world’s oil supply will run out in 30 or 40
years.
 Solarenergy causes no pollution.
 Solar cells create no negative impactat all. On the other hand, the giant machines that pump oil
arenoisypolluters, and therefore very unfeasible.
 Almost no maintenance is required to keep solar cells running. There are no moving parts in solar
cells, making it difficult to harm them.
 In the long term, there can be ahigh return on an initialinvestment because of the amount of free
energy a solarpanel can produce; it is estimated that the normal family can generate half of
itsenergyfrom solar panels.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

 As with all renewable energy sources, solarenergy has regularity issues; the sun does not shineat
night, andduring the day there may be clouds or rain.
 Therefore, the intermittency and idiosyncrasies of solarenergy make solarpanels a less reliablea
solution.
 Solarpanels require additional equipment, like inverters,to convert direct power (DC) to alternating
current (AC) for use on the power network.
 For a constant supply of electric power, particularly for on-grid connections, photovoltaic panels
require inverters as well as storage batteries, increasing the initial investment for solar power
accordingly.
 In the case of land-mounted PV panels, moderately large areas are needed; more often than not,
land is available for this use for only 15-20 years.
 Solar panel efficiency is generally low (between 14%-25%),in contrast to the higher effectiveness of
other renewable energysystems.
 In spite of the fact that PV panels require no excessive maintenance or operating costs, they are
fragile and can be damaged easily; extra insurance costs are therefore essential to protect a PV
investment.

Geothermal energy
The Earth's heat-called geothermal energy-escapes as steam at a hot springs in Nevada. Credit: Sierra Pacific

Geothermal energy is the heat from the Earth. It's

clean and sustainable. Resources of geothermal
energy range from the shallow ground to hot
water and hot rock found a few miles beneath the
Earth's surface, and down even deeper to the
extremely high temperatures of molten rock called
magma

What Are the Advantages of Geothermal

Energy?
1. Geothermal Energy Sourcing Is Good for the Environment
First and foremost, geothermal energy is extracted from the earth without burning fossil fuels, and
geothermal fields produce practically no emissions. What’s more, geothermal energy can be very
beneficial, as you can achieve savings of up to 80% over conventional energy usage.

2. Geothermal Is a Reliable Source of Renewable Energy

Geothermal energy also has many advantages when compared to other renewable sources like solar,
wind or biomass. It is an exceptionally constant source of energy, meaning that it is not dependent
on neither wind nor sun, and available all year long.

When looking at the availability factor, which shows how reliable and constant specific energy
sources are, geothermal is ranking on the top (see the figure below), way above the other groups,
which supports the argument of its independence on inconstant external circumstances when
delivering energy.

3. High Efficiency of Geothermal Systems

Geothermal heat pump systems use 25% to 50% less electricity than conventional systems for
heating or cooling, and with their flexible design they can be adjusted to different situations,
requiring less space for hardware as opposed to conventional systems.

4. Little to No Geothermal System Maintenance

Due to the fact that geothermal systems only have few movable parts which are sheltered inside a
building,the life span of geothermal heat pump systems is relatively high. Heat pump pipes even
have warranties of between 25 and 50 years, while the pump can usually last for at least 20 years.

What are the Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy?

However, there are always two sides of the coin so let’s have a look at the cons of geothermal
energy:

1. Environmental Concerns about Greenhouse Emissions

Unfortunately, no matter its reputation of being an environmentally friendly alternative energy source,
geothermal energy also causes some minor concerns in regards to the environment.

The extraction of geothermal energy from the grounds leads to a release of greenhouse gases like
hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia. However, the amount of gas released
is significantly lower than in the case of fossil fuels.

2. Possibility of Depletion of Geothermal Sources

Furthermore, despite being considered a sustainable and renewable energy, the chances are that
specific locations might cool down after time, making it impossible to harvest more geothermal
energy in future.

The only non-depletable option is sourcing geothermal energy right from magma but the
technology for doing so is still in the process of development. This option is worth the investment
mainly thanks to the fact that magma will be around for billions of years.

3. High Investment Costs for Geothermal System

Another disadvantage is the high initial cost for individual households. The need for drilling and
installing quite a complex system into one’s home makes the price climb quite high. Nevertheless, the
return on such investment is very promising, being able to earn the investment back within 2 to 10
years.

4. Land Requirements for Geothermal System to Be Installed

In case of geothermal systems, having a piece of land next to the house is required in order to be
able to install one. That makes geothermal systems hard to be implemented for homeowners in big
cities, unless a vertical ground source heat pump is used.

Geothermal Energy Advantages

 Environmentally friendly – There are a few polluting aspects to harnessing geothermal

energy, and the carbon footprint of a geothermal power plant is seen as minimal. An average
geothermal power plant releases the equivalent of 122 kg CO2 for every megawatt-hour
(MWh) of electricity it generates – one-eighth of the CO2 emissions associated with typical
coal power plants.
  A renewable resource – Geothermal reservoirs are naturally replenished. According to some
scientists, the energy in our geothermal reservoirs will last billions of years. While fossil fuels
have an expiry date, renewable sources like geothermal energy is not going to expire anytime
soon.
 Potential capacity – Estimates for the potential of geothermal power plants vary between
0.035 to 2 TW.
 A stable resource – The power output of a geothermal plant can be accurately predicted. Not
subject to the same low-energy fluctuations as with solar or wind.
 Great for Heating/Cooling – There is significant growth in the number of homeowners
utilizing geothermal heating/cooling over the last couple of years.
 No fuel required – After installation, no mining or transportation activity is necessary.
 Small land footprint – Smallest land footprint of any major power source.
 Stable resource – Can provide base load or peak power.
 Economic factors – Cost-competitive in some areas.
 Accessibility – Some level of geothermal energy available most places.
 Renewable – Geothermal energy is extracted from earth’s core and will be available as long
as earth exists. It is therefore renewable and can be used for roughly another 4-5 billion years.
 Abundant Supply – With geothermal energy, there are no shortages or other sorts of
problems which sometimes occur with other types of power.
 Significant Savings for Home Owners – There has been a tremendous increase in the
number of homeowners who want to utilize geothermal energy for heating and cooling
purposes. The result is that less energy is used for heating homes and offices which results in
significant savings for home owners. After the initial expense, a 30-60% savings on heating
and 25-50% savings on cooling can cover that cost within few years.

Geothermal Energy Disadvantages

 Potential emissions – Greenhouse gas below Earth’s surface can potentially migrate to the
surface and into the atmosphere. Such emissions tend to be higher near geothermal power
plants, which are associated with sulfur dioxide and silica emissions. Also, and the reservoirs
can contain traces of toxic heavy metals including mercury, arsenic and boron.
 Surface Instability – Construction of geothermal power plants can affect the stability of land.
In January 1997, the construction of a geothermal power plant in Switzerland triggered an
earthquake with a magnitude of 3.4 on the Richter scale.
 High cost for electricity – Total costs usually end up somewhere between $2 – 7 million for a
1 MW geothermal power plant.
 High up-front costs for heating and cooling systems – While there is a predictable ROI, it
will not happen quickly.For an average sized home, installation of geothermal heat pumps
costs between $10,000 – $20,000 which can pay off itself in another 5-10 years down the line
 Location Specific – Good geothermal reservoirs are hard to come by. Iceland and Philippines
meet nearly one-third of their electricity demand with geothermal energy. Prime sites are often
far from population centers.
 Distribution costs – If geothermal energy is transported long distances, cost can become
prohibitive.
 Sustainability questions – Some studies show that reservoirs can be depleted if the fluid is
removed faster than replaced. This is not an issue for residential geothermal heating and
cooling, where geothermal energy is being used differently than in geothermal power plants.
 Cost of Powering the Pump – Geothermal heat pumps need a power source.
 May Run Out of Steam: You have to be incredibly careful when you are trying to check
everything that is related to geothermal energy. Mind must be taken to watch the heat and not
to abuse it, because if the heat is not taken care of properly, it can cause a meltdown or other
issues where the energy is not properly distributed or used.
Whether geothermal energy is going to be used for heating a house or generating electricity at a
power plant, there is much to be looked at and considered. Although the footprint for this form of
energy is considerably smaller than one than that of fossil fuels, it still has possible negative impacts.
Then there is the issue of cost. Geothermal power plants are expensive to create and not always that
easy to find. And the initial cost for buildings or houses using a geothermal heating and cooling
system is expensive and without a fast payback.