Disadvantages Of Geothermal Energy

1. Environmental issues 

There is an abundance of greenhouse gases below the surface of the earth. When geothermal energy is
used, some of these gases escape towards the surface and into the atmosphere. These emissions tend
to be higher near geothermal power plants.

Geothermal power plants generate small amounts of sulfur dioxide and silica emissions. The reservoirs
can also contain traces of toxic heavy metals including mercury, arsenic, and boron.

That said, the pollution associated with geothermal power is very low, and just a tiny fraction of what
we see with coal power and fossil fuels. Furthermore, there have been no reported cases of water
contamination from geothermal sites in the US, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.  

2. Surface Instability (Earthquakes) 

Construction of geothermal power plants can affect the stability of land. In fact, geothermal power
plants have led to subsidence (sinking of the Earth’s surface) in both Germany and New Zealand.

Earthquakes can be triggered due to hydraulic fracturing, which is an intrinsic part of developing
enhanced geothermal system (EGS) power plants.

In 2006, the construction of a geothermal power plant in Switzerland triggered an earthquake with a
magnitude of 3.4 on the Richter scale.

3. Expensive 

Commercial geothermal power projects are expensive. Total installation costs usually end up
somewhere between $2.5–5 million for a geothermal power plant with a capacity of 1 megawatt (MW). 

The exploration and drilling of new reservoirs plays a big role in driving up costs, and typically accounts
for half of total costs.

As previously mentioned, most geothermal resources cannot be utilized in a cost-effective manner, at

least not with current technology, level of subsidies, and energy prices.

The upfront costs of geothermal heating and cooling systems for homes and commercial buildings are
also steep. That said, these systems are likely to save you money years down the line, and should
therefore be regarded as long-term investments. Ground source heat pumps typically cost $15,000–
$40,000 installed, and generally have a payback time of 10–20 years.

4. Location Specific 
Good geothermal reservoirs are hard to come by. Some countries have been blessed with great
resources – Iceland and Philippines, for instance, meet nearly one-third of their electricity demand with
geothermal energy.

If geothermal energy is transported long distances by means of hot water (not electricity), significant
energy losses have to be taken into account.

5. Sustainability Issues 

Rainwater seeps through the earth’s surface and into the geothermal reservoirs over thousands of
years. Studies show that the reservoirs can be depleted if the fluid is removed faster than replaced. 

Efforts can be made to inject fluid back into the geothermal reservoir after the thermal energy has been
utilized (the turbine has generated electricity).

Geothermal power is sustainable if reservoirs are properly managed. This is not an issue for residential
geothermal heating and cooling, where geothermal energy is being used differently than in geothermal
power plants.

HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY

1. Environmental consequences

Hydropower facilities can be tricky because when one is built with a dam, such as the famous Hoover
Dam in Nevada, a previously dry land area will be flooded with water, in order to be used as a reservoir.
That means whatever habitat was in that location will be ruined. Also, the natural flow of the river will
be affected. 

A non-natural water flow leads to issues ranging from less sediment reaching the end of the river, a
natural way to build up and maintain land, to affecting fish migration patterns. Also, many rivers travel
through multiple counties and if they are dammed, upstream countries could take more water than is
fair and leave less water for countries downriver.

Before choosing locations for hydropower plants, the potential environmental effects should be
carefully considered to make sure that the plant can be as environmentally-friendly as possible.   

2. Expensive to build

Building any type of power plant is expensive - hydroelectric power plants can cost as much as  $580 per
kilowatt to be built, and they usually range from 10MW to 30MWs (where one MW is equal to 1,000
kilowatts). 
This means that the upfront cost of building a hydropower plant can be millions of dollars. Compared to
the falling prices of solar installations, for example, hydropower is a more challenging renewable project
to finance. 

3. Drought potential

The ability to create electricity can be severely reduced if there is a drought and not enough water is
flowing into the plant. 

The good news is, most droughts are a short-lived break from the typical water cycle and should only
create a minor delay in electricity generation.

4. Limited reservoirs

It is challenging to find a suitable spot that has a large year-round water supply, with the right amount of
water and is close enough to existing power lines. 
It is also a delicate balancing act to keeping enough river water wild (meaning without dams), versus
damming up many rivers for power.   

Disadvantages Of Fossil Fuels

1. Contribute to climate change

Fossil fuels are the main driver of global warming. When they are burned, they release vast amounts of
harmful byproducts called greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide (CO2)), into the atmosphere. 

CO2 traps an unnatural amount of heat into the atmosphere which leads to changing weather patterns,
such as hotter temperatures, more droughts, more erratic rainfall, and an overall ess hospitable planet.  

2. Non-renewable

Fossil fuels are non-renewable sources of energy - unlike solar power, geothermal, and wind energy. 

This means that there are finite resources available and its reserves are not replenished naturally. While
fossil fuels are made up of decomposed organic matter, like dead plants and animals, they take millions
of years to form. 

And unlike their renewable counterparts, they cause pollution when burned for energy.
3. Unsustainable

We are using too many fossil fuels too quickly. 

There is no safe amount of fossil fuel use because any burning of fossil fuels in power plants (or from
cars) leads to CO2 release and air pollution.

Luckily, renewable energy sources are becoming more affordable and competitive with fossil fuels.

4. Incentivized

One of the major reasons why fossil fuels are considered cheap is due to a history of government
incentives, to the tune of $5.2 trillion dollars.

If renewable resources and alternative energy options are ever going to compete with the fossil fuel
industry in a meaningful way, we need to begin subsidizing them more than fossil fuels. 

Fossil fuel companies and utility companies have been mired in politics since they rolled out electricity in
the early 1900’s, which makes it challenging to untangle their hold over the energy market since there
are so many actors at play.

4. Accident-prone

Fossil fuels have led to extreme accidents over the years, including pipeline leaks, exploding drilling
platforms, and the dumping of millions of gallons of oil into the ocean. Fossil fuels will continue to
pollute the planet as long as they are in use. 

Although fossil fuels have been meeting the world’s energy demands for many years, it doesn’t mean
that we should continue to use them as our main energy resource.

Alternative sources of energy are becoming cheaper and more reliable and have the added benefit of
not emitting CO2 while they power our lives.