THE PROBLEM WITH

R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y

BY SARA
 W H AT I S R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y ?
R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y I S E N E R G Y T H AT I S
C O L L E C T E D F R O M R E N E WA B L E R E S O U R C E S T H AT
A R E N AT U R A L LY R E P L E N I S H E D A N D C O M E S
F R O M A S O U R C E T H AT I S N O T D E P L E T E D W H E N
USED.
W H AT T Y P E S O F R E N W E A B L E E N E R G Y
EXIST?

• HYDROPOWER
• WIND ENERGY
• SOLAR ENERGY
• OCEAN ENERGY
• BIOMASS
• GEOTHERMAL
• HYDROGEN
W H AT I S T H E M A I N P R O B L E M W I T H
R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y ?

O N E O F T H E B I G G E S T C O N C E R N S O F R E N E WA B L E
E N E R G Y I S P O W E R G E N E R AT I O N D E P E N D I N G O N
N AT U R A L R E S O U R C E S T H AT A R E U N C O N T R O L L A B L E
BY HUMANS. THE INTERMITTENCY OF SUNSHINE AND
WIND CANNOT PROVIDE AN ON-DEMAND POWER
SOURCE 24 HOURS A WEEK.SOME SUCH AS SOLAR
E N E R G Y A N D W I N D A R E U N P R E D I C TA B L E .
O T H E R P R O B L E M S FA C E D
W I T H R E N E WA B L E E N R G Y
T H E H I G H I N I T I A L C O S T O F I N S TA L L AT I O N

OF ALL THE ENERGY SOURCES, SOLAR AS WELL AS

WIND IS THE CHEAPEST ONES. HOWEVER, HIGH
U P F R O N T I N S TA L L AT I O N C O S T M A K E S I N V E S T O R S A N D
L E N D E R S T H I N K O F R E N E WA B L E S A S H I G H R I S K
WHEREAS THEY FIND FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS MORE
A C C E P TA B L E D U E T O T H E I R L O W I N S TA L L AT I O N
COSTS.
LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE

WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY CAN BE BETTER

I N V E S T M E N T S W H E N L I F E S PA N C O S T S A R E
CONSIDERED. EXISTING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
N E E D S U R G E N T R E F O R M A S I T I S N O T C A PA B L E O F
H A N D L I N G L A R G E A M O U N T S O F R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y.
M O S T I M P O R TA N T LY, S O M E O F I T S B E S T S O U R C E S A R E
L E F T W I T H N O I N F R A S T R U C T U R E AT A L L .

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND

AVA I L A B I L I T Y O F P O W E R

S O L A R P O W E R E D E L E C T R I C I T Y I S G E N E R AT E D O N LY
W H E N S U N S H I N E I S AVA I L A B L E A N D T U R N S O F F AT
N I G H T; W I N D E N E R G Y A L S O D E P E N D S O N T H E
AVA I L A B I L I T Y O F W I N D , S O I F T H E W I N D S P E E D I S
V E R Y L O W, T H E T U R B I N E W I L L N O T T U R N . O N T H E
OTHER HAND, TOO MUCH WIND CAN DAMAGE THE
G E N E R AT O R . T H E U N C E R TA I N T Y I N E N E R G Y
P R O D U C T I O N I N R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y T E C H N O L O G I E S
I S M A K I N G I N T E G R AT I O N M O R E C O M P L E X .
R E S O U R C E L O C AT I O N

F I R S T LY, S O M E R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y S O U R C E S A R E
S I M P LY N O T AVA I L A B L E I N D I F F E R E N T
R E G I O N S . R E N E WA B L E E N E R G Y S O U R C E S D E P E N D O N
W E AT H E R , C L I M AT E A N D G E O G R A P H I C A L L O C AT I O N ,
T H E R E F O R E M E A N I N G T H AT O N E T Y P E O F E N E R G Y
G E N E R AT I O N I S N O T A P P R O P R I AT E F O R T H E R E G I O N .
W H I C H C O U N T R Y U S E S M O S T O F. .

H Y D R O E L E C T R I C P O W E R – N O R W AY ( E U ) C H I N A ( A S I A )
WIND POWER – GERMANY (EU) CHINA (ASIA)
SOLAR ENERGY – GERMANY (EU) CHINA (ASIA)
OCEAN ENERGY - CHILE
B I O M A S S – K E N YA & N I G E R
GEOTHERNAL – USA (3100 MW) MOST USED IN ICELAND
H Y D R O G E N – J A PA N