Renewable energy is energy generated from natural sources that can be replenished as a rapid rate in human timescales. What are its pros and cons?

Pros

Economically…

  • Unlimited Supply

    Renewable energy never runs out because it is naturally replenished by the cycles of the earth. As long as the cycles keep going (and we know it’s going to go for a long time), we can keep harnessing more and more energy.

  • Low Maintenance

    Since renewable energy has less parts of machinery subject to the high heat of combustion, they are much more durable and need to be repaired less frequently.

  • Low Running Cost

    Renwable energy does not require combustible fuel, and is generally a “setup-once run forever” deal. This means it can be a unobstrusive source of electricity which can be kept in the background, passively generating energy.

Did You Know: 27% of Australian energy is renweable?

Environmentally…

  • Cleaner Air Quality

    Renewable energy doens’t release any contaminants, as fossil fuels do when burnt. This means less toxins and PM2.5 released into the air, leading to cleaner quality of air and hence less lung disease. Powerplants also often release waste water directly into surrounding waterways, thus potentially causing watertable contamination, while renewable energy sources has no such problem.

  • Less Global Warming

    Burning fossil fuels releases CO2 gas, causing increased heat to be trapped in the air and hence raising average global temperatures over time. Global warming has led to rapid anthropogenic climate change, which we experience in Australia as severe bushfires and floods.

  • Less Waste

    Biomass generators could turn waste into organic fuel, thus helping solve the landfill problem in modern society.

Cons

Economically…

  • High Construction Cost

    The building cost of renewable infrastrucuture is often more expensive than that of non-renewable sources. There are often financial incentives such as carbon tax to offset this disadvantage.

  • Geographic Factors

    Certain renewable energy sources only work in certain environments. Hydroelectric dams can only be built near reservoirs of existing water, wind farms only work effectively in wind tunnel landscapes, and geothermal generators only work in, well, geothermally active areas. Some places just don’t have any of these features.

  • Indeterminism

    Renewble energy is often seasonal and it’s maximum output doesn’t magically increase at peak hour, as fossil fuel generators can do. This means many large battery banks must be built, which are often highly expensive and polluting.

Environmentally…

  • Fake “Carbon Free”

    Renewable energy doesn’t produce carbon footprint in their use, but the resources required to produce the components of the generator still produces a significant amount.