Use of Alternative Energy to Reduce Global Warming - Research Paper

Introduction

The US in the twenty-first century experiences a big task of effectively controlling the progression from a mainly carbon-intensive economy (which is a leading contributor to global warming due to the increasing rates of carbon dioxide emission from processing plants) to being a primarily clean energy economy. The central debate arises that society depends on the roots of 3E (environment, economics, and energy). Society requires to hold all energy options open to gratify the rising market: the consumer and industrial flow of energy and their environmental impacts are more significant since they affect the countries social, regulatory, political, and economic factors. Hence a nation's economy directly depends on the transformation and use of resources. The sources of energy are nuclear power, hydro, and carbon-based fuels. As a result of their use, availability, performance, and cost, fossil fuels continue being a dominant source of energy together with the hydro and nuclear. The other renewable sources of energy like biomass, solar, and wind power have a higher likelihood of significantly growing in terms of importance. The world energy economy has the most significant impact on the choices that individuals and governments make. Increase in demand implies a rise in costs in each area of the world economy. Current universal rates of consumption are draining the planet's capacity to sustaining our lifestyle and several alternative energy organizations are generating new savings to encourage a progressively manageable energy market hence this essay argues in support of using alternative to improve the nation's economy and public health, reduce global warming, and have a clean and safe environment.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Reasons for Using Alternative Energy

Human activity overloads the atmosphere by emitting global warming pollutants such as carbon dioxide. The gases trap heat and cause a snare of massive and destructive effects, from recurring, stronger seasons of drought. In the US, around twenty-nine percent of air pollutants and contributors to global warming, originate from power plants (Washburne 29). The vast majority of these secretions arise from non-renewable energy like coal and natural gas. Interestingly, most alternative sources of energy contain very minimal emissions. Even while incorporating "life cycle" discharges of clean energy (that is, the emissions from every phase of the manufacturing process - decommissioning, operation, installation, and manufacturing), the global warming emissions linked to alternative energy are insignificant (Obama 128).

The air and water contamination from fossil fuels are associated with premature deaths, breathing difficulties, heart attacks, neurological damage, and cancer. Majority of these adverse health effects result from water and air pollution that clean energy technologies do not emit, and they affect every ecological system. Geothermal and biomass power plants, such as natural gas and coal-fired power plants, might need water to act as a coolant. Hydroelectric power plants could affect the river's ecosystem both downstream and upstream from the dam. Additionally, since most natural gas, nuclear, and coal plants rely on getting enough water for cooling, in case of severe heat waves or droughts, electricity generation could be at risk. Solar and photovoltaic wind grids do not depend on water for electricity generation. Hence they could reliably operate in conditions which might otherwise prompt closing a power plant run by fossil fuels. The risk of disruptive events might as well rise in the future as severe wildfires, intense storms, heatwaves, and droughts become overly frequent because of global warming - thus the high need for clean, resilient technologies.

The United States is as of now having challenges in the energy sector. Inefficient electricity sources have been in use for a long time, and the damage that it is doing to the nation has begun to be visible. Alternate sources of energy are the best way to stop, or even hinder the inescapable downfall of the environment. The only possible achievement for renewable energy is thus actualizing off-grid networks which apply inexhaustible sources as their principal sources of energy, with the goal that the nation could conceivably evade the energy groove that it is currently facing. Americans are squandering their limited resources like nuclear and coal when they could be applying renewable sources that will never end. Majority of the residents never care to think of the whole process of generating the electricity that they use. Being aware of the kind of resources that power the nation, ought to be a big concern for the government. In 2015, the US produced around four trillion kilowatt-hours of power approximately sixty-seven percent of the electricity generated was from sources of fossil fuels like coal and petroleum (Hodge 375). Today, minimal alternative sources are in use; powering the nation, which is a surprise to most people since it appears as though there are solar panels all over the place.

Another advantage of sustainable energy is an increased energy blend. It is an essential and fundamental enhancement for universal energy security while fossil fuels increasingly run out. In certain conditions, renewable energy could be more dependable than other types of electric power. For instance, if the grid breaks down, renewable power advancements, like generators controlled by photovoltaics (PV) could automatically provide electricity (Hodge 183). Prolific storage media, for example, fuel cells and batteries are solutions for an inexhaustible power grid.

On the off chance that there is the inclusion of battery storage in the system, it could provide power even after the sun goes down or through stormy or cloudy day days. Lastly, renewable energy is not exclusively an infinite resource, but it additionally assumes a critical role in local upgrading. Sustainable energy and its efficacy could assist in revitalizing rural communities (Obama 127). For instance, solar panels and wind turbines could supply electricity and give rural communities a new tax income. Ranchers on windy grounds could rent space to wind energy innovators, procuring a substantial profit for every turbine consistently.

Using alternative energy is probably among the few solutions for future energy needs. It is perceived to be non-terminating, clean, and safe energy. Additionally, renewable energy in most cases brings substantial economic advantages to industries using it. Even though renewable energy is at times less reliable, time-consuming, and expensive; it continues being the best solution for future energy needs when it comes to having a safer environment.

Support for the Use of Alternative Energies

The finding of broad measures of natural gas shale resources in the US and the progression of drilling machines which help in developing these resources have drastically reformed the nation's energy sector. Throughout the years, the United States costs of natural gas have plummeted as petroleum prices have been on the rise significantly. The virtually unparalleled transformation in the proportion of oil to natural gas costs displays an excellent prospect for the US. It is generating economic openings all over the nation amid what seems to be severe financial crisis, lessening the value of energy for most Americans, changing the blend of electricity sources on the grid in a system which mitigates carbon outflows, and in the long-term provide a chance to reinforce the energy security (Obama 128).

Decreasing the nation's reliance on oil-based sources of energy in favor of natural gas can have numerous advantages-including the improvement of a progressively differing set of alternatives that do not compel America's foreign policy decisions and gives great assurance against oil cost stuns in the future. The main indications of a change to expanded dependence on natural gas in the transportation industry are starting to rise, yet this progress cannot survive long enough unless people and the government make practical policy choices.

Alternative energy is quite essential for natures cleanliness and safety. Energy acquired from geothermal, wind, water, and solar radiation energy is from nature. All these energy sources are renewable means since they could be applied over and over without causing pollution and harming the ozone layer (Washburne 17). For instance, solar energy, obtained directly from the sun rays, could be useful in generating electricity and it is always available for recycling, more reliable, and safer at all times. The demand for alternative energy is rising at a high rate.

In comparison to fossil fuel technologies, that are usually exhaustive on capital and automated, the industry of renewable energy additionally focuses on providing job opportunities for the people. Wind turbines require professionals to maintain them, while solar panels need people to do the installation job. That implies that, averagely, there are more careers in every unit of power produced from sustainable sources than from fossil fuels. Sustainable power sources as of now provide several employment opportunities in the US...