For the purposes of protecting wildlife and limiting the impacts of climate change, countries have been working towards developing an infrastructure of clean energy. Methods of clean energy serve as an alternative to traditional fossil-fuel-based resources, resulting in less air and water pollution as opposed to the consumption of combustible fuels, including coal, natural gas, and petroleum oil.

The advantage of clean energy is that power is generated using renewable sources such as wind, water, and sunlight. Renewable resources do not produce harmful emissions such as carbon dioxide; this is significant as carbon dioxide emissions lead to risk of health risks or species loss. (U.S. Department of Energy, n.d.)

Solar energy is an excellent source of both heat and electricity and it gives people easy access as it can be integrated into building supplies such as building a solar panel roof. Additionally, solar energy is completely renewable. They are also maintained at low costs once installed, allowing individuals to keep electric bills low. Traditional sources would only be required when the sun is hidden for extended periods of time and sunlight is restricted.

Many people believe that there are no disadvantages to clean energy sources, but this is not true. While the cost of maintenance is not too high, initial installations can require an investment. Costs need to cover the panels, a substantial number of batteries, as well as wiring and installation. It is also important to consider that depending on the amount of energy you want to produce, you may need more space. As the technology depends on the use of solar panels, the surface area of the panels correlates to the energy produced. This is why most people install solar panels on their roofs. While this is less of an issue for office buildings, it is important to consider as a homeowner. Lastly, solar energy requires the sun to be accessible, forcing you to revert to traditional sources of energy when the sun is hidden for extended periods of time. (Corporate Finance Institute, n.d.)

Wind energy is also a great example of clean and renewable energy. One advantage of using wind turbines to produce wind energy, wind turbines do not require burning any fossil field to operate once operational. Another advantage of wind energy is that it is a job creator. The field is expected to support more than 600,000 individuals in the coming years. Additionally, the cost of maintenance, like solar energy, is quite low. They also don’t require much maintenance. While wind farms can take up a lot of space, turbines do not, which means that the same land with turbines can also be used for farming.

Power transmission lines and wind turbines. Pincher Creek, Alta., June 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

However, just like solar energy, wind energy has its own disadvantages. Just as solar energy depends on accessibility to sunlight, a wind turbine’s effectiveness in generating electricity is dependent on the weather, making it difficult to predict how much energy will be produced on a given day; this makes wind energy an unreliable source during times of high energy demand. Another downside to wind turbines is that they are very large and rotate at very high speeds, killing any species that may fly into them including birds and bats. Constructing wind farms can also disrupt many natural habitats. It is also important to note that due to the size of wind turbines, they are usually located away from populations where they are useful, therefore, construction also requires transmission lines in order to be useful. (EnergySage, n.d.).

A third form of renewable energy is hydropower. While hydropower is expensive upfront, it is the most inexpensive form of renewable energy. Once constructed, it requires minimal maintenance for upkeep. Additionally, hydropower is produced domestically, allowing for a growth of jobs in the field. Hydropower can also be a source of irrigation of crops in surrounding areas. The main advantage of hydropower is that, unlike other renewable sources of energy such as solar energy and wind energy, hydropower is not dependent on the weather. Therefore, relying on hydropower means that individuals would not have to revert to traditional sources of energy when the weather does not cooperate. Additionally, hydroelectric plants are dispatchable resources, meaning that they can produce electricity on demand, making it possible to replace coal and gas peaker plants.

Revelstoke Dam. British Columbia, Sept. 2007. Kelownian Pilot

It is however important to note that hydropower plants can disrupt the environment by interrupting the natural flow of the river system. This can consequently disrupt animal migration paths, creating issues with water quality, and wildlife displacement. As previously mentioned, building hydropower plants can be expensive upfront. Although a good plant can provide energy for 50 to 100 years, the upfront costs can be significant. (EnergySage, n.d.)

There seems to be a common consensus among the public that climate change is an important issue that needs to be targeted, and while companies offer options for renewable energy to individuals and homeowners, it might have a greater impact to get larger companies involved. It can be expected that larger companies have a much larger usage of energy. By encouraging them to switch to renewable energy, greenhouse emissions can be reduced significantly. One way to do this would be to offer a tax break for companies using renewable energy sources. Additionally, providing ways to cover the initial installation costs of solar panels would encourage homeowners to participate in the movement as well.

While renewable resources may be expensive, it might be easier to mobilize a change towards renewable energy by encouraging change in communities, rather than among individuals.

Resources

Corporate Finance Institute. (n.d.). Pros and cons of solar energy. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/esg/pros-and-cons-of-solar-energy/

EnergySage. (n.d.). Pros and cons of hydropower. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://www.energysage.com/about-clean-energy/hydropower/pros-cons-hydropower/

EnergySage. (n.d.). Pros and cons of wind energy. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://www.energysage.com/about-clean-energy/wind/pros-cons-wind-energy/

U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.). Environmental impacts of clean energy. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://www.energy.gov/eere/environmental-impacts-clean-energy#:~:text=Power%20generated%20by%20renewable%20sources,%2C%20species%20loss%2C%20and%20more.