One of the most pressing global issues today is the ongoing climate crisis caused by excessive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, particularly from the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil. To address this crisis, the shift towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind or hydro power has been gaining momentum in recent years.
While traditional energy sources have proven to be cheap and reliable for decades, they come with an extensive environmental cost. Fossil fuels emit air pollutants and greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and local air pollution problems. On the other hand, renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power, have minimal environmental impacts compared to their conventional counterparts.
Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are passive energy generators which means that no noise, no waste stream or CO2 emissions occur when the panels are operating. Here’s a comparison between conventional and green energy sources with reference to some critical parameters:
Cost-effectiveness
Traditional energy sources have dominated the market due to being cheap and readily available for a long time, but renewable energy technologies are continually improving and becoming more cost-effective each year. For example, installing solar panels on your property can save you money over time by generating electricity that offsets the need to purchase power from the grid. With solar panel pricing dropping around 80% over the last decade, and set to continue a decline in coming years, we expect an equal decline in the payback period on solar panel investment — from what began at eight years, today it’s four to six years.
Sustainability
Renewable energy sources provide an infinite supply of energy, whereas fossil fuels are finite and produce negative environmental impacts at every stage of their lifecycle. As global conservation efforts increase, sustainability is becoming critical to long-term energy solutions, and renewable energy has shown to meet these requirements thus far.
Reliability
Traditional energy sources offer a consistent and predictable flow of power. At times when the grid fails due to natural disasters or other causes, alternative energy technologies can serve as a backup power source for both households and businesses.
Environmental Impact
Fossil fuel-based energy sources are responsible for vast amounts of carbon emissions and air pollution. The US alone generates more than 10% of global emissions from transportation and energy production. Renewable energy does not emit CO2, nor does it generate waste products or cause soil or air contamination. According to some studies,an increased shift towards green energy could reduce carbon emissions by about 60% within the next few years.
Technological advancement
Renewable technologies continue to push boundaries through research and development whereas fossil fuels technology on the contrary is relatively static, with few advancements being made in recent years. The general trend in renewables has been continued research into thin film solar cells which push improvement over limits of the traditional silicon wafer cells, amongst others.
In conclusion, switching to renewable energy has multiple benefits for our planet, including reducing carbon emissions pollution, improving soil and water quality, saving costs and encouraging sustainability in economics. Furthermore, as technological advancements continue to evolve in the renewable realm while reducing our dependence on fossil fuel sourced power will be essential in developing truly sustainable societies worldwide.