The Advantages and Disadvantages of Non-Renewable Energy Sources

There are nine major areas of energy resources. They are separated into two main categories; that is, renewable and non-renewable resources. Non renewable energy sources, like coal, nuclear, natural gas and oil are limited in supply. They cannot be renewed or do not replenish once used. On the other hand renewable sources are those that quickly replenish themselves and can be used over and over. They include such things as water, wind, biomass, solar and geothermal energy (Aust, 2014)

According to Investopedia, the term non-renewable resource can also be used to refer to minerals and metals from earth, for instance gold, silver and iron. These resources are often costly to mine as they are located deep in the earth’s crust. Some types of groundwater can also be considered as non-renewable, as well as nuclear material such as uranium. (Investopedia 2018)

Nonrenewable energy sources, also known as fossil fuels, are a form of energy sources that form over billions of years from remains of living organisms. The remains of these organisms become fossil fuels when they are compacted when they are compacted in the Earth’s crust. There are three main types of fossil fuels:

Coal – most abundant fossil fuel that is mined from seams sandwiched between layers of rocks in the earth

Oil – This is formed from fossilized animals. It is found between seams of rocks in the earth.

Natural gas – This comes in the form of methane or other gases trapped in the earth taken out through pipes that are sunk in the ground. It is the most efficient and cheap fossil fuel to convert to energy. (Eales 2012)

Other examples include:

Crude oil/petroleum- This builds up in liquid forms and can be found between the layers of the crusts of earth. It is mined by drilling into the ground then pumping it out. It can be used to produce things like plastics, artificial food, petrol and jet fuel among others since it is versatile

Nuclear fuels- Primarily obtained through the mining and the refining of uranium. Uranium is found in the core of the earth. This is then compounded into rods, which are submersed into water tanks. Nuclear is key as it maintains the earth environment; however, like most nonrenewable resources it can have a lot of impact on the environment (Your Dictionary 2018)

Benefits

According to the US Energy Information Administration, non-renewable energy cannot be replenished in a short period of time. However, their main advantages include the fact that they are abundant and also affordable. For instance, oil and diesel used in everyday lives to enable transport in vehicles. They are cost effective and easier to produce and use. (McDermott)

• The benefits of non-renewable energy can be summarized as below:

• They are available throughout the year unlike their renewable counterparts that are sometimes seasonal, such as rainfall

• Most of them have high energy output that is not found in renewable sources

• They can be easily stored unlike such energy as that which is derived from the wind

• Another important advantage is that they can be transported over long distance. This also points to their compatibility.

• One cannot look at the advantages of non-renewable sources without looking at their disadvantages

Disadvantages

• Once used they cannot be replaced

• They are highly polluting sources of energy which have a huge impact on the environment. Their mining for instance, leaves behind damage to nature. Fossil fuels contribute to global warming in that when burn they release nitrous oxides which cause photo-chemical pollution, Sulphuric dioxide which creates acid rain and also the emission of greenhouse gases. (McDermott)

• The residual products of non-renewable sources contribute largely towards the accumulation of non-biodegradable materials

• Rise in temperatures due to greenhouse gases emitted by these sources has been said to contribute to the melting of ice caps.

Factors

The continued use of non-renewable sources has clear implications on our health and well-being, as well as on the environment. They contribute to this through various factors such as greenhouse emissions, in particular CO2 and methane which affect climate change. This has in turn led to negative climatic changes such as rise in temperatures and changing weather patterns.

They are also causing air pollution through the emissions talked about. For instance in the USA, coal-fired power plants are the single largest source of mercury emissions. Mercury negatively affects organisms such as fish

There is also the issue of acid rain and water pollution. Emission of Sulphur and other chemicals lead to acid rain; which is corrosive in nature to both machinery and local ecosystems.

Other pollution includes land pollution and also water pollution through oil spills. (Greentumble 2017)

There is a projected increase in CO2 in the next twenty years if we continue to generate energy through the burning of fossil fuels. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has gone up to 29 %, evidencing just how deep this problem is becoming. This is above the pre-industrial level. Therefore, industrialization has also been a factor into increasing the problems to nature arising out of the continued use of fossil fuels by various nations. (Riddel et al)

Reasons/causes

The pollution talked about above is mainly caused by non-renewable sources being able to produce toxic gases such as CO2 that affect the atmosphere and Sulphur, which leads to acid rainfall.

Carelessness of people has also led to oil spillages polluting the environment and irresponsible disposal of waste is also another cause of the problems that have been cause by these resources.

Non renewable energy sources are becoming scarce. For instance more than 85 percent of the energy in the United States comes from nonrenewable energy resources, according to the US Department of Energy. They cannot be replenished in a short time hence leading to more increased depletion over time. (Batsheva 2017). This emphasizes the need for more effective utilization of these resources.

One wonders how we got into these problems and the answer lies in inefficiencies related to technology used, industrial expansion and of course an increase in world use of nonrenewable energy sources. (Energy solutions 2015)

How to minimize this problem

As discussed in the above paragraphs, the chief problem caused by non-renewable sources is the pollution of the environment; be it through emission of dangerous gases or just pollution to other aspects of the environment.

The solution to the problem

As with every problem faced by humanity, the first step in solving the problems associated with the use of nonrenewable energy is the enactment of laws both at country and international level. This will provide much needed legal framework to deal with the same. The laws should be implemented to stop and reduce the pollution associated with these sources. The Government should also advertise and create awareness on the importance of good management of nonrenewable sources. (Stephen 2017)

International cooperation is also needed. Bodies such as United Nations should continue putting pressures on countries to reduce their carbon emissions and such countries should take the initiative to comply. Remember the production of fossil fuels is expected to rise and this means double the problems associated with them. This is expected in the next 20 years. (Riddel et al)

We need to focus on alternative ways of handling fossil fuels for instance: using alternative energy sources such as wind and water as well as solar. They do not deplete and do not have the same extent of pollution caused by nonrenewable sources of energy. Biomass energy can instead be grown from various types of plants such as hemp, willow and switch grass instead of the normal process. (Energy solutions 2015)

Individual people can also contribute to this. This is possible through such actions as endeavoring to conserve energy and minimizing the miles. This means cutting down on pollution from cars by not necessarily using them every single time (United States Environmental Protection agency 2017)

Adding on the above point, another milestone would be encouraging people to use mass transport instead of cars. This is to reduce the use of fossil fuels that pollute our atmosphere and result in severe consequences. It also reduces the exhaustion of the available few fossil fuels in the world while reducing and fighting the pollution we are all worried about. (Stephen 2017)

                                        Alternatives to Non-Renewable Sources

There has been an effort aimed towards increased exploitation and tapping of renewable energy sources through several process being initiated worldwide to harness the same. While most people hold the view that even those project entail the burning of fossil fuels through the building of turbines among others, experts have argued that the energy consumed by these plants is much higher than the energy used during the making of the components.

Several companies across the world are setting up wind farms, solar farms and hydro power plants to try and set out an alternative solution to the menace of non-renewable energy sources. Geothermal energy is another option that should be and is being embraced. It is however, like nuclear energy, non-renewable. (Rinkesh 2009)

Conclusion

Nonrenewable sources of energy are those that cannot be replenished once they are used. They include, among others, natural gas, oil, coal and uranium.

These resources have however been the subject of controversies, especially due to their polluting nature through emission of toxic gases. This therefore calls for measures to be put in place to ensure that their effects do not reach irreparable levels.

References

Aust, A. (2014). Nonrenewable and renewable energy resources.  Retrieved from https://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2014/02/13/nonrenewable-and-renewable-energy-resources-2/.

Energy Envoys (n.d.) Non-renewable and renewable energy sources. Retrieved from http://www.energyenvoys.org.uk/sites/default/files/Non-renewable%20and%20renewable%20resources_0.pdfEng_sustainability/Engineering%20Sustailability/index.html.

McDermott, A. (n.d.). Advantages and disadvantages of nonrenewable energy. Retrieved from http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Non_Renewable_Energy.

Greentumble Editorial Team (2017, February 23). Harmful effects of non-renewable resources on the environment. Retrieved from https://greentumble.com/harmful-effects-of-non-renewable-resources-on-the-environment/. 

Investopedia (2018). Nonrenewable Resource. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/nonrenewableresource.asp

Mike Stephen (April 25,2017). Ways To Manage Our Non-Renewable amd Renewable Energy Resources. Retrieved from https://sciencing.com/ways-manage-non-renewable-resources-23595.html 

Natural energy solutions UK (2015). Non Renewable Energy Problems Can Be Solved in Many Different Ways. Retrieved from https://powertechireland.co.uk/clean-energy.html

Alison Riddel, Steve Ronson, Glenn Counts and Kurt Spencer. Sustainable Energy. The Current Fossil Fuel problem and the prospect of Geothermal and Nuclear Power. Retrieved on 7th

February 2018 From https://web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/trade_environment/energy/hfossil.html

Rinkesh. Energy future conserve(2009). What are Non-Renewable Sources of Energy? Retrieved from https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/nonrenewableenergysources.php on 2/7/2018

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2017). The sources and solutions. Retrieved on from https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/sources-and-solutions-fossil-fuels.

Your Dictionary (2018) Examples of Non-Renewable Resources. Retrieved From www.examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-non-renewable-resources.html