In the world of energy sources, there are two types of resources: renewable and non-renewable.But do you know the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy?
Renewable energy sources such as sun and wind naturally replenish themselves over time and are considered to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, non-renewable energy sources like oil are finite and cannot be replenished, so their use must be properly managed.
In this article we will tell youDifferences between renewable and non-renewable energy and the pros and cons of each type. Finally, we analyze theactual conditionof renewable energy andChallenges facing each other for their global implementation.
Trends in the use of renewable energies
Societal interest in renewable energy sources has increased significantly in recent years. Because renewable energy sources are considered a sustainable and green alternative to non-renewable energy sources such as coal and oil.
In the past, non-renewable energy sources were used as the primary energy sources and were considered more practical and less expensive. However, renewable energy sources have become increasingly important in recent years.
In accordance withInternational Energy Agency, global installed renewable energy capacity is expected to grow by more than 60% by 2026 compared to 2020. This would increase that capacity to more than 4,800 GW, surpassing current levels of fossil and nuclear power capacity.
What are the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy?
Now we will tell youDifferences between renewable and non-renewable energies:
Renewable energy comes from non-finite resources that regenerate naturally after use. Some examples are water flowing through a dam, the sun, or the wind. On the other hand, non-renewable energy sources are finite and do not regenerate after use. Examples are coal, natural gas and oil.
One of the biggest problems with non-renewable energy sources is that they can only be used for a limited time. The available amount of coal, oil and natural gas is running out and we must find other sources of energy before these resources disappear. Because of these concerns, more and more investments are being directed towards the development of renewable energy sources.
Pros and cons of renewable and non-renewable energy
In order to understand the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy, it is important to know their advantages and disadvantages.
Pros and cons of renewable energy sources.
SomeAdvantages of renewable energy sources:
- They replenish themselves naturally over time. This means that we can use renewable energy sources for a long period of time without depleting the resource.
- They are considered to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly than non-renewable energy sources, which are associated with higher emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other pollutants.
- Using renewable energy sources can reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels and increase countries' resilience to fluctuations in demand or prices.
- Renewable energy sources can create jobs and increase local economic activity in the countries that use them.
SomeDisadvantages of renewable energy sourcesthey are:
- Some renewable energy sources are less efficient than non-renewable energy sources.
- Because they are less efficient, more renewable energy sources are needed to produce the same amount of electricity as non-renewable. This can be problematic when power demand is high and sources are unavailable.
- The use of renewable energy sources requires a significant initial investment.
- Some renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind, are intermittent. Therefore, storage systems such as batteries are needed to sustain continuous demand from these sources.
Advantages and disadvantages of non-renewable energy sources
SomeAdvantages of non-renewable energy sourcesthey are:
- These energy sources are more efficient as they have a longer development time than non-renewable energies on the market.
- Due to the current level of technological development, the production of non-renewable energy sources may require a lower initial investment in technology or infrastructure than renewable sources.
- Some developed transport systems make it possible to easily transport non-renewable energy sources to where they are needed. This enables the consumers to be supplied with energy efficiently and reliably.
SomeDisadvantages of non-renewable energy sourcethey are:
- These energy sources are finite and therefore cannot be used indefinitely. The amount of available non-renewable energy sources will eventually be exhausted over several years. Other energy sources must be developed to replace them before this happens.
- Non-renewable energy sources have a high environmental impact both when they are extracted and when they are consumed. Some examples are fugitive emissions from oil and natural gas production or greenhouse gas emissions from power generation in thermoelectric plants.
What types of renewable and non-renewable energy currently exist?
There are several methods of generating and using energy from renewable sources, which are mentioned below:
- to get a methodsolar powerThey are photovoltaic (PV) cells. These use sunlight to generate electricity, which can then be used to power houses and other buildings. On the other hand, solar thermal energy is used to generate thermal energy for heating and cooling systems, such as solar water heaters.
- Another method of using energy from renewable sources isHydropower, which uses a flow of water, often from dams, to generate electricity. However, depending on the size of the dam, hydropower can be considered renewable or non-renewable. This is due to the environmental impact that the construction of large dams has on an ecosystem, displacing not only large numbers of animals and native plants, but in some cases communities living in the area. In accordance withCAMMESA, energy from plants of less than 50 MW can be considered renewable, while energy from other sources is considered non-renewable.
- wind powerIt is another method of generating energy from renewable sources. There are two ways to harness wind energy: onshore wind turbines, which are large towers with rotating blades that are built on land, and offshore wind turbines, which are built in the sea.
- BiomassIt can generate heat and electricity and is often used where organic plant matter is plentiful, such as. B. crop residues or trees.
- Another method of renewable energy isBiogas. This form of renewable energy is created by the breakdown of waste, manure or organic matter by bacteria. It can be used for both heating systems and electricity.
- tidal energyIt is the energy of waves and tides. These form when the ocean moves. This energy is used to turn turbines that generate electricity.
- Finally,geothermal energyit harnesses the earth's heat, often caused by volcanic activity.
The table below summarizes the types of renewable and non-renewable energy currently available on the market and their main advantages and disadvantages:
Differences between renewable and non-renewable energy: summary. own elaboration
Renewable energies: current situation
When we analyze greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities, fossil fuels are the most important source (coal, gas and oil). To fulfill the obligations ofParis Agreement, mankind must begin a phase of energy transition. It consists of converting the current energy system based on fossil fuels to a low-emission system based on renewable sources.
It is not just about changing the energy source, but also about intelligent management of the distribution and shipping networks and the rational use of energy. The electrification of consumption and industry is repeatedly mentioned as a great opportunity. Because replacing electricity from fossil fuels with renewable sources would significantly reduce the emissions associated with these sectors.
The energy transition in the 21st century
One of the critical aspects to consider during the energy transition is the cost of each source as it can significantly impact economic activity. In this sense, we are experiencing a true energy transition with far-reaching changes in the last decade (2010-2019):
- Solar energy has reduced their costs by 80%.
- Wind energy has reduced their costs by 60%.
Evolution of unit costs vs. use of renewable energies. Spring:IPCC Climate Action Report 2022.
As the image shows and as described in the latest IPPC report on climate action, the uptake of these technologies has also increased significantly.
There are clear examples in many countries of the energy transition having positive economic and social effects. The new sources are usually scattered across the areas, adding value to production and creating new local jobs.
The energy transition is already a reality and we can only expect it to intensify and accelerate in the coming years. Another key link will be to redirect fossil fuel subsidies to new green alternatives.
Challenges in expanding renewable energies
In this article, we discuss the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy, the pros and cons of each, and the current state of the clean energy market.
As mentioned above, non-renewable energy sources are finite and cannot be used indefinitely. People need to find alternative sources of energy before those resources are exhausted. In order to reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy sources, the use of renewable energy sources represents a unique opportunity.
Renewable energy sources are more sustainable and environmentally friendly and can be used without endangering the scarcity of natural resources. These energy sources are also becoming cheaper, creating jobs and increasing local economic activity.
A challenge to overcome in order to increase the use of renewable energy sources is their scalability. For example, solar and wind power are excellent sources of renewable energy, but they take up a lot of space and would not be appropriate for certain locations or uses. This can make it difficult to reach the scale required to replace non-renewable energy sources.
On the other hand, the discontinuity of renewable energies is also a major challenge. Today, most of that energy is stored in batteries, which are expensive for some consumers and are made from non-renewable resources.
Conclusion: Although the use of renewable energy sources presents some challenges, there are many reasons to be optimistic about their future.
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