Back to Blogs

Some Pros and Cons of the Main Renewable Energy Sources

  • Publish Date: Posted over 2 years ago
  • Author: Steve Walia

​Renewable energy is firmly on the world policy agenda, and people everywhere are becoming increasingly committed to investing in clean, green renewable energy and phasing out damaging fossil fuels. But what are the potential pros and cons of some of the main forms of clean power?

 

1. Solar energy

Generated from the sun's heat, the power is harnessed through photovoltaic cells and panels. Solar energy is sustainable and environmentally friendly. It lowers power consumption and increases energy independence whilst boosting the grid. But it doesn't work at night or when there is no sun, and it is an expensive upfront cost.

 

2. Wind energy

People have been harnessing the power of the wind for centuries, but today we use it to generate electricity through kinetic energy. Wind energy has a low operating cost. It uses the landscape efficiently and is a clean energy source. But some people object to the sight of the arrays, it needs a windy location to operate, and it is expensive to install

 

3. Geothermal energy

Again, this heat captured from the earth has been used for centuries where natural hot water reservoirs are in existence. The steam from heated underground reservoirs can power a turbine. This is a reliable source of power with a small footprint, and it can be easily scaled up or down according to needs. But it is location dependent and, again, expensive to install.

 

4. Hydroelectricity

This is a highly reliable source of renewable energy that is sometimes called 'white coal' because of its availability and power. It is an ancient source of renewable energy that is reliable and safe to use with low carbon emissions. But it has limited reserves and cannot work when there is a drought.