Advantages & Disadvantages of Alternative Energy

Pros

Renewable: As suggested by the world itself, alternative or renewable sources of energy can be easily replenished. They will not run out; therefore there would never be a panic to find alternative energy sources to the existing alternative energy sources. They are quite a reliable source of energy, unlike the fossil fuels that may get exhausted. Like solar energy or wind energy; these sources are more likely to stay with us forever, and to harness the energy from these sources would mean ensuring for ourselves a secure future, energy-wise. Since we are on the verge of running out of our oil and gas sources, our economy is always fluctuating. With alternative sources of energy coming into play, this factor can be controlled.

Environment Friendly: The alternative energy sources do not give off any harmful toxins or gases in the environment. They are also carbon emission-free, which means they do not have any harmful effect on the earth’s environment or the ozone layer. There are not any toxic substances disposed of into the water, from alternative sources of energy, unlike non-renewable sources of energy.

Easy To Maintain:  These sources of energy call for an easy way to maintain it. Take, for example, solar energy; there is absolutely nothing that needs to be done to maintain this alternative energy source. Whatever bit of maintenance is required, it is required for maintaining the equipment with which the alternative energy is to be harnessed.

Cons

Inconsistency: Consistency is not a big forte for alternative energy sources. Since the whole concept of harnessing unlimited energy from an alternative energy source means that the source will be vast and never-ending, there is no start and end to the source; therefore, there is no way to control the source. This non-authority over the source leads to inconsistency. For example, there might be times when the winds will not blow in their full force, which would mean that they will not move the turbines on the wind farms with proper force. Since most of the alternative energy sources are natural, a lot of natural factors impact the energy that is harnessed from the alternative energy sources.

Set Up Cost: The initial setup cost for the alternative energy plant is usually very high and requires considerable investment. Since harnessing energy from natural sources is not an easy task, the tools and equipment designed to do it are usually technologically advanced and quite costly. Also, the research on finding new sources for alternative energy is also an extensive process; it requires a big investment of time and resources.

Global Acceptance: Due to the easy availability of fossil fuels or non-renewable energy, people are not much bothered about alternative energy. Also, because there is no definite continuous availability of alternate energy, the general criteria is to keep using the existing energy sources. This disadvantage can be solved if people are educated on the issue of the harmful effects of using fossil fuels.