Currently fossil fuels make up a majority of our energy consumption. As you can see by the graph below, the use of fossil fuels (Liquids), Natural Gas, and Coal have made up a large part of our nation's energy consumption and will continue to do so.
US Energy Consumption by Fuel (1980-2030)
(quadrillion BTU)
Unfortunately, fossil fuels are becoming scarce. Prices for petroleum and other fossil fuels are steadily increasing. The line graph below was graphed using the data from the US Energy Information Administration website. As seen in the graph, US consumption of fuels overall is very high compared to how much the US itself produces. There is also a definite increase in consumption.
Right now our nation depends too much on these non-renewable fuels and once these fuels are gone, our nation will be at a loss. Therefore, we should turn toward using renewable resources. Unfortunately, Balance, an energy report by Snapping Shoals EMC mentions that solar power will make up only 0.2% of our nation's energy and wind energy will make up only 2.3%. This is definitely not enough for our nation to use and so we will have to depend on fossil fuels.
Thinking about these percentages and having a limited amount of fossil fuels left, it is a good idea to invest in the development of more advanced technologies that can better harness the energy from the sun, wind, and other renewable sources, instead of throwing money away in trying to obtain a limited source.
Advancements in technology that can efficiently harness renewable energy can be seen today, for example solar power contributes the least towards making up our nation's energy. However the process of harnessing the sun's rays using solar panels is very efficient. Solar panels are technological devices that are made up of solar cells that convert light into electricity. Deep Space 1, a spacecraft that was launched from Cape Carnival in 1998, had even more efficient solar cells than the ones found on regular satellites because these solar cells are solar concentrators.
The image above is a depiction of the solar panels on the Deep Space 1, as you can see the concave lenses concentrate the sunlight onto the solar cells. Therefore, the solar cells are able to produce more electricity.
Another source of renewable energy is cow dung. Many developing countries are using cow dung to create bio gas. Not only is it a booming renewable energy resource but it also has the ability to erase our carbon foot print. This is greatly beneficial for us and our environment. Biogas is created using biodegradation, in which anaerobic bacteria, bacteria that do not need oxygen to survive, break down the excreta and in turn produce a gas that is 60% methane and carbon dioxide, while the natural gas our nation uses now is 99% methane.
Another plus side to Biogas is that when burned it does not release additional green house gases. Not only is this a very abundant fuel source but it helps the farmers get rid of the problem of having solid waste disposal (Mahajan, 2007). Also, if we can use cow waste as a renewable resource is it possible to use human waste? If we can expand the technology of the 21st century to be able to obtain energy from human waste, then we will be able to sustain the majority of our nation's energy on renewable resources.
As of right now fossil fuels are starting to run low, and prices for oil and other non-renewables are steadily increasing. Not only that but these energy sources emit green-house gases which are harmful to our environment. Renewable energy is both bio-friendly and abundant. Renewable energy can be harnessed by anyone that has the materials. For instance, Georgia Institute of Technology can obtain solar power from the huge solar panels that line the roof of the Campus Recreational Center. There is also the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provides tax credits for consumers that are interested in obtaining their own renewable energy (Slobodkin, 2009). With all of the benefits of renewable energy how can its integration not be an economic superiority?
Rochelle Lobo
Citations
Chughtai, O, & Shannon, D. (n.d.). Fossil fuels. Retrieved from http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/fossilfuels.htm
Foley, D. (Artist). (n.d.). Solar concentrator array. [Web]. Retrieved from http://nmp.nasa.gov/ds1/tech/scarlet.html
Mahajan, N. (2007, September 21). Move over wind and solar energy, cow dung is here to stay!. Retrieved from http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/mooove-over-wind-and-solar-energy-cows-poop-is-here-to-stay/
NorthWestern. (n.d.). Power. Retrieved from http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/power/1-what-are-solar-panels.html
Slobodkin, A. (2009). Home-based renewable energy gets a boost. Balance Energy Demand Environment, 6.
The Renewable Energy Site Team, . (2006). The Renewable energy site. Retrieved from http://www.renewable-energy-site.co.uk/index.php
Trost, M. (2009). The Realities of Renewables. Balance Energy Demand Environment, 5.
US Department of Energy. (2009). Annual energy outlook 2010 (aeo2010r.d111809a). Retrieved from http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/forecasting.html
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