HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

OFFICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMS

What are the advantages and

disadvantages of renewable energy?

Lê Quang Trải
Pre 2 K2016 – Intermediate 3
Mr. Christopher Parker & Ms. Dao Thi Minh Thu
April 10, 2017
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Le Quang Trai

Mr. Christopher Parker & Ms. Dao Thi Minh Thu

Intermediate 3

April 10, 2017

What are the advantages and disadvantages of

renewable energy?

The global requirement for energy is increasing at a very high speed because of the

increase in demand, mainly from fast growing economies such as China and India. Therefore,

it is of vital importance that the governments around the world explore and invest in

alternative sources of energy. As a result, renewable energies are invented. They are a

collection of energy technologies i.e. solar, wind, geothermal derived from sources that are

never-ending and can be replenished time after time according to Michael B.Jacobs, Senior

Energy Analyst in the Union of Concerned Scientists (“Benefits of Renewable Energy Use”).

Date released by the International Energy Agency, renewable energy products rose 2.6%

from 2013 to 2014 in all the world (“Renewable energy continuing to increase market

share”). Obviously, identifying the effects of this global trend will help the state improve

people’s quality of life and offer solutions for some problems. For this reason, this paper aims

to ascertain the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy and also discusses

solutions for possible issues.

It is undeniable that renewable energy has many potential benefits. First of all,

changing from fossil fuels to renewable vitality sources could give the genuinely necessary

kick to the economy. According to a study from the University of Tennessee in 2007, the

state of Pennsylvania in US could generate about 44,000 new jobs and increase net farm
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income by $460 million by adopting renewable energy (“Renewable Resources: The Impact

of Green Energy on the Economy”). Secondly, natural specialists have recommended the

utilization of renewable vitality as an option for ordinary vitality assets. For example, Costa

Rica gained an imaginable bigger energy milestone. From January 1 to March 16 of 2015, it

produced all of its energy without using any traditional energy sources like coal or gas

(“Costa Rica beats own record, relies solely on renewables for 94 days”). This is a hope for a

future without using fossil fuels. Thirdly, at least a billion people live with a shortage of

energy today, rejecting them opportunities such as operating a business, supporting their

children’s education, or even preparing meals. It is estimated that almost 1.3 billion people

across the world had no access to electricity in 2011(“1.3 billion are living in the dark ").

Most of them were in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Renewable vitality can assess even these

denied regions. In countries like Bangladesh and Mongolia, small-scale solar power is

significantly altering the lives of poor people, lighting up their homes with low-cost solar

systems. The government has been installing solar homes systems in rural Bangladesh as part

of their sustainable development strategy, which helped created 70,000 direct jobs (“World

Bank: clean energy is the solution to poverty, not coal"). Finally, by using alternative energy

sources we can help substantially reduce the impact of detrimental environment, which was

caused by the use of coal, oil and natural gas to produce energy. Consuming fossil powers

discharges carbon dioxide, gas emanation and different poisons into the climate, which is the

essential reason for expanding nursery impact and air contamination in numerous nations on

the planet. If by changing fossil energy into alternative green energy and diminishing these

emissions as a result, the current poor air quality problem would possibly be solved the in

near future. Information discharged by the government of the United Kingdom illustrated that

the country experienced the most precipitous drop in carbon emissions in 2014, after over
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two decades. The United Kingdom's greenhouse gas emissions fell by 8.4 percent by using

wind and solar panel (“Country report: United Kingdom”).

The development of renewable electricity generation offers opportunities and benefits

but also has hurdles to confront. Firstly, some renewable energies depend heavily on the

weather conditions such as solar energy or wind power. The solar penal needs more sunlight

and high temperate and the wind turbine replies to the air current. The research conducted by

International Electrotechnical Commission shows the solar panels in low condition need

irradiance of 500W/ m², 15°C module temperate in order to act (“Comparing major solar

panel testing conditions”). One other problem with these nature-friendly energies is that they

are not really budget-friend. In fact, they immensely expensive due to the cost of building

hydropower plants or nuclear power stations. For example, 130 kW hydro system would be

approximately £624,000 (“How much does a hydropower system cost to build?”). Not

surprisingly, each method of power generation has its pros and cons. Renewable resources

are not always available where and when they are needed so the governments should make

the best decision based on their own country’s conditions.

Based on this research, it cannot be denied the renewable energy brings some certain

benefits to the economy, people, and environment. However, it also has some challenges and

scientists in all the world have been trying to find the solutions for this problem.

In conclusion, the move of utilizing fossil fuels as the fundamental vitality source into

more eco-accommodating and more accessible sources could help us reinforce a reusable

power supply for all nations.

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Works cited:

B.Jacobs, Michael. “Benefits of Renewable Energy Use.” UCS USA, 8 April 2013,

www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/renewable-energy/public-benefits-of-renewable-

power#.WOD8XWmLTIU.

“Comparing major solar panel testing conditions.” Sino Voltatics, 3 February 2014

sinovoltaics.com/solar-basics/comparing-major-solar-panel-testing-conditions/.

“Costa Rica beats own record, relies solely on renewables for 94 days.” Renewables Now,

13 August 2015 renewablesnow.com/news/costa-rica-beats-own-record-relies-solely-on-

renewables-for-94-days-488370/.

“Country report: United Kingdom.” Europa, 10 November 2013

ec.europa.eu/clima/sites/clima/files/strategies/progress/reporting/docs/uk_2014_en.pdf.

“Renewable energy continuing to increase market share.” Iea, 28 July 2016,

www.iea.org/newsroom/news/2016/july/renewable-energy-continuing-to-increase-

market-share.

“Renewable Resources: The Impact of Green Energy on the Economy.” Business, 22

February 2017 www.business.com/articles/the-impact-of-green-energy-on-the-economy/.

“1.3 billion Are living in the dark.” Washington Post, 6 November 2015,

www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/world/world-without-power/.

“How much does a hydropower system cost build?” Renewables first, 27 July 2012

www.renewablesfirst.co.uk/hydropower/hydropower-learning-centre/how-much-do-

hydropower-systems-cost-to-build/.
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“World Bank: clean energy is the solution to poverty, not coal.” The Guardian, 10

August 2015 www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/aug/07/world-bank-clean-

energy-is-the-solution-to-poverty-not-coal.

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