Senior Research

Paper

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Gabriela Gomez
Ms. Gongora-3
English 12
1 September 2015
Renewable Energy: The Future Energy Source
Population growth is rising at an alarming rate as well as the need for energy. People all
around the world depended on fossil fuels for their everyday source of energy. Fossil Fuels are
todays natural source of energies that develop from under the ground of Earths surface and are
formed from the remains of animals after millions of years. In order for these fuels to produce
energy, they must be burned. Oil, coal, and gas are a result of burning fossil fuels which are
nonrenewable energy sources. After nonrenewable energy has been completely used, it cannot be
supplied or used ever again (McLamb). The amount of oil being consumed every day leaves
some people wondering what will power everyday appliances after fossil fuel reserves become
depleted. Although the implementation of renewable alternative energies cannot be done all at
once, it is necessary to start to phase out fossil fuel use because the supply and demand will not
live up to the needed potential in the upcoming decades, not only will it help improve the
environment but also bring many financial savings. Fossil fuel demand is at its highest point in
history that its potential to become extinct has become a major concern. While non renewable
energy contributes to pollution, alternative energies such as solar power, does not harm the
environment anywhere near as much as fossil fuels. Oil may seem to be affordable at the moment
but rising demand only leads to an increase in prices and renewable energies can help financial
savings. In order to help preserve the world we live in today, renewable energy implementation

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needs to take place soon in order to ease the transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable
energy and help save natural resources.
Fossil Fuel demand and availability is setting new records every year as they make
todays life possible. Oil, coal and natural gas are the three current energy sources that result
from burning fossil fuel, that continue to increase demand. Because of growing populations,
energy demand will never decrease. Mankind depends greatly on only one source of energy that
is consequently leading to the depletion of reserves around the world. Oil rich countries such as
Africa and Saudi Arabia are the power houses that distribute oil to other countries. Once fossil
fuels are gone, they can never be brought back. The Energy Information Administration believes
the main concern of fossil fuels is their non-renewability. According to The Institute for Energy
Research, between 2013 and 2020 alone, it is expected for fossil fuel consumption to increase
3.3 percent ("Fossil Fuels - IER." ). The percentage may seem small, but dependence over the
years is only going to continue to grow which shows that the necessity of looking into renewable
energy is greatly needed.
Non-renewable energy is raising a red flag, in turn, we must resort to abundant alternative
energy sources. As stated by Zachary Shahan, Ukraine has saved an approximate total of $3
billion by reducing the importation of oil and gas from Russia and implementing solar power
plants. Once solar power becomes implemented, fossil fuel consumption rates will immediate
start to decrease (Shahan). Solar power has the ability to provide energy for oil based appliances;
including cars, electricity found in homes and office buildings. Unfortunately, only 7 percent of
todays energy is supplied by renewable energy. The sun is one of the biggest providers of energy
for solar panels. Solar power can produce energy every day at all hours because the suns
dependence is constant, everyday it is certain that the sun will rise and set. The abundance of

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sunlight makes solar power dependable. Solar energy can be stored even after the sun sets and is
readily available when energy is needed. As caretakers of the planet of the planet, humans must
prepare for fossil fuel depletion and have renewable sources ready for the new age of energy.
While fossil fuels are turned into energy, they produce pollution that affects our planets
environmental condition. The issue of non-renewable energy is not only the daily amount that is
used, but the side effects that exist because of their consumption. When fossil fuels are burned to
create oil, carbon dioxide is released. Carbon dioxide has been stored under Earths ground for
millions of years within dead bodies of plants and animals. The transfer of carbon dioxide from
the ground to the environment is a major factor contributing to global warming (Shahan). After
its release, a pyramid of hazards begins to occur. Rising temperatures result from global warming
causing ice caps to melt and leading to a rise in sea level. Sea level changes have a negative
effect on settlement and agriculture. Not only are fossil fuels harmful to the environment, they
also interfere with human health. Harmful chemicals released from fossil fuel leads to air
pollution. For example, gas is derived from fossil fuels and is used to power cars, airplanes and
buses, therefore when they are in use they are contributing to rising temperatures and air
pollution. Humans living in high pollution concentrated areas such as Los Angeles and China are
at a higher risk of being diagnosed with diseases such as asthma and lung cancer. While pollution
is an issue that can be controlled, significant changes are needed and with the energy
contribution of solar power, pollution percentage can be greatly lower.
Within the past years, fossil fuel has helped produce different energies that power daily
used machinery and misshapen during transportation of fuels have led to sea life destruction.
Coal is one energy resulting from the burning of fossil fuels, and in order to make it available
coal must be mined from large reserves. In the process of mining coal, workers face health

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hazards and ecosystems are destroyed. Coal power plants require large areas of land and
regularly use of coal in order to constantly produce energy. Extraction of coal leads to land
erosion and destruction of wild life (Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels). Fossil fuels are needed all
over the world and for that reason they need to be transported by trains, ships or airplanes.
Often, oil spills occur because of train wreckage and sunken ships. When crude oil is leaked deep
under the sea, aquatic life and drinking water are endangered. When oil and water mix, less
oxygen is found in water, leading to mass deaths of sea species. The environmental hazards of
fossil fuels overshadow its constructive qualities.
Solar power is one of the cleanest energies available today, and the incorporation of solar
energy brings many financial benefits when installed in homes, schools, and work buildings. Not
only does solar power save money but also increase home values which one could profit from if
the property is ever sold. Rick DeGunther, an engineer of solar energy, states, If you install a
solar water heater system for $4,000 and it saves you $50 a month on your power bill, the system
will pay for itself in 80 months, or 6 years, 8 months. Historical data indicates that, when you
install a photovoltaic (PV) System, you will automatically recoup nearly 100 percent of your
investment (DeGunther). When using fossil fuel, payments must be made as long as the fuel
plant is used. Solar power purchases are more expensive, but once solar panels are owned, fuel is
free, no one can take the suns energy away. Although the upfront cost of solar energy is
expensive, eventually electric bill savings will overshadow the initial cost of the solar energy
system. In other words, a solar power customer will never have to stress about paying another
electric bill, if the correct solar power device is installed and can produce enough energy to cover
the cost of the monthly bill. The Solar Photovoltaic systems net costs also can be lowered as
much as half of its original price tag, which is a substantial savings. Solar installations lead to the

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elimination of fluctuation costs because of solar powers fixed price. Any solar investment can
benefit the consumer financially and help the environments health.
Financial savings are a result of solar power consumption. The wide availability of
implementing solar energy on everyday devices can help the process of saving money. Not only
can solar power be installed in homes but also in cars. Cars powered by gas, a fuel derived from
oil, is the most popular fuel for vehicles found among the majority of the population. The rapid
consumption of gas, will result in high price increases out of reach for common users. Once
society reaches this stage, citizens will be left with no choice but to preserve fuel and find
another energy source. A solution to the gas price increase is the solar power car. When most
households own a solar power car the oil availability will begin to preserve. Companies like
Ford, produce a combination of electric and solar powered cars, which reduces transportation
costs (DeMorro). With solar power cars there is no need for the use of gas and oil changes
resulting in monthly savings. Over time, a car with no use of fossil fuels could help save millions
of dollars. Conserving fossil fuels can be done by producing vehicles without the need of being
powered by fossil fuels.
While many agree alternative energy is great, others think it is unnecessary. Although the
benefits of solar power overshadow the negative aspects, land use is a major concern. When solar
panels are installed in a home they are most likely placed on roofs instead of on land because
enough energy is produced. However, problems arise when more energy needs to be produced in
large company buildings. The need for larger use of land leads to habitat loss and land decay. The
average estimate of land for a photovoltaic system is between 3.5 to 10 acres per megawatt and a
concentrated solar power system requires about 4 to 16.5 acres of land (Environmental Impacts
of Solar Power). Solar power systems need vast amounts of land to generate power. Large areas

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where sunlight is abundant are preferred because the sun is solar powers main source of energy.
Desserts and forests become invaded by hundreds and thousands of solar panels and endanger
the animal species living in those environments. However, fossil fuels are widely available all
over the world which leads to its popularity in use. The increased depletion of fossil fuels is an
obvious warning to search for alternative energy resources.
Solar power instalment initial costs are the leading factor to why solar energy is not found
in most households. Costs for implementing renewable energy is high. Solar power is in a market
that competes against better priced energy sources. Mathias Aarre Maehlum states that
households choose to buy energy from electric companies because the price is lower. In 2010,
coal received $1,189 billion in federal subsidies and support for electricity production while solar
is not far behind at $968 billion (Maehlum). Because of fossil fuels easy availability, nonrenewable energy is the most commonly purchased and most supported by the government
across the world unlike the purchase of solar energy. The high density of oil requires small
quantities to produce large amounts of energy making it cheaper when it is first purchased. Solar
power installation is a one-time fee, and over time the system can pay for itself, making it a free
source of energy. When oil is used, the consumer is required to pay the oil fee as long as it is
being used to produce energy, oil will never have a fixed price. Though solar power may have an
expensive price, in the long run, money can be saved and the fossil fuel depletion rate will be
reduced.
Although many argue that the search for alternative energy is not needed at the moment,
it is necessary to phase out fossil fuel use because its supply and demand will not live up to its
potential in upcoming decades, not only will it help improve the environment but also bring
financial savings. The incorporation of renewable energy sources is much needed to ease the

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transition from fossil fuels to energy that can completely take over and power all existing fossil
fuel based machinery. Fossil Fuel demand is at its highest peak in history for demand. Demand
increases led to greater depletion of non-renewable fossil fuel reserves. Not only is the
implantation of alternative energy necessary, but also beneficial because of the damage that
results from fossil fuel use. Non-renewable energy produces pollution that then leads to a
pyramid of hazards. Human health can be affected because of emissions from burning fuels.
Animal habitats are demolished when oil reserves are formed in specie filled lands. Oil costs are
much lower than initial costs of solar power installations which is why they are a popular
consumer choice. Oils high purchase popularity will only contribute more to the scarcity of
fossil fuels and lead to the sky rocketed prices. Solar power can help reduce the depletion of
fossil fuels. Renewable energy can help households save money. With the installment of
alternative energy, the world can be a cleaner place and help decrease the risk of diseases caused
by emissions of fossil fuels. As caretakers of Earth, we must preserve the world we live in to not
only help todays people live in a healthier environment, but also the people of the future. Just as
fossil fuels from conventional sources are finite and are becoming depleted, those from difficult
sources will also run out. Just as fossil fuels from conventional sources are finite and are
becoming depleted, those from difficult sources will also run out. If we put all our energy and
resources into continued fossil fuel extraction, we will have lost an opportunity to have invested
in renewable energy (Suzuki).

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Works Cited
DeGunther, Rik. "What Are the Financial Benefits Using Solar Power?" For Dummies. Web. 7
Sept. 2015.
DeMorro, Nicole. "Pairing Plug-In Cars With Solar Power Results In Big Savings - Gas 2." Gas
Web. 5 Sept. 2015.
"Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels - Conserve Energy Future." ConserveEnergyFuture. 19 Jan.
2013. Web. 5 Sept. 2015. Used in
"Environmental Impacts of Solar Power." Union of Concerned Scientists. Web. 12 Sept. 2015.
"Fossil Fuels - IER." IER. Web. 1 Sept. 2015.
Maehlum, Mathias. "Solar Energy Pros and Cons - Energy Informative." Energy Informative.
Web. 5 Sept. 2015.
McLamb, Eric. "Fossils Fuels vs. Renewable Energy | Ecology Global Network." Ecology
Global Network. 6 Sept. 2011. Web. 1 Sept. 2015.
Shahan, Zachary. "Advantages & Disadvantages of Solar Power." CleanTechnica. 8 Oct. 2013.
Web. 1 Sept. 2015.
Suzuki, David. "David Suzuki Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.