FRENCH REVOLUTION - BEGINNING OF THE MODERN AGE

                               
                    
                                                            
        

PEN - PALS LEVEL 5

WIND ENERGY - TOPIC

Can wind energy replace electricity power stations?

C. Wilson (2017)

There has been much debate recently concerning the importance of sustainable energy and whether it can replace existing coal and nuclear fired power stations. Sustainable energy is defined as a source of energy that is renewable. It is infinite and will never run out unlike unsustainable sources such as the fossil fuels of coal, oil and gas and the mineral uranium used in nuclear power stations. The main sources of sustainable energy are solar, wind and hydro which are plentiful on the earth and innovative technology has been developed to harness these natural sources. This essay will investigate one of these sources; wind energy, which uses the wind turbine to produce electricity, and will discuss the main positives and negatives associated with this using wind.

There are many key advantages to utilizing wind energy to produce electricity. The main advantage is that it is a renewable energy source, which is freely available. The second most important point is that wind energy is non-polluting source of energy. Thus, wind turbines produce no greenhouse gases. In addition, wind energy would help governments meet their targets in preventing climate change. The final key consideration is wind energy is cost effective. So although the initial set up costs are relatively high for the materials and construction of a wind turbine, once in place the maintenance costs are low and a turbine can run for 100 years, unlike coal or nuclear power stations which can only operate for approximately 35 years.

Unfortunately, wind energy has a number of significant flaws that need to be addressed to understand how this renewable source of electricity production could be implemented into a greener looking society. Firstly, is the subject of reliability. It is impossible to predict when the wind will blow, at what times and at what strength. As a consequence, this creates a serious in failing to meet peak demands usually in the mornings and evenings. This takes us to the second serious issue that there is no storage system for excess electricity produced. If a wind farm produces too much electricity, it cannot be stored so often wind turbines are turned off. At this present moment, there is no technological development in how this energy can be stored. There needs to be areas where giant sized batteries can be stored that can absorb additional energy. The final problem is noise and visual pollution. The majority of people in the U.K. want renewable energy and more wind turbines but not near where they live. These people are called NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard). This is perfectly understandable as wind turbines are noisy as they rotate and big wind farms ruin the natural landscape, making the countryside look mechanized. One solution is to put the wind turbines in the sea around the coasts of the U.K.

Overall, wind energy as a source for electricity production could be a future solution for the diminishing fossil fuels, a cleaner source of energy and reduced economic costs. However, there are serious limitations such as the reliability of wind, where to build wind farms and the inability to store electricity.

All in all, societies need to integrate renewable energy for a greener less polluting society.

DEFORESTATION

One of the most prevalent issues in our world today is the issue of deforestation. Deforestation can be described as “the practice of clearing the natural forests for agriculture, logging, etc.”

Rainforests are home to countless species of animals, many of which are endangered. By tearing down trees in enormous quantities, humans are destroying the homes of every species that may live there. When taking into consideration that some of the species relying on the forest are endangered, one must realize that engaging in deforestation will likely result in the extinction of that particular species. Deforestation has already eliminated many species from our planet. 

In addition to the harm deforestation inflicts on animals, deforestation is also harmful to society. Many natives, especially in South America, rely tremendously on the rainforest. These tribes live in the forests, and gather all of their resources from them as well. The lives of these natives are turned upside down when they have no choice but to abandon their home, because the rainforest is being destroyed whether they like it or not . Tribes are forced to leave everything they know, and move to more inhabited areas that they are extremely unused to.

Another harmful side effect of deforestation is the effect it has on the earth’s atmosphere. Deforestation is said to be directly related to the issue of global warming. By cutting down the rainforests, the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere increases. Trees and plants take in hazardous gasses such as carbon dioxide, and convert them into oxygen that we as humans rely on. While cutting down rainforests, we are depriving ourselves of sources of oxygen to breathe, and at the same time, increasing the amount of harmful gasses in the air .

Although I do realize that deforestation provides job opportunities for people in areas with rainforests, and that it provides society with a great deal of wood used for building, paper, and other products, is it really worth the price paid? And if deforestation continues at this rate, it is estimated that all rainforests will be eliminated within a century (Climate Change: What We Do). Over 50 percent of the discovered plant and animal species live in tropical rainforests, and by eliminating the trees, we eliminate these animals. Rainforest deforestation has far more cons than pros, and needs more attention. When considering how this affects plants, animals, the atmosphere, and society, it is evident that deforestation is not worth the price paid.

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