The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum releases emissions that contain greenhouse gases and cause air pollution and acid rain, whereas most forms of renewable energy are nonpolluting. In addition, because the earth has a finite supply of fossil fuels, the development of renewable energy sources is important to the long-term future of humankind.
The environmental movement and the oil crises of the 1970s led to interest in the development of energy sources that would offer alternatives to the use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are limited resources, and the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy creates emissions of carbon dioxide, toxic chemicals, and air pollutants that harm the environment and human health. Because renewable, or clean, energy systems use natural, local sources that are inexhaustible and such systems have fewer negative impacts on human life and the environment, governments have provided increasing support for the development of renewable energy technologies.
Reference
Myers, A. (2020). Renewable energy. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Science.
The combustion of fossil fuels is largely responsible for the problems of climate change, air pollution, and energy insecurity. A combination of wind, water, and solar power is the best alternative to fossil fuels, the authors write, because renewable energy sources have near-zero emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, no long-term waste disposal problems, and no risks of catastrophic accidents. Compared with nuclear energy and biomass energy, the authors find that wind, water, and solar power, alone, would not only be advantageous but also feasible to meet 100 percent of the world’s energy needs. They explain how renewable energy systems can be designed and operated to ensure that power generation reliably matches demand; they calculate that these energy sources would cost less than fossil fuels when all costs to society are considered; and they recommend policies for easing the transition to energy systems based entirely on wind, water, and solar power.
References
Delucchi, M. A., & Jacobson, M. Z. (2013). Meeting the world’s energy needs entirely with wind, water, and solar power. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 69(4), 30–40.
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