The Hidden Side of Clean Energy

Though the idea of making the complete switch to renewable energy sounds enticing, there are many costs that come with implementation that make switching from fossil fuels very difficult.

Wind turbines and solar panels work to capture energy

Current oil reserves are predicted to reach depletion around 2070-2079, leaving us stripped of one of our most vital sources of energy. Similarly, natural gas, our dominant source, is predicted to last until 2060-2070. It is said that we will run out of coal soon as well, giving us 150 years before this fossil fuel is expended. Though we can and have transitioned to unconventional methods of harvesting these resources, they are monetarily and environmentally costly. Fracking leads to water and air contamination and habitat destruction among other effects, and it's also much less efficient than traditional methods. Where we would get a net benefit of 25:1 oil barrels with conventional oil, with unconventional methods it's around 5:1. So, since nonrenewable energy sources are so costly and limited, why don't we just make the switch to clean energy right now?

To build wind turbines and solar panels, we need large amounts of steel, concrete, copper, and rare earth minerals. A large portion of these resources are mined in countries with poor environmental and labor standards, effectively creating environmental risk in expanding renewable resource farming. These types of clean energy also require 10 times the amount of land that conventional energy to generate similar amount of power. That's 10 times the amount of habit loss! Additionally, the wind turbines of machines kill hundreds of thousands of birds and bats annually and only last 20 years. Such inefficiencies force us to remain reliant on other types of energy, even though we are working on expansion of renewables.

Storage of clean energy is also an important factor when considering the implementation of wind, solar, and hydro power. Batteries are needed to retain excess energy, and they are not only costly, but inefficient and potentially dangerous. Tending to last 10-13 years on average, batteries have limited life spans that make their high initial investment less worth the cost. They experience degradation of anywhere from 3 to 7%, and their main component lithium is often unsustainably mined and risks fire hazards.

In order to execute our switch to clean energy sustainably, we are making everything surrounding it more environmentally friendly as well as energy efficient. Though we are working hard to overcome the obstacles surrounding their production and storage of energy, there is much more to do and therefore leaves us reliant on our limited supply of fossil fuels. Make sure to keep up with new advancements in energy technology and stay up to date by following The Conscious Planet's blogs!

Sources:

• Hidden costs of “green energy.” Home. (n.d.). https://www.biaw.com/news/hidden#:~:text=The%20International%20Energy%20Agency%20(IEA,from%20other%20countries%20like%20China.

• U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - independent statistics and analysis. U.S. energy facts explained - consumption and production - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (n.d.). https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/

• When will we run out of fossil fuels?. Freeing Energy. https://www.freeingenergy.com/when-will-we-run-out-of-fossil-fuels/