Disadvantages & Advantages on Energy

Sources
When you flip on a light switch, the energy that brightens your light bulb may come
from one of several potential energy sources. Different energy sources have varying
advantages and disadvantages that don't just affect your utility bill but that may also
have a global impact on air quality and environmental degradation.

Wind Energy
Giant wind turbines have begun to appear across North America. As wind hits the
turbines, they begin to spin, and the resulting spin generates electricity that can power
businesses, homes and other outfits. It provides energy without emitting greenhouse
gas emissions. It's also very low-cost in the long run, as the U.S. Department of
Energy estimates it to be one of the cheapest forms of renewable energy available,
and it's inexhaustible as well.

However, some anti-wind activists argue that wind turbines are ugly, noisy, and
dangerous to local bird species that may fly into the turbines, according to Middlebury
Schools.

Solar Energy
Solar energy captured by solar panels is a limitless form of energy, as the earth is
bombarded with extreme amounts of solar energy every day, according to the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory. It's also clean, producing no carbon dioxide, and is
very low-maintenance, since solar panels have no moving parts.

Unfortunately, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory says its high installation
cost makes it up to four times more expensive than the cost of electricity from a
standard utility company. For optimal operation and maximum energy production, it
requires year-round sunny weather and is very expensive if repair is necessary,
according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels like coal and oil are the most widely-used energy source in the world. It's
typically the most plentiful, easily accessible and cheapest form of energy, according
to Iowa Public Television.

However, Southern Polytechnic State University warns that fossil fuels are limited and
will run out one day. Fossil fuels also endanger the environment due to the mining
process and the greenhouse gas emissions produced while burning the fuel.
Additionally, they may contribute to harmful side effects like air pollution and acid rain.

Biofuels
Biofuels are made from corn, sugarcane and other crops. Ethanol, widely used as a
gasoline additive for powering cars, is a biofuel. It's renewable, grown domestically for
greater energy security, and often produces less greenhouse gas emissions when
burned, according to the National Center for Environmental Economics.

Unfortunately, growing the crops needed for biofuel may pollute the earth's soil and
waterways due to farming processes and side effects like fertilizer runoff. Using crops
for fuel may also use up vital food crops, and this can drive up global food prices.