Non Renewable Energy Sources Environmental Sciences Essay

Electricity can be generated by firing fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. Fossil fuels are burned and the heat produced is used to bring forth steam that drives turbines which run electrical generators. Coal is the most frequently used of these fuels because it is readily available, with big sedimentations all over the universe. There are rich coal sedimentations in the north western parts of South Africa, nevertheless, the remainder of Africa has really limited supplies. Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and at the current rate of coal ingestion, universe militias are predicted to last about 200 old ages ( Breeze, 2005: 18 ) which has lead to the on-going development of new methods of electricity production concentrating on renewable resources. Despite this, the bulk of electricity production throughout the universe depends on coal. Coal has a figure of advantages, being the cheapest dodo fuel, nevertheless, it is expensive to transport and produces big measures of byproducts when burned. These byproducts include ash, N oxides and C dioxide, which have caused environmental harm worldwide. Coal excavation disturbs big home grounds and can hold a negative consequence on land and surface H2O ( Miller, 2005: 77 ) . As a consequence of the environmental impact, engineering has been developed to take some of the emanations of coal burning and power workss now adhere to strict environmental ordinances. This has increased the cost of constructing coal-burning power workss, but coal still remains the cheapest method of electricity coevals. Harmonizing to the official web site of Eskom, the largest manufacturer of electricity in Africa, 77 % of South Africa ‘s electricity is dependent on coal-burning power Stationss like the Arnot Power Station in Mpumalanga.

Nuclear power is a controversial method of electricity coevals. When the karyon of big atoms split, they release monolithic sums of energy that can be used to bring forth steam and thrust turbines and electrical generators. This is known as atomic fission. Nuclear merger, whereby little atoms are fused together, besides releases big sums of energy. Catastrophic accidents in the yesteryear have lead to stringent safety ordinances being implemented in atomic power workss. This has lengthened the clip it takes to build these installations every bit good as increased the costs well ( Breeze, 2005: 249 ) . On the one manus, atomic energy has the disadvantage of toxic waste as a byproduct. To this twenty-four hours, there is no effectual manner of disposing of atomic waste. On the other manus, atomic power Stationss emit no harmful gases into the ambiance, but as of yet, merely a little per centum of the Earth ‘s uranium militias are being utilized for electricity coevals ( Suppes & A ; Storvick, 2007: 54 ) . Uranium is the most normally used component for atomic fission. South Africa boasts the lone atomic power Stationss in Africa at the minute and has tremendous militias of U for atomic fission. Eskom feels this makes South Africa an ideal topographic point to work atomic energy despite the high cost of waste disposal and safety systems, every bit good as the negative public perceptual experience.

Renewable Energy Beginnings

Hydropower is a really undervalued renewable energy beginning due to the big environmental impact of constructing hydroelectric dikes that displace wildlife and disrupt the flow of rivers. This can irreversibly change ecosystems, nevertheless, proper planning of these installations can cut down this environmental impact drastically. Despite the environmental impact, they can still turn out to be good. Hydropower is one of the cheapest beginnings of electricity ( Breeze, 2005: 104 ) . Most of the states on Earth have the possible to profit from hydropower, nevertheless, in order to use hydropower efficaciously, a good site is needed. Sites can change greatly and installations must, hence, be site specific. These sites are normally located far from the country where the electricity is distributed and as a consequence, a good transmittal system must be taken into history when constructing power workss of this nature. The effectivity of a hydroelectric installation depends on the gradient and the volumetric flow rate of the river on which it is built. These locations are normally unaccessible, increasing the cost of building. Hydroelectric installations can either utilize the flowing of a river to drive hydraulic turbines or they can make a reservoir from which to pull H2O to power the turbines. The usage of these methods depends on whether the river flows at a comparatively changeless rate or non. This electricity coevals technique is really flexible, as the end product of dikes can be ramped up or down to suit different energy demands. Once built, these installations besides produce no direct waste and have low emanations of harmful gases. The Drakensburg Pumped Storage Scheme is an illustration of hydropower usage in South Africa, However, being a semi-arid state, Eskom states that hydro power is non executable due to the inevitable environmental impact of disrupting the flow of the few possible rivers South Africa has for this intent.

Pressure differences in the atmosphere consequence in air current which can exercise a force on and impel turbines. The turbine blades gain mechanical energy when they are rotated and this energy is transferred to an electrical generator. Wind power is already efficaciously utilized in some parts of the universe. In Africa, it has been estimated that air current power could bring forth 10,600 terawatt hours per twelvemonth ( Breeze, 2005: 153 ) and this sum will increase as wind turbines become more efficient. However, the chief restriction of air current power is that it requires big sums of land to be effectual. Higher air current velocities allow greater energy coevals, doing offshore wind farms appealing, nevertheless, the cost of constructing offshore is greater. The tallness of turbines is besides of import as air current velocities vary with tallness. Many turbines have a minimal air current velocity below which they cease to be economical. Accepted wind velocities are normally from 5 to 6.5 metres per second ( Breeze, 2005: 155 ) . A feasible site for air current farms must besides be level, as uneven terrain can do turbulency which may take to damage of the turbine blades. Making the turbine towers taller reduces the effects of turbulency, by traveling the turbine blades above the turbulent air, but at greater disbursal. Offshore wind turbines must besides be raised above the maximal tallness of the moving ridges. Wind farms have really small environmental impact, utilizing a renewable resource and bring forthing clean energy, but they can make noise and may be unattractive. South Africa ‘s E and west seashores would be ideal for working air current power, and Eskom is executing feasibleness surveies to find whether the benefits outweigh the costs.

Most of the energy exploited by adult male can be attributed to solar energy in some signifier or another, with the exclusion of atomic energy, tidal power and geothermic energy ( Breeze, 2005: 184 ) . These derivations of solar energy are all used to bring forth electricity, nevertheless, solar energy can be used for this intent straight every bit good. Heat from the Sun can be used to drive heat engines or, by utilizing semiconducting materials in solar cells, sunlight can be converted straight into electrical energy. The Sun provides an huge sum of energy that surpasses all other energy beginnings on Earth, despite us merely being able to tackle a fraction of the energy available. Solar energy has the largest energy potency of all renewable energy beginnings ( Shioshansi, 2009: 272 ) . Solar power workss require really small land relation to hydroelectric dikes. A good site for solar power workss requires frequent Sun exposure and small cloud screen. Brighter sunlight consequences in increased energy end product. Solar panels that harness solar energy are really various and can be included in the building of edifices. The chief disadvantage of solar energy is that it can merely be harnessed when the Sun is reflecting, hence, hive awaying energy becomes an of import factor to see when utilizing this energy coevals technique. Solar cells have a really simple design, but they are expensive to do, so care must besides be done often to guarantee maximal effectivity. Despite the evident advantages of solar energy, it is hardly used around the universe, nevertheless, this is quickly altering. South Africa has one of the highest solar irradiation degrees in the universe, harmonizing to Eskom, doing it an ideal topographic point to work solar energy for electricity coevals

Developing Energy Beginnings

Tidal power Stationss use the rise and autumn of the tide to bring forth electricity. These installations must be built across estuaries and have many restrictions. This method of electricity coevals is merely effectual in topographic points where there is a important difference in tallness between high and low tide. The cost of constructing tidal power Stationss is besides excessively high to warrant their building in most instances ( Breeze, 2005: 122 ) , doing them wasteful. South Africa has many estuaries but the height difference between tides is about two metres, which would non bring forth a important sum of electricity. Tidal power is, hence, impracticable in South Africa. However, there are other methods of bring forthing electricity utilizing the ocean. The difference in temperature between H2O of different deepnesss can drive a heat engine to bring forth utile work in the signifier of electricity. These temperature differences are normally excessively little for this method to be executable. Larger temperature differences are favored by heat engines and the effectivity of this procedure is, hence, marginally increased closer to the Torrid Zones. Despite all of its disadvantages, the engineering is still undergoing much development because of its possible to run continuously. The motion of moving ridges and submarine currents can besides drive hydraulic turbines to bring forth energy. South Africa has about 2,800 kilometres of coastline which has the potency for use of ocean power. However, the engineering is really new and, hence, the cost and environmental impact of ocean power installations is non yet known. Eskom is busy carry oning research as to whether ocean power is a executable beginning of energy in South Africa.

Geothermal energy consequences from heat in the mantle of the Earth radiating towards its crust. This energy can be used to bring forth electricity, but at that place exist merely a few parts on Earth with temperatures high plenty and near plenty to the Earth ‘s surface. The heat from the Earth is used to make steam which can drive turbines that supply energy to electrical generators. Geothermal energy is thought to be a renewable beginning of energy, but this is non needfully true. The heat used for electricity coevals is non replaced, nevertheless, the sum of heat used is negligible in comparing to the sum of heat contained within the Earth. Although geothermic energy has been used for a long clip, the engineering is still being developed in order to go a more effectual beginning of electricity. It has the advantages of being inexpensive and can be exploited easy. Geothermal energy is one of the cleanest signifiers of energy because of the comparative absence of any atmospheric emanations ( Breeze, 2005: 171 ) . Hot springs and geysers are a good mark of a potentially feasible site for a geothermic power works. Hot springs and geysers are a good mark of a potentially feasible site for a geothermic power works. Higher temperature heat reservoirs are better for working geothermic energy, but are normally deeper down which consequences in higher costs. However, these heat reservoirs can be depleted over clip if the fluids in the reservoir are non replaced. The clip it takes for a reservoir to go low can change greatly, but with the right direction they can be maintained for long periods of clip. If managed falsely, geothermic power workss can hold black effects on the environment. This is chiefly due to pollution of land H2O and take downing the H2O tabular array. Some environmental impacts are ineluctable, but the impact of geothermic workss are normally restricted to the immediate milieus of the works ( DiPippo, 2008: 386 ) unlike traditional power workss. The temperature ranges used in geothermic power workss are much lower compared to traditional power workss, nevertheless, ensuing in a lower energy transition efficiency. Geothermal sites can change greatly and installations, hence, have to be built harmonizing to the conditions of a specific site. South Africa has feasible chances for the usage of geothermic power, but as of yet, no large-scale geothermic energy coevals exists in South Africa ( Smit, 2010 ) .