Should We Switch to Renewable Energy

Research Question

What are the differences between renewable and nonrenewable energy and should renewable energy be promoted?

Thesis statement: The side effect of extracting nonrenewable energy, the advantages of using renewable sources in producing energy and the capacity of both of them are the three main points that have pushed engineers to focus and to improve the field of energy.

The Difference between Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy

Definition of nonrenewable energy B. Definition of renewable energy Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 46) IV. Nonrenewable energy disadvantages and solutions C. Environmental effect (pollution): emission of CO2 and others gases when extracting from fossil fuels Source: (Chakravorty, Moreaux & Tidball, 2008, p. 1128-1129) & (Chakravorty, Leach & Moreaux, 2012, p. 1448-1450) & (Lyon & Lee, 2004, p. 377-379 & 390-391) & (Tahvonen & Salo, 2001, p. 1379-1382 & 1395-1396) D. Increasing price Source: (Marcelo & Fernando, 2010, p. 3-44 & 52) & (Tahvonen & Salo, 2001, p. 1379-1382 & 1395-1396) E. Diminishment of nonrenewable resources Source: (Schumacher, 2011, p. 495 & 496) F. Solutions 1. reducing the extraction of fossil fuels Source: (Schumacher, 2011, p. 495 & 496) 2. switching to renewable or sustainable energy Source: (Schumacher, 2011, p. 495 & 496) & (Touryan, 2012, p. 42-43) V. Renewable energy G. Different forms 3. Biofuel Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 46) 4. Biomass Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 46) 5. Geothermal Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 54) 6.

Hydroelectric Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 48) 7. Solar energy Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 52-53) 8. Tidal power Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 54) 9. Wave power Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 53) 10. Wind power Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 50) H. Advantages of using renewable energy Source: (Touryan, 2012, p. 42-43) VI. The capacity of renewable energy I. Theoretical Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 55-58) Practical Source: (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 55-58)

Future Plans and Projects

K. The USA: future plans in producing renewable energy Source: (Turner, 1999, p. 687-688) The Desertec Concept Project (2050) Source: (Destouni & Frank, 2010, p. 19-21) & (Lilliestam & Ellenbeck, 2011, p. 3380-3391) M. Masdar city Source: (Dan, Kung, Whiteford & Boswell-Ebersole, 2012, p. 1006-1007) Should We Switch From Nonrenewable to Renewable Energy “Science and technology have become the twin gods of the past century and no doubt will continue to remain entrenched in their lofty positions throughout the twenty first century” (Touryan, 2012, p. 41). Although, technological people or engineers are the main persons that we all are grateful for their accomplishments.

In our days, engineers are facing more and more difficulties and many believe that “human intellect will overcome problems of physical limits, thus making the earth’s physical resources essentially inexhaustible” (Touryan, 2012, p. 41), but others do not share the same idea. However, they believe that without petrol (gasoline, diesel, etc. ), most of us would perish. “Our water is pumped to our house by pumps run on petrol. Food is brought to our markets by truck run on petrol. We drive to our jobs and stores in cars run on petrol. Farmers grow crops using machinery run on petrol.

We visit family and friends in distant cities travelling on airplanes, ships, or trains, run by petrol. And so on” (Eerkens, 2006, p. 1). So, everyone can assume that petroleum is so important but “if asked what they would do if there were no more petrol, they often answer ‘our engineer will figure out something’, or ‘it won’t happen during my lifetime so I don’t worry about it’ ” (Eerkens, 2006, p. 1). In spite of that, there are many solutions that have been figured out to this problem which are ignored by a lot of governments in the world because f misunderstandings and ignorance (Eerkens, 2006, p. 1). The problem of nonrenewable energy, such as petrol, is now facing the entire world. So, should we switch to renewable energy? Engineers in the whole world should focus on founding a solution that can replace the extraction of energy from fossil fuels. But, before of that, all the governments should change their strategies by encouraging the growing production of renewable energy; Moreover, we should switch from nonrenewable to renewable energy. “Substantial cost reductions can be achieved for most renewable energy technologies.

Making these renewable energy sources competitive will require further technological development and market deployment and an increase in production capacities to mass-production levels” (Goldemberg, 2012, p. 59).

References

1. Chakravorty, U. , Leach, A. , & Moreaux, M. (2012). Cycles in nonrenewable resource prices with pollution and learning-by-doing. Journal of Economic Dynamics & Control, 36(10), 1448 – 1461.
2. Chakravorty, U. , Moreaux, M. , & Tidball, M. (2008). Ordering the extraction of polluting nonrenewable resources. The American Economic Review, 98(3), 1128-1144.
3. Dan, Z. , Kung, M. , Whiteford, B. , & Boswell-Ebersole, A. (2012). Analysis of sustainable materials used in ecovillages: Review of progress in bedzed and masdar city. Journal of Wuhan University of Technology: Materials science edition, 27(5), 1004-1007.
4. Destouni, G. , & Frank, H. (2010). Renewable energy. Ambio, 39, 18-21.
5. Eerkens, J. (2006). The nuclear imperative: A critical look at the approaching energy crisis. (Vol. 11, pp. 1-18). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
6. Goldemberg, J. (2012). Energy what everyone needs to know. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
7. Lilliestam, J. , & Ellenbeck, S. (2011). Energy security and renewable electricity trade—will Desertec make Europe vulnerable to the ‘‘energy weapon’’?. Energy Policy, 39(6), 3380–3391.
8. Lyon, K. , & Lee, D. (2004). Nonrenewable resource extractions with a pollution side effect: A comparative dynamic analysis. Natural Resource Modeling, 17(4), 377–392.
9. Marcelo, A. , & Fernando, S. (2010). Solow meets Leontief: Economic growth and energy consumption. Energy Economics, 32(1), 43 – 53.
10. Schumacher, I. (2011). When should we stop extracting nonrenewable resources?. Cambridge University Press, 15(4), 495-512.
11. Tahvonen, O. , & Salo, S. (2001). Economic growth and transitions between renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. European Economic Review,45(8), 1379 – 1398.
12. Touryan, K. (2012). Renewable energy for a sustainable future: a Christian imperative. Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, 64(1), 41.
13. Turner, A. (1999). A realizable renewable energy future. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 285(5428), 687-689.