Important Pros And Cons Of Sustainable Energy.

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Sustainable energy refers to that energy that can be used over and over again to meet our present energy needs without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their own general needs.

While there is a growing call for a radical shift from conventional energy sources to sustainable energy, some experts like Douglas Healy have called for caution as we move towards total reliance on sustainable energy. According to them, the sources of available sustainable energy are still not at the level to fully sustain our energy needs.

Sustainable energy is growing more popular as more people are discovering the benefits of investing in it.

Although there are many definitions of sustainable energy, all of them, however, agree that the concept comprises three key elements associated with sustainable development – environment, economy, and society.

So what are the benefits of switching to sustainable energy? The following are some advantages of sustainable energy.

Cheaper.

It used to be the case that some sustainable energy sources like solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and biomass energy, were considered very expensive and therefore out of the reach of the average person.

Fortunately for all of us, that is no longer the case. The cost of sustainable energy has been on a steady decline as, the number of countries, companies, and institutions investing in them has continued to grow.

Flexible.

Another good advantage of sustainable energy is its flexibility. There are many people around the world who do not have access to electricity. Most of these people live in remote areas that are not easily accessible.

But sustainable energy can be installed in these remote places as generation and transmission costs are totally eliminated.

Cleaner.

It is not a secret that the production, transmission, and use of non-sustainable energy cause a lot of pollution.

The negative impact of this pollution on our environment runs into billions of dollars.

Healthier.

The emissions from non-sustainable energy cause a lot of health issues problems. Sustainable energy, on the other hand, generates power without the pollution associated with its production.

Safer.

Over the years, nuclear disasters and oil spills have caused and continue to cause many deaths around the world.

Unlike fossil fuel which is highly accident-prone, sustainable energy is quite safe. The technology is easy to master and is very user-friendly.

Although there are many benefits to sustainable energy sources it is still fraught with some problems. Some of which include the following:

Less Functional.

Millions of people around the world have come to rely on traditional methods of energy production for their daily energy needs. The newer sources of sustainable energy are yet to attain that level of sophistication and functionality.

Less Reliable.

Another disadvantage of some sustainable energy sources is their inability to store large amounts of energy like nuclear energy and coal.

·        Unpredictable.

Unlike traditional energy, most sustainable energy sources rely on the elements of weather to function. They are therefore susceptible to the unpredictable nature of weather patterns.

Energy Supply Disruptions.

There is also the argument that the unpredictability of some sustainable sources of energy will lead to scarcity and price hikes.

Wrap.

Although climate concerns have led many countries to cut their reliance on traditional energy sources and find new types of energy, the transition should be done in such a way as not to disrupt national and international economic growth.