Source
|
Advantages
|
Disadvantages
|
Wind
|
1.
Renewable
energy source
2.
Very
low greenhouse gas emissions
3.
Very
low air pollution emissions
4.
Very
low water requirements
5.
Very
safe for workers and public
|
1.
Intermittent
energy source
2.
Limited
to windy areas
3.
Potentially
high hazard to birds
4.
Moderate
land requirements
|
Solar
|
1.
Renewable
energy source
2.
Very
low greenhouse gas emissions
3.
Very
low air pollution emissions
4.
Very
low water requirements
5.
Modular,
low-profile, low-maintenance
6.
Very
safe for workers and public
|
1.
Intermittent
energy source
2.
High
land requirements
3.
Expensive
4.
Manufacture
involves some toxics
|
Biomass
|
1.
Renewable
energy source
2.
Very
low greenhouse gas emissions
3.
Can
produce energy on-demand
4.
Energy
is easily stored
|
1.
Low
energy return on investment
2.
High
air pollution emissions
3.
Very
high water and land requirements
4.
High
occupational hazards
|
Small Hydro
|
1.
Renewable
(if silt removed in reservoir)
2.
Very
low greenhouse gas emissions
3.
Very
low air pollution emissions
4.
Inexpensive
to build and operate
5.
Safe
for workers and public
|
1.
Dependent
on stream flow
2.
Large
numbers of small dams can have significant effects on terrestrial and aquatic
habitats, possibly as great as a large dam producing the same amount of
electricity
|
Large Hydro
|
1.
Very
high return on energy investment
2.
Very
low greenhouse gas emissions
3.
Very
low air pollution emissions
4.
Inexpensive
once dam is built
5.
Can
produce energy on-demand
6.
Provide
water storage and flood-control
|
1.
Non-renewable
(silt removal unfeasible)
2.
Very
high land requirements
3.
Extremely
high impacts to land and water habitat
4.
Best
sites are already developed or off-limits
5.
Disastrous
impacts in case of dam failure
|
Natural Gas
|
1.
Inexpensive
2.
Low
land requirements
3.
Can
produce energy on-demand
4.
Relatively
safe for workers and public
|
1.
Non-renewable
energy source
2.
High
greenhouse gas emissions
3.
Relatively
moderate air pollution emissions
4.
Danger
of explosion if handled improperly
|
Coal
|
1.
Inexpensive
2.
Abundant
3.
Low
land requirements
4.
Can
produce energy on-demand
|
1.
Non-renewable
energy source
2.
Very
high greenhouse gas emissions
3.
Very
high air pollution emissions
4.
High
land/water impacts from acid rain, mine drainage
5.
Highly
hazardous occupation
|
Nuclear
|
1.
Low
greenhouse gas emissions
2.
Low
air pollution emissions
3.
Low
land requirements for power plants (though not for waste storage)
4.
Can
produce energy on-demand
|
1.
Non-renewable
energy source
2.
High
water requirements
3.
Relatively
expensive
4.
Waste
remains dangerous for thousands of years
5.
Serious
accident would be disastrous
|
Showing posts with label Advantage Disadvantages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Advantage Disadvantages. Show all posts