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Jason Farrand
Malcolm Campbell
ENG 1102
12/13/2014
Negative Effects of Renewable Energy
Everyone has had exposure when it comes to learning about how renewable energy is
great for the environment because of the clean energy that is obtained from its use, but the
negative effects are somehow tactfully avoided during documentaries, lectures, and other
presentations on the subject. Most people do not even pay any mind to the fact that there are
indeed negative effects of renewable that may not directly affect the human race, but do affect
the environment that they are set in. For example, using biomass technology may seem like a
practical idea, but when burning waste that is needed to produce power large amounts of toxins
are introduced to the atmosphere. The public need to be informed of these negative consequences
that are brought about by using different types of renewable energy, so these energy sources can
become truly clean rather than as clean as most experts would have you believe.
There are various sources of energy that can be used that are less harmful to the
environment than using fossil fuels as has been the norm for decades. Many of these sources
include wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass, and hydrokinetic energy (1). While each
of these has their own set of ways that they are harmful, they tend to be less damaging than what
is currently being used; however, this step in the right direction does not cover up the harm that
is being done.
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Wind power is one of the cleanest sources of energy but is not perfect. Wind power
works by utilizing wind to turn massive blades that are attached to a shaft which is connected to
a generator and causes electricity to be produced (2). This is good because this source means that
there will be no emissions from the turbines, but the damage that is done from wind turbines is
not from dangerous gas emissions. The turbines create differences in pressure and lead to the
deaths of many birds and bats that collide with the giant turbines (1). One other possible danger
is that during large storms, some turbines have mechanical malfunctions, spin out of control, and
violently destroy themselves causing large pieces of metal to fly in all directions which can be
dangerous for surrounding people, animals, and plant life.