Energy Source Pros and Cons

Energy
Source
Coal

Pros

Oil

Gas

Solar

Cons

Relatively inexpensive (low

cost)
Relatively low capital
investment
Abundant supply
Continuous power, good
utilisation. High load factor
Substantial existing
infrastructure-mature
industry
Can be converted to a liquid
or a gas, which burn cleaner
Most of our electricity
Lots of jobs
Abundant in supply
No new technology required
Moves vehicles faster and
longer than any other
energy source
Easy to transport in liquid
form
Substantial energy-one of
the highest energy densities
Easily produced and refined
Delivery infrastructure
already exists
Burns quite efficiently
Can be used as an
automotive fuel
Burns cleaner than gasoline
or diesel
No waste or residue to deal
with
Natural gas industry
employs 1.2 million people

Renewable source of energy

Abundant in supply; the
potential of solar energy
Sustainable-we can never
over-consume
Environmentally Friendlydoes not cause pollution

Is non-renewable, there is a
finite supply
The largest contributor to global
warming due to greenhouse
gases(CO2)
High cost of transporting coal to
centralised power plants
Coal ash is a hazard and a
disposal problem
High levels of radiation at coal
plants
Pollution, respiratory illnesses

Emits carbon dioxide

(greenhouse gases)
Non-renewable
Drilling can lead to spillshazardous both to mankind and
pollution
Expensive
Disasters of oil drilling-works
injured
Non-renewable fuel, supply
cannot be replaced for millennia
Emits carbon dioxide when
burned
Explosive-dangerous
Concentrated sources require
distance transmission and
transportation
Requires extensive pipelines to
transport over land; equipment
Significant environment risks
associated with fracking; eg.
water pollution, leaks lead to
gas in water
Expensive to set up the solar
panels
Intermittent; access to sunlight
is limited at certain times
Energy storage is expensive in
batteries; technology is
expensive

Good availability; is
available all over the world
Reduces electricity costs

Hydro

Geothermal

Wind

Renewable source of energy

Clean, does not cause
pollution
Is a safe energy conversion
compared to nuclear energy
and fossil fuels
The energy output can be
regulated to adapt to the
consumption needs and
storage capacity
Durability, dams can
produce energy for decades
Reliable, very little
fluctuations in terms of the
electric power produced by
the plants

Environmentally friendly
compared to gas or oil
furnaces
Not a significant source of
pollution
Efficient
A renewable source as long
as the Earth exists
No cost fluctuations
determined by gas and oil
prices
Not weather dependent
Technology behind
geothermal energy will only
continue to improve in
efficiency
Does not cause pollution
The potential of wind power
is enormous, more energy
produced
Wind turbines are incredible
space-efficient
The operational costs

Associated with pollution, some

manufacturing processes are
associated with greenhouse gas
emissions
Requires spacious areas, for
higher power density
Solar cells effectiveness, air
pollution could cause problems
Environmental impact,
changing water levels and
flooding large areas-having a
strong impact on wildlife and
the ecosystem
Displaced people, construction
of a large dame often requires
that entire towns move out of
the area
Expensive, a very important
initial investment
Accidents, past old dams often
suffered breaches which led to
floods and deaths
Droughts, electricity generation
and energy prices are directly
related to how much water is
available
Electricity is still needed to
operate heat pumps
Geothermal energy using wells
requires an incredible usage of
water
Discharge into the Earth could
include sulphur dioxide and
silica
Damage to underground loops
can be difficult and costly to
repair
Large scale geothermal power
plants are dangerous to the
Earths surface

Wind reliability, changes in

weather
Threat to wildlife, the edges of
wind turbines can actually be
unsafe to natural life
Noise and visual pollution
Expensive to set up the wind

Tidal

associated with wind power

are low
Good domestic potential,
extra savings for land
owners
Renewable source of energy

Renewable energy source

Environmentally friendly,
does not emit any climate
gases
Tidal currents are highly
predictable, making it
easier to construct the
system
Effective at low speeds
High efficiency

turbines
Risks the safety of people,
severe storms and high winds
can cause damage to the
blades of wind turbine
Effect on environment, needs
open areas of land meaning
clearing of lands (cutting trees)
Expensive to build
Locations are often remote
Barrages may restrict access to
open water
Can change tidal level of
surrounding area
Disrupts regular tidal cycles
Reduces kinetic energy in the
ocean

You are to use your table to present an argument for how YOU think Australia
should manage its energy requirements with the available energy sources listed
above. Be sure you justify your decision using the arguments you have found and
ensure the reliability of your information using the table below and providing a
bibliography. (1 2 pages max)
Australia should manage its energy using renewable resources for a more
efficient use of the Earths resources and preserve them for future generations.
Hydro energy resources and wind energy is largely being developed and growing
rapidly, and although Australias renewable resources has been limited by higher
transformation costs relative to other energy sources, they are more
environmentally friendly to those of non-renewable resources. Whereas, nonrenewable energy sources; coal, oil and gas have a bigger environmental impact
on the world, for they emit greenhouse gases and other forms of pollution. These
fossil fuels will eventually run out because we are using them much faster than
they can be restored within the earth. Burning fossil fuels produces
photochemical pollution from nitrous oxides, and acid rain from sulphur dioxide.
Burning fuels also produce greenhouse gases including vast amounts of carbon
dioxide that may be causing the phenomenon of global warming that the planet
is currently experiencing. Renewable energy sources are generated from natural
resources and can be naturally replenished, preserving our non-renewable and
limited resources.
Australias hydro energy resources lie within areas of highest rainfall and
elevation, hydro energy resources were developed early in Australia and are
currently the largest source of renewable electricity. Hydro energy is nonpolluting and safe energy conversion, which is a reliable source of energy as it
has very little fluctuations in terms of the electric power produced by the hydro
power plants. Moreover, the energy output can be regulated to adapt to the
consumer needs and storage capacity, which reduces the extensive cost of the

storing of energy in batteries. Hydroelectric power is exceptionally dependable

and stable energy, as there are no issues as far as the electric power that is
constantly produced by the plants, unless an alternate source is required.
Whilst, Australia has some of the best wind energy resources in the world with its
wind energy technology relatively mature, and wind power expanding rapidly.
Wind energy is encouraged by government policies, notably a renewable energy
target for its potential of wind power is enormous, and can create huge amounts
of energy and non-polluting technique. Whereas, the operational costs for the
wind turbines are low and provide extra savings for those who are landowners
are large areas.
Geothermal energy is another renewable energy source that doesnt create a
significant source of pollution and is environmentally friendly. Australia has large
but as yet inadequately defined and quantified geothermal energy resources.
These include hot-rock type geothermal resources associated with buried high
heat-producing granites as well as hot sedimentary aquifer-type geothermal
resources present in deep aquifers in a number of sedimentary basins. There are
also no cost fluctuations determined by gas and oil prices and geothermal energy
is not dependent on the weather. Whilst, the technology for geothermal energy is
already developed to a resourceful standard it still continues to improve in
efficiency.
However, I think hydro and wind energy are the best renewable sources that are
capable of producing majority of Australias electricity. These two energy sources
can produce large amounts of energy without the environmental impact of
pollution. Although, geothermal energy is also an effective energy resource, but
can cause pollution and environmental issues when dealing with the injecting of
the remaining water back into the Earth.

Web address:

http://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/energy/basics#heading-2

Title of page:

Basics-Geoscience Australia

Who put the information

there?

government

How reliable do you think the source of information is?

Reason for reliability
rating:

Very
reliable

Reliable

Unreliable

The website is a government website, which are normally accurate

How current is the information?

Current

Recent

Outdated

Monthly

Yearly

Never

What is the purpose of the site?

Personal

Public

Political

Is there any evidence of bias in the information?

Yes

No

Very

Confident

Is the site regularly updated?

Weekly

Outline any bias you

find:
Confidence in accuracy and reliability:

Not

Web address:

http://www.solarschools.net/resources/stuff/non_renewable_energy.as
px

Title of page:

Non-renewable Energy

Who put the information

there?
How reliable do you think the source of information is?
Reason for reliability
rating:

Very
reliable

Reliable

Unreliable

It seems to be accurate with the definitions and has a few statistics

that support the views on the issues

How current is the information?

Current

Recent

Outdated

Monthly

Yearly

Never

What is the purpose of the site?

Personal

Public

Political

Is there any evidence of bias in the information?

Yes

No

Very

Confident

Is the site regularly updated?

Weekly

Outline any bias you

find:
Confidence in accuracy and reliability:

Not