Disadvantages and Advantages of Different Energy Resources

Some energy resources can be considered both renewable and non-renewable. Wood and biomass are 2 energy resources that fit into this specification.

Wood can be used as fuel and biomass is a type energy made out of material from other living organisms. Although, both can be deemed renewable if trees/plants are replanted.

Non-Renewable Energy Resources

Coal

• Advantages
  • One of the cheapest fuels
  • Coal supplies last longer than other fossil fuels (oil and gas)
• Disadvantages
  • Burning coal can emit pollutants such as greenhouse gases as well as chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and lead.
  • The burning of coal is a major contributor to causing smog and acid rain

Oil

• Advantages
  • Like other fossil fuels, oil is reasonably cheap and ready made
  • Can be stored
• Disadvantages
  • When drilling, gas flaring emits carbon dioxide
  • Oil spills can occur
  • Atmospheric pollutants such as greenhouse gases and chemical carcinogens are given off when oil is burnt
  • In short supply

Natural gas

• Advantages
  • Like other fossil fuels, gas is reasonably cheap and ready made
  • Is cleaner compared to other fossil fuels (can produce less carbon dioxide per watt than coal)
  • Can be stored
• Disadvantages
  • Natural Gas is in short supply
  • Atmospheric pollutants such as greenhouse gases are given off when gas is burnt
  • May pollute water

Nuclear

• Advantages
  • Can be stored
  • Doesn’t give off atmospheric pollutants
  • Nuclear emissions are less deadly than fossil fuel emissions
  • Raw materials needed to make nuclear energy is cheap
  • Small amount of radioactive material can go a long way (has a lot of energy)
• Disadvantages
  • Nuclear meltdowns/exposure to radioactive material can lead to land loss and cancer.
  • Needs to be stored safely for a hundred years or more as nuclear waste is toxic
  • Nuclear reactors are expensive to run

Biomass

• Advantages
  • Can be stored
  • If crops are replaced it can be a long-term energy source
  • Reasonably cheap and ready-made
• Disadvantages
  • When burned it may emit toxics
  • If not replanted it is considered a non-renewable energy source

Wood

• Advantages
  • Reasonably cheap and ready-made
  • If trees are replaced it can be a long-term energy source
• Disadvantages
  • If not replanted it is considered a non-renewable energy source
  • When burned it may emit greenhouse gasses

Renewable

Solar

Solar Energy is directly taking energy from the sun through solar panels and converting it into electricity

• Advantages
  • Potentially infinite supply of energy
  • Single residences can have their own supply of electricity
• Disadvantages
  • Solar panels can be expensive

Wind

• Advantages
  • Potentially infinite supply of energy
  • Can be installed on a smaller scale but are generally in wind farms
• Disadvantages
  • Wind turbines can be expensive
  • Cannot be stored
  • Some people think wind turbines spoils the countryside by being on shore
  • Requires a lot of land
  • Kills some bats and birds

Tidal

• Advantages 
  • Ideal for an island country
  • Can generate a lot of energy
  • Tidal barrage can also act as a bridge which helps to prevent flooding
• Disadvantages
  • Can be expensive to construct
  • May reduce tidal flow and impede flow of sewage out to sea.
  • Some believe that it may be damaging to the environment/wildlife

Wave

• Advantages
  • Ideal for an island country
• Disadvantages
  • Can be expensive to construct

Geothermal

• Advantages
  • Low gas emissions
  • Easy to construct
  • Potentially infinite supply
• Disadvantages
  • Few locations are suitable/available
  • Can be expensive to construct
  • Harmful elements discovered during extraction must be disposed of safely

Hydroelectric

• Advantages
  • Creates energy as well as water reserves
• Disadvantages
  • Depends on rainfall
  • Expensive to construct
  • Dams may affect wildlife and natural water systems
  • Large dams can cause earthquakes

Biomass

Refer to “Biomass” under “non-renewable”

Biomass is considered non-renewable if crops are not replanted and renewable if they are.

Wood

Refer to “Wood” under “non-renewable”

Wood is considered non-renewable if trees are not replanted and renewable if they are