Why consider using renewable energy resources?
Renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, and biomass
are significantly more abundant than fossil resources, virtually inexhaustible,
and provide several environmental advantages -- most notably that they are
carbon neutral; e.g., they provide a "closed-carbon" loop.
Estimates are that renewable energy resources could supply
up to 50% of our nation's total energy requirement and help reduce carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 70% by 2030. Other potential
advantages are the protection of electricity consumers against unforeseen
costs associated with new pollution control regulations and potential price
hikes in fossil fuels.
Renewable energy should definitely be considered because of
the environmental, economic, and energy security benefits it provides.
- Environmental benefits -- Renewable energy resources have
a much lower environmental impact than fossil fuels either because they
have no carbon dioxide emissions associated with their use (wind and solar
energy), or the CO2 they do emit is used to grow the next bioenergy
crop. Another advantage of renewable energy is that it contains no sulfur
and therefore cannot emit sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to acid rain.
Coal combustion is the primary emitter of sulfur dioxide.
- Economic benefits -- The United States currently imports
approximately 50% of its petroleum fuels, most of it from the Middle East,
and some projections are that this will increase. This importation results
in a $50 billion trade imbalance. Using renewable energy resources will
help decrease this dependence because money used to import petroleum could
be used, for example, to build wind farms or grow biomass plantations. This
will put money back into our economy while at the same time providing an
inexhaustible and environmentally friendly supply of energy for our country.
- Energy security benefits -- The United States has, at
least three times in the past 30 years, experienced some sort of disruption
in our oil supply. If we as a nation want to continue to maintain our high
quality of living, a secure and reliable energy base built primarily on
renewable energy resources must be developed.
WEB SITES (for more information)
www.eren.doe.gov
www.erec.doe.gov
www.repp.com
