essay on fossil fuels
Throughout history it is a known fact that humans depend on energy to satisfy basic needs. In order to meet these needs humans have gone to the extent of putting the environment at risk. Air pollution is currently one of the five leading causes of death worldwide and the usage of fossil fuels is a major factor contributing to this. (Future talk: clean renewable energy September 2013). Fossil fuels are finite sources of energy; while the demand for energy will continue to increase, there will still be a decrease in amount of fossil fuels available, which means humans will need to find other sources of energy. There are numerous sources of alternative energy; however the safest, cleanest and reliable source is the renewable sources of energy. Renewable energy, if expanded and explored, have great potential to replace fossil fuels. This essay will evaluate the different types of renewable energy resources in terms of its ability to replace fossil fuel without lowering the quantity or quality of energy produced.
Wind energy is one source of renewable energy that may have a chance of replacing fossil fuels. Wind energy is plainly the exploitation of the kinetic energy in the wind to produce electricity. Over time, the power capacity of wind has evolved as humans through research have found new and better ways to harness its energy and turn it into energy Figure 1 shows the time evolution of the global wind power capacity over the years along with a prediction for the future years.
The principle behind harnessing wind energy is that when the force of the wind is passed through turbines, the movements of these turbines converts energy into electricity. The most commercial method of harnessing wind energy is though “wind farms” where hundreds of wind turbines (windmills) are spread over large plots of land. In comparison to fossil fuels, wind energy is better in a number of ways. It is more plentiful, widely distributed and also
Wind energy is one source of renewable energy that may have a chance of replacing fossil fuels. Wind energy is plainly the exploitation of the kinetic energy in the wind to produce electricity. Over time, the power capacity of wind has evolved as humans through research have found new and better ways to harness its energy and turn it into energy Figure 1 shows the time evolution of the global wind power capacity over the years along with a prediction for the future years.
The principle behind harnessing wind energy is that when the force of the wind is passed through turbines, the movements of these turbines converts energy into electricity. The most commercial method of harnessing wind energy is though “wind farms” where hundreds of wind turbines (windmills) are spread over large plots of land. In comparison to fossil fuels, wind energy is better in a number of ways. It is more plentiful, widely distributed and also