1

Alternative Sources of Energy

Source of
energy
Location
considerations
Advantages Disadvantages
Wind Windy
Coastal area
Isolated area
Environmentally friendly no waste, no greenhouse
gas
The land beneath can usually still be used for
farming
Wind farms can be tourist attractions
Takes up less space than the average power station
Wind is free
Great way to generate energy in remote locations,
such as mountain communities and remote
countryside
Wind is unreliable and unpredictable
Suitable areas for wind farms are often near the
coast, where land is expensive
Some people feel that covering the landscape with
these towers is unsightly (destroyed scenary)
Generally produces a lot less electricity than the
average fossil fuelled power station
The construction of wind turbines can be expensive
and costly to surrounding wildlife during build
process
Noise pollution
Can kill birds - migrating flocks tend to like strong
winds. However, this is rare, and we tend not to
build wind farms on migratory routes anyway
Disrupts telecommunication, television reception
and internet access
Wind turbines are made of plastic and metal, which
are non-renewable resources
Geothermal Where suitable
hot regions are
near the surface
(e.g. volcano)
Does not generate pollution
Theoretically inexhaustible energy source
No wastage or generation of by-products
Can be used directly
Maintenance cost of geothermal power plants is
very less
Does not occupy too much space and thus help in
protecting nature environment
Most of the sites, where geothermal energy is
produced, are far from markets or cities, where it
needs to be consumed
Total generation potential of this source is too small
A danger of eruption of volcano
Installation cost of steam power plant is very high
There is no guarantee that the amount of energy
which is produced will justify the capital expenditure

2

Not dependent on weather conditions
No fuel cost
Once you've built a geothermal power station, the
energy is almost free. It may need a little energy to
run a pump, but this can be taken from the energy
being generated
and operating costs
May release some hazardous gases and minerals
from underground that can escape through the
holes drilled during construction, and it can be
difficult to safety dispose of
The big problem is that there are not many places
where you can build a geothermal power station.
You need hot rocks of a suitable type, at a depth
where we can drill down to them. The type of rock
above is also important, it must be of a type that we
can easily drill through
Geothermal pipes are made of metal (non-
renewable resource)
Solar power Sunny No greenhouse gases
Infinite free energy
Handy for low-power uses
Offers decentralization of power in most sunny
locations, meaning self-reliant societies, because
conventional electricity (fossil fuelled) is often
transported cross-country or internationally and
there are a lot of costs associated (monetary costs,
pollution costs of transport, roading wear and tear
costs)
Ability to produce electricity off the grid (meaning
there is no need for the house to connect to the
state electricity grid, thus being self-reliant, and this
is especially an advantage to people who live in
isolated and rural areas, because otherwise
installing power lines is costly and they might have
frequent power cuts)
Doesnt work at night
Inefficient (only 22% of sun is converted into
electrical)
Cannot store solar electricity
Bulky solar panels
High set-up costs (PV cells panel)
Unreliable unless you have a constantly sunny
climate
Large area of cells is needed because sunlight is
really diffused
PV cells are made of plastic and metal (non-
renewable resources)

3

Avoids political and price volatility
Versatile can be used for houses, cars, satellites
etc
Biogas Down wind
Away from
residential area
It makes sense to use waste materials where we can
The methane gas from the waste would otherwise
end up in the atmosphere - and methane is a worse
"greenhouse gas" than carbon dioxide
The fuel tends to be cheap
Less demand on the fossil fuels
Pungent, repulsive smell
We burn the biogas, so it makes greenhouse gases
just like fossil fuels do
Any biodegradable matter can be used as substrate
Biogas contains some gases as impurities, which are
corrosive to the metal parts of internal combustion
engines
Not feasible to locate at all the locations