limitations of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind resources ( three points each)
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Schalk Cloete
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The Fundamental Limitations of Renewable Energy
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August 6, 2013 3862 views
Many people still think that it will not be long before renewable energy such as solar and wind becomes outright cheaper than fossil fuels, thereby leading to a rapid expansion of the thin orange slither in the graph below. This is an ideologically very attractive notion, but, as discussed in this article, it is questionable whether this is in fact physically possible.
Global primary energy by source
So, what does renewable energy have to accomplish before it can compete with fossil fuels in an open market? Well, in short, we will have to overcome the diffuse and intermittent nature of renewable energy more efficiently than we can overcome the declining reserve qualities and unrefined nature of fossil fuels.
In other words, renewables need to overcome the following two challenges in order to displace fossil fuels in a fair market:
Solar panels and wind turbines need to become cheaper than raw fossil fuels. This is the challenge posed by the diffuse nature of renewables.
Storage solutions need to become cheaper than fossil fuel refineries (e.g. power plants). This is the challenge posed by the intermittent nature of renewables.
Point number 1 is the way in which we procure our energy (mining/drilling fossil fuels or deploying solar panels and wind turbines) and point number 2 is the way in which we make this energy useful to society at higher levels of penetration (refining fossil fuels to electricity or smoothing out the intermittent surges of renewable energy). Without point number 1, point number 2 cannot exist and without point number 2, the energy procured in point number 1 cannot sustain a complex society such as ours.
Thus, if renewables are to challenge fossil fuels in an open market, technology must advance to the point where renewables can compete under both these points. This article will examine whether this is in fact possible.
Solar:
1. Produces very less amount of energy.
2. Cannot be used during night.
3. Is very costly as appliances powered by solar energy are very costly
Wind:
1. Produces very less amount of energy.
2. Is very costly (costly to setup the windmills)
3. Can only be used at places where more winds blowing can be found. For eg. You cannot use it 8n cities because you won't get much of wind resources here.
Plz mark brainliest if useful....