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Top 7 Most Promising Energy Sources of the Future

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Overview of Current Global Energy Production

Energy is always a hot topic. The price of oil, environmental protection, the health of the economy and of political agendas. Regardless of these issues, there are two types of energy in the world. Renewable and non-renewable. Renewable energy comes from sources that can usually be replenished within a small amount of time, such as from the sun or wind. While non-renewable energy is created by resources that cannot replenish or take millions of years to regenerate. These sources include coal, oil and natural gas, also known as fossil fuels. Whether it is in 10 years or 50 years, there will eventually be no fossil fuels to rely on. Here’s a quick look at the current energy supply globally:

In the International Energy Agency (IEA) Key World Energy Statistics 2021 Report; oil, coal and natural gas were the largest contributors to the world energy supply in 2019. Oil was responsible for 30.9%, while coal accounted for 26.8% and natural gas contributed 23.2% to the global energy supply. Renewable sources made up less of the world's energy supply: nuclear accounted for 5.0%, hydroelectricity was 2.5% and biomass was 9.4%. Lastly, other energy sources including wind, solar, wave and many others were responsible for 2.2% of the world's energy supply [1]. Solar energy and wind energy are the fastest growing energy sources in the world, making up 95% of global renewable energy expansion.

IEA global energy shareIEA, Global share of total energy supply by source, 2019, IEA, Paris [IEA. Licence: CC BY 4.0]

What is the Best Renewable Energy Source?

The move from fossil fuels to sustainable future energy sources has been a topic of contention for years. Environmental impact has been the driving force of this conversation in our attempt to rise to the challenge of finding the best sources of energy. The simple truth is that there is no superior sustainable option that is the most efficient energy source that rises above all others. Over the years we have developed many new technologies that allow us to generate power from a range of renewable energy sources, but each option comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, everything we do has an impact on the environment, and perhaps the future of energy lies in a combination of energy sources?

Overall, nuclear energy is the best form of renewable energy because it can be produced in larger quantities with fewer resources and manpower. However, it has some greater operational risks. Other forms of renewable energy have their pros and cons as well. Let’s take a look at the 7 best energy sources that will be the most promising over the next 50 years:

7. Wave Energy

Wave energy is a type of energy that uses the movement of the ocean’s waves to generate electricity. Electricity is produced as the waves move through the ocean; it will cause the turbines placed in the water to spin, creating electricity. There are a few different technologies that can be used to make turbines in the ocean spin such as oscillating water columns and overtopping devices. There are other devices that use the up/down movement of waves to generate electricity such as point absorbers.

Advantages

  • Wave energy is a renewable energy source
  • While generating electricity, wave energy does not produce any harmful emissions

Disadvantages

  • Wave energy structures are expensive to install in the ocean
  • The technology cannot be used anywhere - it must be installed in regions beside an ocean with waves that would produce sufficient electricity

Ocean waves

6. Solar Energy

Solar energy is a type of energy that uses the sun’s rays to create electricity. The sunlight is captured by solar photovoltaic (PV) cells also known as solar panels to generate usable electricity [3].

Advantages

  • A renewable, clean and quiet energy source
  • Solar panels can be installed onto homes or offices, providing owners with decreased electric bills and a energy source that requires little maintenance

Disadvantages

  • The time, season, geographical region and weather all affect how much electricity solar panels generate [3]
  • In the manufacturing process of PV cells, toxic materials are used

Solar Panels

5. Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is captured heat from below the earth’s crust. Geothermal power is generated from the radioactive decay in the earth’s crust. It can be utilized to heat or cool homes, as well as produce electricity [4].

Advantages

  • Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source
  • Geothermal energy isn’t dependent on weather or season, meaning the energy source can generate a relatively consistent and reliable amount of power

Disadvantages

  • The geothermal power plants can only be constructed in areas where the energy source is easily accessible
  • Building a geothermal plant has an expensive upfront cost

Geothermal Power Plant

4. Biomass Energy

Biomass energy also known as bioenergy is created from waste (biomass) of plants or animals. The waste from plants and animals can include vegetable oil, crops, manure or wood products [5]. A common method for creating electricity with biomass is through direct combustion. Direct combustion creates steam to cause turbines to spin, which simulates a generator to create electricity [6].

Advantages

  • Biomass energy is a renewable energy source, as the resources that are burned grow back in a short amount of time
  • Bioenergy decreases the amount of plant and animal waste that ends up in landfills

Disadvantages

  • Burning biomass creates emissions such as methane
  • Growing biomass can require significant space and water

Biomass/Wood

3. Wind Energy

Wind energy also known as wind power uses wind turbines to generate electricity. The sun is responsible for creating wind power, as the disparities in temperature produce wind. Often multiple wind turbines are built together, known as a wind farm [7]. There can be onshore or offshore wind farms.

Advantages

  • Wind energy is a renewable and clean energy source
  • Wind turbines can bring extra revenue for farmers, as they can lease out their farmland to wind energy companies [8]

Disadvantages

  • Wind turbines are expensive to build and noisy
  • The variability in wind strength means the turbines could be producing different amounts of electricity at different times

offshore-wind-energy

2. Hydroelectric Energy

Hydroelectric energy also known as hydroelectric power uses the flow of water to produce electricity. Today, hydropower is generated by constructing a hydroelectric dam on a body of water. The water moves from the top of the dam through the turbines, which produces electricity. Then, the water exits out the bottom of the dam.

Advantages

  • Hydroelectric power is a renewable energy source
  • Hydroelectric energy is a very efficient energy source compared to others

Disadvantages

  • Hydroelectric dams are costly to built
  • The construction of dams can harm aquatic wildlife

Hydroelectric plant

1. Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is a type of energy from the nucleus of an atom. There are two ways nuclear energy is generated: nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Currently, only nuclear fission can safely produce electricity. Nuclear fission is the process of separating atoms. It produces electricity by using uranium to create chain collisions resulting in the release of radiation and heat. In turn, when the heat combines with water it creates steam that turns the turbines, consequently generating electricity [9].

Nuclear energy is more efficient than other methods of renewable energy because it can product a larger volume of electricity with comparatively cheap operating costs. It produces nearly 2x as much energy as natural gas or coal plants, and is 3x more efficient than wind and solar plants. Nuclear energy is also the cleanest energy source in the world, producing zero carbon emissions and no harmful byproducts.

Advantages

  • Nuclear power produces consistent and larger amounts of electricity compared to other energy sources
  • After the construction, the energy source has relatively cheap operating costs

Disadvantages

  • Nuclear energy is hazardous as there is a risk of accidents - exposure to radiation from plants is dangerous to people and the environment
  • Nuclear energy isn’t renewable as there is only a certain amount of uranium on the earth

Nuclear Energy Plant


This article appeared in Deep Trekker (https://www.deeptrekker.com/resources/energy-sources-of-future#energy-sources-of-future-top-energy-sources-in-50-years).

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