Renewable Vs Nonrenewable Energy

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In any society, the fundamental economic problem is scarcity, trying to satisfy unlimited wants with limited resources available. One primary resource that is scarce and becoming more so is energy. The amount of available energy, as in fueling energy, has decreased over time, due to usage. The major energy sources that are being dwindled are those that are nonrenewable, meaning they cannot be used again. Without a stable supply of energy, a society slows and eventually falls. Each fuel source has its own benefits as well as setbacks. Some have economic perks, while others have larger environmental setbacks. Many of the energy resources chosen in a scenario are selected because they are cost-effective in the situation. To be cost-effective however, …show more content…
The consumption of energy has some impact on its surroundings regardless of energy source. The most used of nonrenewables, oil is the most focused on. The energy requirements could meet the projected population and economy using fossil fuels alone, only, however, if emissions are not taken into account (Lewis & Nocera, 2006). With emissions in mind, a cleaner source would be necessary, such as solar. Publishing work for the National Academy of Sciences, scientists rendered a large portion of the energy needed could be procured from solar energy capture and storage (Lewis & Nocera, 2006). In the search for the better source of energy, if one source could provide the same amount of energy than another, whilst also having less negative impacts on the very environment it’s trying to provide for, that energy source would be the suited choice. The impact on the environment does not solely include energy gathering on a short term. Long term impacts to the surroundings are of equal importance, if not more. The extraction of natural gas (almost always found surrounding oil depositories) and the construction of natural gas power plants can destroy natural habitat for animals and plants. Possible resource impacts include erosion, loss of soil productivity, and landslides (EPA, 2013). The …show more content…
Renewable energy itself cannot fulfill the all the energy characteristics left behind by nonrenewable sources yet, years needed to fully expand the technologies (Heinberg, 2003). This statement, written by an American oil journalist and writer, emphasizes a shift towards renewables sources, not a complete switch. A gradual change before nonrenewable sources peak or take irreversible environmental tolls is achievable. An example provided is in Germany where over 20% of its energy is produced from renewable resources, energy prices similar to when the country had much less of a renewable stature (Hockenos, 2012). The sudden shift in Germany’s energy market was an unprecedented change for its citizens and industries, who believed such an imposing alteration could not be supported. With a slight initial price increase, the energy requirement was met, and eventually, exceeded. Such an experience can be a model to prove its feasibility here in the

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