Imagine that you have just become the ruler of a small country, a country so small that it only has a total population of four people, yourself inclusive. In this country your main concern is feeding all of your citizens. Everyone requires 3 meals a day and it is your job to provide them with the resources they need in order to get those meals. The resources for one meal costs three dollars a piece, but you are told that for twice as much the provider will cut the cost down by 10 percent for every year that you purchase from them. You are faced with a choice, do you decide to just purchase the resource at its regular price, or do you make the investment to make the resource much cheaper in the future. The dilemma that you face
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The amount of CO2 that is emitted by the power generation sector is predicted to double by 2050 (OECD Environmental Outlook). Relative to natural emissions, anthropogenic CO2 emissions are actually quite low. The problem isn’t that they are too high now, but that the amount emitted is increasing every year, and eventually will hold a significant share of the environmental influx of CO2. The average atmospheric CO2 concentration on earth is about 400 ppm [Parts per Million], by 2100, the concentration could be as much as 550 ppm to 950 ppm (Brahic). Not only is this increase in CO2 output have adverse effects on the environment, but it also serves as an indicator that the combustion of fossil fuels release waste products into the environment. Contrary to one general idea, large pockets of fossil fuels are not pure. There is no such thing as a giant pocket of 100% crude oil in the ground. Fuels are always found mixed in with other materials. Burning these fuels results in a plethora of waste products, as the chemical reactions break apart bonds and release heavy metals, Volatile organic compounds, SOx, NOx, and particulate matter into the environment (Government of Canada). These pollutants are considered waste products because it is no longer economically feasible for them to be utilized. Along with waste materials, fossil fuels also waste a great deal of energy. Fossil fuels are about 35% efficient as to how much of the energy released is able to be put to work (ECO FYS). Renewable energy however, would be wasted weather or not we put it to work, so rather than wasting energy, renewable energy actually recovers energy from what would already be considered waste. Energy is a hot commodity and wasting it is in no way a logic plan and only further stresses an emphasis on
The amount of CO2 that is emitted by the power generation sector is predicted to double by 2050 (OECD Environmental Outlook). Relative to natural emissions, anthropogenic CO2 emissions are actually quite low. The problem isn’t that they are too high now, but that the amount emitted is increasing every year, and eventually will hold a significant share of the environmental influx of CO2. The average atmospheric CO2 concentration on earth is about 400 ppm [Parts per Million], by 2100, the concentration could be as much as 550 ppm to 950 ppm (Brahic). Not only is this increase in CO2 output have adverse effects on the environment, but it also serves as an indicator that the combustion of fossil fuels release waste products into the environment. Contrary to one general idea, large pockets of fossil fuels are not pure. There is no such thing as a giant pocket of 100% crude oil in the ground. Fuels are always found mixed in with other materials. Burning these fuels results in a plethora of waste products, as the chemical reactions break apart bonds and release heavy metals, Volatile organic compounds, SOx, NOx, and particulate matter into the environment (Government of Canada). These pollutants are considered waste products because it is no longer economically feasible for them to be utilized. Along with waste materials, fossil fuels also waste a great deal of energy. Fossil fuels are about 35% efficient as to how much of the energy released is able to be put to work (ECO FYS). Renewable energy however, would be wasted weather or not we put it to work, so rather than wasting energy, renewable energy actually recovers energy from what would already be considered waste. Energy is a hot commodity and wasting it is in no way a logic plan and only further stresses an emphasis on