Disadvantages of Alternative Energy
Over the past few years, there has been a tremendous amount of press and hype surrounding alternative sources of energy. Much of this is well deserved, for alternative energy represents a renewable, sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Like anything else, however, it does have its downsides.
The main disadvantages of alternative energy are that it is diffuse and intermittent, but it can also be costly and difficult to implement.
Diffuseness
The main disadvantage of alternative energy is that it is extremely diffuse, or spread out. This is because all forms of alternative energy rely on the sun in one fashion or another, and because sunlight is evenly spread out over the planet’s surface there aren’t “deposits” of renewable energy, such as there are with oil.
Another way to look at this problem is to compare alternative energy with oil. The EROEI (Energy Returned Over Energy Invested) of oil is as high as 100-1. This is the reason oil is useful for so many things. The EROEI of solar energy, however, is only about 12.5:1. Oil is the power of sunlight concentrated over long periods of time, while solar power or wind power is generated from the sunlight that strikes earth today.
None of this means that alternative energy sources aren’t helpful or viable, but they don’t provide the concentrated power that oil and natural gas do.
Intermittency
The second primary disadvantage of alternative energy is that it is intermittent. The sun dosn’t always shine, nor does the wind always blow. This means that electricity can only be generated when the conditions are right. Most alternative energy systems have battery backup systems that store excess power for the times when it’s not possible to generate electricity. These batteries can be expensive.
Cost
Alternative energy can be more costly than conventional sources. This is due to the large amount of capital utility companies have to invest in order to build massive solar and wind farms and string new lines from the facilities to existing infrastructure. It is also expensive for citizens to hire private firms to install their own wind and solar systems.
This disadvantage can be mitigated, however, by homeowners with a do-it-yourself bent who decide to install their own alternative energy systems. The cost has now come down to the point where most homeowners can afford to install at least a small system.
Difficulty of Implementation
The final disadvantage of alternative energy is that it can be difficult to implement, at
least for large utility companies. Giant wind farms have to be built in areas with a high average wind speed. Likewise, solar farms must be placed where there is a lot of year-round sunlight. These places are often located far from population centers and conventional power plants, such as the Great Plains and the Desert Southwest. It is expensive to build plants in these locations and to connect them to transmission centers.
Once again, this disadvantage can be mitigated by homeowners who want to install their own systems.