Cost Comparison
Natural gas and coal are the cheapest energy source per kilowatt-hour, but cost continues to rise as the resources continue to deplete. Geothermal energy has the widest range in cost compared to the other four energy sources. The cost is largely dependent on the type of plant constructed and how deep the drilling must be. Solar energy has the highest cost of the energy sources because of the cost of silicon crystals, which are key components to converting the sun’s energy to mechanical energy, is high. Alternatives to silicon crystals are being developed that can bring the cost of solar energy down to nearly $0.05/kHw in the near future. The combustion method used attributes to the cost variation of biomass as an alternative energy source. Wind energy is the cheapest of the five alternative energy sources because the lightweight and aerodynamic design of the turbines lowers the cost of production. |
Sustainability Comparison
Geothermal, biomass, wind, hydro, and solar energy are good, sustainable alternative energy sources to natural gas and coal, but some are better than others. The most practical alternative energy source is hydro. Hydro power accounts for about 20% of the world’s energy and is the most efficient energy source. New technology has been developed that can harness the energy without the use of dams. Dams take up a large amount of space and some argue that they destroy the ecosystem around them. Geothermal plants have much higher uptimes than natural gas and coal. The uptime of geothermal plants can rise upwards of 97% compared to about 70% of natural gas and coal. Even though geothermal energy has a phenomenal uptime, places that can harness geothermal energy are limited. In the United States, only 13 states have geothermal resources. Biomass energy is obtained from the decomposition of waste. When waste decomposes, methane is produced, which can be used to produce electricity. Biomass energy is a great way to eliminate waste while generating electricity, but biomass fuels are expensive to transport long distances. Wind energy can be used in many places and has very little environmental impact, but there are many cons to using wind energy. Wind farms have to be very large to produce a large amount of energy and they are susceptible to mechanical fatigue and harsh environmental conditions. |
Cost and Sustainability Comparison
Many alternative energy sources are being developed and utilized because of the rising prices of fossil fuels and the impact of using fossil fuels as an energy source has on the environment. As technology becomes more advanced, green energy alternatives are becoming more efficient, both in cost and harvesting energy, and more popular. Geothermal, biomass, wind, hydro, and solar energy are energy alternatives that are being developed and used the most.