Pros & Cons

A list of Pros & Cons of using different forms of alternative energy:

Solar Thermal:

Pro:
·  Sustainable
·  Low cost
·  Well suited to providing power in home or single building applications
·  Available all over the world
·  Well proven technology
·  Non-polluting
·  Tax incentives
·  Low maintenance
Con:
·  Less energy on cloudy days, higher latitudes
·  No energy at night
·  Negative aesthetics
·  Large power plants are land intensive
·  Negative aesthetics

Passive Solar

Pro:
·  Sustainable
·  Non-polluting
·  Save on energy use
·  Zero/ low maintenance cost depending on design
·  Natural lighting
·  More consistent heating and cooling
Con:
·  Can have an increase on building costs
·  Dependent on site suitability, in most cases some degree of passive design can be applied

Wind energy

Pro:
·  Sustainable
·  Non-polluting
·  Energy source is perpetual
·  Low maintenance cost
·  Well proven technology
Con:
·  Unreliable and its strength depends on local weather patterns, temperature, time of year and location.
·  Equipment is very expensive compared to other energy sources.
·  Initial expense is high
·  Can have a negative impact on aesthetics
·  Lack of highly specialized maintenance personal

Hydroeletric

Pro:
·  Sustainable
·  Non-polluting
·  Flood control
·  Reservoirs are created by damming
·  Recreational opportunities
·  Low energy costs after initial start up
Con:
·  Changes to natural river flows
·  Degraded water quality
·  Blocks seasonal fish migration
·  Impacts on fisheries
·  Ecosystem damage
·  Flooding large areas of land

Geothermal energy

Pro:
·  Sustainable
·  Non-polluting if performed correctly
·  Energy can be produced continuously day and night with mimamal downtime
·  Energy produced is practically free, after initial start up costs
·  Power stations are relatively small, and have a lesser impact on the environment than tidal or hydroelectric plants.
Con:
·  Geothermal reservoirs are limited
·  Need to recharge the reservoir with water that previously escaped as steam
·  Potential contamination of groundwater
·  Carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) and hydrogen sulfide can be released by geothermal plants
·  Many geothermal reservoirs are located in sensitive and pristine wilderness areas

Marine Current Turbines

Pro:
·  Non-polluting
·  Sustainable
·  Cost of technology likely to fall
Con:
·  Not proven on a commercial scale
·  Environmental and marine safety issues
·  Technology is currently expensive and in its infancy
·  Limited geographically

Use of natural gases

Pro:
·  Low cost presently
·  Produces less CO2 than coal or oil
·  Production can be throttled up to supply peak demand
·  Can be idled down when not needed
Con:
·  Non-sustainable
·  Produces carbon dioxide (CO2), which is an important greenhouse gas
·  Natural gas reserves are limited
·  Prices will fluctuate with supply and demand

Ethanol

Pro:
·  Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
·  Increasing energy security by providing an alternative to fossil fuels
Con:
·  Use of food crops
·  Increase pressure on food prices and livestock feed
·  Takes more energy to produce then it makes
·  Use of crop subsidies of witch mostly go to large ethanol-producing corporations
·  Does not transport well
·  Very corrosive on some metallic parts