Unlike renewable energy, non-renewable energy sources will become depleted. That calls for a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of non-renewable energy and its outlook.
Advantages of non-renewable energy
- The main advantages of non-renewable energies are that they are abundant and affordable. For example, oil and diesel are still good choices for powering vehicles.
- Non-renewable energy is cost-effective and easier to produce and use.
- Non-renewable resources are high in energy. Resources such as coal and oil tend to provide us with more energy compared to renewable energies such as solar or wind energy.
- There are huge profits to be made from mining coal, selling oil, or building natural gas pipelines.
- These resources are easy to use whether at home or anywhere else.
- Consumers can find non-renewable resources at a very affordable price.
- For some people, new machines and other sources of energy cannot replace their traditional minerals like coal and oil. Hence it is also called traditional energy.
- Non-renewable energy is easy to find anywhere. This implies that they can be conveniently transported around the world. People who live in hard-to-reach areas can make use of non-renewable energy.
- Non-renewable resources create jobs. Extraction, transportation, and refining are the parts of non-renewable sources that create jobs.
- Most of the non-renewable sources are also very easy to store.
Disadvantages of non-renewable energy
While they have a number of advantages, non-renewable resources also have many disadvantages. These include:
- One of the major disadvantages of non-renewable energy is that it is time-consuming. Mining coal, searching for oil, installing oil drills, building oil rigs, installing pipes for extraction, and transporting natural gas are very time-consuming processes. They also require a lot of effort.
- Fossil fuels took millions of years to form in the earth’s crust and cannot be replaced after they have been used.
- Coal and gas also release sulfur dioxide when burned. Sulfur dioxide can cause breathing problems in living things and is also an integral part of acid rain.
- Sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas emit a large amount of carbon dioxide when burned. These chemicals quickly destroy the ozone layer.
- When fossil fuels burn, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. They convert the rain into acid rain, which is harmful to both wildlife and humans.
- Many non-renewable sources release smog that envelops buildings and other important items. Most of the time, people in modern cities complain about it. Black smog can make your building and other objects look dark and dirty.
- Sometimes there is a risk that huge cargo ships and oil tankers could crash while transporting oil and spill their contents into the sea or elsewhere. It can be fatal to marine animals and people who come in contact with it.
- In order to keep the power plant running, we have to keep a large amount of fuel on hand every time. This can be expensive and take up a lot of space.
These are some advantages and disadvantages of Non-renewable energy if you want to learn more about various energy visit out resources given below.