Author: Hope-Elena Sardella , 8/13/19, ENV 322 Energy & Environmental Systems
In the United States, it’s an open secret that humans are dependent on non-renewable resources such as natural gas, coal, and petroleum. Comparatively, a secret that is not so open is the shockingly low amount of renewable energy consumed. Sources of renewable energy like solar power, and wind-power currently only bring some 1.7% of the world’s energy in 2017 (BP, n/d). The percentage of renewable energy consumed by the United States must be reevaluated, in terms of how serious the country wants to lessen the consumption of fossil fuels. Following points will determine the possible solution for long term energy production in terms of what is the lesser of two evils: Solar or Coal.
To begin, coal, often understood to be a fossil fuel, is categorized as a Hydrocarbon; a natural resource primarily composed of hydrogen and carbon molecules. Similar fossil fuels to coal include petrol and natural gas. The hydrogen carbons are essential and very unique in the manner that hydrocarbon fossil fuels are effortlessly broken down by the C-H bonds (carbon-hydrogen) due to their ability to contain large amounts of energy, usually in the form of heat (Jones & Mayfield, 2016, pg. 13, para. 4). For this reason, hydrogen-carbon fossil fuels are coveted due to their efficient energy conducting capabilities. The power of fossil fuel is challenging to match in comparison to the strength and availability of coal.
Moving forward, the United States is one of the wealthiest countries in terms of the natural resource of coal. Although current experts report that evidence that suggests that the U.S exports a higher percentage of coal, then the country consumes. The American Geosciences Institute supports the prior statement by declaring that just in the second quarter of 2018, the United States exported “30.9 million short tons of coal (17% of total production)” , countries such as; “India (15.6% of all exports), Netherlands (9.2%), South Korea (8.2%), Japan (8.0%), and Brazil (7.0%)” (American Geoscience Institute, 2018). Besides, the United States shows a striking difference in sheer numbers when it comes to the amount of coal imported and exported. At the end of the second quarter in 2018, the U.S reported that they imported; “1.5 million short tons of coal, mostly from Colombia (68%), Indonesia (17%), and Canada (14%)” (American Geoscience Institute, 2018). From the evidence, it’s not hard to see that the United States is fueling coal consumption to developing countries. Attempts to suppress the market for coal through its replacement; natural gas. Coal is stable in physical composition, as well as being one of the three primary fossil fuels extracted from the earth by either surface mining, or underground mining (Jones & Mayfield, 2016, pg. 13, para. 1, 4). These extreme methods of mineral extraction have caustic implications for the state of the ecology around mining sites. According to the U.S Energy Information Administration (EIA), during the years 2018 to 2019, the U.S will reach “record levels” in regards to the production of fossil fuels. It is estimated that the United States will produce a total of 73 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2018 in total fossil fuels (EIA, 2018). Furthermore, in 2019, the U.S will set yet another record of; 75 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of total fossil fuels produced (EIA, 2018).
In 1836 a french citizen & physicists, Edmund Becquerel discovered the matter could produce energy when it has come in contact with solar radiation. Who would know that Becquerel’s discovery would later become the world’s leading source of renewable energy? Solar-power, in the past, has been slow to grow due to technological blockades in the advancement of the technology that converts the sun’s radiation into energy. Furthermore, the SEIA reports that the U.S accomplished a “10% year-over-year increase” within the first quarter of 2019, installing enough solar panels to produce 2.7 gigawatts in solar (SEIA, 2019). From the prior evidence, one can ascertain that the progression of solar power expansion has made great strides.
When comparing the pros and cons of solar power, some substantial risks could occur if not observed. On the other hand, significant setback to solar panels from being the next big source of energy in America include the cost to manufacture solar panels and the chemicals that are leached into the environment from the act of that production. Equally important, common contamination from “nitrogen trifluoride and sulfur hexafluoride” have been known to cause more pollution than carbon dioxide. If solar power is to be successful engineers must reevaluate the ecological consequences of solar panel production on a long term scale to determine that solar energy is the best option for replacing fossil fuels. Additional energy options on a long term scale could utilize a mix of wind and solar power to reduce the negative consequences of implementing one or the other. Furthermore, the development of solar panels not only in America but also in China must be regulated. The results of my analysis between coal and solar are inconclusive due to the lack of evidence to support that solar panels damaging effects on a
global scale.
References
American Geosciences Institute. (2018). How much coal does the U.S export and import?.
Retrieved from https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/how-much-coal-does-us-exportand-import
Jones, C. S., & Mayfield, S. P. (2016). Our energy future: Introduction to renewable energy and
biofuels.
Berkeley: University of California Press. U.S Energy Information Administration.
(January 18, 2018). EIA expects total U.S. fossil fuel production to reach record levels in 2018
and 2019. Retrieved 11/17, 2018, from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=34572
U.S. Solar Market Insight. (2019). Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA). Retrieved from
https://www.seia.org/us-solar-market-insight
The History of Solar Energy. EnergyInformative.com Retrieved from
https://energyinformative.org/the-history-of-solar-energy-timeline/
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