Energy
Price Stability
In
the last three years, we have seen large fluctuations in the cost of natural
gas, oil and electricity due to global economics, market deregulation and
political events in some parts of the world. Renewable energy is not subject to
sharp price changes because it comes from sources such as sunshine, flowing water,
wind and biological waste, all of which are free. This gives people greater
certainty about the cost of energy, which is good for society and the economy.
By comparison, fossil fuels are limited in their supply and their price will
increase as they become scarcer.
Clean Air
Air
pollution is a major problem in many cities in Nepal and around the world. The
biggest cause of air pollution in cities is the burning of fossil fuels,
including fuels used for transportation. The great advantage of using renewable
energy in place of fossil fuels is that renewable energy adds very few
pollutants to the environment. Renewable energy is considered “clean” and “green”.
Protecting Global Climates
When
fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide. This gas acts like an
invisible blanket, trapping more of the sun’s energy in the atmosphere, causing
the Earth to warm up little by little. Carbon dioxide is building up in the
atmosphere as more and more fossil fuels are used in homes, factories and automobiles.
If this continues, most scientists think our planet is likely to become
significantly warmer, which could cause many serious problems around the world.
These problems could include melting of arctic ice, increased forest fire,
rising sea levels, loss of animal habitat, damage of coral reefs, the spreading
of tropical diseases, expanding deserts and more frequent and severe storms.
Protecting Landscapes and Watersheds
Some
energy projects, particularly big coalmines. Hydro dams and oil & gas activities
can have a large impact on lands and watersheds. Damage or loss of natural
lands and watersheds is likely to affect humans and animals. For example,
wilderness areas could be lost for when energy resources are extracted. Hydro
dams can flood large areas, while the facilities associated with oil and gas
and oil sands development can affect forests and disrupt animal movements and
migrations. On the other hand, Solar energy can provide a continuous supply of
energy, which is integrated directly into buildings so that it has very little
impact on land use. Run-of-Rover hydro plants can be designed to allow for free
flow of existing streams.
Unlimited Supplies
Renewable
energy supplies will never run out. While the supplies of coal, oil and natural
gas are limited, sunshine, wind, biomass and water power are considered almost
limitless resources. Our large, untapped supplies of wind, sun, water and
biomass can power our society indefinitely.
Jobs and Economy
Renewable
energy can be developed in such a way that every household or neighbourhood
could have its own renewable power generating equipment. This would create many
new jobs for people involved in setting up and maintaining this energy supply
and in manufacturing the equipment. It is also more efficient to produce
renewable energy in small amounts right where it is needed. The energy loss and
equipment needed to transmit power over long distances can also be minimized in
this way.
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