Harnessing green energy

Harnessing green energy

Introduction

Climatic changes, most notably global warming, has been a serious issue affecting our planets, keeping the scientists and all stakeholders on their toes to find a solution to this problem. In a documentary movie “ice on fire,” Leonardo di Caprio brings to attention how serious matters on climatic changes should be taken, offering realistic proposals that can solve or reverse climatic changes back to normal. There is a comprehensive data collection in the movie showing ice melts in northern ice sheets and mountains, wind effects in the Orkney Islands, and increment of the level of carbon and methane in the atmosphere, causing a subsequent increase of toxicity in the environment. Recommendation on the solution is offered, such as the adoption of renewable sources of energies such as the use of wind turbines, solar, and tidal power. Also, scientists and entrepreneurs discussed methods of carbon sequestration in the atmosphere. Capitalism has, however, acted as a significant threat to the environment, but the adoption of green energy will go a long way to remedy this.

Global warming

Global warming refers to the increase in the earth’s temperature due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide and other chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere, majorly due to human activities. This traps sun rays from the sun, and over-accumulation leads to depletion of the ozone layer, which protects us from the harmful rays from the sun reaching us. This may result in health hazards such as skin cancer. According to the movie, an increment of carbon dioxide in Arctic Circle has increased by 68 ppm since 1850, which is an increment supposed to happen for more than 5000 years. The effects of this rise are deadly, such as drought, an increase in sea levels, and an increase in toxicity in the earth. Weather patterns and life systems are also adversely affected. Harnessing energies from renewable sources would go a long way towards remedying the said global warming

Harnessing green energy

Renewable energy refers to the energy obtained from renewable resources, which are replenished naturally at a given time. Such sources include sunlight, wind, rain, lightning, tides waves, and geothermal heat. These sources are generally referred to as clean sources of energy owing to their friendly nature with the environment. They are also profitable and have more potential of creating more employment than the fossils industries combined with other environmentally friendly activities such as urban farming and farming of restorative species such as oysters and seaweed.

Tidal energy is the form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from tides to electric power for domestic and industrial use. Though not widely used, tidal energy has the capability of being used more in the future because tidal waves are more predictable than solar and wind. It is produced from both the gravitational pull from the moon and a water act on water, creating high and low tides, which is the kinetic energy (lewis, 2017). This kinetic energy is converted to electricity by a steam generator or the more technologically advanced tidal power (DTP)

Advantages of tidal energy

Tidal energy is one of the primary renewable sources energy sources which is clean and compact. It does not emit greenhouses gases, which takes parts towards the depletion of the ozone layer, which later causes global warming. A tidal power plant also does not take much space. The largest plant in Korea capable of producing 250mw is found in a 12.5km boundary comparer to wind farms, which occupy a large as 400km squared.

Tidal energy is also predictable, offsetting the intermittency of wind and solar electricity. This makes it futuristic since the gravitational forces of celestial bodies are continuous. Furthermore, the amplitude between the high and the low waves is cyclical, making it easier for engineers to design respective systems with high efficiency.  Tidal power also tends to be extracted at low speeds, unlike wind power due to a higher density of water. This makes the turbines to be driven at a flat rate of 1m/s. tidal power plant plants have a relatively high longevity lasting about four times more than wind and solar energies. The long concrete barrages are built across river estuaries. They have turbines along with them where the tides flow to. They have a lifespan of about 100years. This longer life span makes it more cost-competitive and relatively cheaper.

Disadvantages of tidal energy

the barrages constructing constructed in the tidal power plant harm the environment, such as alteration of currents and waves, emission of electromagnetic fields(EMFs), which are sensitive to marine lives. It also affects marine life due to the toxicity of paints lubricants and anti-fouling coatings used in the manufacturing plants. The tidal turbine was discovered to cause harbor greys seals and harbor porpoises that inhabit the area that they are found, and they usually turn off when larger mammals approach.

Construction tidal power plants are a cost-intensive endeavor having a long term generation cost lower compared to other renewable sources systems. The risk of construction of these plants is also generally high. Installing the tidal system is a challenging activity technologically. Periodical analyses made by the companies managing these projects increase the cost too.

Conclusion

The effect of global warming cannot be underestimated. This is due to a rapid increase in carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. According to the movie, carbon dioxide is at 400ppm with a projection of an even more rise from the scientists. The deadly effect has started to be felt. The arctic most substantial ice has broken for the first time in history. The industrial revolution is to be blamed majorly for the emission of these gases with fossil energy contributing to the more significant part of carbon dioxide. There is a strong recommendation from the movie of 100% transition to green energy production, such as harnessing the wind, tidal, and solar energy instead. They are cost and environmentally friendly and would go a long way to remedy the global warming tragedy. Also, technological methods aimed at reducing the level should be adopted to reverse the situation altogether.