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Renewables Versus Fossil Fuels

The document discusses the differences between renewable energy and fossil fuels. Renewable energy comes from natural resources that can replenish within a human lifetime, such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass. Fossil fuels like natural gas, coal and oil take much longer to replenish. Currently, fossil fuels dominate energy production in the US, with natural gas and coal making up 64% of energy generation. However, renewable energy is growing faster than fossil fuels and expanding more rapidly. Renewable energy is also cleaner than fossil fuels as it produces fewer emissions and does not produce harmful air pollution.

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Obada Ar-ruzzi
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65 views3 pages

Renewables Versus Fossil Fuels

The document discusses the differences between renewable energy and fossil fuels. Renewable energy comes from natural resources that can replenish within a human lifetime, such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass. Fossil fuels like natural gas, coal and oil take much longer to replenish. Currently, fossil fuels dominate energy production in the US, with natural gas and coal making up 64% of energy generation. However, renewable energy is growing faster than fossil fuels and expanding more rapidly. Renewable energy is also cleaner than fossil fuels as it produces fewer emissions and does not produce harmful air pollution.

Uploaded by

Obada Ar-ruzzi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1.

The Difference between Renewable Energy and Fossil Fuels

The difference between the two isn’t as complicated as you may think. Renewable
energy comes from natural resources that can be replenished during an average human
lifetime and includes the following types of power:

 Solar
 Wind
 Hydro
 Geothermal
 Biomass
Fossil fuels, on the other hand, can take thousands—or even millions—of years to
naturally replenish:
 Natural gas
 Coal
 Oil
These distinctions may seem cut-and-dried, but there are some gray areas. Natural gas
is often labeled as “clean power” because it burns cleaner than coal. Folks may even
believe that natural gas is a sustainable resource. Don’t be fooled. natural gas is a
fossil fuel that emits CO2 when burned. In the case of biomass, things also get a bit
more complicated. Burning wood—the most common method of biomass energy
generation—sometimes emits more CO2 than burning coal. That said, wood is
classified as a renewable resource by a lot of scientists because trees can be
replenished.

2. Fossil Fuels Dominate Energy Generation in the US

It’s no surprise that fossil fuels rule the day when it comes to American energy
production. But it may surprise you that, in the US, natural gas now accounts for more
energy generation than coal. Think about it—remember all that buzz around fracking?
The energy industry is hungry for natural gas and will go to great lengths to extract it.
Although natural gas currently leads the pack because of increased fracking activity, it
still faces a decent amount of competition from other resources. Here’s a breakdown
of energy generation by resource type:

Energy Generation in the US

 34% natural gas


 30% coal
 20% nuclear
 15% renewables
 1% oil
Looking at the numbers, it might feel like an uphill battle for renewable energy. Why?
Because coal is still a close second to natural gas and nuclear power still outpaces
renewables by about five percent. But the numbers around renewable energy
generation aren’t as disappointing as they may seem.

3. Renewables Are Growing Faster than Fossil Fuels

Even though natural gas increased its market share dramatically over the past decade,
renewable energy grew faster than any fossil fuel. In 2016, renewable energy
generation in the US grew to a record 22 gigawatts of capacity—burying fossil fuel
growth. In Texas, wind power is by far the most dominant renewable resource
with nearly triple the megawatt capacity of any other state and a cutting-edge grid that
supports the efficient delivery of wind-generated electricity. If an oil-rich state like
Texas can sustainably grow renewable energy, it’s reasonable to assume the
percentage of renewables will continue to outgrow fossil fuels for the foreseeable
future.

4. Renewables Can Cost Less than Fossil Fuels

The old excuse that renewable energy is too expensive is just that: an excuse. These
days, the energy produced by renewables is just as affordable as energy produced by
fossil fuels, if not cheaper in some cases. Some solar panel projects can even generate
power at roughly half the cost of fossil fuels like coal. That’s a lot of potential
savings. And, what’s more, renewable energy is only projected to get cheaper over
time. PRO TIP: You don’t have to wait. Renewable-energy credits can help you go
green at an affordable price today. See how you can go green for only $5 a month.

5. Renewable Energy is Cleaner than Fossil Fuels

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, the earth’s temperature has increased at an
alarming rate, raising oceanic water levels in its wake. Not only do fossil fuels heat
the earth, they produce unhealthy by-products like air pollution, which adversely
affects your lung health. Even if you’re skeptical about climate change, you can see
the effects of fossil fuel combustion all around you in the form of dirty smog—
particularly in larger cities like Houston. Renewable energy, on the other hand,
typically emits less CO2 than fossil fuels. In fact, renewables like solar and wind
power—apart from construction and maintenance—don’t emit any CO2 at all. With
renewable energy, you can breathe easier, stay cooler, and create a more comfortable
world for generations to come. When comparing renewable energy to fossil fuels,
remember that renewable energy generation is cleaner, easier to sustain over time,
expanding more rapidly, and sometimes even cheaper than fossil fuels. Visit
the Amigo Energy Blog to learn more about renewable energy and see why going
green is more important (and easier) than ever.

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