Benefits and Downsides of Natural Energy by Joyce Wang (G7) Benefits and Downsides of Natural Energy By Joyce Wang Grade 7 When I was little, I always wondered why there were long black wires that connected all the houses in my neighborhood together. After I learned they were used for electricity, I began to wonder where the electricity came from. Hydroelectric power and wind power are both important sources of electricity that are often used by people nowadays. They both have their similarities and differences in the way they work, damage, and improve their environments. How it Works How do these resources work? Both energy sources utilize natural resources—water and wind—to create a movement that powers a generator. Despite their similar processes, they also have differences when creating energy, like different natural energy sources. To create hydroelectric energy, water enters a piece that is similar to a propeller, called a turbine, and turns it. The turbine then puts a metal shaft into a generator, which is what produces the electricity. Wind power works similarly. The blades of a wind turbine are attached to a piece of the turbine called the rotor, which is connected to a shaft. When the wind is at least seven miles per hour, it spins the shaft around. The shaft is connected to a generator, which produces the electricity. These resources work similarly and differently, but they end up producing the same electricity. Benefits and Problems of Hydroelectric Power Hydroelectric energy is a renewable resource, which means it is inexhaustible. Rain and snow power it, which means it can, in theory, run on forever since precipitation is unlimited. It is also the cheapest energy source today. Since hydroelectric power is so cheap, it is used in multiple countries, such as Canada, Brazil, New Zealand and Switzerland. The text says on page 43, “It’s the cheapest way to generate electricity today. Once a dam has been built and the equipment is in place, the source of the energy, flowing water, is free.” This quote shows that using hydroelectric power is cheap because water is free, but the text also has negative things to say about hydroelectricity. Although it is cheap and so often used, that doesn’t mean it is perfect. For example, “damming rivers can destroy or disrupt animal migration patterns.” (Page 43). Aside from benefiting humans, building dams can also harm wildlife that lives near or in the body of water the dam is built in. Because so many countries need hydroelectric power to supply their electricity, people need to build more dams and reservoirs to create energy. Putting dams in water disturbs the aquatic plants and animals that live in those bodies of water. The lack of oxygen from the hydropower plants might kill them too. Rain and snow do not have a guaranteed schedule, so sometimes people have to build their own sources to sustain electricity. Reservoirs often cover land that farmers need for farming. Since farming is their job, losing land to plant crops in is basically cutting off their pay. Although hydroelectric energy is a little problematic, it is still used quite often today and gives many people power to their homes. Benefits and Problems of Wind Power Wind energy is also a renewable energy source because people can never run out of wind; wind can only temporarily stop blowing. Because wind does not blow steadily in one place forever, people must set up a large area of land with lots of wind turbines. These are called wind farms. States that live in the upper part of the United States run on wind farms from Canada. The wind turbines are very tall, so the wind that blows their blades is stronger and more reliable than the wind people feel. Wind power is often used when there is not a sufficient water supply nearby. Wind turbines can power homes. Houses that are far from towns or cities often use them because the wind must be at least nine miles per hour for the turbine’s blades to spin. The text says on page 46, “A personal turbine can let homeowners be energy independent or add their own electricity to the electricity they buy.” This quote shows how a personal wind turbine allows homeowners to pay either nothing or less for their electricity bills. Wind power may sound great and convenient, but there are downsides to using it as well. People who live near wind farms often complain about the noise pollution they create as the wind turns the blades. Also, because wind does not blow continuously with the same amount of power, it is unreliable and cannot be used as the main power source. Unfortunately, like hydroelectric power, wind power can also harm the wildlife and landscape. The text says on page 47, “Some critics believe that wind turbines are ugly and ruin the landscape. And turbines believe that turbines have been responsible for the deaths of birds and bats that fly into them.” This quote shows how wind turbines can make their surroundings look less appealing and how they can kill the animals that fly into them. Conclusion Hydroelectric power and wind power are both commonly used energy resources by people, but although they are useful and support millions of people, they still have problems and downsides that people haven’t fixed. Nonetheless, they are fantastic sources that can support us for a long, long time. Would you rely on these two resources or run on fossil fuels?
