Helping the Environment With Renewable Energy by Samantha Liu (G7) Helping the Environment With Renewable Energy By Samantha Liu Grade 7 Have you ever wondered what the giant windmills in the mountains were for? What about the large dams people built? All around the world, people use these large structures to generate clean, renewable energy. What is clean and renewable energy? Clean energy is energy that doesn’t pollute the atmosphere and cause climate change or global warming. Renewable energy is energy that has a source that will never run out. Two examples of clean renewable energy are hydroelectric and wind-powered turbines. Hydroelectric and wind-powered turbines work in different ways, have benefits and have problems. In both types of power plants, there are many steps in generating power from a power plant. In both of the power sources, they generate electricity by turning a turbine, which is a propeller-shaped piece. Hydroelectric power plants are built on rivers with a drop so water can fall into the penstock. In Hydroelectric Power, from the US Geological Survey, they state, “At the end of the penstock, there is a turbine propeller, which is turned by the moving water. The shaft from the turbine goes up into the generator, which produces the electricity.” This electricity is then sent through power lines and then used in appliances. Similarly, wind power plants also spin a turbine. Just like hydropower plants, they are built high, where the winds are strong, so the blades can spin. The blades spin the shaft, which spins the generator. The generator creates energy that is then used for electricity. While there are many steps in generating electricity, this is an important process that conserves resources. Additionally, there are many benefits to hydroelectric and wind power plants. Some benefits of hydroelectric power plants are that they are the cheapest way to generate electricity currently. All you have to do is install, and the rushing river water is free, so it is mostly free after building costs and occasional repairs. An additional advantage of hydroelectric plants is that water is a renewable resource, which means the water will never run out. There is always rain and / or snow to supply water. Wind turbines also have a lot of benefits. Wind is also a renewable resource. The wind comes from the sun. As Capturing the Wind by Diane Zahler says, “As the sun warms the earth, different areas heat to different temperatures. These differences cause changes in air pressure. Air moves from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas.” This quote shows that the sun is the source of wind, so as long as the sun is here, the wind will be here too. Wind is also a clean energy source, so it doesn’t produce harmful greenhouse gases that can lead to more climate change. All of these examples show hydropower plants and wind-powered turbines have many benefits to the entire world. It is true that these power sources have many useful benefits. However, these power sources also have problems. For instance, to build hydropower plants, people have to dam rivers. This can destroy or damage aquatic animal migration. Even worse, hydropower plants can decrease the level of oxygen in the river. This is harmful to river plants and animals because the oxygen dissolved in the water gets removed through the dam, leading to the fish not being able to breathe. Likewise, wind has numerous drawbacks. Wind turbines make a lot of noise, and Capturing the Wind by Diane Zahler says, “People who live close to wind farms often complain about the noise the turbines make as they turn.” Wind is also not constant. This means that the wind is not always blowing at a high speed. This causes times when wind farms produce little to no electricity. Therefore, besides the benefits, there are also many problems that hydropower plants and wind-powered turbines face. In conclusion, the hydropower plants and wind turbines produce electricity similarly, have environmental benefits, and problems we have yet to solve. Hydropower plants use water to generate electricity, while wind turbines use wind. The benefits and problems described are only a few. If we switch over to these clean energy sources, then we can lessen global warming, climate change and pollution. Let’s help the environment together!
