The Disadvantages of Renewable Energy Source

Cost

• Because other energy sources, such as coal, have been used for so long, the technology to use those sources is more available, and therefore less costly, than technology for the use of renewable sources. To transfer over to renewable sources, companies must first install new equipment. In addition, a company that intends to produce energy by using renewable sources often has to purchase additional land and pay for construction and equipment costs. After the initial costs of building, though, operating costs can become lower.

Reliability

• When you are dealing with renewable sources for energy, you are at the mercy of nature. Wind turbines that create energy from the wind require the wind to be blowing at a specific speed. This is why you typically see these wind turbines out in the middle of empty fields, to maximize wind access. If you are using solar collectors, you rely on sunny days. Cloudy, rainy or stormy days do not produce as much energy, causing reliability issues.

Energy Output

• The energy output of traditional non-renewable sources is higher than the output of the renewable resources. If the human race was to switch completely to energy from renewable sources, the overall energy output would decrease and therefore, the energy humans use would need to be reduced. Because of these output differences, experts recommend finding a balance between renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

Sources

• While there are many environmental benefits to using renewable sources of fuel to generate energy, the types of renewable sources that are used are area-specific. This means that you cannot use each of these renewable sources in all locations. For instance, when using geo-thermal energy, you must be in a location that provides the environment for geo-thermal energy to be produced. Likewise, you cannot generate hydro-electric power without having a fast-flowing water source, such as a river or waterfall.