Embedded Generation Demand Side Management Economic Aspects Enviromental Aspects
   
 

Renewable energy technologies are a lot kinder to the environment than conventional energy technologies, which consume fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels has contributed significantly to many of the environmental problems we face today; greenhouse gases, air pollution, and water and soil contamination, whilst generation from renewable energy sources contributes a minimal amount.

   
 
Naturally occurring Greenhouse gases consisting of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons, surround the Earth's atmosphere and act like an insulating layer. The gases allow solar radiation through to the Earth and trap the warmth. The increased use of fossil fuels has significantly increased greenhouse gas emissions, which particularly carbon dioxide, which is involved in the current climate change that we are experiencing. However renewable energy technologies can produce heat and electricity with a very low or zero carbon dioxide emissions.
CO2 emissions
   
 

Pollutant reduction

Many pollutants are emitted to the environment from conventional power stations causing harm not only to the wildlife but also to peoples' health thus reducing the life expectancy. Some of them are the sulphur oxides (SOx) which causes the acid rain affecting the ecosystems and the crops, the nitrogen oxides (NOx) together with other chemicals result in the ozone formation causing many problems to the respiratory system and the carbon dioxide (CO2) an essential greenhouse gas and a great contributor to global warming effect having worldwide results such as the ice melting and consequently the threatingly increase of the sea level for many human lives.

Energy use from fossil fuels is also a primary source of air, water, and soil pollution. Pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and lead are all associated with fossil fuels and have serious environmental outcomes. However operating most renewable energy technologies produce little or no pollution.

Although renewable technologies have a much environmental impact associated with them, there is still an impact that will be associated them. There have been reports of bird deaths after the installation of wind turbines and there are long term changes to the ecosystem associated with hydro generation. However, long term these impacts are much less than those associated with fossil fuel use.

   
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