New Energy Resources

Were you alive in 2010? If you're reading this as part of your A-Level studies, we'll assume you are.

During your lifetime, the UK's wind power generation increased by a mind-blowing 526% (between 2010 and 2021). The wet and blustery UK is leading the world by storm when it comes to wind power. It's a relatively new energy resource; the world's first offshore wind farm was only installed in 1991!

Wind power isn't the only new energy resource. As the world pledges to go carbon-neutral, scientists are developing renewable and sustainable forms of electricity. One nation has even planned to install solar panels in space before the end of this century. Want to know more? Direct your energy towards this article!

New Energy Resources: Definition

Let's start off with a definition.

Alternative energy resources aren't necessarily brand new. Think of waterwheels. These mechanisms use a rotating shaft to convert the kinetic movement of water into mechanical energy, driving any attached machinery. Use of waterwheels dates back to 200 BC!

However, alternative energy resources didn't become commercial until 1927, when wind turbines were sold to a group of remote American farmers.

Now, alternative energy resources are used all over the world.

Advantages of Alternative Energy Resources

In November 2021, almost 200 nations met at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. After a fortnight's negotiations, the attending countries agreed to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and reduce their use of coal, favouring alternative energy resources instead.

Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas. They occur naturally in the Earth's crust, and are extracted and burned to produce energy.

Why are Alternative Energy Resources Preferable to Fossil Fuels?

• Renewable: unlike fossil fuels, many alternative energy resources replenish themselves. They cannot be depleted by human exploitation.

• Increased Efficiency: burning fossil fuels to produce power is an inefficient form of energy generations. Coal power stations have an efficiency of just 29% of its original energy value. In contrast, wind energy has an efficiency of 50%.

• Cleaner: burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Furthermore, fossil fuel combustion releases harmful pollutants that impact human health and the environment. Alternative energy resources don't emit greenhouse gases or harmful pollutants.

Figure 1 – Coal power stations release a variety of hazardous air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and carbon monoxide. Source: unsplash.com

• Economic Development: the alternative energy industry provides jobs and income for millions of people worldwide. Additionally, alternative energy can be utilised in remote areas, far from the National Grid.

Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy

New energy resources are split into two categories: nuclear power and renewable energy.

Nuclear Power

Figure 2 – Nuclear power plants are usually built near coastlines or estuaries. This is because the plants need large amounts of water for cooling systems. Source: unsplash.com

Since the first commercial nuclear power stations began operating in the 1950s, nuclear power has grown in popularity, now producing around 10% of the world's electricity. It's a clean, carbon-free method of generating power.

Renewable Energy

Usually, renewable energy resources are considered sustainable because they replenish themselves and do not rely on finite resources, like fossil fuels and nuclear power.

New Energy Resources: Examples

Even though new energy resources have an edge on fossil fuels, they're not perfect. All have their advantages and disadvantages, which are summarised in this table.

Common substances like water, nitrogen and carbon dioxide could be synthesised into liquid hydrocarbon fuels using solar energy. The fuels would be sustainable, storable, and portable.

The main challenges facing the development of solar fuels are:

• Unpredictability of incoming solar radiation

• High costs

• Materials and system design

Space-based Solar Power

By far the most outlandish future technology is space-based solar power. Giant mirrors in space direct solar radiation onto solar panels, where it is converted to electricity. The energy is beamed back to Earth via microwaves or lasers, then converted back into electricity on Earth.

Space-based solar power could generate vast amounts of power 24/7, with no greenhouse gases or waste products.

Not surprisingly, there have been a few challenges in its development, including:

• Development and transport costs

• Risk of damage to solar panels in space

• Expensive and complex technological demands

I hope that this article has explained new energy resources to you. Remember that new energy resources are sources of electricity that don't rely on fossil fuels. They are often cleaner and more efficient sources of electricity, but they are not without their drawbacks.

^{1. Adam Vaughan, COP26: World agrees to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and reduce coal, New Scientist, 2021}

^{2. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Fact Sheet: Offshore Wind Energy, 2010}

^{3. Gemma N. Thomas, Low carbon and renewable energy economy, UK: 2020, Office for National Statistics, 2022}

^{4. Green Match, Space-Based Solar Power: The Future Source of Energy?, 2022}

^{5. Greg Hatala, Glimpse of History: Hindenburg turns heads in New Brunswick, NJ Advance Media, 2013}

^{6. Hannah Ritchie, Renewable Energy, Our World in Data, 2022}

^{7. Hemanth Kumar, The top ten nuclear energy-producing countries in 2021, Power Technology, 2021}

^{8. Phoenix Energy: Renewable Energy: What’s the Most Efficient Energy Source?, 2020}

^{9. Project Solar, The History of Renewable Energy: Where It All Began, 2018}

^{10. Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, Facts about Future Energy Resources, 2020}

^{11. World Nuclear Association, Nuclear Power in the World Today, 2022}