Renewable Energy Technologies and Metal Depletion

This assignment delves into the environmental consequences of renewable energy production, specifically focusing on the depletion of metals used in these technologies. It requires an analysis of different renewable electricity-producing technologies and their corresponding EROIs (Energy Returned On Investment). The analysis should consider the sensitivity of metal depletion based on the various renewable energy options.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1.Resource Demand Challenges .................................................................................................1
2. Describe renewable energy technology..................................................................................3
3. Environmental impacts............................................................................................................5
4. Resource supply......................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
........................................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Environment Science explains the factors which is man made related to the infrastructure,
or events related to the surroundings. This present report based on environmental factors which
affects environment badly. Environmental science discuss and interaction of the chemical,
biological, physical components of the environment. It also explains the relationship of these
components with the organism in the environment. This environmental science can be divided
into three parts, Which helps to learn how natural world works, and how human affects the
environment and how human being treat with the environment. Environmental science study is
very important for maintaining the environment healthy. Present report will explain about the
resources demand and apart from these uses of renewable energy resources. Furthermore, the
future resources supply required. Today's time environment get polluted by poisoning gas and
different types of other pollution. Which is not good for the human health.
1.Resource Demand Challenges
Due to the increase in population the resources are facing major challenges in today's world. The
environmental resources are depleting day by day with the increase in demand. The number of
industries manufacturing various products and commodities in increasing rapidly, and thus the
demand of the natural resources and raw material is getting very high(Bodzin, Anastasio and
Kulo, 2014). The manufacturing industries has increased their production level to meet the
demand of products within the market. The population is playing major role in the increase of
demand for the products due to increase in the demand the industries needs to increase the supply
of the products so that they handle or meet the demand. This is processed by the raising of the
production level, Industries have started producing or manufacturing a huge amount of products
which has affected the use of natural resources.
Due to increase in population and the industrial activities the non-renewable resources
such as coal, oil, gas etc are depleting rapidly(Buckleton, Bright and eds., 2016). The natural
source of energy is consumed with a high demand. The industries use various non-renewable
resources for example minerals and oil etc. to manufacture various products and this is affecting
the availability of resources. The prices of fuel and gas are increasing day by day due to their
scarcity. The resources are getting depleted and the demand is getting high. The non-renewable
resources are hardly re-processed or can't be reused which is the major issue and reason for its
scarcity and importance.
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Exploitation of Resources
The natural resources specially the non-renewable are used for the benefits of the humans
and their established industries. The Exploitation refers to a process of using various resources in
order ton achieve some benefit or profit out of it. The people are using the environmental
resources with a high demand and earning their own benefits out of it. The resources are getting
exploited rapidly and they are at the point of depletion which is a major concern. The people are
using the resources such as trees, oil etc from wherever they can and after completely using it
they move to other place for a search of the same resources(Fizaine and Court, 2015).
Types of resources
The Natural resources are obtained from the environment, these resources are very
important for the survival of human beings and some are utilised in order to satisfy the desire of
humans. The resources can classified in different categories such as -
On the basis of origin
 Abiotic resources including the non-living elements for example – water, land, air,
minerals etc.
 Biotic resources – these resources are derived from the biosphere which includes the
forest, animals, birds and the products related to them. Also, includes minerals such as
petrol and coal.
On the basis of development stage
 Actual resources – these resources are presently being obtained from various parts of a
country with regards to the technology and cost available. These resources include the
resources which are presently used by the mankind for there benefits and satisfaction.
The examples include the petrol(Foy, et.al, 2013).
 Potential resources – These resources are presently available and will be used in the
future. The resources are basically having a potential to be utilised in the future. For
example the petrol is currently available as well as being used by the people and it will be
used in the future.
On the basis on Renew ability
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 Renewable resources – The resources which are not getting affected by the human
consumption are known to be the renewable resources. These resources are available
continuously and can not deplete for example sunlight or air, these resources are available
at a continuous but limited rate. The quantity of the renewable resources has no impact by
their consumption.
 Non-renewable resources – These kinds of resources includes the fossils and minerals
which are developed over long period. The formation of non-renewable resources is very
slow and hence they can not be replenished if depleted ones. The non-renewable
resources can reach to scarcity due to over consumption. The examples include petroleum
and coal.
2. Describe renewable energy technology.
Renewable energy technologies helps to produce sustainable and clean energy from
natural resources from the environment such as sun, plants, wind and water. Renewable
technologies plays a very important role to clean the environment. It also contributes their to
enhance the strong energy economy. There are some renewable technologies which helps to
make natural energy in the environment(Lehmann and Joseph eds., 2015).
Wind Energy
A wind renewable turbine converts the force of the wind into turning force mechanical
energy. These kinetic energies will use to generate generator, or produce electricity energy. It
also helps to use in milling machines and water pumps. In most of the villages farmer use these
kinds of kinetic energy to give water to plants with the help of Wind turbine. Water pumping is
the most popular technology in developing countries. It is a renewable resource which is
unlimited in nature. This technology relatively simple and effective. It also requires less
maintenance. Wind technique does not consume any type of Fuel as well. There are some
strength and weakness of Wind technology:
Strength:
 This technology may adopted for complete manufacturing in the industries in developing
countries.
 Low environmental impact as compare to conventional energy.
 Kinetic energy use no fuel costs for manufacturing(Lins, et.al, 2014).
 Automatic in nature and low maintenance cost.
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Weaknesses:
 Require specific area for using this technology.
 It contains transportation problem to access in remote areas.
Solar Energy
Solar Energy generally divided into two parts thermal system and solar electric system.
This renewable energy produce by the sun. Solar energy is a radiant light coming from the sun
which creates solar energy. It makes solar thermal energy, solar heating and solar architecture. It
is a very vital energy of renewable energy. Generally it characterised by two sources active and
passive solar energy. It depends how they convert solar energy to solar power. Solar energy also
helps to use for generating electricity(Mai, et.al, 2014). Many of the developing countries use
solar energy in terms of manufacturing and producing electricities in factories. Apart from that
there is a one system that is PV system (photovoltaic) this system converts sun light into
electrical energy. The amount of energy is depended upon the sunshine intensity. Pv system is
most effective system which produce electricity even in winters. It I most popular system used to
generate solar energy. Generally this system located in remote areas of Northern Province and
Eastern cape. It provides electricity in 16,400 schools in South Africa.
Bioenergy
Bioenergy is the wide term which produce from the plants and animals. It includes fossil
fuels. It is the another energy of renewable sources. This energy contains animal flesh, plants,
human wastage, wood, wood residues, crops, animal facts, these all are the very useful fuels to
generate Bioenergy. There are many technologies which convert these all fuels into combustion.
This process of burning may be from physically or chemically. Like physical includes drying,
densification etc. and chemically in form of biogas production. The output of this conversion
process may be solid and liquid. It is all about the organic elements. There are some strength and
weaknesses of Bioenergy given below:
Strength:
 Production of Bioenergy may increase the jobs and remove the unemployment in the
country.
 Output of the conversion may be in liquid, solid and gaseous form(Malvankar and
Lovley, 2014).
 Low environmental impacts as compare to conventional energy.
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Weaknesses:
 It requires large area.
 Requires large amount of water.
Hydro Energy
Hydro energy is produce by falling water. It generates energy from water resource. Its
conversion techniques are water turbine and water wheel(O'Riordan, T. ed., 2014). It gives high
level of electricity and power. Like water turbine converts the energy of water into mechanical
energy, or converts into electrical energy as well. Hydro power comes from rivers, and in places
where amount of water is high. Hydro power range is tens of watts to hundreds of megawatts. It
is a most effective renewable resources' comes from water. It also reduces the power of artificial
resources which impacts negatively on the environment. Furthermore, Hydro power is the most
reliable and cost effective technique. This produces power about 15 to 100 % of the time.
3. Environmental impacts
Environment is the most important factor for the health and surroundings. Today's time
due to increasing the pollution many diseases arise in human bodies. Due to artificial
technologies these affects environment negatively. According to the current point of view waste
disposal is increasing day by day(Paul, 2014). Due to which natural resources get reduce. Due to
globalisation natural resources get reduce. This happens may diminish the resources for future.
Impacts on environment
 Pollution: wastage of disposal is the reason of increasing the pollution. It may give high
ratio of pollution and decreasing the natural resources. Due to having lack of natural
resources like plants, sun, water animals environment get polluted and dangerous for the
human healths.
 Limited natural resources: Due to wastage of natural resources or uses of natural
resources may decrease the future expectancy. This happens may create problem for
human being. Due to this reason global warming is increasing and impacts negatively on
earth.
 Climate changes: Due to having lack of natural resources. This may change the climatic
weather. Also, it harms the nature badly. It also may cause the global warming impacts
which is not good for the environment. This was conclude that due to having climatic
change may effects on human health(Porteous, 2013).
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 Increases human disease: Natural negative factors may increase the human health
issues. Most of the places where due to lack of plants water human cannot survive.
Healthy positive environment.
 Lack of resources in the future: withdrawing the natural resources from the nature may
give resources and profit to the organisation. On the other side in future it will get very
difficult for the peoples to collect natural resources.
Extraction related issues
 Overpopulation: due to having lack of plants faces shortage of water, food and fuel. It
causes the lack of natural resources. Country needs to maintain their natural resources
fort the future use and for protecting their natural resources.
 Ecological Environment: Due lacking of natural resources country faces the problem of
ecological environment like polluted water, polluted wind. These all affects may
increasing the gallon warming situation on the earth.
 Affects Human lifestyle: This due lack of plants and health environment. Human
lifestyle get affected. They face many hurdles during breathing, eating, and existing their
life. Due to lack of water resources they don't have fresh water to drink.
 Impact on Life cycle: Due to lack of natural resources like plant, water and fuels. It may
harm the life cycle of animals they don't have even plants to eat and water to drink, apart
from this they create the disturbance in the environment.
From the above discussion it was concluded that environmental factors impact
environment negatively. Due to having less resources it impacts global environment. On the
basis current situation human being use many natural resources without giving his contribution
towards the environment(Qin, Ding and Mu, eds., 2015). It also may cause of global warming. It
is not good for the health of human and animals as well. In future times may human beings faces
the problem of lack of natural resources. Like due to having less water people cannot survive.
Without having fresh air people and living things cannot breath. So there are many issues which
impacts globally. For that human being needs to develop more plants and try to pollute water
less. It helps country to remove global warming completely. And also they provide natural
resources for their future generation. On the other part natural resources is very important for
living things which needs water and fresh air.
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4. Resource supply
Consistency of supply
The supply of resources is highly in demand in the market, the increased rate of production has
affected the rate of supply(Riesz and Elliston, 2016). The demand of the resources have been
rising day by day as well as the availability of the same difficult. The raw materials used by the
manufacturing industries are getting depleted and difficult to be available. The people are over
consuming the resources which is directly affecting the supply and availability. The Prices of the
resources are increasing and due to increase in competition and the race of earning benefits
people have completely ignored the welfare of the environment and community. The consistency
of supply can not be achieved in the present time as there is lack in the availability of resources.
It is hard to make a continuity in the supply of resources.
Economic issues related to the production and delivery of fuels
The most economic issue in the production and delivery of fuels is the cost or investment.
The cost of production for the fuels is very high, the infrastructure constructed, the machinery
used and the cost of labour needs a huge investment. The economy of a country is highly
affected by the production of the fuels. The demand rate of the fuels is very high and the people
can not imagine to live without these resource. The cost of each and every product is increasing
with a rapid rate, due to this the prices of each and every element required for the production of
the fuel is very expensive(Scott, et.al, 2016). The government needs to maintain the economy,
the investment made on the production plan is highly risky, The resources are depleting day by
day it is not sure that the plant which is constructed at a place will definitely provide the fuel.
The economic issues such as lack of funds, low income rate etc. are the common issues faced in
the production of the fuel.
Delivery of fuels, the other issue is the supply or delivering the produced fuel. Some
countries import the fuel from other countries as they can not produce or do not have the
resource at all. The cost of delivering the fuel is very high, countries charge a large amount to
provide the fuels because of the high demand. The supply of the fuel is not at all easy and also
requires a huge amount of capital.
Storage
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The resources need to be stored as to use them in future or you can say to gift them to
future generation. The various resources can be stored by various methods. The people should
stop over consumption of the resources and try to save or reserve them for future needs.
Primary and secondary consumption
The primary consumption of resources refers to the direct use of resources from the environment
such as trees, air coal etc. these resources does not require any transformation process and can be
used directly(Silverstein, et.al, 2014). But the secondary consumption means the utilisation of the
primary resources by transforming them into some other product or energy. The secondary
consumption requires the process of transformation of the resources into some other products
that be used.
Conservation
The natural resources both the renewable and non- renewable needs to be conserved or preserved
for the welfare of the environment and the upcoming generation. The resources should be
managed effectively, there is a huge wastage of resources in the industrial operations. The
management of resources should be effective and proper. The people should minimise the
nationalisation of the natural resources so that they do not get depleted. The conservation of
resources can be achieved or practised by the effective utilisation and avoiding the wastage of
the natural resources.
CONCLUSION
From the above explanation it was concludes the environmental science which is made
by the humans. Humans find the way from which they discover new techniques and innovation.
In this report concludes That the demand of natural resources is very high and challenging. It is
very important to generate renewable energies. It also very important to produce electricity and
power for industries by which pollution get reduced. There are many renewable resources
through which people create energy like. Through sun solar energy will produce on the other side
through wind kinetic energy produce and with the helps of sun ray Bioenergy will produce.
These are the natural resources which helps to produce power. It contains less cost and effective
use, Which safe the environment through artificial energies. Furthermore, this report also
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concludes the impacts of extraction related issues and the impacts of global warming. Due to
utilising natural resources this happen may fall natural resources from the environment. Adding
to that it also concludes the future resources supply. This report focus on the natural resources
which is now less and limited, Because of heavy utilisation. Government should take strict action
to enhance the natural resources and make environment positive and healthy.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bodzin, A. M., Anastasio, D. and Kulo, V., 2014. Designing Google Earth activities for
learning Earth and environmental science. In Teaching science and investigating environmental
issues with geospatial technology (pp. 213-232). Springer Netherlands.
Buckleton, J. S., Bright, J. A. and Taylor, D. eds., 2016. Forensic DNA evidence
interpretation. CRC press.
Fizaine, F. and Court, V., 2015. Renewable electricity producing technologies and metal
depletion: A sensitivity analysis using the EROI. Ecological Economics, 110, pp.106-118.
Foy, K., et.al, 2013. Electricity Generation Cost Model–2013 Update of Non-Renewable
Technologies. Technical Report. Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Lehmann, J. and Joseph, S. eds., 2015. Biochar for environmental management: science,
technology and implementation. Routledge.
Lins, C. H. R. I. S. T. I. N. E., et.al, 2014. Renewables 2014 Global Status Report.
Mai, T., et.al, 2014. Renewable electricity futures for the United States. IEEE Transactions
on Sustainable Energy, 5(2), pp.372-378.
Malvankar, N. S. and Lovley, D. R., 2014. Microbial nanowires for bioenergy
applications. Current opinion in biotechnology. 27. pp.88-95.
O'Riordan, T. ed., 2014. Environmental science for environmental management.
Routledge.
Paul, E. A., 2014. Soil microbiology, ecology and biochemistry. Academic press.
Porteous, A., 2013. Dictionary of environmental science and technology. John Wiley &
Sons.
Qin, D., Ding, Y. and Mu, M. eds., 2015. Climate and environmental change in China:
1951–2012. Springer.
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Riesz, J. and Elliston, B., 2016. Research and deployment priorities for renewable
technologies: Quantifying the importance of various renewable technologies for low cost, high
renewable electricity systems in an Australian case study. Energy Policy. 98. pp.298-308.
Scott, B. E., et.al, 2016. The cooperative participatory evaluation of renewable
technologies on ecosystem services. Scott Mar Freshw Sci. 7. pp.1-88.
Silverstein, R. M., et.al, 2014. Spectrometric identification of organic compounds. John
wiley & sons.
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