The Future of Energy: Guiding Decisions with Evidence

This article discusses the future of energy in Florida, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of different sources of energy and ways to reduce energy demand through conservation. It also covers appropriate and least renewable sources of energy in Florida and ways to reduce energy consumption at home.

The Future of Energy.
The future of energy; Guiding decisions with evidence.
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The Future of Energy.
Introduction
Generally, energy is ability to do work. Energy helps to power our vehicle, used to
run machines in the industries. It also helps to cook and it assists in running televisions and
radios at our homes (Chu & Majumdar, 2012). In Florida the increasing human population
has induced big threat to the various sources of energy.
This means that the population is large compared to the sources of energy. Florida state has
increasing population which has subjected the state to generate new sources of the energy so
as to cater for the population. The state is having both the renewable and non-renewable
sources of energy (Chu & Mujumdar, 2012). Renewable energy sources are the one which
cannot run off while the non-renewable sources can run off and cannot be replenished.
Some of the existing energy uses in the Florida are;
a) Electricity is used to run machines in the industries, electricity is used to light towns
and is also used to support televisions and the radios in homes.
b) Use of petroleum for running vehicles and machines in industries.
c) Use of solar energy for drying, lighting and heating. Sun is used as the main source
(Ellabban et al,2014).
d) Wind energy is used by the Florida state for lighting and running machines in
industries.

The Future of Energy.
Advantages and disadvantages of different sources of energy in Florida
Source of energy in the
state.
Advantages Disadvantages.
Wind and Solar energy from
sun.
-It does not pollute the
environment within the
state.
-referred as the most
abundant source of energy.
-most of the solar systems
last after long period.
-Needs large capital to
access.
-Depends on weather.
-may require a supplement
especially when the sun is
low (Ellabban et al,2014).
-needs large space to set the
PV cell panels.
Electricity . -has no emissions.
-it’s always reliable.
-generates adequate amounts
of power.
-It’s expensive to build
hydroelectric dams.
-most of the dams are
affected by the climate.
Petroleum . -it’s the best transport fuel in
the state.
-always economical to
produce.
-can be easily transported.
-emits large amount of CO2
which pollutes environment.
-found in a few areas in the
state.
-It can be exhausted.
Uranium . -has no greenhouse effects.
-its renewable.
-incurs large cost to set up.
-has high harmful
radioactive emissions .

The Future of Energy.
Ways to reduce energy demand in Florida through conservation.
Energy is important and it needs to be conserved (Huang et al,2011). Some of the
measures that can be employed by the state to conserve include;
a) Using solar panels instead of the hydroelectric power. Sun is reliable as compared to
the water supply which is affected by climatic conditions.
b) Using renewable sources of energy such as wind generated electricity as compared to
the non-renewable source which exhausts such coal and petroleum.
c) Purchasing energy efficient appliance. Buying appliances which consume less energy
and using vehicles and machine which consumes small amount of petroleum.
d) Replacing the lighting appliance such as bulbs (Huang et al,2011). Using bulbs with
less consumption energy such as compact fluorescent lights.
e) Through adjustments of day to day activities. Energy consumption within the state
can be as simple as switching off appliance when not in use and using home energy
monitor tool that will detect appliance consuming a lot of energy.
My own energy use.
While am in Florida I always use energy in different ways. I have discussed different
examples by indicating whether it is from renewable source of energy or from non-renewable
source.
Energy source. Renewable/non renewable Examples on I use the
energy.
Electricity Renewable -I use it for lighting and
heating .
Solar energy. Renewable -I use it for heating and

The Future of Energy.
drying.
Petroleum . Non-renewable -I use it for transportation.
Natural gas . Non-renewable -I use it for cooking .
Wind energy . Renewable -I use it for running home
appliances.
Appropriate renewable source of energy in Florida.
Electricity energy is appropriate renewable source of energy in Florida (Lutz,
2013). The criteria used is the fact that the state depends on large production of the electricity
from the biomass. This includes municipal wastes, bagasse, yard waste, woody biomass and
other agricultural related waste. This has been enhanced by the presence of the three
operational biodiesel which are mostly used to generate electricity and also another fourth
plant is in construction. Most of the industries in the state depend on the biomass electricity.
It is anticipated that the overall electricity production from biomass will increase in 2024.
Least renewable source of energy in Florida.
Wind is least renewable source of energy in Florida. The criteria used is the fact that
the state is believed to have limited source of the wind energy (Mishra & Bäuerle, 2012). In
most of the areas the wind plants are not well installed. That is only on the northern parts of
the state with the wind plants.
Advantages and disadvantages of energy sources I currently rely on.

The Future of Energy.
Advantages.
1.Solar energy. It is always available since sun does not exhaust. Solar energy is cheap to
harvest so long as one has solar panels (Mishra & Bäuerle, 2012). The economic effect of
solar energy is that is always reliable, it is cheap and has no effect on the environment.
2.Petroleum.Mostly I use it for transportation. Petroleum is reliable and can be easily
transported. The source is economical to produce.
Renewable.
Electricity. Forms the major source of energy. Electricity is reliable and in most cases can be
easily generated so long as there are adequate resources. The economic importance is that it is
reliable and does not affect environment (Ozturk, 2010).
Wind energy. The source is renewable and can be easily generated. It has no effect to the
environment and It is cheap to maintain and always economical.
Disadvantages.
Solar energy. Tend to be unreliable especially when there is no sun. In most can need
supplement when there is no sun. It always requires large space in order to set the solar
panels.
Petroleum. The source can be depleted and it is not found in most areas. Emission of the CO2
gases in the environment causes greenhouse effects (Ozturk, 2010).
Renewable sources.
Electricity can be found in all areas. That is its only generated from the areas with adequate
water supply and other related resources (Ozturk, 2010). It is expensive to run.

The Future of Energy.
Wind energy it’s always limited to the weather conditions. Not all areas have adequate wind
to run the turbines needed to generate energy.
Ways to reduce energy consumption in home and its effect to the environment.
1.Using lighting bulbs which are energy savers at home. This will reduce the energy wastage
since only energy saving bulbs such as light emitting diodes. This will conserve environment
since less resources would have been used to generate energy.
2.Reducing the rate of heating water at home. Water is heated in many ways. For instance,
use of wood to heat will help to save environment since no more cutting of woods. Use of
efficient water heating appliances is important in conserving energy.
3.Using solar energy instead of petroleum to run machines. This would reduce emissions of
CO2 to the environment hence reduced greenhouse effects.
Conclusion
Energy is applied in different ways. The key thing to consider is how to conserve
energy for future use (Solangi et al,20110). Energy sources ought to be taken care of so as to
cater for coming generation. More emphasize should be on the non-renewable sources since
if not taken care will deplete.
Reference

The Future of Energy.
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The Future of Energy.
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