Report: Disadvantages of Renewable Energy in Developing Countries

This report examines the disadvantages of renewable energy sources, specifically focusing on their application in developing countries. The introduction highlights the growing environmental concerns and the shift towards sustainable energy practices, contrasting renewable and non-renewable sources. The report identifies two key issues: the high costs of installation, which can be prohibitive for developing nations, and the lack of reliability of renewable sources due to factors like variable power output. The analysis includes arguments and counterarguments, along with a critical review, emphasizing the economic and demographic factors that influence the adoption of renewable energy. The report cites examples like nuclear power projects and the potential of geothermal and hydropower, while also acknowledging the challenges associated with these sources, such as high initial investment and lower productivity. The conclusion reiterates the importance of renewable resources for sustainability but acknowledges the reliance on non-renewable sources to meet immediate energy demands, particularly in the context of affordability and energy supply. References to various academic sources support the arguments presented.

Running head: DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Name of the student
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Author note

1DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Introduction
The rapid growth of the technological advancements and the increasing needs for power
has led to the rise of crisis situation sin the environment. the traditional methods through which
power was used, the non-renewable sources, started depleting and the concern for the future
generations has led to innovations that generated power for the industrial sectors and the
common households. The most important consideration undertaken by the people while
undertaking the sustainable approaches is based on the conservation of the power and the non-
renewable sources.
The technological advancements have led to the usage of the global statistics in order to
analyze and understand the depletion that is being caused by the actions of the people and the
organizations. The depletion of the natural resources, led to the serious discrepancies that are
being faced by the people. The conservation of the non-renewable resources is therefore an
attempt of sustaining the energy sources that are non-renewable in nature (Kristoferson &
Bokalders, 2013). The report, however, states the negative impacts of the usage of the
renewable sources in the developing countries. It aims at differencing between the non-
renewable and the renewable sources in order to justify the notion that the renewable sources
must not be used by the developing economies. The growing awareness of the requirements of
the application of the renewable sources of energy has led to the growth of the systems
supporting the cause of the renewable sources. However, they might seem to be disadvantageous
for a developing country. The report enumerates the issues that are being faced by the developing
countries while undertaking the practices of sustainable development. Te issues are being
demonstrated with the help of the arguments and the counter arguments and lastly a critical
review of the content that is being presented.

2DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Issue 1: High costs of installation
The higher costs of installation of the renewable sources of energy leave limited scope
with the developing nation to undertake and facilitate the sustainable approach. The higher costs
of installation do not facilitate the usage of the renewable sources (Devabhaktuni et al., 2013).
Moreover, expenditure that is being undertaken by the nation is based on the demography and
the social structure. it is also based on the economic condition of the nation (Quaschning, 2016).
The most important step undertaken by the nations is determining the per capita income of the
nations through which the affordability of the step and its implementation can be understood.
The majority of the people might not afford the higher costs of installation and therefore the
implementation of the renewable resources is a matter of concern for the developing countries.
On the other hand, the implementation of the renewable sources helps the nation in
reducing the costs incurred in order to supply power to the people. In certain developing
countries like Romania, nuclear power projects are being undertaken in order to supply the
nation with the most required electricity. Nuclear plants make use of Uranium, which is a non-
renewable source (Wüstenhagen & Menichetti, 2012). Therefore, the excessive use of uranium
depletes the uranium contents in the atmosphere. The most important consideration undertaken
by the nations in developing and empowering the mass production of power results to their
reliability on the non-renewable sources of the energy (Refer to Appendice 1). Approximately the
cost of one kilogram of Uranium is around $7 million. In this cost, the country could have
installed different renewable sources like the wind power or the hydro power plants (Espinosa et
al., 2012). The ineffectiveness of the plants is due to the excessive demand for power that is
being faced by the nation. The demography and the economic structure of the nation play an
important role in the installation of the renewable sources.

3DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
The renewable sources help in making a sustainable approach to the growth of the
nations. Therefore, an important phenomenon must be undertaken by the nations in order to
support their respective eco-friendly approach. However, the higher costs of installation hinder
the growth of the national progress. The most important consideration undertaken by the nations
are based on meeting the requirements of the people. The increased population of the nations has
supported the cause of their respective demands (Lee, Speight & Loyalka, 2014). The
demographic control and the steps that are being undertaken by the developing nations have
brought in stability in their approaches. Although, the installation of the renewable sources of
generating energy is not being undertaken by the nations due to the limited supply of power
based on the demand.
The renewable sources of energy have helped in the evolution of the power in the nations,
which will not be based on the non-renewable sources. However, the excessive cost of
installation of the renewable sources discourages the nations to undertake steps in order to
implement the ideas of sustenance. The rise in the energy consumption has been correlated with
the increase in the demand for the energy (Chu & Majumdar, 2012). Therefore, in order to
supply the people with the required amount of energy, the developing nations undertake steps in
order to use the non-renewable sources. The output of the renewable sources of energy is again
an important consideration that must be undertaken while understanding the deficit in the values
of the power.

4DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Issue 2: Lack of reliability
The installation of the renewable sources helps in the undertaking of the proper
sustenance. However, the developing nations face difficulties in the installation process based on
the factors of reliability. The reliability on the usage of the renewable sources is based on the
availability of power and the lesser use of non-renewable sources from the environment. The
lack of reliability is based on the concepts of the change that the nations must undertake.
However, the applicability of the renewable resources is based on the demographic structure and
the demand of the developing nations (Ellabban, Abu-Rub & Blaabjerg, 2014). The problems
that are being faced by the nations are based on the criteria of the supply of the power to the
people. Apart from the fact that the usage of the renewable sources helps in reducing the carbon
emissions in the atmosphere, the reliability of the sources plays a major role while undertaking
the understanding of the situations of the nation.
The most reliable source of energy can be counted on the empowerment of the
geothermal energy, which is a renewable source and thereby helps in reducing the depletion of
the resources from the atmosphere (Centi, Quadrelli & Perathoner, 2013). On the other hand, the
applicability of the geothermal energy sources requires huge funding and investment that are
required to be undertaken by the nation’s government. It is based on the economic condition of
the nation (Refer to Appendice 2). Therefore, the applicability of the renewable sources is based
on the fair returns of the energy sources on the investments that are being undertaken.
Waterpower, on the other hand, is estimated to provide 16% of the world’s energy
through its rapid growth in different developing and developed countries. The installation of the
turbines requires an investment though, but the source is being preferred by the countries that
funds the growth of the hydropower projects. On the other hand, the lower productivity of the

5DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
power that is being supplied through the undertaking of the project discourages the growth of the
renewable sources (Twidell & Weir, 2015). Wind power, on the other hand provides power to
the people but the excessive demand of power could not be controlled and adhered by the
systems and therefore, most of the nations apply the wind power in the windy areas in order to
maximize the use of the resource. The most important issue that are being faced by the
developing nations are based on the accessibility and the effectiveness of the measures in order
to raise the quotient of their output in the sectors (Brenton, Edwards-Jones & Jensen, 2015).
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above analysis it can be stated that the usage of the renewable
resources is an important consideration that must be taken by the nations in order to sustain their
resources. However, in order to cope up with the basic requirements of the people regarding the
utilization of power, the nations have to undertake steps in order to use the non-renewable
sources. The applicability of the renewable resources is based on the higher costs of installation
and the lack of reliability of the resources in supporting the demands of the people. The most
important step undertaken by the nations are based on the requirements of the power and thereby
the supply of the power in the sectors for the smooth functioning. Moreover, the per-capita
income of the people of the nation is also a considerable factor while undertaking the
investments by the governing bodies of the nation. The sustainable approach of the nations
should be backed by the potentiality of the developing nations to undertake steps in order to
promote the usage of the renewable sources of energy. The most important consideration
undertaken by the nations is based on the applicability and the potential benefits that the nation
derives from the transition of the usability of power by the nation. It is based on the demands and
the supply and also determines the costs of undertaking the change.

6DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
References
Brenton, P., Edwards-Jones, G., & Jensen, M. F. (2015). Carbon labelling and low-income
country exports: a review of the development issues. In INTERNATIONAL TRADE,
DISTRIBUTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Empirical Studies of Trade Policies (pp. 393-
417).
Centi, G., Quadrelli, E. A., & Perathoner, S. (2013). Catalysis for CO 2 conversion: a key
technology for rapid introduction of renewable energy in the value chain of chemical
industries. Energy & Environmental Science, 6(6), 1711-1731.
Chu, S., & Majumdar, A. (2012). Opportunities and challenges for a sustainable energy
future. nature, 488(7411), 294-303.
Devabhaktuni, V., Alam, M., Depuru, S. S. S. R., Green, R. C., Nims, D., & Near, C. (2013).
Solar energy: Trends and enabling technologies. Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Reviews, 19, 555-564.
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future prospects and their enabling technology. Renewable and Sustainable Energy
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Jänicke, M. (2012). “Green growth”: From a growing eco-industry to economic
sustainability. Energy Policy, 48, 13-21.

7DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Kristoferson, L. A., & Bokalders, V. (2013). Renewable energy technologies: their applications
in developing countries. Elsevier.
Lee, S., Speight, J. G., & Loyalka, S. K. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of alternative fuel
technologies. crc Press.
Quaschning, V. (2016). Understanding renewable energy systems. Routledge.
Twidell, J., & Weir, T. (2015). Renewable energy resources. Routledge.
Wüstenhagen, R., & Menichetti, E. (2012). Strategic choices for renewable energy investment:
Conceptual framework and opportunities for further research. Energy Policy, 40, 1-10.

8DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Appendix
Appendice 1
Figure 1: The Global Energy consumption
(Source: Jänicke, 2012)

9DISADVANTAGES OF USING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Appendice 2
Figure 2: Reliability of the energy sources
(Sources: Jänicke, 2012)