Climate change can be helped if we change to 100% renewable energy, but what is stopping us? In the United States, about 46 percent of greenhouse gases are made by fossil fuels and a lot of fossil fuel production is used to make energy. With pollution and climate change, some may think that the main cause is cars and transportation but energy contributes more than most will imagine . So why don’t we just use renewable energy such as solar or wind? There are a few factors but you would need a much longer article to cover all of that.
Well, solar isn’t as accessible as you would imagine considering the sun shines on the earth 24/7. Welllll, if it is not shining on one part then it’s shining on another. So if it is always shining on one part then why can’t we have solar power as our primary source of energy?
Here’s why. Basically, during the night weather, say you’re on one part of the earth, in the night the sun won’t shine there even though it is shining on the other side. So how about sending energy from the other side of the earth when the other one does not have sunlight? Well to transport energy from one point to another, it would take up more energy than one might imagine.
So what if we did transport energy from sunny places to places where there is no sun or it is cloudy? Say we place solar panels in deserts and use connected electrical energy systems for places around the world. That is not as easy as you would imagine, trust me it is not as easy as just hooking up some wires and placing some mat things. First off, the costs would be astronomical. The power lines today lose 6–8 percent of electricity when it goes from one point to another — imagine if they had to go across the world.
There is the solution of superconductors. Superconductors transport energy without dissipation amazingly but now it is not that easy to use essential and it uses energy. Superconductors only work effectively in cold temperatures and it would take up energy to cool the power lines which essentially defeats the purpose.
With the astronomical advancements in superconductor technology, there is a future where we can have a more efficient means of transportation. For now, you can help by installing solar panels in your own backyard or roof. There are many positives to using solar power and some obstacles that need to be overcome.
