Peak oil debate
Posted: Sun 21 Nov 2004, 10:15:40
Hey guys! I am doing an energy debate in my physics class about energies and their viabilities/advantages and it is going to be EXTREMLEY competitive and I absolutley HAVE to win. Also, I'm a highschooler and this so far is the biggest assignment I've received of any class!
The four energies categories being debated are:
1. Fossil Fuel, Natural Gas, Coal
2. Nuclear
3. Wind/Solar/Hydroelectric
4. Fuel Cell, Hydrogen. Biodiesel, Ethanol, Methanol
I am doing #3. So far it is looking like it will be easy to tear down Oil and Nuclear for their pollution and especially oil for it's limited reserves.
Here is my simplified line of attack.
Benefits of my energies:
- Hydroeletric Power is the largest source of renewable energy in extistence today. It is 1/5 of the world's power, some countries (Norway) rely almost entirely on it.
- Oil is on the way out. A new energy source is going to have to fill the gap left by it, and do we really want it to be nuclear energy? Solar Panels can pay for themselves over time, and consistently becoming more viable alternatives for energy. There are still many oppurtunities to increase our Hydroelectric productivity.
- My energies are #1 for abundance. Hydroelectric power is basically infinite. 10 weeks of solar power energy are equivalent to all the known reserves of oil and gas on the planet!
- My energies are the cleanest of all. If we replaced the hydroelectric energy of the U.S. with oil energy, it would be the equivalent to adding 62.2 million cars on the road.
Expected Attacks
1. But Hydroelectric dams trap sediment and erode river beds. They make coastlines recede and slows rivers to a trickle, and are overall devastating to an ecosystem!
- Dams don't harm ecosystems, they change them. They create resevoirs supporting millions of fish, and increase the biodiversity of the area. Runoff streams provide added benefit to the local ecosystem. Turbines of hydro dams increase the level of oxygen in the water, giving the fish more to breath. It depends on which side you want to focus on.
2. Solar power is too expensive to be a viable alternate energy.
- Thousands of people around the country use solar panels already. Solar panels last for 20 years, and pay for themselves in the money saved by generating your own energy. Solar panels can often be cheaper than building a power plant and developing a power grid in a new area. As resources decline, the cost of oil can only go up, and as solar power continues to be accepted, the prices will continue to drop.
3. Hydropower turbines kill fish.
It's true, some fish die in hydropower turbines, but of the fish that actually somehow get into the turbine, 80-95% of them leave unharmed. Some turbines are slowed to make them less dangerous. And new technology is being developed to improve them even further.
So far that's where I am, and as you can see, I haven't touched fuel cells and the like with a 40 foot pole. How can I beat fuel cells? And also, if there is a flaw in my argument, or you have another strong point against it, PLEASE point it out!! All help is GREATLEY GREATLEY appreciated!!!
The four energies categories being debated are:
1. Fossil Fuel, Natural Gas, Coal
2. Nuclear
3. Wind/Solar/Hydroelectric
4. Fuel Cell, Hydrogen. Biodiesel, Ethanol, Methanol
I am doing #3. So far it is looking like it will be easy to tear down Oil and Nuclear for their pollution and especially oil for it's limited reserves.
Here is my simplified line of attack.
Benefits of my energies:
- Hydroeletric Power is the largest source of renewable energy in extistence today. It is 1/5 of the world's power, some countries (Norway) rely almost entirely on it.
- Oil is on the way out. A new energy source is going to have to fill the gap left by it, and do we really want it to be nuclear energy? Solar Panels can pay for themselves over time, and consistently becoming more viable alternatives for energy. There are still many oppurtunities to increase our Hydroelectric productivity.
- My energies are #1 for abundance. Hydroelectric power is basically infinite. 10 weeks of solar power energy are equivalent to all the known reserves of oil and gas on the planet!
- My energies are the cleanest of all. If we replaced the hydroelectric energy of the U.S. with oil energy, it would be the equivalent to adding 62.2 million cars on the road.
Expected Attacks
1. But Hydroelectric dams trap sediment and erode river beds. They make coastlines recede and slows rivers to a trickle, and are overall devastating to an ecosystem!
- Dams don't harm ecosystems, they change them. They create resevoirs supporting millions of fish, and increase the biodiversity of the area. Runoff streams provide added benefit to the local ecosystem. Turbines of hydro dams increase the level of oxygen in the water, giving the fish more to breath. It depends on which side you want to focus on.
2. Solar power is too expensive to be a viable alternate energy.
- Thousands of people around the country use solar panels already. Solar panels last for 20 years, and pay for themselves in the money saved by generating your own energy. Solar panels can often be cheaper than building a power plant and developing a power grid in a new area. As resources decline, the cost of oil can only go up, and as solar power continues to be accepted, the prices will continue to drop.
3. Hydropower turbines kill fish.
It's true, some fish die in hydropower turbines, but of the fish that actually somehow get into the turbine, 80-95% of them leave unharmed. Some turbines are slowed to make them less dangerous. And new technology is being developed to improve them even further.
So far that's where I am, and as you can see, I haven't touched fuel cells and the like with a 40 foot pole. How can I beat fuel cells? And also, if there is a flaw in my argument, or you have another strong point against it, PLEASE point it out!! All help is GREATLEY GREATLEY appreciated!!!