Due to globalization, there is greater demand for electricity, as most of the productive activities require energy power. Globalization has brought people, institutions, and governments of various nations together. Through globalization, international trade and capital investments have been conducted internationally through the help of information technology (Ehrfeld 210). The interaction of nations has its impacts on the environment, cultural practices, social, and economic developments. For the smooth running of international trade, the availability of electrical power should be abundant.
The amount of energy that is required to sustain a nation’s production and support international interaction through trade cannot rely on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and gases that are made from the unrefined waste of old plants and animals. Fossil fuels run out quickly as coal is broken into small pieces and burnt to give energy. Once the coal is used to give some energy, it cannot be reused again. Energy is obtained by burning oil and gas without further processes (Weir and Twidell 112).
Fossil fuels are exhausted easily as they are non-renewable. Approximately 65% of the world’s electrical power is provided by fossil fuels, which indicates that there is a need for a more reliable source of energy (Sorensen 503). In addition to running quickly on fossil fuels, they’re also a source of pollution. When fossils are being burnt a lot of carbon dioxide is produced contributing to global warming. They are also a source of sulfur dioxide gas that is a major contributor to acid rain.
Moreover, the process of mining coal is dangerous and very difficult; it also leads to the destruction of large areas of the earth. Power stations that rely on coal, as their source of energy, require a huge amount of fuel. Constant addition of coals will be required for the station to cope up with the power demands. The constant supply of coal will result in covering a big area near the power station with piles of coal. Human beings can also be a reliable source of energy through their wastes. Human waste is known to have renewable energy. Despite its stinking nature and untouchable, it’s full of energy and abundant in supply. Human beings produce waste products as a way of removing the food that the body did not utilize. Through the waste products, human bodies get rid of some bacteria that may be harmful to the body (Solway 35).
After digestion, the body absorbs what is necessary and the rest is produced as waste products. Human waste products depend on the food consumed by a person. If the food consumed by a person is in a form that the body cannot digest, then it’s produced like waste. The main reasons for humans passing waste products are to get rid of unwanted food from the body, to discard disease-causing pathogens hence keeping the body healthy.
Methane is a natural gas that is generated through the decomposition of organic matter by bacteria. This process is successfully completed when there is the absence of oxygen. Human waste is an example of organic materials that can be used as a source of methane. Methane is a gas that is colorless, does not smell, and is highly flammable (Ehrfeld 210). When methane is obtained its burned to provide biogas energy. To obtain biogas energy from human waste there must be a process. The waste products are accumulated in a digester, whereby they pass through two main stages. The two main stages are equipped with bacteria. Every stage has its own bacteria. The first stage has an acid-forming bacteria that helps human waste to degrade to a weak acid through hydrolysis. In this stage, the major compounds are broken down into simple composites. The second stage contains methane bacterium, which is the methane forming bacterium. This is the stage where the methane gas is formed and tapped in a tank through a pipe. The amount of energy in biogas depends on the percentage of methane in it. The higher the percentage of methane, the stronger the energy of biogas produced.
Methane gas is believed to cause bad effects on the ozone. Several investigations have proofed that methane gas forms more ozone layer at the wrong part of the atmosphere. The area where methane forms more ozone is referred to as tropopause where it can act as the obstacle of the holes in the stratosphere. Methane is also the second-largest greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, which can help in trapping more heat, thus increasing the temperature on the earth’s surface. This condition can result in more rainfall than necessary, and therefore drought due to continuous floods. Methane is more powerful than carbon dioxide but its atmospheric lifetime is shorter than that of carbon dioxide (Bruce and Takahashi 118). Methane is the major constituent of natural gas, and it’s a very crucial commodity. This gas can be used as an alternative gas obtained from waste. When methane gas is well utilized, it can increase its effectiveness in both the oil and gas sectors.
Decomposing and making use of methane are of many benefits. Making use of methane reduces both air and water pollution. The people around an area that is using methane are in a safer place. Methane can also be a good source of revenue. The fact that methane is natural gas, its major use is for fuel purposes. The carbonization of steel is achieved best in industries through the use of methane. Most industries prefer to use methane, as it is not affected by most of the chemical reagents. This factor of being unaffected by several reagents, it’s therefore preferred to be the initiating material in the process of synthesizing solvents like carbon tetrachloride (Weir and Twidell 318).
Methane is a renewable source of energy that can be relied upon as it has an abundant supply. Other renewable sources that are in place include wind, solar, and water. Renewable sources are the preferred source of energy due to several reasons. For instance, most renewable sources do not produce greenhouse gases that lead to global warming. As far as a clean atmosphere is preferred, renewable sources are the best alternatives. Renewable sources never run out, such that there is an assured supply of power.
Due to the increasing demands of electrical energy, solar energy has contributed a lot to solving the problem. Industries opt for solar energy, as it is powerful. Several homesteads have also benefited greatly through solar energy. The person who is in need of using solar energy decides on how to fetch it, whether directly or indirectly (Gibilisco 102). For instance, it’s the heat from the sun that facilitates the blowing of the wind, makes the trees grow, as well as other plants that are used to generate biomass energy. The heat from the sun as well helps in the processes of evaporation and precipitation that are the sources of hydropower.
Wind power is another source of energy that is renewable. This type of energy has been greatly applied to sail ships and facilitate windmills that are used to grind gains. Currently, wind energy is best utilized through the use of wind turbines (Sorensen 324). Another major type of renewable source is hydropower. The energy gotten from water depends on the forces with which the water is flowing. The greater the forces of the flowing water the more the energy obtained. Through the help of evaporation and precipitation, the water used from rivers and lakes, as capable of falling back as rain or snow. Different mechanical processes rely on the force of the flowing water. Through the construction of dams, many industries have sustained their productions with enough electrical power.
The use of generators and turbines can guarantee an industry with enough power tapped from the force of the flowing water. Geothermal energy is the power that can be obtained from the underground. It is also a good example of renewable sources, whereby hot steam is obtained that can produce enough power to generate electricity. Geothermal energy has been used in homes for purposes like heating, and even in industries. This type of energy is extracted from underground by drilling or by making use of underground reservoirs (Solway, 13).
To ensure that the increasing demands of the electrical powers are satisfied, it’s advisable to have a reliable source of energy. Renewable sources that do not deplete are preferred to non-renewable sources. Energy sources that are friendly to the environment should also be given the first priority. Making use of methane to be a source of energy is a good way of removing it from the atmosphere.
References
Bruce, Young and Takahashi, Junichi. Greenhouse Gases and Animal Agriculture: Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Greenhouse Gases and Animal Agriculture. Edinburgh: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2002.
Ehrfeld, Clarisse. Renewable Energy Sources: A Chance to Combat Climate Change. London: Kluwer Law International, 2009.
Gibilisco, Stan. Alternative energy demystified. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006.
Solway, Andrew. Renewable Energy Sources. Minnesota: Heinemann/Raintree, 2009.
Sorensen, Bent. Renewable energy: its physics, engineering, use, environmental impacts, economy, and planning aspects. (3rd ed), New York: Academic Press, 2004.
Weir, Anthony and Twidell, John. Renewable Energy Resources. (2nd ed), London: Taylor & Francis, 2006.