The world is always looking for different ways to acquire energy without damaging the environment. One of the most powerful forces on the planet is the ocean, which has led people to wonder whether ocean energy is the best way to provide power to areas around the world. Below are a list of pros and cons of using the ocean to create electricity.
List of Pros of Ocean Energy
1. Renewable Energy.
There are many different places where energy can be found, especially in fossil fuels. One of the largest issues is that these sources are not renewable, meaning that they will eventually run out. With ocean energy it is a renewable resource that will always be accessible, giving countries access to the power that they need on a regular basis.
2. Eliminating Environmental Concerns.
Another important thing to take into consideration is whether the environment is going to be negatively impacted by the production of energy and with ocean energy, it isn’t. There won’t be any production of greenhouse gases such as carbon that contributes to global warming.
3. Efficiency and Reliability.
With the world becoming increasingly reliant on technology, it’s important that homes have access to electricity at all times. Instead of having to worry about losing energy during storms or other natural disasters, ocean energy is always available, making it one of the most efficient and reliable sources of power.
List of Cons of Ocean Energy
1. Access to Plants.
When you have a source of energy, you’re going to need to build a power plant in order to harvest the electricity and deliver it to the surrounding areas. Using ocean energy is difficult for areas that do not have oceans, as their power source is unavailable. This significantly limits the amount of areas that can use this type of renewable energy.
2. Building Costs.
Even if there is the possibility of harvesting energy from the ocean, there are an ample amount of costs associated with building a power plant. From the walls that are put up around the unit to the large pipes that have to be run underground, a lot of money has to go into construction before the plant is even up and running.
3. Using Tropical Waters.
The perfect water temperature is needed in order to get electricity from the ocean, and this means that the plants are typically built in the tropics. This also puts them at risk for incredibly detrimental weathering conditions such as hurricanes.