• Question: which renewable energy source do you think is the best

    Asked by TayScott to Yasmin, Lee, Liz, Tadhg on 22 Jun 2015. This question was also asked by luke112, 451enec42.
    • Photo: Yasmin Ali

      Yasmin Ali answered on 22 Jun 2015:

      There isn’t a best renewable energy source in my opinion! I think it depends on what sort of environment you live in. If you live somewhere windy, wind turbines are great… of you leave near waterfalls, you can install hydroelectric power stations, and so on!

      If I had to choose, I would pick solar because I like being in sunny places :).

    • Photo: Tadhg O'Donovan

      Tadhg O'Donovan answered on 22 Jun 2015:

      Thanks you @Yasim! It’s gotta be solar – well I would say that too, wouldn’t I 🙂

      But Yasmin is exactly right – it all depends on two things:

      1) what’s available – there is not much logic to hydro in the Sahara but that works very well in Norway!

      and

      2) What’s it being used for? Solar is very good for heat – but again there isn’t much need for that in Spain – but there definitely is here in the UK

    • Photo: Liz Meddings

      Liz Meddings answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I think we need to use all of the renewable sources available to give a good mix and so that there’s back up for when one source isn’t generating at full capacity e.g. a cloudy day or a still day.

    • Photo: Lee Margetts

      Lee Margetts answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I wonder if the word renewable is strictly correct. The sun burns hydrogen gas in a process called fusion and releases energy in the form of light and radiation. It’ll eventually all be used up and the sun will do some strange things as a result. If we covered the planet in wind farms and wave energy collectors, would we alter weather patterns and the climate?

      I think a reduction in our energy consumption, even with these renewables, is a good aim, so solar and wind energy are used efficiently. I do like the idea of building fusion reactors and turning matter into energy. A huge amount of energy can be created from very little matter, so that is probably going to win in the long run.

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