Renewable energy vs non-renewable energy
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By Kelly Fenn
The chief contributor to climate change is carbon emissions from fossil fuels. However, with those finite fuel sources running out, considering new forms of energy won’t just be good for the environment, it will be absolutely vital in years to come. For now, a commitment to renewable energy is on the world political agenda, with Europe, for example, proposing a target of increasing total use of renewable energy from 7% to 20% by 2020.
Take a look into how each source of energy, renewable and non-renewable, compare.
Coal
Coal has the most widely distributed reserves in the world and is mined in over 100 countries. While scientists believe there are still adequate reserves of coal to serve the world’s energy needs for some years to come, the impact of burning coal is environmentally devastating.
Burning coal is a leading cause of smog, acid rain and toxic substances in the air, and one of the chief culprits of carbon dioxide emissions. In an average year, a typical...
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