Renewable Energy Resources

Summary Chart
Resource

Biomass

Hydrologic

Photovoltaic
(PV)

Passive Solar
Heating

Name ____________________
Date _____________
Hour _______

Advantages/Uses

Disadvantages/Limits

Can be used on a small or large scale with

locally produced biomass materials.
Sustainable energy source if managed
properly.
Contributes to the economy of agricultural and
forest regions.
Can utilize some animal, food, and plant
wastes, such as manure and used cooking
oils.
Can reduce landfill space.
Can be used as a transportation fuel.
Can reduce dependence on foreign oil and
reduce U.S. trade deficit.
Greenhouse gases released by burning are
offset by carbon dioxide uptake during growth
of the biomass.
Does not create a net increase in greenhouse
gases that contribute to climate change.
Continuous water supply in some locations.
Does not produce air pollution.
Is often the most efficient way to generate
large amounts of electricity.
Does not produce carbon dioxide or other
greenhouse gases that contribute to climate
change.
When used in conjunction with dams, it can
have other positive economic effects like flood
control, irrigation, and recreation.
Reservoirs store precipitation that occurs in
rainy season for subsequent use in dry
seasons.

Supply challenges exist, especially

in urban areas where biomass
resources other than garbage are
scarce.
Mixed sources, such as urban
waste, require separation before
burning to avoid releasing toxins.
Widespread use of unregulated
wood-burning stoves in urban areas
could cause air pollution (especially
particulates) and respiratory
problems.
Combustion produces air pollutants
such as particulates, sulfur dioxide,
and nitrogen oxides.
Reduces the nutrients returned to
the soil by composting.

Uses energy from the sun.

Permanent energy source.
It works well in remote areas where there are
no transmission lines nearby as well as where
there are transmission lines.
Can meet basic human needs such as
pumping water and refrigerating medicines in
remote areas of the world.
Can be installed in unused spaces like roofs.
Operation does not produce greenhouse
gases that contribute to climate change
produces no air or water pollution.
Costs have decreased tenfold.
Once a system is purchased, the resulting
energy is free.
Can be used by individuals and businesses.
Reduces household energy costs.
Can be used to heat water and building space.
Can be used to clean water and cook food.
Easy to build, install, and maintain.
Maintenance costs are low.

Dam design and placement can

change natural course of rivers.
Dams and their water intakes
sometimes kill fish or prevent
migration to spawning grounds.
Negative impact on river habitat and
sedimentation that impacts fish
reproduction.
Changes in natural water levels
impact plants and animals both
upstream and downstream.
Is limited to sites with significant
water and substantial elevation
differences or rate of flow.
Electrical production is less in areas
with more cloudy days than sunny
days or in areas with short daylight
hours in winter.
Currently PV panels are costly to
produce.
Not as cost-competitive as other
sources, given production costs and
current government policies.
Manufacture of PV panels
consumes some resources and
produces some pollution.

Solar glass or other high mass

storage materials may be more
expensive to install than other
building materials.
Requires that the home or building

Active Solar
Heating

Wind

Geothermal

Human Power

Uses energy from the sun.

Permanent energy source.
Does not create air or water pollution.
Creates a supply of energy that has no cost.
Does not create greenhouse gases that
contribute to global warming and climate
change.
Reduces household energy costs.
Can be used to heat water and building space.
Uses energy from the sun.
Some system types are easy to build, install,
and maintain using recycled materials.
Maintenance costs are low.
Permanent energy source.
Does not create air or water pollution.
Creates a supply of energy that has no cost.
Does not create greenhouse gases that
contribute to global warming and climate
change.
Inexpensive to operate and maintain.
Leasing land for turbines may help save the
family farm by providing additional income.
Short installation time.
Permanent energy source.
Can be used on a small or a large scale.
Cost-competitive against new fossil fuel
plants.
Produces no air or water pollution.
Creates a supply of energy that has no cost.
Does not create greenhouse gases that
contribute to global warming and climate
change.
Reduces household heating and cooling costs.
Can be installed economically, especially for
new construction in rural areas. Simple
technology, which fits most home ventilation
systems.
Works in both winter and summer.
Permanent energy source.
Does not produce greenhouse gases or other
air pollutants.
Readily available.
There is no pollution (except from producing
extra food eaten to perform work).
It can be good exercise.
Can assist in reduction of obesity facing
society.
Can be used to generate electricity to run
small devices.
Can be stored in a battery for later use.

have a southern exposure to let in

the suns rays.
Varies with the weather; less
efficient in cloudy areas.

Installation costs may be higher

than traditional systems.
Electricity may be needed to
circulate the heat storage material.
Varies with the weather.

Production is intermittent,
depending on the wind.
Visually displeasing to some,
although others find them visually
appealing.
Large wind farms may require new
transmission lines.
May kill birds and bats if placed in
their migratory flight path.

Slightly higher initial costs for

installation of home closed loop
systems as compared to other
heating/cooling systems.
Not suitable for electricity
generation in Michigan.
Some systems require electricity to
run the pump.
It can be tiring.
Elderly or disabled may have
difficulty producing electricity.
Difficult for long distance
transportation.
Can only be part of the energy
solution, not feasible to power a
whole town.