Explain why solar power isn't used very much in New Zealand even though we have plenty of sunshine.
Do you think New Zealanders will accept nuclear power as a source of energy in the near future? Why/Why not?
New Zealand and other countries have huge coal reserves. Explain why coal may not be acceptable as an energy source in the future.
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21 comments:
*Solar power is intermittent and requires complicated technology. The sun releases 20000 more energy than our current use of fossil fuel; however, this will not help with the issue of oil depletion and climate change in the nearby future.
*I think that NZ will never accept nuclear power as a source of energy due to the fact that we are a green country, meaning that we care more about the environment and human lives than using harmful sources of energy. NZ is an anti-nuclear country; we highly oppose the use of nuclear power because it is an unacceptable risk to humanity and the natural environment.
*Coal in NZ is mainly found in Westport, Greymouth and Waikato. Coal in the South island is lignite and bituminous which is why we use it but in the North Island its sub-bituminous. Approximately 13% of NZ energy runs on coal and in the future we could dig up around 15billion tonnes of coal. The issue at hand is that coal is high in carbon and carbon is a major environmental issue.
Solar power isn’t used very much in New Zealand because there are some major problems with it. Some of the main problems are that it is irregular, meaning power can only be guaranteed on extremely sunny days and that the technology required is complicated. In addition, the cost of producing electricity to the amount necessary is quite costly so producing vast amounts of electricity would be very expensive.
In my personal opinion I think that New Zealanders will not accept nuclear power as a source of energy as long as there are other safer alternatives. Even if New Zealanders do decide to use nuclear energy as a source of energy it will take decades for the power stations to be set up & we would still need to find alternatives to oil before it.
Solar power is energy generated using the sun as a source, while it is environmentally friendly the use of solar power is not as high as it could be simply because it does not guarantee power. Although, New Zealand has a lot of sunshine the solar panels are very expensive and they do not always provide energy, hence why most people prefer to pay for guaranteed power. The use of solar panels are effected greatly by the weather, if there is overcast the solar panel holder may not receive power to heat water for showers or to cook food therefore very few people make the decision to use solar power.
In my view I believe New Zealanders would not accept nuclear power as a source in the future, we will be contributing to global warming more than we are at the moment. New Zealand is an anti-nuclear country which means our government is against nuclear power thus why there are no nuclear power plants in New Zealand. Nuclear power is a lazy way or making power although it may benefit us for a short amount of time it will ruin our environment in the long run. I personally feel that New Zealand being against nuclear power is a good thing because we contribute less waste, schemes need to be found to remove the waste that is currently produced in order to make more.
Although, New Zealand has large coal reserves it is not essential, coal will not be used in the future as an energy sources because it contains carbon and carbon has become a environmental issue!
Solar power is very environmentally friendly. It is the use of sunlight in order to produce electricity, naturally. In addition, the solar power system is charged by the sunlight directly being aimed at mirrors or lenses to be converted into power. Due to the fact that our solar system in New Zealand is rarely being used, is because it does not provide enough power for the amount of electricity that our country uses.
At the moment, one of a few developed countries in the world, New Zealand is one that does not use nuclear power as a source of energy for such reasons; it is an unacceptable health risk to all humanity and also to the environment which is why we have been stated as an anti-nuclear country. Furthermore, I do not think New Zealanders would accept nuclear power use in their country until it is really necessary.
Coal in New Zealand is mainly found in Westport, Greymouth and Waikato. It is estimated that 13% of New Zealand’s energy is made from coal and that we are able to dig up at least 15billion tonnes of coal, in the future. Coal may be unacceptable for power use in the future because it is high in carbon and carbon is a major environmental problem.
Solar power is when sunlight is converted into energy by PV cells. Solar power is an abundant form of renewable energy. Greenpeace states that solar power is able to supply 25% of global electricity needs by 2040. Solar power requires panels which convert sunlight into energy. Solar power is a clean method of energy production but the solar panels themselves must be maintained regularly and have a 40% efficiency rate. This is one reason why solar power isn’t used much in New Zealand. The solar panels still produce electricity on cloudy days but less than with the direct sunlight hitting the panels. Solar power is a resource relatively low in intensity for much of the day and intermittently available. Solar panels generate no electricity during the night and less in the morning than the middle of the day. Even if solar panels do energise homes and businesses it is considered to combine solar power with another electricity generator.
Coal provides over a third of the world’s energy. In 2008, 9.2% of New Zealand’s primary source of energy was coal. Coal maybe inexpensive, versatile and there is a large quantity of coal available in the world but coal does come with a bucket load of problems. Firstly, coal causes pollution. Coal- fired power plants contribute to air pollution. Although New Zealand has only one coal- fired power station which is located in the North Island it still causes pollution. Coal burning releases large amounts of carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming. Additionally, the coal burning is said to harm our health especially for people with respiratory diseases. Lastly, coal is non- renewable energy source just like other fossil fuels. The fact is that these reasons prove that coal has too much negativity, reasons why New Zealand may not accept coal as an energy source in the future.
There are a few reasons Why new zealand dont use solar power:
1)High up costs- it is very expensive to install, the payback easily 10-20+ years.
2)You will need alot of panels for a good amount of energy, its still not that all great to use.
3)Inconsistent output- you will get more output on sunny days, less on dark days and none at night.
Some people will say its bad cause it doesnt produce at night,but we dont really need power at night unless you like me who watch T.V almost all night.
Nuclear Power.
No, Idont think that New Zealand will ever go Nuclear in the future cause everyone loves new zealand for our green places. We care to much for the environment and it gives us more room to get up and out.
In New Zealand solar power isn't used much because of the expensive cost. It’s also environmentally friendly, For New Zealand, the consequences have been reduced air quality from home wood burners and vehicles, flooded land from the installation of hydroelectricity stations, and wasted heat from thermal power stations. Not only are there immediate results, there are also long term implications from the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. The issue of climate change is one which the world is being forced to face, with initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol proving difficult to implement. Solar energy isn’t used much in New Zealand because they rather choose to save and protect the environment and people. It does not guarantee power.
From my own point of view New Zealand will not accept nuclear power as a source of energy in the near future because of the harm that would affect the environment and people. Also New Zealand does not accept nuclear power as it is a lazy way to make power. I strongly believe that New Zealand being against Nuclear power is good as it can contribute waste. If New Zealand did accept nuclear it would take a long time for power station to be set up.
In New Zealand solar power is used very much due to not the costly price of the high technology it uses. Solar power is a clean method of producing method but the maintainance of it is very complicated. eg. the solar power relies on sunlight from the sun which it then converts, it must be also maintained regularly and at 40% efficiency rate.
I think New Zealand has a 50/50 chance of accepting nuclear power as it has been a growing debate within NZ. One fifth of the world has energy soure from nuclear power, so it is a useful energy source. New Zealand is a green place but due to the the waste products and the release of radiation into the environment from the use of solar power, it is probably going to have a bad effect on our environment and also could be harmful to us.
Around 100 countries in the world have extensive coal reserves. Within New Zealand, Waikato,west coast and southland are the major coal producing areas with other smaller fields. Coal are buried to great depths so it would be harder for us to digg up later in the future. Over many more years the continuing effects of change of temperature and pressure produced more changes in lignite coal, and increasing its maturity and transforming it into sub-bituminous coals. This means that it could also have an effect on the coal itself.
Junior Dah Mahnnn
Solar power isn’t used that much in New Zealand because of high costs-it is very expensive to put in, and payback can easily be ten to twenty years. Limited output-you need a lot of panels to produce substantial amount of energy. Not good for residential-it produces power when people are not home, however it is more suited for commercial or industrial uses.
Yes I think New Zealand will accept nuclear power as a source of energy in the nuclear future because for an example New Zealand and Australia aligned themselves with the United States in 1951. They accepted the protection of what some described as the nuclear umbrella. Nuclear weapons played a major part in the United States military arrangements. The possible use of nuclear weapons or nuclear-powered vessels was implicit in any United States response to an attack on New Zealand.
Solar power isn’t used much in New Zealand because it is expensive to get.
People worry that if there isn’t enough sun there won’t be enough energy for the solar panels to make our everyday life equipments work. Energy for the solar panels is only guaranteed when it a very sunny day.
I think Nuclear power would not be accepted in New Zealand because we are strongly strict on keeping our country safe and green as possible and we would not accept energy sources that will be harmful and that would put our country at risk. Nuclear isn’t a safe source of energy NZ is an anti-nuclear country therefore we would not accept it.
Solar energy is the conversion of sunlight in to Electricity. Even though New Zealand has plenty of sun but using solar power it’s rarely been used. Producing electricity using solar energy is currently more expensive when compared to the more traditional methods. One reason for this is because PV panel have a limited ability to transform all the energy to sunlight into electricity, which decreases the electricity production. To compensate for this, panels must cover a larger area to collect more sunlight. Also because solar technologies use the sun, generating electricity is weather dependent and output levels change from day to day – so it’s not a very reliable energy source, especially over the winter period when the day are shorter.
In my opinion I think New Zealand will not accept Nuclear Power as a source of energy in the Future. At the moment New Zealand’s is a Nuclear free Zone even if we ever accept nuclear power there will be more problems NZ will face in the future.
Solar power in New Zealand is so rare, we as New Zealander's depend on electricity to keep our power's going. Solar power requires high standardor complicated technology. Although the sun releases more energy than fossil fuel but it will still affect our environment due to the fact that the world is losing oil.
From my ponit of view New zealand will not allow Nuclear power as a source of energy because we are enironmental country, and because we care about our environment and peoples lifes.New Zealand highly oppose the use of nuclear power due to the fact that it might destroy our country.
Coal may be unacceptable for power use in the future because it is high in carbon.Carbon is a major environmental problem. Coal is mainly found in Westport,Greymouth and Waikato.
With the threat of global warming, and the gradual depletion of petroleum supplies, it is natural to ask "why we don't use more solar energy?". There are two basic problems that have so far limited the use of solar power on a large scale: energy intensity, and cost of the technology. Even though sunlight energizes virtually all processes on Earth, the amount of solar energy falling on one square meter of ground is actually pretty small.
In my opinion New Zealand will never accept nuclear power as a source of energy because New Zealand is an anti-nuclear country which means our government is against nuclear power that’s why there are no nuclear power plants in New Zealand. While high-level nuclear waste is produced in relatively small quantities, after half a century there is still no proven safe disposal method and management will be required for hundreds of thousands of years. Medium-level waste is still very dangerous and requires disposal, but is much more voluminous. New Zealand is a green country and human lives and we should keep it that way and don’t bring any harmful sources to the environment..
Coal is making a comeback as a cheap and reliable source of energy. With global energy demand rising at an unprecedented rate, the world's vast coal reserves are attracting growing interest from governments in Europe, the US and Asia. But while the efficiency and cleanliness of coal-fired power stations is improving, coal remains the dirtiest of all fossil fuels, And with the growing sense of emergency surrounding global warming, coal is simply not the answer, environmentalists argue.
*Solar energy is the conversion of sunlight in to Electricity. Even though New Zealand has plenty of sun but using solar power it’s rarely been used. Producing electricity using solar energy is currently more expensive when compared to the more traditional methods. One reason for this is because PV panel have a limited ability to transform all the energy to sunlight into electricity, which decreases the electricity production. To compensate for this, panels must cover a larger area to collect more sunlight. Also because solar technologies use the sun, generating electricity is weather dependent and output levels change from day to day – so it’s not a very reliable energy source, especially over the winter period when the day are shorter.
*In my opinion I think New Zealand will not accept Nuclear Power as a source of energy in the Future. At the moment New Zealand’s is a nuclear free Zone, even if we ever accept nuclear power there will be more problems that NZ will face in the future.
*The biggest problem is the Coal is high in Carbon and Zealand has targets to meet with Carbon Emissions. There are also environmental issues with open – cast coal mine.
Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached after which the rate of production enters terminal decline. This concept is based on the observed production rate of individual oil wells, and the combined production rate of the field of related oil wells. Fossil fuel Coal, oil and gas are called “fossil fuels” because they have been formed the organic remains of prehistoric plant and animals. Fossil fuel is a non -renewable energy. Carbon emission is a greenhouse gas (sometimes abbreviated GHG?) This is a list of sovereign states and territories by carbon dioxide emissions due to human activity. The effect of all this extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is that the overall temperature of the planet is increasing (global warming). Whilst the average global temperature is increasing, on a day-to-day level the climate is changing in unpredictable ways (from floods and hurricanes to heat waves and droughts). To try and reduce the risk of ever more extreme weather, we need to reduce how much fossil fuel we are burning. This isn't easy.
One reason why we New Zealanders don’t use Energy Alternatives like solar power much is because it isn’t a 100% energy guarantee. One alternative was for Aotearoa to start nuclear energy, but I highly doubt that’ll ever happen because as of 1987 New Zealand became a Nuclear Free country, Which is why we carry the title, “The clean green country” and judging from recent events with nuclear power plants in japan; is just one more reason why we won’t accept it.
We have big Coal reserves but New Zealand may not use coal in the near future due to the unstoppable growing issue of Global warming getting worse. Also this is when an agreement called the Kyoto Protocol comes into play telling us that we need to cut down on our greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar power is not used often in New Zealand as it is too costly to set-up and maintain. It is required to be checked regularly and can be very time-consuming. Sure, there are plenty of sunshine in New Zealand but solar power does not guarantee that it will harness all of the energy the sun gives everyday which means you could be hooked up to a life support unit when suddenly... Wee ooo wee ooo... "nurse, we've got a critical one!"..."CLEAR!"... eeeeeeeeeeeeeee..."We are gathered here today to remember the life of ..." Solar power is not yet seen by New Zealander's as an answer to everyone's dreams so for now, solar power will have to wait.
Do I think that New Zealander's will accept nuclear power as a source of energy in the near future? Definitely not. New Zealand, in my eyes is probably the most greenest country that exists and it's going to stay like that for ever (I think). With the threats that nuclear power offers, I don't think New Zealander's will even think twice about it should they ever be asked whether they would like to have a nuclear reactor built. I mean, build a reactor down in Christchurch, wait for the next earthquake and bingo, we have another Japan. My point is, New Zealander's have been fighting for years to be 100% Pure and if nuclear power has the potential to blow the living daylights out of NZ, then you can bet the typical reaction of a Kiwi, should you ever ask "Do you think New Zealanders will accept nuclear power as a source of energy in the near future? " will be more frightening than a nuclear bomb.
Coal is one of those old-fashioned things where you just vomit at the mention of it. My point is, you pay for what you get. Coal is present in plenty but to continually use it is like digging our own graves a bit deeper. Burning coal causes pollution and more global warming which is not too pretty unless you are an old person who will be long dead before the earth burns (whenever that is). Burning coal as a mean to generate electricity means more time on the your flash phones (Palagi's) or more time on your cheap walkie talkie's (Islanders)but it also means more lung cancer and other health related issues. Try burning some wood and when it has disintegrated, pick up the burnt rubble and chuck it in your face and tell me how you feel. Coal wouldn't be acceptable as it is not very environmentally friendly and will probably have been finished by the future.
In conclusion, humans really need to pick up the pace and find some environmentally friendly ways to power the earth in a safe yet flash way.
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