What is the best renewable resource, wind power, solar, hydrogen cells, nuclear, etc.?

Question

What I mean by that question is, which method is the most efficient and the least polluting?

Answer 1

nuclear power isnt renewable. solar is best for environment but too expensive, wind is usually the best option but the problem is they only produce power when theres wind.

Answer 2

Hydrogen is probably the best, but the technology is not here yet to get it to the masses.  Most bang for your buck, and certainly water is not a pollutant by our standards.  Their's a lot of controversy surrounding wind, many people don't like the look of the turbines and they are quite large.  They are also known for being hazards to birds, many of thing get killed by the turbine blades.  Another good alternative source is solar.  It doesn't generate much power, but there's no pollution and once in place their is no cost to generate power.  Sunlight = power, simple as that.

Nuclear is good, but it's not very portable, it requires a large fixed installation.  Their is a danger of meltdown, toxic waste spills and usually the surrounding area of a nuclear plant experiences some amount of contamination.  The good thing with nuclear is that a very tiny amount of fuel can generate a lot of power and a tiny amount of waste.  Unfortunately, the waste is extremely lethal and toxic.  Newer nuclear waste disposal methods coming down the pike hold promise for being able to instantly eliminate all of the nuclear waste, without the need to wait for it to decay and stop being radioactive.

Answer 3

despite the general belief that wind power is the best, there are many, at first unnoticeable, negative effects (for example on the migratory birds if the turbines are in their way, also they slow down the wind current that affects indirectly the environment in its course).

Solar energy is the most clean and efficient at this moment, but there are other types of energy, more powerful than nuclear or hydrogen, under testing at this moment.

Answer 4

wind power is considered the best because once erected there is no more needed.

Answer 5

It depends where its situated.Wind power in windy areas and solar where there is a lot of sun.

Answer 6

I agree with Pfo that hydrogen fuel would be the best technology. Until we develop it to full efficiency I would say the following technologies are the best:

1. Wind Energy

2. Solar Energy

3. Ocean Energy (tidal and wave energy)

Answer 7

Wind Power would certainly be more eddicient if General Electric did not control the production of wind turbines and prevent competition for the best turbine.

Answer 8

like my previous 100 answers, a combination of different sources. It´s called the energy mix.

btw hydrogen is NOT a source of energy but an energy carrier.

Answer 9

It depends on where you live. Wind, Solar, and Hydroelectric, and Tidal energy are the most renewable, and great for the environment, but their availability varies depending on where you live. Around here we get hydroelectricity since we live near a major supply of water. If you live near the ocean it'd probably be wind and tidal, and if you live somewhere where it's really sunny.you're best choice would be solar.

Answer 10

The all are. because we have so much of it. Some of them we need to  do more study to harness their powers

Answer 11

Most people seem to think that a combination of sources is the best. I am against nuclear power myself.

Answer 12

Wind, solar, wave, geothermal all provide power with no by products or emissions; except for during manufacture I suppose.

Also I wasn't aware that nuclear was considered a renewable.

Answer 13

Nuclear is the best. For the small amount of materials needed it yields a gigantic amount of energy. While nuclear fission has dangerous by products, fusion is much better yields more energy and the materials are much easier to find. Also the by product of fusion is helium, which will jsut float to the top of the atmosphere.