The viability of renewable energy projects

Renewable energy production involves natural phenomena such as sunlight, wind, tides, plant growth, and geothermal heat. According to the explanation given by the International Energy Agency: 

"Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and bio-fuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources."

In recent times, there has been a renewable energy debate about the constraints and opportunities associated with the use of renewable energy. Renewable electricity production, from sources including wind power and solar power in India, is sometimes facing criticism for being variable or intermittent. There have been "not in my back yard" (NIMBY) concerns relating to the visual and other impacts of some wind farms. In the USA, the Massachusetts Cape Wind project was delayed for years partially due to aesthetic concerns. 

Renewable energy is also the most economically viable solution for new grid-connected capacity in areas without using cheap fossil fuels. With the cost of renewable power decreasing, the scope of economically viable applications will rise. Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) is a commonly used metric to compare the costs of various energy generation technologies. To put in simple terms, LCOE is the ratio of the total cost of the power source to the total energy output over its life, expressed in dollars per kWh. The total cost takes into account various factors including the initial capital investment, interest, operations & maintenance costs, and fuel expenses.  Levelized Avoided Cost of Energy (LACE) is a metric that quantifies the potential revenue that can be earned by adding renewable energy sources rather than buying power from other grid sources. The economic viability of an energy source is the difference between LACE and LCOE.

Renewable power technologies can have significant environmental benefits. As opposed to coal and natural gas, they can generate electricity and fuels without the emission of harmful quantities of CO2 and other greenhouse gases that lead to climate change. When it comes to an aesthetic viewpoint, both solar and wind have been criticized. Those that support renewable energy also raise the argument that current infrastructure is less aesthetically appealing than its alternatives. 

All being said and done, there’s no denying the benefits of a clean energy future, for the world has an incredible Renewable Energy Project potential which can create millions of jobs and save millions of lives from air pollution and other hazards of the current energy system.