[ELI5] The Dangers Of Renewable Resources

Burn the atmosphere? No. It's not all that 'flammable'. If it was possible to burn the atmosphere, it would be because of a build-up of unburnt hydrocarbons that reached a flash point, and that would be triggered by static electricity or lightning.

If anything square miles of glass facing the sun would be reflecting un-absorbed energy back into space.

Spinning wind turbines kill some birds. This attracts some critters that may attract more birds, that are predators (many of which are endangered, because of roadkill being similarly attractive to them, and becoming one with the asphalt, themselves).

Photovoltaic solar panels kill some birds in exactly the same ways that windows do. Of course, it's made out to be a crime against nature for this to happen, but every perpendicular window on your home is a far greater risk. I'm sure you've heard the 'whack' of a bird hitting a window more than once, whether or not you recognized what it was. A solar panel is exactly as dangerous as a window, but either laying flat or aimed at an angle to capture the sun. Unlike photovoltaic panels, most windows aren't made of tempered glass, and will slit you (or wildlife) up if you break them.

Concentrated solar kills some birds that fly near the tower. 'Poof'

Large scale hydroelectric can disrupt aquatic ecosystems, and cut fish like salmon off from their spawning grounds. Of course, California and many other places with environmental protection for fish that prevent dam building are faced with drought and the possibility that the agriculture that produces our food will be disrupted, or fail. Happy fish, versus impoverished and possibly starving people? Considering poverty kills, you're trading fish for people.

Most kinds of wave generation could squish or chop up some fish, too.

Covering a bunch of real estate with PV panels without any consideration for the wildlife habitat might be bad, according to what that real estate is, but then again what holds up large scale PV for years is exactly the environmental studies.

Roof-tops are already toxic wasteland. Consider what asphalt is, and what is mixed into it (literally the worst kinds of toxic waste imaginable, because there's some of every kind of broken hydrocarbon chain in that tar), and how run-off from asphalt roofs and asphalt roads can not be captured for drinking or irrigation water without some kind of treatment, and consider how many asphalt roofs and miles of highways we have.

Of course, much is made of how 'dirty' PV can be, while manufactured, but this is the case for ANY kind of industrially produced machinery/equipment. No matter how 'green' the badging on a car may be, it was a minor ecological disaster for every vehicle produced. Even bicycles. How 'dirty' is it, just making any kind of power generation equipment you could shake a stick at?

Of course, given all of this, coal fired plants kill far more wildlife and people than any other power source, while dumping lots of carbon into the atmosphere and carbonating the oceans. Burning coal releases radioactive materials, as well, produces acid rain, etc.

Deep geothermal might lead to underground problems, like fracking certainly does, but fracking is far more widely applied.

Shallow geothermal (running liquid through pipes about 4~8 feet underground, to get a consistent all year temperature, for climate control) might leak. Then it's according to what you're circulating between the heat exchanger and the pipes. Probably water. We know exactly what a continent spanning oil pipeline would potentially leak into rivers and streams and other water adjacent to them.

Everything is a trade-off.

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