Green energy has several drawbacks. One of the biggest drawbacks is the large cost required to produce green energy, especially when compared to cheaper alternatives like coal and natural gas. Despite large government subsidies, wind and solar energy are still significantly more expensive to produce than current proven methods; however, this is hardly the only price people would pay if green energy totally replaced traditional power generation.
Already, certain parts of the world are paying the price for our desire to produce “clean” energy. The production of solar and wind power generators is reliant on rare earth elements. China is one of the largest producers of these rare earth elements, and sadly takes very few steps to make sure the extraction of these elements does not harm the environment or the workers involved in the process. While wind and solar power is generated “cleanly” in the United States, the price for this type of energy has already been paid in other parts of the world.
Another group of people that would end up paying the price for green energy are those people living in the developing world. Many nations in the developing world are struggling economically, and the living conditions in those nations are very poor. If coal and other traditional means of power generation were banned, these developing nations would face a catastrophe. Their already poor standard of living would deteriorate even further if affordable energy sources, like coal, were placed out of their reach.
When it is time to decide between green or traditional sources of energy, remember there is more to the price of green energy than just a higher energy bill, and it is a price others will have to pay.
