Energy Challenges and Global Warming

By Apoorva Khandelwal

---

We know that lots of our daily activities cause trouble for a lot of things in our world, but today we are going to look at the impact of energy and global warming. The fast growing demand of energy causes concern to the environment. 

The energy used and produced in the United States is greatly impacted by the changes in sea levels and temperature. Energy plays a critical part in our lives. For example, we use electricity for lighting and our electronics (Internet). We use fuel for transportation and heating. The usage of this energy, most of it being fossil fuels, contributes to climate change. Fossil fuel contributes over 84% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. According to the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, “in the future, warmer winters will decrease the amount of heating needed, but hot summers will be even hotter, demanding for cooling.” This will increase the amount of energy consumed. Factors such as economic change, population, climate change, and economic growth make changes in energy consumptions. 

Water depends on energy. Energy depends on water. Water systems and energy are intertwined in which both of these processes have growing limits and problems. To treat, pump, and transport water, energy is needed. In areas where energy requires a great amount of water and the water resource is stressed, the water-energy connection turns into great impacts. Hydroelectricity is water in motion (ex: waterfall). It is one of the sources for electricity in the United States. 

A huge portion of U.S. energy infrastructure is located on the coast, which is harmful. Fuel ports that bring electricity to the coastal centers are at risk. Energy shortages that disrupt people’s lives and harm the economy are done by changes in frequency of the storms. 

Research is still being conducted on the impacts of climate change on solar power and wind. As we all know, climate change is a huge factor that affects the consumption of energy, but so do other factors. Now that you are more aware about energy, use it wisely.                                                  

References:

“Climate Impacts on Energy.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 22 Dec. 2016, 19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climate-impacts/climate-impacts-energy_.html.

National Geographic Society. “Hydroelectric Energy.” National Geographic Society, 30 May 2019, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/hydroelectric-energy/.

“Our Energy Choices: Energy and Water Use.” Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucsusa.org/resources/energy-and-water-use.

“U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit.” Energy Consumption | U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, toolkit.climate.gov/topics/energy-supply-and-use/energy-consumption.