query: When you account for the effects which are not reflected in the market price of fossil fuels, like air pollution and health impacts, the true cost of coal and other fossil fuels is higher than the cost of most renewable energy technologies.

positive: Energy industry The energy industry is the totality of all of the industries involved in the production and sale of energy , including fuel extraction , manufacturing , refining and distribution . Modern society consumes large amounts of fuel , and the energy industry is a crucial part of the infrastructure and maintenance of society in almost all countries .   In particular , the energy industry comprises :  the petroleum industry , including oil companies , petroleum refiners , fuel transport and end-user sales at gas stations  the gas industry , including natural gas extraction , and coal gas manufacture , as well as distribution and sales  the electrical power industry , including electricity generation , electric power distribution and sales  the coal industry  the nuclear power industry  the renewable energy industry , comprising alternative energy and sustainable energy companies , including those involved in hydroelectric power , wind power , and solar power generation , and the manufacture , distribution and sale of alternative fuels  traditional energy industry based on the collection and distribution of firewood , the use of which , for cooking and heating , is particularly common in poorer countries

positive: Human impact on the environment Human impact on the environment or anthropogenic impact on the environment includes impacts on biophysical environments , biodiversity , and other resources . The term anthropogenic designates an effect or object resulting from human activity . The term was first used in the technical sense by Russian geologist Alexey Pavlov , and was first used in English by British ecologist Arthur Tansley in reference to human influences on climax plant communities . The atmospheric scientist Paul Crutzen introduced the term `` Anthropocene '' in the mid-1970s . The term is sometimes used in the context of pollution emissions that are produced as a result of human activities but applies broadly to all major human impacts on the environment .

positive: Fossil fuel Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms , containing energy originating in ancient photosynthesis . The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years , and sometimes exceeds 650 million years . Fossil fuels contain high percentages of carbon and include petroleum , coal , and natural gas . Other commonly used derivatives include kerosene and propane . Fossil fuels range from volatile materials with low carbon to hydrogen ratios like methane , to liquids like petroleum , to nonvolatile materials composed of almost pure carbon , like anthracite coal . Methane can be found in hydrocarbon fields either alone , associated with oil , or in the form of methane clathrates .   The theory that fossil fuels formed from the fossilized remains of dead plants by exposure to heat and pressure in the Earth 's crust over millions of years was first introduced by Georgius Agricola in 1556 and later by Mikhail Lomonosov in the 18th century .   The Energy Information Administration estimates that in 2007 the primary sources of energy consisted of petroleum 36.0 % , coal 27.4 % , natural gas 23.0 % , amounting to an 86.4 % share for fossil fuels in primary energy consumption in the world . Non-fossil sources in 2006 included nuclear 8.5 % , hydroelectric 6.3 % , and others ( geothermal , solar , tidal , wind , wood , waste ) amounting to 0.9 % . World energy consumption was growing about 2.3 % per year .   Although fossil fuels are continually being formed via natural processes , they are generally considered to be non-renewable resources because they take millions of years to form and the known viable reserves are being depleted much faster than new ones are being made .   The use of fossil fuels raises serious environmental concerns . The burning of fossil fuels produces around 21.3 billion tonnes ( 21.3 gigatonnes ) of carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) per year . It is estimated that natural processes can only absorb about half of that amount , so there is a net increase of 10.65 billion tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year . Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that increases radiative forcing and contributes to global warming . A global movement towards the generation of renewable energy is underway to help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions .

negative: Environmental impact of transport in Australia The environmental impact of transport in Australia is considerable . Australia subsidizes fossil fuel energy , keeping prices artificially low and raising greenhouse gas emissions due to the increased use of fossil fuels as a result of the subsidies . The Australian Energy Regulator and state agencies such as the New South Wales ' Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal set and regulate electricity prices , thereby lowering production and consumer cost .   According to a report by The Institute for Sustainable Futures ( ISF ) at University of Technology Sydney , titled : `` Energy and Transport Subsidies in Australia '' , roughly 70 % of the country 's greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the energy and transport industries . The uptake of renewable energy in these sectors is slow because of subsidies to fossil fuels and the high cost of acquiring the sophisticated technology required to produce cleaner fuels . Furthermore , fossil fuels are easier to transport and use , compared to renewable energy , which often require sophisticated instruments to acquire and store . The report revealed that for the 2005 -- 2006 financial year , transport subsidies were measured to reach up to $ 10.1 billion , of which 74 % related to transport , 18 % to electricity and 4 % to renewable and efficient energy . These subsidies help energy generation companies increase their profits , therefore encouraging the building of additional coal-fuel power plants . Investing in other , more sustainable , types of electricity generation plants would have cost less than continuing to subsidize the building of these power plants . On a positive note , alternative transport fuels such as natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas are excused from fuel excise/tax .   Tax calculated for the use of a company car is calculated as such : the further the person drives the car , the higher the business use and the lower the personal use . Since tax is calculated based on personal use , drivers tend to drive longer distances to lessen the amount of tax that they have to pay . This leads to a higher consumption of vehicular fossil fuels and , subsequently , higher greenhouse gas emissions .   Dr Hal Turton , the Group Leader of the Energy Economics Group at Swiss research establishment , the Paul Scherrer Institute , discussed in his report for Canberra-based think tank The Australia Institute titled : `` The Aluminium Smelting Industry : Structure , Market Power , Subsidies and Greenhouse Gas Emissions '' , that the yearly electrical use subsidy for the use of the six aluminium smelters in Australia is at least A$ 210 million . According to the report , Australia 's aluminium smelting industry is party to one of the most subsidized electricity charges as compared to other similar establishments . The ISF report found that removing electrical subsidies would bring up electricity prices by 3.9 % , which would lead to a fall in demand of electricity by 1.4 % in the long run . Reducing transport subsidies would increase prices by 32 % , which would lead to a fall in demand worth 18 % . It suggests that subsidies should be removed gradually so as not to hurt drivers who have no choice but to use petrol ( due to the lack of alternatives ) , and that taxpayer 's funds be channeled to subsidize the sustainable energy industry instead .   The National Roads and Motorists ' Association ( NRMA ) is pushing for Australian petrol consumption to be reduced by 50 % by 2050 . It is advocating a move towards greener transport , and has called for a reduction of the A$ 10 billion subsidies given to the nation 's fossil fuel industry .

negative: Co-benefits of climate change mitigation Co-benefits of climate change mitigation as defined in the 4th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are the positive benefits related to the reduction of greenhouse gases . Examples of such climate mitigation policies include improved energy efficiency of plants , renewable energy uptake and fuel switching which might enable a range of co-benefits such as air-pollution impacts , technological innovation , energy-supply security through increased energy diversity , reduced fuel cost and employment possibilities .

negative: Copper in renewable energy Renewable energy sources such as solar , wind , tidal , hydro , biomass , and geothermal have become significant sectors of the energy market . The rapid growth of these sources in the 21st century has been prompted by increasing costs of fossil fuels as well as their negative environmental impacts . While the average capacity of renewable energy sources was only 7 % globally in 2010 , most installation of new capacity has been with renewables . Few new installations were from fossil fuel-based power plants . The trend towards new power capacity by renewables is expected to continue through 2020 . Since renewable energy supplies offset the amount of fossil fuels that need to be combusted in power plants , the use of renewables indirectly helps to reduce CO2 emissions . Hence , renewable energy supplies enable societies to progress towards lower-carbon-based economies .   Copper plays an important role in renewable energy systems . Since copper is an excellent thermal and electrical conductor among the engineering metals ( second only to silver ) , power systems that utilize copper generate and transmit energy with high efficiency and with minimum environmental impacts . By using copper instead of other lower electrical energy-efficient metal conductors , less electricity needs to be generated to satisfy a given power demand .   This article discusses the role of copper in various renewable energy generation systems .

negative: Renewable energy in the Philippines Renewable energy accounts for 26.44 % of the total electrical energy needs in the Philippines , according to a 2013 survey . Renewable energy sources provided 19,903 gigawatt-hours of electrical energy out of a total need of 75,266 gigawatt-hours in 2013 . There are five main types of renewable energy used in the Philippines , hydropower , geothermal power , wind power , solar power and biomass power .   There has been pressure to increase the Philippines ' usage of renewable energy sources in recent years due to the negative effects of fossil fuels -- such as pollution , accelerated climate change and fluctuating prices . A number of laws have been passed by the Philippine Congress to support the use of renewable energy including the Electric Power Industry Reform Act ( 2001 ) , which promotes the use of local and sustainable energy sources to replace imported fossil fuel sources ; the Biofuels Act ( 2006 ) , which encourages the use of biomass fuels ; the Renewable Energy Act ( 2008 ) ; and the Climate Change Act ( 2009 ) , which provides a legal basis for the tackling of climate change through sustainable development .   The laws enacted by Congress have resulted in a significant degree of cooperation from private companies producing renewable energy , many of which have contracts with the Philippine Government .

negative: Algae fuel Algae fuel , algal biofuel , or algal oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils . Also , algae fuels are an alternative to common known biofuel sources , such as corn and sugarcane . Several companies and government agencies are funding efforts to reduce capital and operating costs and make algae fuel production commercially viable . Like fossil fuel , algae fuel releases when burnt , but unlike fossil fuel , algae fuel and other biofuels only release recently removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis as the algae or plant grew . The energy crisis and the world food crisis have ignited interest in algaculture ( farming algae ) for making biodiesel and other biofuels using land unsuitable for agriculture . Among algal fuels ' attractive characteristics are that they can be grown with minimal impact on fresh water resources , can be produced using saline and wastewater , have a high flash point , and are biodegradable and relatively harmless to the environment if spilled . Algae cost more per unit mass than other second-generation biofuel crops due to high capital and operating costs , but are claimed to yield between 10 and 100 times more fuel per unit area . The United States Department of Energy estimates that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the United States , it would require 15000 sqmi , which is only 0.42 % of the U.S. map , or about half of the land area of Maine . This is less than the area of corn harvested in the United States in 2000 .   According to the head of the Algal Biomass Organization , algae fuel can reach price parity with oil in 2018 if granted production tax credits . However , in 2013 , Exxon Mobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson said that after committing to spend up to $ 600 million over 10 years on development in a joint venture with J. Craig Venter 's Synthetic Genomics in 2009 , Exxon pulled back after four years ( and $ 100 million ) when it realized that algae fuel is `` probably further '' than 25 years away from commercial viability . On the other hand , Solazyme , Sapphire Energy , and Algenol , among others have begun commercial sale of algal biofuel in 2012 and 2013 , and 2015 , respectively .

negative: Renewable energy in developing countries Renewable energy technology has sometimes been seen as a costly luxury item by critics , and affordable only in the affluent developed world . This erroneous view has persisted for many years , but 2015 was the first year when investment in non-hydro renewables , was higher in developing countries , with $ 156 billion invested , mainly in China , India , and Brazil .   Most developing countries have abundant renewable energy resources , including solar energy , wind power , geothermal energy , and biomass , as well as the ability to manufacture the relatively labor-intensive systems that harness these . By developing such energy sources developing countries can reduce their dependence on oil and natural gas , creating energy portfolios that are less vulnerable to price rises . In many circumstances , these investments can be less expensive than fossil fuel energy systems .   In isolated rural areas , electricity grid extensions are often not economical . Off‐grid renewable technologies provide a sustainable and cost‐effective alternative to the diesel generators that would be otherwise be deployed in such areas . Renewable technologies can also help to displace other unsustainable energy sources such as kerosene lamps and traditional biomass .   Kenya is the world leader in the number of solar power systems installed per capita ( but not the number of watts added ) . More than 30,000 small solar panels , each producing 12 to 30 watts , are sold in Kenya annually . Kenya was the first African country to use geothermal power , and still has the largest installed capacity of geothermal power in Africa at 200 MW , with a potential of up to 10 GW .

negative: Carbon capture and storage Carbon capture and storage ( CCS ) ( or carbon capture and sequestration ) is the process of capturing waste carbon dioxide from large point sources , such as fossil fuel power plants , transporting it to a storage site , and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere , normally an underground geological formation . The aim is to prevent the release of large quantities of into the atmosphere ( from fossil fuel use in power generation and other industries ) . It is a potential means of mitigating the contribution of fossil fuel emissions to global warming and ocean acidification . Although has been injected into geological formations for several decades for various purposes , including enhanced oil recovery , the long term storage of is a relatively new concept . The first commercial example was the Weyburn-Midale Carbon Dioxide Project in 2000 . Other examples include SaskPower 's Boundary Dam and Mississippi Power 's Kemper Project . ` CCS ' can also be used to describe the scrubbing of from ambient air as a climate engineering technique .   An integrated pilot-scale CCS power plant was to begin operating in September 2008 in the eastern German power plant Schwarze Pumpe run by utility Vattenfall , to test the technological feasibility and economic efficiency . CCS applied to a modern conventional power plant could reduce emissions to the atmosphere by approximately 80 -- 90 % compared to a plant without CCS . The IPCC estimates that the economic potential of CCS could be between 10 % and 55 % of the total carbon mitigation effort until year 2100 .   Carbon dioxide can be captured out of air or fossil fuel power plant flue gas using adsorption ( or carbon scrubbing ) , membrane gas separation , or adsorption technologies . Amines are the leading carbon scrubbing technology .  Capturing and compressing may increase the energy needs of a coal-fired CCS plant by 25 -- 40 % . These and other system costs are estimated to increase the cost per watt energy produced by 21 -- 91 % for fossil fuel power plants . Applying the technology to existing plants would be more expensive , especially if they are far from a sequestration site . A 2005 industry report suggests that with successful research , development and deployment ( RD&D ) , sequestered coal-based electricity generation in 2025 may cost less than unsequestered coal-based electricity generation today .   Storage of the is envisaged either in deep geological formations , or in the form of mineral carbonates . Deep ocean storage is not currently considered feasible due to the associated effect of ocean acidification . Geological formations are currently considered the most promising sequestration sites . The National Energy Technology Laboratory ( NETL ) reported that North America has enough storage capacity for more than 900 years worth of carbon dioxide at current production rates . A general problem is that long term predictions about submarine or underground storage security are very difficult and uncertain , and there is still the risk that might leak into the atmosphere .

negative: Hydrogen highway A hydrogen highway is a chain of hydrogen-equipped filling stations and other hydrogen infrastructure along a road or highway which would allow hydrogen powered cars to travel . It is an element of the hydrogen infrastructure that is generally assumed to be a pre-requisite for mass utilization of hydrogen cars . For instance , William Clay Ford Jr. has stated that infrastructure is one of three factors ( also including costs and manufacturability in high volumes ) that hold back the marketability of fuel cell cars ( some commentators , such as Amory Lovins in Natural Capitalism , have argued that such infrastructure may not be necessary ) . Hence , there are plans and proposals to develop hydrogen highways through private and public funds .   The use of hydrogen cars has been proposed as a means to reduce local air pollution and carbon emissions because hydrogen fuel cell cars emit clean exhaust . Hydrogen can be produced from natural gas , coal and renewable energy . However , as long as the majority of hydrogen continues to be produced by burning fossil fuels and transported in trucks , pollution is emitted by the hydrogen manufacturing process .

negative: Molten carbonate fuel cell Molten-carbonate fuel cells ( MCFCs ) are high-temperature fuel cells that operate at temperatures of 600 ° C and above .   Molten carbonate fuel cells ( MCFCs ) are currently being developed for natural gas , biogas ( produced as a result of anaerobic digestion or biomass gasification ) , and coal-based power plants for electrical utility , industrial , and military applications . MCFCs are high-temperature fuel cells that use an electrolyte composed of a molten carbonate salt mixture suspended in a porous , chemically inert ceramic matrix of beta-alumina solid electrolyte ( BASE ) . Since they operate at extremely high temperatures of 650 ° C ( roughly 1,200 ° F ) and above , non-precious metals can be used as catalysts at the anode and cathode , reducing costs .   Improved efficiency is another reason MCFCs offer significant cost reductions over phosphoric acid fuel cells ( PAFCs ) . Molten carbonate fuel cells can reach efficiencies approaching 60 % , considerably higher than the 37 -- 42 % efficiencies of a phosphoric acid fuel cell plant . When the waste heat is captured and used , overall fuel efficiencies can be as high as 85 % .   Unlike alkaline , phosphoric acid , and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells , MCFCs do n't require an external reformer to convert more energy-dense fuels to hydrogen . Due to the high temperatures at which MCFCs operate , these fuels are converted to hydrogen within the fuel cell itself by a process called internal reforming , which also reduces cost .   Molten carbonate fuel cells are not prone to poisoning by carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide -- they can even use carbon oxides as fuel -- making them more attractive for fueling with gases made from coal . Because they are more resistant to impurities than other fuel cell types , scientists believe that they could even be capable of internal reforming of coal , assuming they can be made resistant to impurities such as sulfur and particulates that result from converting coal , a dirtier fossil fuel source than many others , into hydrogen . Alternatively , because MCFCs require CO2 be delivered to the cathode along with the oxidizer , they can be used to electrochemically separate carbon dioxide from the flue gas of other fossil fuel power plants for sequestration .   The primary disadvantage of current MCFC technology is durability . The high temperatures at which these cells operate and the corrosive electrolyte used accelerate component breakdown and corrosion , decreasing cell life . Scientists are currently exploring corrosion-resistant materials for components as well as fuel cell designs that increase cell life without decreasing performance .

negative: Air Pollution in Canada Air pollution in Canada arises from the increasing airborne chemicals , matter and biological materials in the air . These factors cause harm to human health , the environment and to the economy . In the Canadian context , the main contributor of air pollution stems from burning fossil fuels for power and energy . Fossil fuels continue to be the main source of fuel for Canadians , even though the government is aware of the negative effects that it has on the environment and human health . Air pollution in Canada continues to be an issue due to the pressures with climate change , increased urbanization and continued reliance on vehicles as the primary source of transportation .   A major contributor to the problem of Canadian air pollution are the Alberta Oil Sands . Though they are not closely related to major Canadian Metropolitan Areas , the quality of mostly rural Northern Alberta is poorer than areas of similar population densities in Canada . Toronto and other Canadian municipalities face environmental problems associated with air pollution due to industrial chemicals .   Air pollution is Canada continues to negatively affect the environment , leading to an increase in health problems for Canadians , especially regarding leukemia . Air pollution has increased the rate of hospital visits per year and is currently causing premature deaths .   There are current policy responses to combat the increasing rate of air pollution in Canada . The agreement is a response to Canada 's transportation and energy production infrastructure as they contribute to the problem of Air Pollution . The Canadian and United States federal governments have required each other to reduce air pollution by specific amounts annually through detailed reporting .

negative: Sustainable transport Sustainable transport refers to the broad subject of transport that is sustainable in the senses of social , environmental and climate impacts and the ability to , in the global scope , supply the source energy indefinitely . Components for evaluating sustainability include the particular vehicles used for road , water or air transport ; the source of energy ; and the infrastructure used to accommodate the transport ( roads , railways , airways , waterways , canals and terminals ) . Another component for evaluation is pipelines for transporting liquid or gas materials . Transport operations and logistics as well as transit-oriented development are also involved in evaluation . Transportation sustainability is largely being measured by transportation system effectiveness and efficiency as well as the environmental and climate impacts of the system .   Short-term activity often promotes incremental improvement in fuel efficiency and vehicle emissions controls while long-term goals include migrating transportation from fossil-based energy to other alternatives such as renewable energy and use of other renewable resources . The entire life cycle of transport systems is subject to sustainability measurement and optimization .   Sustainable transport systems make a positive contribution to the environmental , social and economic sustainability of the communities they serve . Transport systems exist to provide social and economic connections , and people quickly take up the opportunities offered by increased mobility , with poor households benefiting greatly from low carbon transport options . The advantages of increased mobility need to be weighed against the environmental , social and economic costs that transport systems pose .   Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment , accounting for between 20 % and 25 % of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions . The majority of the emissions , almost 97 % , came from direct burning of fossil fuels . Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy using sector . Road transport is also a major contributor to local air pollution and smog .   The United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP ) estimates that each year 2.4 million premature deaths from outdoor air pollution could be avoided . Particularly hazardous for health are emissions of black carbon , a component of particulate matter , which is a known cause of respiratory and carcinogenic diseases and a significant contributor to global climate change . The links between greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter make low carbon transport an increasingly sustainable investment at local level -- both by reducing emission levels and thus mitigating climate change ; and by improving public health through better air quality .   The social costs of transport include road crashes , air pollution , physical inactivity , time taken away from the family while commuting and vulnerability to fuel price increases . Many of these negative impacts fall disproportionately on those social groups who are also least likely to own and drive cars . Traffic congestion imposes economic costs by wasting people 's time and by slowing the delivery of goods and services .   Traditional transport planning aims to improve mobility , especially for vehicles , and may fail to adequately consider wider impacts . But the real purpose of transport is access - to work , education , goods and services , friends and family - and there are proven techniques to improve access while simultaneously reducing environmental and social impacts , and managing traffic congestion . Communities which are successfully improving the sustainability of their transport networks are doing so as part of a wider programme of creating more vibrant , livable , sustainable cities .

negative: Oxy-fuel combustion process Oxy-fuel combustion is the process of burning a fuel using pure oxygen instead of air as the primary oxidant . Since the nitrogen component of air is not heated , fuel consumption is reduced , and higher flame temperatures are possible . Historically , the primary use of oxy-fuel combustion has been in welding and cutting of metals , especially steel , since oxy-fuel allows for higher flame temperatures than can be achieved with an air-fuel flame .   There is currently research being done in firing fossil-fueled power plants with an oxygen-enriched gas mix instead of air . Almost all of the nitrogen is removed from input air , yielding a stream that is approximately 95 % oxygen . Firing with pure oxygen would result in too high a flame temperature , so the mixture is diluted by mixing with recycled flue gas , or staged combustion . The recycled flue gas can also be used to carry fuel into the boiler and ensure adequate convective heat transfer to all boiler areas . Oxy-fuel combustion produces approximately 75 % less flue gas than air fueled combustion and produces exhaust consisting primarily of CO2 and H2O ( see figure ) .   The justification for using oxy-fuel is to produce a CO2 rich flue gas ready for sequestration . Oxy-fuel combustion has significant advantages over traditional air-fired plants . Among these are :   The mass and volume of the flue gas are reduced by approximately 75 % .  Because the flue gas volume is reduced , less heat is lost in the flue gas .  The size of the flue gas treatment equipment can be reduced by 75 % .  The flue gas is primarily CO2 , suitable for sequestration .  The concentration of pollutants in the flue gas is higher , making separation easier .  Most of the flue gases are condensable ; this makes compression separation possible .  Heat of condensation can be captured and reused rather than lost in the flue gas .  Because nitrogen from air is absent , nitrogen oxide production is greatly reduced .   Economically speaking this method costs more than a traditional air-fired plant . The main problem has been separating oxygen from the air . This process needs lots of energy , nearly 15 % of production by a coal-fired power station can be consumed for this process . However , a new technology which is not yet practical called chemical looping combustion can be used to reduce this cost . In chemical looping combustion , the oxygen required to burn the coal is produced internally by oxidation and reduction reactions , as opposed to using more expensive methods of generating oxygen by separating it from air .   At present in the absence of any need to reduce CO2 emissions , oxy-fuel is not competitive . However , oxy-fuel is a viable alternative to removing CO2 from the flue gas from a conventional air-fired fossil fuel plant . However , an oxygen concentrator might be able to help , as it simply removes nitrogen .   In industries other than power generation , oxy-fuel combustion can be competitive due to higher sensible heat availability .   Oxy-fuel combustion is common in various aspects of metal production .   The glass industry has been converting to oxy-fuel since the early 1990s because glass furnaces require a temperature of approximately 2800 degrees F , which is not attainable at adiabatic flame temperatures for air-fuel combustion unless heat is regenerated between the flue stream and the incoming air stream . Historically , glass furnace regenerators were large and expensive high temperature brick ducts filled with brick arranged in a checkerboard pattern to capture heat as flue gas exits the furnace . When the flue duct is thoroughly heated , air flow is reversed and the flue duct becomes the air inlet , releasing its heat into the incoming air , and allowing for higher furnace temperatures than can be attained with air-fuel only . Two sets of regenerative flue ducts allowed for the air flow to be reversed at regular intervals , and thus maintain a high temperature in the incoming air . By allowing new furnaces to be built without the expense of regenerators , and especially with the added benefit of nitrogen oxide reduction , which allows glass plants to meet emission restrictions , oxy-fuel is cost effective without the need to reduce CO2 emissions . Oxy-fuel combustion also reduces CO2 release at the glass plant location , although this may be offset by CO2 production due to electric power generation which is necessary to produce oxygen for the combustion process .   Oxy-fuel combustion may also be cost effective in the incineration of low BTU value hazardous waste fuels .   Oxy-fuel combustion is often combined with staged combustion for nitrogen oxide reduction , since pure oxygen can stabilize combustion characteristics of a flame .

negative: The Phoenix Project: Shifting from Oil to Hydrogen The Phoenix Project : Shifting from Oil To Hydrogen is a 360-page book authored by Harry Braun that provides a plan for the USA to shift from oil and other fossil and nuclear fuels to wind powered hydrogen production systems by 2020 . From a technology perspective , wind machines are no more difficult to manufacture than automobiles , which is why they could have been mass-produced for large-scale hydrogen production in the 1920s . Making hydrogen from the wind and water is the `` silver bullet '' that can make the USA energy independent of all fossil and nuclear fuels . Indeed , it is the only energy option that is pollution-free , carbon-free and can displace all fossil and nuclear fuels worldwide forever because it is completely renewable . Every green plant on the earth is a solar hydrogen machine that extracts hydrogen from water ( H20 ) with the energy of the sun . Rather than waiting for fuel cells or hybrid vehicles , the Phoenix Project advocates simply modifying every existing vehicle ( and power plant ) to use hydrogen .   Category : Hydrogen economy  Category : Environmental non-fiction books

negative: Renewable energy in China China is the world 's leading country in electricity production from renewable energy sources , with over double the generation of the second-ranking country , the United States .  China 's renewable energy sector is growing faster than its fossil fuels and nuclear power capacity .  In 2013 the country had a total capacity of 378 GW of renewable power , mainly from hydroelectric and wind power .  Although China currently has the world 's largest installations of hydro , solar and wind power , its energy needs are so large that in 2013 renewables provided just a little over 20 % of its power generation , with most of the remainder provided by traditional coal power facilities .  Nevertheless , the share of renewables in the energy mix had been gradually rising from 2013 and targets from 2015 onwards have represented a step change in ambition .   China sees renewables as a source of energy security and not just only to reduce carbon emission .  China 's Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution issued by China 's State Council in September 2013 , illustrates the government 's desire to increase the share of renewables in China 's energy mix . Unlike oil , coal and gas , the supplies of which are finite and subject to geopolitical tensions , renewable energy systems can be built and used wherever there is sufficient water , wind , and sun .   From 2005 to 2014 , production of solar cells in China has expanded 100-fold .  As Chinese renewable manufacturing has grown , the costs of renewable energy technologies have dropped dramatically . Innovation has helped , but the main driver of reduced costs has been market expansion .  In 2015 China became the world 's largest producer of photovoltaic power , with 43 GW of total installed capacity .

negative: Australian Local Government Fossil Fuel Divestment In Australia , fossil fuel divestment is being led by Universities and Local Councils . In 2015 , the number of Australian councils with divestment commitments increased dramatically from 2 to 17 . On 15 September 2016 , the status of Australian council divestment was :  Fossil free investment funds held by Australian Local Councils : $ 6,181,195,620  Number of Local Councils with fossil free divestment commitments : 27   Most Australian councils can not invest in shares , meaning they have no investments directly in climate-change-contributing fossil fuel companies . However , most councils have exposure to fossil fuels via their term deposit accounts with the big Australian banks whom in turn are financing billions of dollars worth of coal and gas projects across the country . Many councils have been identifying their exposure to ` fossil ' banks and have found that the majority of Australian banks ( particularly banks other than the ` big four ' ) do not provide finance for the fossil fuel industry .   Research on which banks fund the fossil fuel industry , and those that do not , has been completed and is routinely updated by Market Forces an independent research organisation . Although there have been some public commitments indicating the Australian ` big four ' banks will not invest in certain fossil fuel related projects , at 30 June 2016 , the ` big four ' remain heavily invested in fossil fuel .

negative: Seaweed fuel Seaweed fuel or seaweed oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses seaweed as its source of energy-rich oils . Like fossil fuel , seaweed fuel releases when burnt , but unlike fossil fuel , algae fuel and other biofuels only release recently removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis as the seaweed or plant grew .   Unlike algae , seaweed does not require fresh water and can as such be grown in the sea .

negative: Zero-energy building A zero-energy building , also known as a zero net energy ( ZNE ) building , net-zero energy building ( NZEB ) , or net zero building , is a building with zero net energy consumption , meaning the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site , or in other definitions by renewable energy sources elsewhere . These buildings consequently contribute less overall greenhouse gas to the atmosphere than similar non-ZNE buildings . They do at times consume non-renewable energy and produce greenhouse gases , but at other times reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas production elsewhere by the same amount . A similar concept approved and implemented by the European Union and other agreeing countries is nearly Zero Energy Building ( nZEB ) , with the goal of having all buildings in the region under nZEB standards by 2020 .   Most zero net energy buildings get half or more of their energy from the grid , and return the same amount at other times . Buildings that produce a surplus of energy over the year may be called `` energy-plus buildings '' and buildings that consume slightly more energy than they produce are called `` near-zero energy buildings '' or `` ultra-low energy houses '' .   Traditional buildings consume 40 % of the total fossil fuel energy in the US and European Union and are significant contributors of greenhouse gases . The zero net energy consumption principle is viewed as a means to reduce carbon emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels and although zero-energy buildings remain uncommon even in developed countries , they are gaining importance and popularity .   Most zero-energy buildings use the electrical grid for energy storage but some are independent of the grid . Energy is usually harvested on-site through energy producing technologies like solar and wind , while reducing the overall use of energy with highly efficient HVAC and lighting technologies . The zero-energy goal is becoming more practical as the costs of alternative energy technologies decrease and the costs of traditional fossil fuels increase .   The development of modern zero-energy buildings became possible not only through the progress made in new energy and construction technologies and techniques , but it has also been significantly improved by academic research , which collects precise energy performance data on traditional and experimental buildings and provides performance parameters for advanced computer models to predict the efficacy of engineering designs . Zero-energy buildings can be part of a smart grid . Some advantages of these buildings are as follows :  Integration of renewable energy resources  Integration of plug-in electric vehicles  Implementation of zero-energy concepts   The net zero concept is applicable to a wide range of resources due to the many options for producing and conserving resources in buildings ( e.g. energy , water , waste ) . Energy is the first resource to be targeted because it is highly managed , expected to continually become more efficient , and the ability to distribute and allocate it will improve disaster resiliency .

negative: Battery electric multiple unit A battery electric multiple unit , battery electric railcar or accumulator railcar is an electrically driven multiple unit or railcar whose energy is derived from rechargeable batteries that drive its traction motors .   The main advantage of these vehicles is their clean , quiet operation . They do not use fossil fuels like coal or diesel fuel , emit no exhaust gases and do not require the railway to have expensive infrastructure like electric ground rails or overhead catenary . On the down side is the weight of the batteries , which raises the vehicle weight , and their range before recharging of between 300 and 600 kilometres . Currently , battery electric units have a higher purchase price and running cost than petrol or diesel railcars , needing one or more charging stations along the routes they operate .   Battery technology has greatly improved over the past 20 years broadening the scope of use of battery trains , moving away from limited niche applications . Despite higher purchase and running costs , on certain railway lines battery trains are economically viable as the very high cost and maintenance of full line electrification is eliminated . From March 2014 passenger battery trains have been in operation in Japan on a number of lines . Britain successfully trialled fare paying passenger hybrid overhead wire/lithium battery trains in January and February 2015 .

negative: Energy in Chile Chile 's total primary energy supply ( TPES ) was 36.10 Mtoe in 2014 . Energy in Chile is dominated by fossil fuels , with coal , oil and gas accounting for 73.4 % of the total primary energy . Biofuels and waste account for another 20.5 % of primary energy supply , with the rest sourced from hydro and other renewables .   Electricity consumption was 68.90 TWh in 2014 . Main sources of electricity in Chile are hydroelectricity , gas , oil and coal . Renewable energy in the forms of wind and solar energy are also coming into use , encouraged by collaboration since 2009 with the United States Department of Energy . The electricity industry is privatized with ENDESA as the largest company in the field .

negative: Road Logistics Costing in South Africa Road logistics costing in South Africa amounts to anything between 7.4 % and 12.8 % of the South African gross domestic product ( GDP ) depending on the fluctuations in the annual fuel price . Road logistics consist of any road freight transported on South African primary and secondary roads . Most imports and local freight are carried on primary and secondary roads while most freight carried in the agriculture markets are done on non paved roads .   Road logistics cost in South Africa account for 50.4 % of total logistics cost and is very sensitive to the crude oil price as this influences the South African fuel price . The cost of fuel as a percentage of total road logistics cost amounts to 30 % of total cost . Road logistics costing consists of fixed cost and variable cost .

negative: Vegetable oils as alternative energy Vegetable oils are increasingly used as a substitute for fossil fuels . Vegetable oils are the basis of biodiesel , which can be used like conventional diesel . Some vegetable oil blends are used in unmodified vehicles , but straight vegetable oil needs specially prepared vehicles which have a method of heating the oil to reduce its viscosity and surface tension . Another alternative is vegetable oil refining .   The availability of biodiesel around the world is increasing , although still tiny compared to conventional fossil fuel sources . There is significant research in algaculture methods to make biofuel from algae .   Concerns have been expressed about growing crops for fuel use rather than food and the environmental impacts of large-scale agriculture and land clearing required to expand the production of vegetable oil for fuel use . These effects/impacts would need to be specifically researched and evaluated , economically and ecologically , and weighed in balance with the proposed benefits of vegetable oil fuel in relation to the use of other fuel sources .

negative: Longview Power Plant Longview Power Plant is the cleanest , most efficient coal-fired power plant in the 13-state PJM Interconnection and one of the most efficient in the United States , producing 700 net megawatts of electric power . Located near Morgantown , West Virginia , Longview has a heat rate of 8,700 Btu/kwh , surpassing that of other comparable coal-fired power plants in the country . Longview 's advanced supercritical boiler , low cost fuel , minimal water usage and other efficiencies combine to produce the lowest cost of dispatch ( delivery of electricity ) of any coal-fired plant in the region .   The Longview Power plant includes a new air pollution control system that results in emissions that are among the lowest in the nation for coal plants . In addition , Longview emits less CO2 than most other coal plants because of its fuel efficiency .   The Longview Power plant is fully integrated with its fuel source , utilizing `` run-of-mine '' coal , and thus avoiding the added cost and environmental impacts of fuel preparation . Mepco , an affiliated fuel supplier , transports coal from its underground mine to Longview by a 4.5 mile conveyor that minimizes transportation costs and avoids the local impacts of trucking coal .   The Longview Power project cost approximately $ 2.2 billion -- the largest private investment in West Virginia 's history . After the plant began operations in 2011 , construction defects and major changes in the power markets lead to the company 's Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2013 . In early 2015 the company reached a comprehensive settlement of all construction claims , and two of its major contractors agreed to remediate plant defects at their own expense . As a result , Longview Power emerged from bankruptcy in April 2015 with the full remediation of the plant underway and new ownership led by private equity firms KKR , Centerbridge , Ascribe , and Third Avenue .   The $ 120 million in improvements by Longview and its contractors has turned the facility into `` the most efficient coal-fired power plant in the U.S. , '' as assessed by a key industry magazine , POWER , which awarded Longview its 2016 Reinvention Award .   The Wall Street Journal of January 11 , 2015 , states that coal , according to the Energy Information Administration , will still compromise around 30 % of the fuel source of U.S. electricity by 2030 . Longview and Mepco are described as exemplifying the new era in the coal and power industry . They operate at a profit in a challenging economy and provide employment for miners and power plant workers , producing electricity efficiently and using as many filters as possible to reduce carbon emissions , the article states .   SNL Financial , a key trade , reported April 21 , 2016 , on Longview 's 155 days of continuous operation during which it exceeded its operational metrics , with steady environmental performance and at an affordable cost . Longview also used some of its fuel flexibility and took advantage of historically low natural gas prices and co-fired natural gas for up to 20 % of unit heat input without any additional investment . Longview said its carbon dioxide emissions are about 15 % below its peers and that it met its permit limitations despite having some of the most stringent in the nation . Longview was recently visited by Sen. Joe Manchin , D-W . Va. and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito , R-W . Va. . Manchin stated the plant was an example of a cleaner future for coal-fired power . Ernest Moniz , United States Secretary of Energy , also visited the plant .

negative: Carbon bubble The carbon bubble is a hypothesized bubble in the valuation of companies dependent on fossil-fuel-based energy production , because the true costs of carbon dioxide in intensifying global warming are not yet taken into account in a company 's stock market valuation . Currently the price of fossil fuels companies ' shares is calculated under the assumption that all fossil fuel reserves will be consumed . An estimate made by Kepler Chevreux puts the loss in value of the fossil fuel companies due to the impact of the growing renewables industry at US$ 28 trillion over the next two decades-long . A more recent analysis made by Citi puts that figure at $ 100 trillion .   Analysts in both the petroleum and financial industries are concluding that the `` age of oil '' has already reached a new stage where the excess supply that appeared in late 2014 may continue to prevail in the future .  A consensus appears to be emerging that an international agreement will be reached to introduce measures to constrain the combustion of hydrocarbons in an effort to limit global temperature rise to the nominal 2 ° C that is consensually predicted to limit environmental harm to tolerable levels .   According to the UK 's Committee on Climate Change , overvaluing companies that produce fossil fuels and greenhouse gases poses a serious threat to the economy . The committee warned the British government and Bank of England of the risks of the carbon bubble in 2014 . The following year , Mark Carney , the Governor of the Bank of England , in his lecture to Lloyd 's of London , warned that limiting global warming to 2 ° C appears to require that the `` vast majority '' of fossil fuel reserves be `` stranded '' , or `` literally unburnable without expensive carbon-capture technology '' , resulting in `` potentially huge '' exposure to investors in that sector . He concluded that `` the window of opportunity is finite and shrinking '' for responding to the threat that climate change poses to financial resilience and longer-term prosperity , which he called the `` tragedy of the horizon '' . That same month , the Prudential Regulation Authority of the Bank of England issued a report discussing the risks and opportunities that climate change presents to the insurance industry .   In his speech announcing his denial of the proposal to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline , U.S. President Barack Obama gave as one reason for the decision '' ... ultimately , if we 're going to prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes , we 're going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground ... '' .

negative: Energy in Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan had a total primary energy supply ( TPES ) of 4.13 Mtoe in 2012 . Electricity consumption was 10.14 TWh . The majority of primary energy came from fossil fuels , with coal ( 25 % ) and oil products ( 38 % ) the main sources . Hydroelectricity , the only significant renewable source in the country , accounted for 8.6 % of the primary energy supply and almost all of the electricity supply .

negative: Substitute natural gas Substitute natural gas ( SNG ) , or synthetic natural gas , is a fuel gas that can be produced from fossil fuels such as lignite coal , oil shale , or from biofuels ( when it is named bio-SNG ) or from renewable electrical energy .   The Great Plains Synfuels Plant injects approximately 4.1 million m3/day of SNG from lignite coal into the United States national gas grid . The production process of SNG at the Great Plains plant involves gasification , gas cleaning , shift , and methanation . China is constructing nearly 30 nos massive SNG production plants from coal / lignite with aggregate annual capacity of 120 billion standard cubic meters of SNG . SNG in the form of LNG or CNG can be used in road , rail , air and marine transport vehicles as a substitute for costly diesel , petrol , etc. . The carbon footprint of SNG derived from coal is comparable to petroleum products . Bio-SNG has a much smaller carbon footprint when compared to petroleum products . LPG can also be produced by synthesising SNG with partial reverse hydrogenation at high pressure and low temperature . LPG is more easily transportable than SNG , more suitable as fuel in two wheeler or smaller HP vehicles / engines and also fetches higher price in international market due to short supply .   Renewable electrical energy can also be used to create SNG ( methane ) via for example electrolysis of water or via a PEM fuel cell in reverse to create hydrogen which is then reacted with from for example CSS/U Utilisation in the Sabatier reaction .   + 4H2 → CH4 + 2H2O

negative: Mark Z. Jacobson Mark Zachary Jacobson ( born 1965 ) is professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and director of its Atmosphere and Energy Program . Jacobson develops computer models about the effects of different energy technologies and their emissions on air pollution and climate . He has done influential research on the role of aerosols and black carbon on the climate and is regarded as a leading aerosol climate modeler .   According to Jacobson , a speedy transition to clean , renewable energy is required to reduce the potential acceleration of global warming , including the disappearance of the Arctic Sea ice . This change will also eliminate 2.5 -- 3 million deaths worldwide each year , related to air pollution , and reduce disruption associated with fossil fuel shortages .

negative: Electric vehicle battery An electric vehicle battery ( EVB ) or traction battery is a battery used to power the propulsion of battery electric vehicles ( BEVs ) . Vehicle batteries are usually a secondary ( rechargeable ) battery . Traction batteries are used in forklifts , electric Golf carts , riding floor scrubbers , electric motorcycles , full-size electric cars , trucks , and vans , and other electric vehicles .   Electric vehicle batteries differ from starting , lighting , and ignition ( SLI ) batteries because they are designed to give power over sustained periods of time . Deep cycle batteries are used instead of SLI batteries for these applications . Traction batteries must be designed with a high ampere-hour capacity . Batteries for electric vehicles are characterized by their relatively high power-to-weight ratio , energy to weight ratio and energy density ; smaller , lighter batteries reduce the weight of the vehicle and improve its performance . Compared to liquid fuels , most current battery technologies have much lower specific energy ; and this often impacts the maximum all-electric range of the vehicles . However , metal-air batteries have high specific energy because the cathode is provided by the surrounding oxygen in the air . Rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles include lead-acid ( `` flooded '' , Deep cycle , and VRLA ) , NiCd , nickel metal hydride , lithium ion , Li-ion polymer , and , less commonly , zinc-air and molten salt batteries . The amount of electricity ( i.e. electric charge ) stored in batteries is measured in ampere hours or in coulombs , with the total energy often measured in watt hours .   The battery makes up a substantial cost of BEVs , which unlike for fossil fueled cars , profoundly manifests itself as a price of range . In the case of the MiEV 2012 model , the price tag and advertised range is close to proportional between two versions with a different battery , giving the ( false ) impression that the battery makes up close to 100 % of the cost ( 95 % for the higher priced version ) . However , some of the price difference comes from extra features in the higher priced version , plus an unknown price premium , making such a retail price comparison a very bad indicator of actual cost of battery capacity , but nevertheless serves to quantify battery capacity as a premium feature . The few electric cars with over 500 km of range ( including Tesla Model S with the 85 kWh battery ) , are firmly in the luxury segment , as of 2015 . Since the late 1990s , advances in battery technology have been driven by demands for portable electronics , like laptop computers and mobile phones . The BEV marketplace has reaped the benefits of these advances . However , Mitsubishi ascribes the price reduction of its 2012 model MiEV , compared to the 2011 model , to `` a dramatic reduction in the cost of batteries '' . The cost of electric vehicle batteries has been reduced by more than 35 % from 2008 to 2014 .   Rechargeable traction batteries are routinely used all day , and fast -- charged all night . Forklifts , for instance , are usually discharged and recharged every 24 hours of the work week .   The predicted market for automobile traction batteries is over $ 37 billion in 2020 .   On an energy basis , the price of electricity to run an EV is a small fraction of the cost of liquid fuel needed to produce an equivalent amount of energy ( energy efficiency ) . The cost of replacing the batteries dominates the operating costs .

negative: 100% renewable energy The endeavor to use 100 % renewable energy for electricity , heating and cooling , and transport is motivated by global warming , pollution and other environmental issues , as well as economic and energy security concerns . Shifting the total global primary energy supply to renewable sources requires a transition of the energy system . In 2013 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that there are few fundamental technological limits to integrating a portfolio of renewable energy technologies to meet most of total global energy demand . Renewable energy use has grown much faster than even advocates anticipated .   In 2014 , renewable sources such as wind , geothermal , solar , biomass , and burnt waste provided 19 % of the total energy consumed worldwide , with roughly half of that coming from traditional use of biomass . The most important sector is electricity with a renewable share of 22.8 % , most of it coming from hydropower with a share of 16.6 % , followed by wind with 3.1 % . There are many places around the world with grids that are run almost exclusively on renewable energy . At the national level , at least 30 nations already have renewable energy contributing more than 20 % of the energy supply .   Professors S. Pacala and Robert H. Socolow of Princeton University have developed a series of `` Climate stabilization wedges '' that can allow us to maintain our quality of life while avoiding catastrophic climate change , and `` renewable energy sources , '' in aggregate , constitute the largest number of their `` wedges . ''   Mark Z. Jacobson , professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and director of its Atmosphere and Energy program , says that producing all new energy with wind power , solar power , and hydropower by 2030 is feasible , and that existing energy supply arrangements could be replaced by 2050 . Barriers to implementing the renewable energy plan are seen to be `` primarily social and political , not technological or economic '' . Jacobson says that energy costs today with a wind , solar , and water system should be similar to today 's energy costs from other optimally cost-effective strategies . The main obstacle against this scenario is the lack of political will .   Similarly , in the United States , the independent National Research Council has noted that `` sufficient domestic renewable resources exist to allow renewable electricity to play a significant role in future electricity generation and thus help confront issues related to climate change , energy security , and the escalation of energy costs ... Renewable energy is an attractive option because renewable resources available in the United States , taken collectively , can supply significantly greater amounts of electricity than the total current or projected domestic demand . ''   The main barriers to the widespread implementation of large-scale renewable energy and low-carbon energy strategies are political rather than technological . According to the 2013 Post Carbon Pathways report , which reviewed many international studies , the key roadblocks are : climate change denial , the fossil fuels lobby , political inaction , unsustainable energy consumption , outdated energy infrastructure , and financial constraints .

negative: Renewable natural gas Renewable natural gas , also known as sustainable natural gas , is a biogas which has been upgraded to a quality similar to fossil natural gas . A biogas is a gas methane obtained from biomass . By upgrading the quality to that of natural gas , it becomes possible to distribute the gas to customers via the existing gas grid , within existing appliances . Renewable natural gas is a subset of synthetic natural gas or substitute natural gas ( SNG ) .   Renewable natural gas can be produced economically , and distributed via the existing gas grid , making it an attractive means of supplying existing premises with renewable heat and renewable gas energy , while requiring no extra capital outlay of the customer . Renewable natural gas can be converted into liquefied natural gas ( LNG ) for direct use as fuel in transport sector . LNG would fetch good price equivalent to gasoline or diesel as it can replace these fuels in transport sector .   The existing gas network allows distribution of gas energy over vast distances at a minimal cost in energy . Existing networks would allow biogas to be sourced from remote markets that are rich in low-cost biomass ( Russia or Scandinavia for example ) .   The UK National Grid believes that at least 15 % of all gas consumed could be made from matter such as sewage , food waste such as food thrown away by supermarkets and restaurants , and organic waste created by businesses such as breweries .

negative: Wind power in Iran This article discuss the development and implementation of wind power in Iran . Iran has relied primarily on a fossil fuel-based energy sector to power its country . However , in the last decade Iran has made steps to decrease its dependency on fossil fuels by investing in the renewable energy of wind power . This article discuss the process as well as the reasons for Iran 's interest in renewable energy ; the positive and negative effects as a result of the presence of wind power ; the political dynamics occurring in Iran ; and its attempt to also invest in nuclear energy as well .

negative: Trams in Klagenfurt The Klagenfurt Tram network operated in various forms between 1891 and 1963 , which was when diesel buses took over , reflecting lower operating costs at a time of relatively low prices for oil based fuels .   In 2005 , in response to exceptional levels of particulates pollution in Klagenfurt the city authorities proposed a resumption of tram services . A feasibility study was commissioned , but concluded that the cost of the necessary investment would be prohibitive .

negative: Free energy suppression conspiracy theory Free energy suppression ( or new energy suppression ) is a conspiracy theory that technologically viable , pollution-free , no-cost energy sources are being suppressed by government , corporations , or advocacy groups . Devices allegedly suppressed include perpetual motion machines , cold fusion generators , torus-based generators , reverse-engineered extraterrestrial technology and other generally unproven , low-cost energy sources .   The alleged suppression ( or weakening ) is claimed to have occurred since the mid-19th century and allegedly perpetrated by various government agencies , corporate powers , special interest groups , and fraudulent inventors . The special interest groups are usually claimed to be associated with the fossil fuel or nuclear industry , whose business model would be threatened .   Claims of suppression include :  The claim that the scientific community has controlled and suppressed research into alternative avenues of energy generation via the institutions of peer review and academic pressure .  The claim that devices exist which are capable of extracting significant and usable power from pre-existing unconventional energy reservoirs , such as the quantum vacuum zero point energy , for little or no cost , but are being suppressed .  The claim that more efficient versions of renewable energy technologies ( such as solar cells and biofuels ) and energy-consuming technologies ( such as electric vehicles ) are being suppressed .   Some examples of individuals who were allegedly suppressed , harassed or killed for their research are : Thomas Henry Moray , Stanley Meyer and Eugene Mallove .