What Are The Negatives In Electrical Energy?

Fossil Fuel Dependence:

Most electricity generation still relies heavily on fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil. In the United States, approximately 60% of electricity comes from burning fossil fuels. While renewable energy is growing, our electrical grid is still dependent on non-renewable sources that emit greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. Even as we transition to cleaner energy, infrastructure, transmission lines, and baseload power plants currently run on fossil fuels. Complete decarbonization of the electrical sector requires moving beyond fossil fuels entirely, which remains a challenge. Despite improvements, the negatives of fossil fuel dependence persist in most electrical systems.

Air Pollution

The primary negatives associated with electrical energy stem from its heavy reliance on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. When burned to generate electricity, these fossil fuels emit significant quantities of air pollutants that are harmful to human health and the environment.

One major pollutant emitted is sulfur dioxide, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and respiratory illnesses. Nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, mercury, and other heavy metals are also released, worsening air quality and increasing risks of cancer, heart disease, neurological damage, and birth defects.

In addition, fossil fuel power plants are the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, the primary greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. The emissions exacerbate global warming and lead to detrimental impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, and communities worldwide.

Transitioning the electrical grid towards renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower would dramatically reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production.

Water Pollution

The largest source of water pollution from electricity generation comes from thermal pollution, which is the release of hot water from power plants into rivers, lakes and oceans. Power plants rely on water for cooling and the water temperatures can rise substantially as it circulates through the plant. This warmer water discharged back into the environment can decrease oxygen levels and alter ecological balances in the affected water bodies. Fish, insects, and fragile freshwater ecosystems can be harmed by these temperature changes.

Some electric generation technologies like coal and nuclear are more prone to thermal pollution because of their reliance on steam turbines and condensers in the power cycle. Hydroelectric facilities with large reservoirs also contribute to water quality issues from thermal stratification. The warm upper layer and cold lower layer of reservoir water do not properly mix or circulate oxygen.

Thermal pollution can be mitigated to some degree by alternative plant cooling technologies, but ultimately curtailing the scale of water withdrawals and discharges from large steam-cycle plants is an important step in reducing electricity’s impacts on water pollution.

Nuclear Waste

One of the significant negatives of electrical energy production is the generation of nuclear waste. Nuclear waste refers to the radioactive byproducts produced at nuclear power plants. This waste often remains dangerously radioactive for thousands of years. And there is still no permanent solution for disposing of or storing nuclear waste safely.

The primary radioactive component of nuclear waste is spent fuel rods. These rods contain uranium and other radioactive isotopes that are highly toxic. After 3-6 years of use, spent fuel rods are removed from the nuclear reactor. But they remain extremely hot and radioactive for decades, necessitating containment and isolation from humans.

Most nuclear waste is currently stored on-site at power plants. The spent fuel rods are placed in cooling pools or protective steel and concrete containers. But this is considered a temporary solution. Spent fuel rods require active cooling for many years and long-term containment for centuries or millennia after.

The lack of a permanent disposal site for nuclear waste represents one of the biggest downsides of nuclear power. Storing waste indefinitely at hundreds of power plants around the world raises safety, environmental, and security concerns. Finding a geologically stable repository where waste can be isolated for the immense timescales required remains an unsolved challenge.

Mining Impacts

Coal mining is an extractive process that causes severe disturbance to the landscape. Mountains are flattened as their peaks are blasted off and land is stripped away to reach buried seams of coal. The largest surface mines can be several miles across. This extreme alteration of the terrain results in habitat loss and fragmentation, making the land uninhabitable for most wildlife.

Mining also impacts waterways. As coal seams are removed, acidic water loaded with heavy metals is unleashed from the exposed rock. This toxic mining drainage often makes its way into nearby streams, rivers and groundwater. Water pollution from coal mining has devastated many freshwater ecosystems. Fish kills, loss of aquatic biodiversity and dangerously contaminated drinking water supplies are common in mining regions. Abandoned mines can continue polluting waterways for decades after mining has ceased.

Grid Reliability Issues

An overdependence on electricity can expose vital systems to risk. Because large power plants and transmission infrastructure make the grid highly centralized, localized weather events or system failures can trigger massive blackouts over a wide area. Severe storms, cyberattacks, accidents, and aging infrastructure are all threats. Even small disruptions in one part of the network can ripple across entire regions. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there were over 3,500 annual power outages between 2002-2011, affecting over 50 million people per year. Outages not only impact residential life, but can also disrupt communication networks, water systems, healthcare, and emergency response services. With increasing extreme weather and disasters due to climate change, experts warn grid resilience is decreasing at the same time dependency is rising. Reliability issues with centralized electricity systems demonstrate the need for more decentralized and distributed renewable energy sources.

Cost

The electric grid required to distribute electricity from large centralized power plants to end users is extremely capital intensive. Constructing and maintaining transmission lines, transformers, substations and other infrastructure is very expensive. These costs are passed on to ratepayers through their monthly electricity bills.

In the U.S., it’s estimated that hundreds of billions of dollars will need to be invested over the next couple of decades just to maintain and upgrade the existing electricity grid. Building new transmission lines to bring renewable energy like wind and solar from remote areas to load centers will require further massive investments.

While distributed renewable energy like rooftop solar avoids some grid costs by generating power at the point of use, these systems still rely on the grid for backup power and transmit excess electricity. So all users still must help pay for grid infrastructure and services through set charges and fees.

Safety Risks

The electrical system poses notable safety risks to both utility workers and the general public. Electrical accidents injure and kill hundreds of workers and community members across the country each year.

Power line installers and repair crews have an extremely hazardous job requiring work near high voltage equipment. Coming into contact with live wires or arcs can result in severe burns or electrocution. Likewise, electrical accidents in power plants, substations, or transformer vaults can endanger employees through exposure to live currents.

For the public, downed power lines after major storms lead to many electrical deaths and injuries annually. People may unknowingly step into electrified water or make contact with low-hanging wires. Stray voltage from poorly maintained infrastructure also threatens safety.

While regulations, training, safety gear, and proper precautions can help mitigate risks, inherent dangers remain. More diligence and improved systems could help prevent electrical tragedies among both workers and community members.

Vulnerability

The centralized nature of the electrical grid makes it vulnerable to deliberate attacks or sabotage. Most power plants and transmission infrastructure are concentrated in relatively few locations. This lack of distribution and redundancy increases risks. An attack targeting certain critical components could potentially cause widespread and extended blackouts over large areas.

Experts have warned that the grid is susceptible to cyber attacks, electromagnetic pulses, physical sabotage, and other threats that could interrupt power supply. The consequences of such outages could be severe, disrupting critical infrastructure and communications systems. Grid vulnerability is therefore an important downside as society depends more and more on reliable electricity.

Equity Issues

There are often environmental justice concerns with electrical power generation and transmission. Unfortunately, low income communities and communities of color frequently have greater exposures to pollution from power plants.

Areas near fossil fuel power plants, for example, often have disproportionate levels of air and water pollution. Many of these disadvantaged communities also lack adequate resources or political power to advocate for cleaner energy alternatives.

Electrical transmission lines may also run through lower-income neighborhoods, exposing residents to EMFs and unattractive infrastructure. While electricity is an essential necessity, its benefits are not always shared equitably, with wealthier households often having a greater ability to access the advantages of reliable power.

In moving towards a cleaner electricity system, it is important that equity and environmental justice guide the planning process. All families deserve access to affordable, clean power produced in a manner that respects people over profits.