Martinez 1.
Melanny Martinez
Instructor McKinney
English 291-909
March 11, 2022
Argument Outline
Introduction
If you’ve been paying attention to the current climate situation, you might think that the predominant resource on which the planet depends, coal, will be completely phased out in the near future. In reality, coal still powers 37% of the world’s electricity, and figures from the International Energy Agency predict that coal will still be generating 22% of the world’s electricity in 2040.
Conversely, renewable energy like solar and wind only contributes to two to three percent of today’s energy capacity. This reality check hits us with the question: how does solar power fare against coal, and which of the two proves to be a better option?
Thesis statement: In Wisconsin, we should replace coal energy with solar energy by building and supporting solar farms because exposure to coal dust is detrimental to the health of the residents of the surrounding area and the workers themselves.
Problem: Coal Dust
Context: Since 2016 there has been talking of using renewable energy in Wisconsin. Still, it wasn’t until 2018 when coal dust was found in the backyard, cars, and children’s playground in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, making them take drastic measures for renewable energies.
Details– The We Energies proposal that the PSCW approved by a 2-1 vote violates federal and state law by paying more for power from their own systems on customer property than it pays customers who own identical systems. https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2020/clean-energy-orgs-appeal-psc-discrimination-against-customer-owned-renewable-energy.
Evidence–Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the problem by Erik S. Hanley on March 8, 2018 https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/south/news/oak-creek/2018/03/08/oak-creek-property-reportedly-covered-coal-dust-we-energies-and-dnr-investigating/404736002/ But We Energies refused to allow the panels to be connected to its system when the law had already been approved in Madison. https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-regulators-deadlock-on-solar-financing-bill-to-legalize-tool-in-limbo/article_b6aed986-4a17-5936-a9a8-6ccc63ee423f.html
III. Solution: Renewable Energy
Wisconsin should use renewable energy, buy solar farms, and invests in wind power instead of coal power.
States like Iowa have decided to stop carbon energy by implementing solar farms with a 1.1MW EXTracker NX Horizon single-axis tracking array that uses motors and predictive algorithms to rotate the solar panels throughout the day, tracking the sun’s path, producing 15% more energy per year. https://www.midamericanenergy.com/newsroom/2021-capital[city.pride
Solar energy has finally become a low-cost option to replace fossil fuels.
Alternative energy sources such as wind and solar are also becoming more affordable and now represent 8.2% of total electricity generation.
IV. Opposing View and Rebuttal: Agriculture vs Solar farms
Opponents of solar farms base their argument on Wisconsin’s constitutional provision: “All lands within the state are declared to be allodial and feudal tenures are prohibited. Leases and grants of agricultural lands for a term longer than fifteen years in which rent or service of any kind shall be reserved are declared void” https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/constitution/wi/article14.
Assuming opponents of solar farms have a right to make this argument, it is destined for defeat because it ignores the intent of the constitutional drafters and case law applying similar constitutional provisions in other states. Wisconsin’s drafters copied the 15-year agricultural lease provision from the New York Constitution. Therefore, long-term leases of agricultural land for mining, a manufacturing plant, a gun club, a radio tower, and a greenhouse are all valid and enforceable. https://law.gov/cases/wisconsin/supreme-court/1973 Https;//Iowa Arboretum, Inc. v. Fundación 4-H de Iowa886 NW2d 695 (Iowa 2016).
V Conclusion
The use and implementation of this energy bring environmental, educational, economic, and social benefits. But it is also true that the cost and the permanent maintenance of photovoltaic systems and other modalities of use require significant investments by each nation. Only by continuing research will we be able to reduce costs in terms of permanence.
While both coal and solar power have their pros and cons, developments in solar energy have made it an increasingly cost-competitive alternative to coal and other fossil fuels in general. Power generated from solar PV in 2020 was estimated to have increased by a record 156 TWh, marking a 23% growth from 2019, despite pandemic restrictions.