A renewable source of energy is a carbon-free, non-depleting source of energy. Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy is not limited by our resources. There are numerous renewable sources of energy, including bioenergy. While it may produce carbon dioxide, its emissions are less than the amount it pulls from the atmosphere. Unfortunately, some forms of bioenergy are not sustainable. However, it is still a good alternative.
Biomass
Biomass is a sustainable energy resource that is produced from the organic materials found in living plants and animals. In the early 1800s, biomass was the largest source of energy in the U.S., and it is still a significant source of energy for many countries. It is commonly used for heating, cooking, and transportation in developing countries. In developed countries, biomass is being used as an alternative fuel for electricity production and for carbon dioxide emissions reductions related to fossil fuel use. Currently, biomass provides nearly five quadrillion British thermal units (BTUs), or about 5% of the primary energy used in the United States.
Burning biomass can produce heat, electricity, or a variety of other useful products, depending on the feedstock used. In some cases, biomass is transformed into liquid biofuels and sold to power plants. Another way to produce biomass is to convert waste into a liquid fuel by using steam turbines. Biomass is another renewable source of energy that is used in homes, saunas, and even in the automotive industry.
Because biomass can be harvested and used to produce electricity, most of the world’s forests will not be cleared to make room for bioenergy production. In addition, biomass burning is known to produce smog, which can be worse than the air pollution caused by fossil fuel burning. The use of biomass energy as a fuel source is beneficial to the environment because it can help mitigate climate change and help maintain local economies.
The use of biomass as a renewable energy source is becoming increasingly popular. Its benefits are many, and could help the UK meet its emission reduction targets. Unlike fossil fuels, biomass is less consistent than crude oil, but still better than synthetics. The technology to transform biomass into a fuel will improve our world’s energy future. And because biomass has so many applications, the potential for it is enormous.
Solar energy
In its most basic form, solar energy is the radiation from the Sun that is converted directly into electricity. Modern solar cells are in calculators and house panels. They were first invented in 1954 at Bell Telephone Laboratories in the United States. Today, solar energy is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies, and is poised to play a major role in our future electricity generation mix. Its potential is almost limitless.
In one hour of sunlight, enough energy is generated to power the world’s entire energy use for a year. The amount of energy generated by solar technologies such as photovoltaic panels, solar cells, and mirrors varies widely depending on geographical location, time of day, and weather conditions. Solar photovoltaics is the fastest-growing renewable source of electricity, adding 139 GW to the world’s electricity grid by 2020.
In addition to being a renewable source of electricity, solar energy is a powerful resource for lighting, heating, and cooling. Passive solar technologies take advantage of this natural heating and cooling cycle to produce electricity. Passive solar technologies include building structures, which minimize the need for mechanical equipment. And because solar energy is primarily available during the day, it is best utilized when sunlight is not blocked by buildings or other structures.
Today, advanced solar technologies have boosted efficiency and reduced cost of solar power systems. Fresnel reflectors, for example, use flat mirror strips to concentrate sunlight up to 30 times. The Solar Energy Generating System (SEGS) is the largest concentrated solar power plant in the world, generating about 650 gigawatts of electricity per year. It’s also possible to harness natural gas as a backup fuel for the system.
Hydropower
In addition to supplying clean, reliable power, hydropower is environmentally friendly, producing little or no greenhouse gas emissions. Hydropower plants can provide power 24 hours a day. While hydropower plants can be expensive to build, the costs of running them are negligible when compared to other forms of energy production. Currently, hydropower produces about 7% of the electricity produced in the United States. Despite the high initial cost, hydropower plants provide clean, reliable power for a lifetime.
While the National Hydropower Association promotes hydropower, some conservative think tanks are calling for repealing the mandates and creating a level playing field for renewable sources of energy. According to the institute, government should not pick winners in the energy market and should count all sources of renewable energy equally. Including all forms of hydropower would put more pressure on wind and solar power. The National Hydropower Association is opposed to these changes.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that hydropower could produce nearly six percent of the country’s electricity by 2021. By 2040, hydropower is expected to make up nearly a third of U.S. electricity production. By 2040, hydropower will make up around 16 percent of the world’s electricity production. This is a significant role for hydropower. However, it’s not a fast-growing sector.
Hydroelectric power is a renewable source of energy that uses water flowing in rivers to create electricity. The falling water turns a turbine, which spins an electrical generator. The energy from this rotation is converted into electricity and fed into the electrical grid. Hydroelectric facilities are an environmentally friendly source of energy because they require little maintenance and are relatively low cost. Hydroelectric power systems provide a significant portion of the world’s electricity production.
Geothermal energy
Despite its widespread popularity, geothermal energy has been difficult to develop. The industry is limited to a handful of areas. However, advances in drilling technology are making it possible to manufacture geothermal energy in lower temperatures. New breakthroughs are expected to help make it a viable alternative to traditional energy sources. Geothermal energy is a green source of energy that is not dependent on fossil fuels.
A single power plant can deliver more than one gigawatt of electricity, and a single geothermal heating plant can produce up to 28 gigawatts of power. Moreover, geothermal energy plants can predict their power output with remarkable accuracy. In contrast, wind and solar power plants are susceptible to weather conditions, and their power output is unpredictable. Additionally, geothermal power plants have a high capacity factor, meaning that actual power output is close to total installed capacity.
While geothermal energy is a renewable source of heat, it requires mining, transportation, and fuel. It also doesn’t produce emissions. Because geothermal energy is generated from natural resources, it is an excellent alternative energy source that is not prone to power shortages or weather issues. Geothermal energy is also a good option for heating your home. In fact, it has a lower carbon footprint than other energy sources.
One of the biggest challenges facing geothermal power plants is the cost. This technology is extremely expensive, and some geothermal power plants have even been known to cause mini tremors. Due to the high cost, geothermal power plants are only viable in certain areas, such as the US, Iceland, Kenya, and Indonesia. But even with this limited geographic distribution, geothermal power plants offer an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional power generation.
Ocean currents
The kinetic energy of water currents can be harnessed for electricity generation. Ocean current energy devices can be as large as 20 meters in diameter and can be attached to buoyant structures or the seabed. Different techniques for harnessing ocean current energy are currently being studied. In particular, oscillating water columns are being tested. These devices have a high potential to help us generate our own electricity. But they still need to be built to withstand the forces of the ocean currents and the constant pounding of the waves.
The ocean is one of the largest sources of renewable energy on earth. If used wisely, this resource can provide a significant amount of energy to the world’s economies. Minesto’s Deep Green technology harvests energy from ocean currents and tidal streams. The benefits of ocean energy include that it is abundant, predictable, and global. In addition, it is environmentally friendly. This means that it could be used to power the world’s electricity needs.
This renewable source of energy has the potential to provide huge amounts of electricity. Ocean currents are created by the earth’s rotation and regional differences in temperature and salinity. The energy from these currents is very clean and predictable. This makes it a viable source of base-load power. And it’s completely free. This means that we’ll be able to produce power at any time. There’s no need to invest in expensive infrastructure.
The United States is pursuing ocean current technologies in an effort to harness this energy. There are currently three active OTEC power plants around the world. There are also plans to deploy tidal kitses to capture this energy. Currently, the technology is at an early stage. But the United States government has given jurisdiction to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to develop renewable energy projects.
