Alternative Energy, Energy Warden, Page 6

Renewable energy can be described as energy produced from sources that don't deplete or can be replenished within a human’s lifetime. Also, the most famous examples contain solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and biomass. However, this is in contrast to non-renewable sources like fossil fuels. Some renewable energy is derived from the sun directly or indirectly. By using solar technologies, sunlight can be captured directly. Also, the sun's heat drives winds, whose energy is taken captive or captured with turbines. Also, plants rely on the sun to develop or grow, and their stored energy can be used for bioenergy. Furthermore, Not all renewable energy sources depend on the sun. For instance, hydropower relies on the flow of water, and geothermal energy utilizes the Earth’s internal heat, tidal energy also relies on the gravitational pull of the moon. Renewable energy systems also provide energy from sources that'll never deplete. Also, it generates less greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuel energy. Alternative Energy Forms Indeed, there are many alternative energy forms, and, with the effects of pollution and global warming becoming much more widespread and evident, you need to look to these forms of alternative energy as a way to comfort the threat posed by global warming or pollution. Also, people are doing a better job of harnessing alternative energy sources as more governments all over the world introduce financial measures and legislation to aid increase the implementation of these sources. But, there is still much work to be done, as so more energy goes to waste than we're able to harness. However, the following are the different alternative energy forms and the benefits they bring people. 1. Solar Energy: The sun supplies more energy in a day that is utilized by the whole planet in one year. So, despite the fact people are beginning to see solar energy being harvested more, there is still much more energy available to humankind. Also, solar power can be harnessed in variant ways. Which we are going to examine the most common. Photovoltaic technology uses mini amounts of silicon that react with the sun's light to generate a little electrical charge. Solar panels are also built from cells made up of semiconductors and silicon. Solar thermal makes use of solar collectors to heat air or water, which is then passed via a conductor such as piping to supply heat to the required destination, like a swimming pool. 2. Geothermal: Heat is produced from rocks below the earth heating water. Holes are drilled in these areas, which release steam jets that are utilized to drive turbines that generate electricity from generators. 3. Hydroelectricity: It's produced from water pressure being released to turbines or power wheels that run generators to provide or supply electricity. Dams are the clearest instance of this, though the power of tides, also called tidal energy, also is used to generate electricity. 4. Wind Energy: It is harnessed using wind towers. The wind, However, turns the blades on the tower, which, in turn, power either an electrical generator or machinery (in the case of a windmill). Wind farms can provide many community's electrical needs. CLEAN ENERGY TYPES What Means by Clean Energy Clean energy also known as ‘renewable energy,’ is a form of energy that doesn't depend on oil, fossil fuels, or any traditional fuel source that includes mining resources from the earth. Moreover, clean energy has been utilized on and off for all of human history but only recently has the push to use clean energy exclusively achieved popularity worldwide. With a difference in the abilities and types of each form of energy, it seems that anyone would be able to sufficient in their business or home by utilizing one form of clean energy or another. Solar Panels: Solar Panels were invented in the late-20th century, shortly after scientists realized that the sun generated such countless amounts of energy that it could be utilized to build power. More so, the first solar panels are also still being used today, outliving their originally-projected life. Also, solar panels are made of silica sand and a few types of metal to form a strong sheet that absorbs sunlight. Solar panels transfer the absorbed energy from the screens, and move it to a converter in a business or home, providing electricity. Wind Turbines: Wind-powered devices are one of the oldest sources of clean energy. Wind creates mills work to grind wheat into flour, and the power of the wind can now be used to produce electricity to home or businesses. Also, wind turbines are made of the fan, which looks like a big white pinwheel, the central shaft, and the generator, which is centric to the production of energy. However, when the fan spins, the shaft rotates along with it, in turn powering the generator. Now the generator can produce the power that turns on lights and then bakes bread. Wind energy can also power hundreds and hundreds of homes with a single giant turbine. Hydroelectric Power: This is another excellent source of energy that is being utilized for most of human history. The strong currents of rivers have been used to take boats from one geographical place to another since boats have existed. Also, mills located by rivers would handle the flow of the water by making water wheels to capture the stream, causing them to rotate, and grinding flour, assisting to stoke fires, and assisting individuals in living more efficiently. Today, however, massive dams are equipped with equipment that functions similarly to both the wheel and wind turbine and the water: as water flows via the dam, it spins a wheel, also powering a generator that then supplies power to surrounding businesses and homes. Sustainable Energy Sources Sustainable energy sources are those energy sources that can be regenerated rapidly. There are a lot of sources of energy such as oil, natural gas, and coal. All these fuels mentioned also known as fossil fuels, and they wouldn't last forever. They're not recoverable. These sources are also known as non-sustainable energy sources. However, below are the various kind of sustainable energy sources Wind Energy: wind has kinetic energetic in it. A windmill is a machine which possesses blades. By the energy of wind these blade move. Some years ago, a windmill is being used to generate electricity. A wind farm (consists of over 110windmills) is used to produce electricity in a great volume. Biomass energy: It's a potential source of sustainable energy.This contains all the organic materials such as trees, natural vegetation, sewage, animal drugs, and crop residue. Bioconversion or biomass energy refers to the use of this material as fuel or as its conversion into fuels. Energy from waves: The winds blowing and tidal movement across the surface of the ocean create strong water waves. Their energy can be utilized to produce electricity. A way of harnessing wave energy is to use big floats which move up and down along with the waves. Tidal Energy: One of the best instance of generating energy from the gravitational field is the energy obtained from tides. However, the gravitic force of the moon gives rise to tides in the sea. Also, the tides raise or lift the water in the ocean roughly twice a day. If the water at the extreme tide is trapped in a watershed by constructing a dam, it is then feasible to use this as a source of sustainable energy. The dam is filled at extreme tide and water released in a controlled way at low tide to move or drive turbines. Furthermore, at the next high tide, the dam is also filled again, and the in rushing water drives turbines and produce electricity. Energy from waste products: Waste products such as crop residue, wood waste, and mainly municipal solid waste can be utilized to get energy by direct combustion. It's probably the most generally used conversion process in which waste matter is burnt in a confined container. Heat generated in this method is directly utilized in the boiler to create steam that can also run a turbine generator. Benefits of Renewable Energy The following are the benefits of renewable energy Provide individual energy independence: With climate change, high weather has become a fact of life. It is colder in the winter and hotter in the summer for example, in many parts of the U.S. In reaction, people tend to crank up the heat in the cold period or months and make use of air conditioning to reduce the high temperature in the summer. This behavior leads to the essentiality of rolling blackouts or brownouts in some areas, also leaving houses without much-needed electricity. Save money: Once the initial cost of setup and construction of a renewable power source is covered, it can quite rapidly start to pay for itself. Some sources enable you to save money faster than others. Improve public health: This is one of the great benefits of renewable energy, that we can't go without mentioning it. If you use renewable energy more often, then you’ll all reap the health benefits. A study from the Climate Change and Clean Energy Office of the United State Environmental Protection Agency found that Americans spend an estimated $371.5 to $878.6 billion every year on health for situations related to the use of fossil fuels. Such conditions contain neurological problems, heart disease, cancer and so on. Create jobs: Renewable energy tends to be much more labor-intensive than that fossil fuel sources of energy, in this regard, creating more jobs. PROS AND CONS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY Pros of Renewable Energy Utilization of renewable energy over fossil fuels has a lot of advantages. However, the following are some of the top pros of renewable energy. 1. Renewable Energy Will not Run Out: The technologies of renewable energy use resources direct from the environment to create power. These energy sources entail wind, tides, biomass, and sunshine, to name some of the more common options. Renewable resources will not run out, which can't be said for most types of fossil fuels 2. Required Low Maintenance: Renewable energy technologies in most cases require less overall maintenance than generators that use traditional fuel sources 3. It saves money: Utilization of renewable energy can aid you to save money long term. Not only saving on maintenance costs but also, on operating costs as well. Cons of Renewable Energy Renewable energy has many advantages, but it is not always sunny when it comes to renewable energy. Below are some drawbacks when using renewables energy over traditional fuel sources. 1. Higher upfront cost: By using renewable energy while you can save money, the technologies are generally more expensive upfront than traditional generators. 2. Intermittency: Although renewable energy resources are available around the globe, many of these resources are not available 24/7, year-round. 3. Storage capabilities: Because of the intermittency of most renewable energy sources, there is an extreme need for energy storage. However, renewable energy systems are quickly becoming more cheaper and efficient and their share of total or complete energy consumption is escalating. Also, global installed electricity producing capacity in recent year was 2.3 TW. Growth in consumption of oil and coal could end by 2020 due to increased uptake of renewables and natural gas.

Category: Alternative Energy

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