Renewable Energy Sources
In our every day lives, we are constantly using energy, usually gained from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are things such as coal, oil and natural gas. However, once these fossil fuels run dry, they cannot be replenished or renewed.
For this reason, man is finding ways to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy in order to satisfy our day-to-day needs. These needs include:
- Electricity
- Less global warming
- Improved public health
- Reliability and resilience
- Inexhaustible energy
- Jobs
What is renewable energy:
The types, or sources of renewable energy are: wind, solar, hydroelectric energy, biomass, and geothermal power, Simply put, it is sources of energy that are constantly replenished through natural processes. It is also beneficial because they have a very limited negative environmental impact and are proving to be more and more cost effective.
Harnessing Renewable Energy:
Renewable energy, however, needs to be harnessed in such a way that it is beneficial.
- Solar energy is the direct conversion of sunlight using panels or collectors.
Solar power is the most popular type of renewable energy. It is energy which comes from the sun, and supplies the entire planet with the energy it needs to survive. Using solar panels, energy from sunlight can be harvested and converted to electricity that powers homes and businesses, produce hot water or charge battery systems.
- Biomass energy is stored sunlight contained in plants
Biomass is energy produced from recently living organic matter like plants or animals. It is a renewable resource because plants can be regrown relatively quickly, and they grow using renewable energy from the sun.
- Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth.
Earth has a massive energy source contained within it. And while it is still a small part of our energy mix, geothermal energy is a promising renewable energy source, with massive potential for energy supply
- Wind Power is used to pump water or generate electricity
Renewable energy that we interact with every day is the wind. We can capture the power of wind using massive turbines, which generate electricity when they spin
- Hydroelectric energy is a form of energy that harnesses the power of water in motion
Renewable energy can be obtained from moving water just like we can from moving air. Energy is generated when moving water runs through a turbine, spinning it to produce electricity.
As fossil fuels gradually decrease, it is time to start thinking ahead and seek alternative ways to generate energy – by using renewable energy resources.
