The official Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirms, “Continued emission of greenhouse gases will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.”
That is why, as a society, we need to collectively make eco friendly energy a priority. As we have progressed over the years we have developed many new sources of energy that unfortunately, go unchecked. Although it is wonderful that we have created so many options for energy, many sources are not renewable and some are proving to be extremely harmful to the environment. Renewable energy still has an impact on the planet as well, however it’s cleanest if sourced through the natural energy flows of the Earth
Here are some renewable / “green electricity” sources:
Wind power is one of the most popular options for green electricity. Wind turbines have greatly improved over the last decade. They are quieter, more efficient, and one of the cheapest to run. It is actually now price competitive with coal and nuclear power stations. Turbines harness the winds and transform it into energy.
Solar power is harnessed by using photovoltaic panels to convert the power of sunlight into electricity. PV panels can even pick up energy on cloudy days with new semiconductor technology. Solar energy can heat water by using added on side panels. They are best for integrating into buildings and they are easily disguisable as roof panels.
Water turbines use a small dam or a river system to produce energy by means of running water spinning the turbine blades. This technology has actually been used for over a 100 years. Hydropower stations employ many water turbines and are rarely small schemes. This system has one of the most minimal impacts on the local and global environment.
Geothermal energy comes from deep underground and utilizes thermal pressure and heat. In some places it can come from hot rocks deep underground. In other parts, steam can come naturally to the surface that converts energy directly. Geothermal energy for the most part is completely natural, however it can be man made by having water pumped down into the ground to create steam. This type of energy is great for heating buildings and providing hot water.
Biomass energy comes from agricultural waste and plants grown especially for fuel. These are usually used in smaller power stations. As the plants grow they absorb carbon dioxide which is released when the plants are burned away. Biomass does not contribute any extra carbon dioxide than there already is on Earth, instead it reuses what has already been produced. Special grown crops provide environmentally friendly electricity. This type of energy gives farmers a new opportunity and business venture by producing these crops.
Generating clean and green energy that produces less greenhouse gases and fossil fuels is imperative to bettering the Earth. Coal, nuclear power, and oil need to be phased out to reduce dependence on imported and unclean fuels. Green energy will create economic development with various jobs such as manufacturing and installation. Developing new sources of green energy is getting better everyday and is the next step for society.
