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Green energy refers to a source of energy that doesn’t pollute the environment. While people interchangeably use green energy with renewable energy, these two are not the same. Well, all green energy sources can be from renewable sources. However, not all renewable sources of energy are green. Some of them still emit pollution into the environment.
For instance, generating power from the combustion of renewable organic material doesn’t make it green. That’s because the process leaves behind a carbon footprint. That aside, all green energy sources are replenished naturally. Unlike coal, natural gas, and other fuels, it takes a short period for these green sources to recover. Not to mention, all green sources protect the environment from destructive processes like mining.
Green energy like other sources relies on technologies to get converted to a usable form. As such, you can tap into it with the help of solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric generators, among others. Not to mention, this energy source is available in different classes.
Some of them include solar energy, hydroelectric power, biomass, geothermal power, and wind power.
To understand how green energy works, you must read about all these types of green energy sources.
The primary sources of this energy include tidal energy, solar power, and wind energy. Wind and solar power can be tapped into by people for small-scale power production. But also, they can be used to harness energy in form of large power plants.
On that note, here are the common types of green sources of energy:
Biomass
For this form to get categorized as green, close monitoring of the harnessing process is crucial. Biomass energy plants rely on sawdust, combustible agricultural waste, and wood waste, among other organic wastes. Of course, the combustion process releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However, when we compare it to that of fossil fuels it's far less harmful to the environment.
Geothermal Energy
This form involves tapping into thermal energy founder within the earth layers. It’s a pure source of green energy. However, there’re still debates on how green this energy source is. That’s because the drilling process is energy intensive. As a result, fossil fuel gets used often during the mining process.
Not to mention, the production of equipment required to harness this source of energy leaves behind carbon footprints. To generate power, the steam from the geothermal vents turns electric turbines that generate energy.
Biofuels
If you want a greener approach than biomass, then biofuels will do. With this option, you don’t have to burn the organic waste. Instead, you can decompose it to generate biodiesel and ethanol. During combustion, this fuel emits fewer pollutants than fossil fuels.
Wind Power
Wind power is available in abundance in higher altitude areas and offshore. To harness energy from this source, you will need wind turbines. The flow of air turns the turbines, which in turn power the inbuilt generators that produce electric energy.
Solar Power
Solar power is the most common green source of energy. With the help of solar panels, we can tap into this energy source. It’s also worth noting that solar power is a renewable source. It’s available in abundance and impossible to run out of.
Solar panels convert the light from the sun into electricity for commercial or residential consumption. As mentioned earlier, you can tap into this energy source on a small or large scale depending on your needs. Due to the expansion of solar power industries, installation is affordable nowadays. Thus, even residential premises can afford it.
Hydropower
This option leverages the flow of water to generate energy. There are different ways you can tap into hydropower as an energy source. For instance, you can set up hydroelectric generators along streams, rivers, dams, and even the ocean. The flow of water turns the hydroelectric generators that produce electric energy. How green it is, depends on how we harness energy from this source.
Less Environmental Pollution
There’s more pollution getting into the environment from conventional sources than there’s coming from green sources. As such, using them means fewer greenhouse gasses are entering our atmosphere. Global warming is real and it’s all because of green gasses coming from unsustainable energy sources. Burning fossil fuels for instance significantly contributes to global warming effects and climate change.
Green energy like solar power, wind power, and hydropower are sources of pure energy. However, the processes that harness them leave behind carbon footprints. However, these footprints are not greater or more impactful than those from fossil fuels. Not to mention, the impact can be recovered in less than two years.
Better Public Health
Toxic from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal can trigger respiratory diseases. In some cases, you can come into contact with toxins that cause premature death, cancer, heart attack, and neurological damage. Unfortunately, the toxic pollutants affect everyone within that given area. Globally, they contribute to climate change.
However, choosing green energy means there’s less pollution getting into the environment. It means both the land and water bodies will be free from toxic pollutants. While we can’t eliminate pollution entirely, using green sources means there will be less environmental pollution.
Environmental Conservation
Going green means less reliance on natural resources. Thanks to this, we can put an end to the indiscriminate exploration of natural resources. For instance, wind power and solar energy don’t require water. As such, we can leverage the little amount of freshwater remaining for vital purposes.
Economic Benefits
Conventional energy sources like coal, petroleum, or fossil fuels are often mechanized when it comes to power production. As such, they require less manpower in the field or factory. Green energy on the other hand is labor intensive. Most of the processes require manual adjustment. Thanks to this, there are more employment opportunities.
Another great example is the installation and maintenance of solar panels. You will need experts to fulfill this job. And the same goes for wind, hydroelectric, and organic power plants. That means, there are more jobs created when a green power plant is established in each area. As of now, hundreds of thousands of people are working in the green energy sector. And it doesn’t just support one group of people, it supports people with various career choices. For instance, you will find a consultant, marketer, engineer, technician, and legal representative, among others.
Inexhaustible Energy
Powerful winds and tidal waves, abundant organic matter, and sunshine are inexhaustible sources of energy. These are abundant resources that are meant to last for eternity. As such, using them to generate energy guarantees a reliable source of energy. A significant fraction of the US population is using power from these sources.
When it comes to the environment, tapping into these resources has little to no impact on the environment. Most importantly, they help reduce overreliance on non-renewable natural resources like fossil fuels.
Affordable and Stable Prices
Tapping into renewable energy sources means providing affordable electricity to consumers. And since green energy sources are inexhaustible, it means energy prices can stabilize over a certain period. Of course, launching a green energy solution is not easy. It requires a massive upfront fee. But after that, you will appreciate the low cost of running it.
Noteworthy, the installation rates for green energy sources have declined drastically. Owing to this, consumers don’t have to worry about external factors that tend to influence energy rates. It’s said that the installation rates of these energy sources keep on reducing regularly. Thus, it will reach a point when green sources of energy will be the least expensive.
Resilience and Reliability
Gas or coal-powered power plants are more prone to mass failure if something in the system goes wrong. But that’s not the case with green sources like wind turbines, hydroelectric generators, or tidal energy. In these powerplants, the failure of one system doesn’t affect others. As such, when a calamity strikes, most people will remain connected to power sources.
A great example is wind turbines. Small units over a large area are interconnected to supply energy as one. However, when there’s a failure, it will only apply to one unit. The rest of the units will be functional. This is also known as a modular system.
For starters, Fontana ranks second among the cities in San Bernadino. And in California, it’s number 19 in terms of size. This place dates to 1913. During the early days, it was an agriculture center however, it grew into an industrial town by 1942. And ever since, this place has morphed into a modern city.
Now it has a thriving community and economy. Not to mention, it has tons of activities for visitors to explore. But due to its growth into a modern business center, more and more industries are getting established. While this is good for the economy, it’s bad for the environment and people residing there.
Due to that, this city has been embarking on green projects. And the residents have been at the forefront of supporting this initiative. Just recently, there was a court battle between the residents and new warehouses getting established around neighborhoods.
With the construction of warehouses all over the city including near residential houses, pollution is bound to increase. Due to the high rate of trucks traveling into and out of the city, toxic fumes get discharged into the atmosphere. Besides harming the environment, the residents also must deal with noise and air pollution.
However, shifting to green energy sources seems like a long-lasting solution. For residents, this means less pollution in the air and more protection for the environment. For companies, this is an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint. And this shouldn’t apply in the production phase only but also in the transportation. Companies need to upgrade to electric trucks and cars.
Residents on the other hand can lead at the forefront of this campaign by installing green sources of energy. Solar panels for example are easy to install. If that’s not an option, people can connect to green power grids.
So far, it seems like green energy is the future that the world is heading towards. That’s because it offers clean energy that’s harmless to the people and the environment. Besides, promoting a healthy environment, green energy is also generating new employment opportunities. And with the constant development, it will soon become an economically viable solution.
Lastly, fossil fuels need to remain in the past as we embrace a greener future. They are not sustainable, and they generate toxic pollutants that affect the environment, people, and animals. With more than one green energy source, creating a sustainable future is not a far-fetched idea.
When seeking to go green, choose solar panels.