10 Places Where You Can Find Green Power
What Is Green Power?
Green power is electricity that comes by renewable sources like geothermal, solar and wind biomass, energy, and hydroelectricity with low environmental impact. Customers in markets that are deregulated can add a small premium to utility bills to support green energy sources.
Many renewable energy sources are less harmful to the environment than drilling for coal or oil. They also reduce our greenhouse gas emission.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is a popular green energy source. Solar energy is a renewable source because it is never depleted. It is a clean, efficient and safe energy source that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution caused by conventional fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas and oil. This energy source is also a good alternative to nuclear power, which requires mining and extraction of uranium as well as long-term radioactive waste storage.
The sun's energy can be utilized to create electricity in a variety of ways that include photovoltaic (PV) panels and concentrated solar-thermal power (CSP), and solar thermal collectors. Solar energy can be channeled directly into homes and businesses, or it can be transferred to grids that distribute power to other customers. Some consumers can sell excess energy to the utility company. This could help lower the cost of electricity and offset rising utility costs.
All types of solar energy create no air emissions or pollutants, unlike fossil fuels that generate carbon dioxide and other harmful gases during their combustion. Solar energy can be used to power satellites boats, spacecrafts and other devices in areas where accessing the grid is a challenge or even impossible.
Solar power can be used in smaller buildings. Many homeowners put PV solar panels on their roofs to produce electricity and passive solar homes design allows these houses to welcome in the sun's rays during the day to provide warmth and then retain it in the evening. Solar-powered homes also benefit from the requirement for minimal maintenance.
Hydropower is a different type of solar energy that makes use of the natural flow in streams, rivers and dams. Hydropower, like wind and biomass is a renewable resource since it can be replenished. Take a look at the EPA's list of third party certified hydropower options if would like to incorporate it into your home or office.
Geothermal Energy
A geothermal plant uses heat from the Earth to produce electricity. The process utilizes hot water and steam that naturally occurs a few kilometers below the Earth's surface. It is a remarkably sustainable and renewable energy source that generates electricity 24 hours a day all year round. Geothermal power could reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. It is also one of the most environmentally friendly forms of energy production.
The most common type of geothermal power plant is a flash-steam power station. This makes use of water heated to 182degree C or 360deg F to generate electricity and power turbines. The steam can also be used to heat buildings, or other industrial processes. Iceland, for example, uses geothermal energy to melt snow and heat its sidewalks, streets and parking spaces during the cold Arctic winter.
A hot dry rock power plant is an additional geothermal source of energy. It taps underground reservoirs that are comprised of hot, dry rock that is heated by either man-made or natural activities. HDR plants are easier to build and operate because they require less infrastructure. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that there is enough HDR resources in the United States to meet all of our current electricity needs.
Geothermal power stations that produce steam can be used as a source of electricity through a steam turbine generator or a gas fired turbine to improve efficiency. The resulting mixture can then be converted to natural gas, which is burned in a conventional boiler to generate electricity.
Geothermal energy is not just safe and reliable, but also has the smallest carbon footprint among all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants, which use an engine to convert steam into electricity, produce minimal or no methane, nitrous oxide or sulfur dioxide.
However, despite its benefits geothermal energy has its challenges. The drilling required to construct geothermal power stations can cause earthquakes and could cause groundwater pollution. Injection of high-pressure streams in geothermal reservoirs could cause subsidence. This is a slow sinking that could damage roads, structures pipelines, and other structures.
Biogas
Biogas is a renewable gaseous energy source that can be utilized to produce green power. It is made from agricultural wastes, manure, plants wastewater municipal garbage, food wastes and other organic wastes. Biogas can be used to create electricity, heat, and also power and heat and can also be transformed into transport fuels using the Fischer-Tropsch process. Biogas can also be used to make renewable hydrogen which is used in fuel cells. green power scooter reviews are expected to play a significant role in the future energy systems in the world.
The most common way to make biogas more valuable is by generating electricity in the combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant. The heat generated by the CHP process is used to support the process of fermentation of organic waste and the electricity generated is fed to the grid. Alternatively, it can be compressed into natural gas, and then incorporated into the existing distribution networks for natural gas. Biogas can be utilized to replace imported mined gas in commercial and residential buildings, ground transportation and other areas.
Biogas is renewable energy source that can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The CCAC provides tools to measure reporting and verifying (MRV) healthy cooking practices in households in low to middle-income countries. This will help the 67 countries who have included clean-cooking targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions.
Utilizing biogas as an alternative to conventional natural gas for cooling and heating, and to replace fossil fuels for the production of electricity carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced. Biogas can be used in the production of liquid transport fuels as a sustainable alternative to coal, oil, and other fossil fuels.
Capturing and recovering methane from animal manure and food waste prevents the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and also preventing nitrogen runoff that could otherwise end up contaminating water resources. The Plessis-Gassot non-hazardous waste landfill in Claye-Souilly, France, for example is a biogas capture facility that transforms it into a renewable source of energy for households connected to the system. In addition small-scale biogas plants could be constructed in cities to permit the collection and use of organic waste that is generated locally which will reduce greenhouse gases associated with the transportation and treatment of these materials.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower makes use of the energy generated by the kinetic energy of water to generate electricity. It is the most popular and cheapest source of renewable energy around the globe. It does not emit direct greenhouse gases but it does have significant environmental impact. It is a flexible form of green power that can be easily adjusted to meet the changing needs of demand and supply. It has a lifespan of over a hundred years and can be upgraded to improve efficiency and performance.
The majority of traditional hydropower plants harness the power of the falling water by using dams. The energy generated by the water is converted into electricity through the turbines which spin at a rate proportional to the speed of the water. This electricity is then sent to the grid for use.
While constructing an hydroelectric power plant requires a massive investment in reservoirs, dams and pipes, the operating costs are quite low. Furthermore, these plants can be used as backups for other intermittent renewable power sources like wind and solar.
Hydroelectric plants can be divided into two kinds that are storage and run-of-river. Storage plants are characterized by large impoundments, which can hold more than one season's worth of water. Run-of-river plants use the water of streams and rivers that flow freely. Hydropower plants are usually located near or in areas of high population density in areas where demand for electricity is high.
The environmental impact of hydropower is dependent on the size and location of the project, the amount of water dispersed, as well as the habitats and wildlife that are affected by decomposition and flooding. These impacts can be reduced and reduced through the use of Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of hydropower projects. The standards contain measures to control the flow of rivers, water quality protection and fish passage, as well as aquatic ecosystems protection endangered and threatened species recreation and cultural resources.
In addition, to generate renewable energy and power, some hydropower plants function as the world's biggest "batteries." These are known as storage facilities pumped by the government and work by pumping water uphill from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir. When there is a demand for electricity the water in the lower reservoir is released to power generators, while the water in the upper reservoir is then pumped back downhill via an engine to produce more electricity.