5 Qualities People Are Looking For In Every Green Power
What Is Green Power?
Green power is electricity generated by renewable sources like geothermal, solar, and wind biomass, energy, and hydroelectricity with low impact. Customers in deregulated markets can add a small premium on utility bills to help promote renewable energy sources that are cleaner.
Many renewable energies are less damaging to the environment than drilling for coal or oil. They also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is one of the most well-known green sources of power. Solar energy is a renewable source because it never runs out. It is a safe and efficient energy source which reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions resulting from fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas. This energy is also a good alternative to nuclear power, which requires the mining and extraction of uranium as well as long-term radioactive waste storage.
Photovoltaic panels, and concentrated solar-thermal energy (CSP) are all methods to harness the power of the sun. Solar power can be delivered directly to homes and businesses or to grids that distribute power to other. Certain consumers can sell their excess energy back to the utility company which can help reduce electricity bills and even offset rising utility prices.
All types of solar energy create zero air emissions or pollutants unlike fossil fuels which produce carbon dioxide and other harmful gases when they burn. Solar energy can be utilized to power satellites, boats, spacecrafts and other devices in areas that are located in areas where access to the grid is a challenge or even impossible.
On smaller scale solar can be used to power buildings. Many homeowners put PV cell panels on their roofs in order to generate electricity, and passive solar home design permits these homes to let in sunlight during the day to provide warmth and then keep the warmth at night. Solar-powered homes also benefit from the fact that they require very minimal maintenance.
mymobilityscooters.uk of solar power is hydropower, which utilizes the natural flow of the water in streams, rivers and dams to generate electricity. Hydropower, just like biomass and wind, is a renewable resource as it can be replenished. Take a look at the EPA's list of third party certified hydropower options if are looking to include it in your office or home.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal plants use the heat of the Earth to produce electricity. The process involves steam and hot water that naturally occur just a few kilometers below the surface of the earth. It is a remarkably sustainable and renewable energy source that generates electricity 24 hours a day all year round. Geothermal power can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It is also among the most eco-friendly sources of energy generation.
The most common geothermal power station is a flash-steam plant. This makes use of water at temperatures of around 182deg C (360deg F) to power turbines and generate electricity. The steam can also be used to heat buildings or other industrial processes. Iceland for instance uses geothermal energy to melt snow and heat its sidewalks, streets, and parking lots in the frigid Arctic winter.
Another geothermal energy source is a hot dry rock (HDR) power plant that taps underground reservoirs of hot dry rock that have been heated by natural or man-made activities. HDR plants are easier to construct and operate as they require less infrastructure. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there are enough HDR resources in the United States for all of our electrical needs currently.
Geothermal power stations that produce steam can be utilized as a source of power through a steam turbine generator or combined with a gas fired turbine to improve efficiency. The mixture can be transformed into natural gas and burned in a boiler to generate electricity.
In addition to being safe and reliable, geothermal energy has the smallest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants that utilize an engine to convert steam into electricity create little or no nitrous dioxide methane, sulphur and oxide.
Geothermal energy has its own problems, despite the benefits. The drilling required to establish geothermal power plants could trigger earthquakes and can pollute groundwater. Injection of high-pressure streams into geothermal reservoirs may also cause subsidence. This is a slow sinking that can damage roads, buildings, and pipelines.
Biogas
Biogas is a natural gaseous energy source that can be utilized to produce green energy. It can be produced from manure, agricultural wastes, plants wastewater municipal garbage, food wastes, and other organic wastes. Biogas can be used to transport fuels, electricity heat, combined heat and energy, or electricity using the Fischer-Tropsch method. Biogas is also a great resource for producing renewable hydrogen for use in fuel cells which are likely to play a major role in the future of energy systems.
The most commonly used method to maximize the value of biogas is creating electricity in the combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant. The heat from the CHP process is used to aid in the fermentation process of organic waste and the electricity generated is fed into the grid. It can be further compressed into natural gases and incorporated into existing natural gas distribution systems. Biogas can be used to replace imported mined gas in commercial and residential constructions, ground transportation and other areas.
Biogas is an energy source that is renewable and can also help reduce greenhouse emissions of greenhouse gases. The CCAC is working to provide tools to measure reporting and verifying (MRV) clean cooking practices in households in low to middle-income countries. This will assist the 67 countries that have included clean-cooking goals in their Nationally Determined Contributions.
Using biogas to replace fossil fuels to generate electricity and as an alternative for traditional natural gas in cooling and heating will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other air pollutant emissions. Biogas can also be used to create liquid transport fuels as a sustainable alternative to oil, coal and other fossil fuels.
By capturing and recovering methane, we can prevent the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere as well as the runoff of nitrogen that would otherwise pollute our water sources. Plessis-Gassot, a non-hazardous landfill located in Claye-Souilly (France) for instance is a biogas capture facility that converts into a sustainable source of energy for households who are connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities can also be installed in cities, allowing the collection and utilization of local organic waste. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transport and treatment.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower is a renewable energy source that uses the kinetic energies of water that flows. It is the most popular and cheapest renewable energy source in the world. It does not emit direct greenhouse gases, but it has significant environmental impacts. It is a flexible type of green energy that can easily be adapted to meet fluctuating demand and supply. Its lifespan is more than 100 years, and it is able to be upgraded to improve efficiency and performance.
Most traditional hydropower plants use dams to harness the energy of falling water. The water's kinetic energy is converted to electricity by a series of turbines, which spin at a speed proportional to the velocity of the water. This electricity is then sent to the grid to be used.
Hydroelectric power plants require a significant investment in reservoirs and pipes. However, operating costs are low. These plants can also be utilized as backups to other intermittent renewable energy technologies like wind and solar.
There are two types of hydroelectric power plants which are run-of-river and storage. Storage plants have huge impoundments that can store more than a season's worth of water. Run-of-river facilities draw streams and rivers that flow freely. Hydropower facilities are typically situated near or in proximity to areas of population, and in areas where there is a significant demand for electricity.
The environmental impact of hydropower is dependent on the size and location, the amount of water dispersed, as well as the wildlife and habitats affected by decomposition and floods. These effects can be minimized and diminished by utilizing Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of a hydropower project. The standards include measures to safeguard river flows, water quality, fish passage and protection and watershed protection, threatened and endangered species, recreation, as well as cultural resources.
In addition to generating renewable energy Hydropower plants also function as the world's largest "batteries." They are known as pumped storage facilities and work by pumping water upwards from a lower pool to a higher reservoir. If there is a requirement for electricity the water in the lower reservoir is released to power generators, while the water in the upper reservoir is pumped back downhill by a turbine to create more electricity.