Seven Reasons Why Green Power Is So Important
What Is Green Power?
Green power is electricity generated from renewable sources like geothermal, solar, and wind energy, biomass and hydroelectricity that has a low environmental impact. Customers in deregulated markets can add a small amount on utility bills to help promote renewable energy sources that are cleaner.
Renewable energy sources are typically less harmful to the planet than coal or oil mining. They also can aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is a popular green energy source. Solar energy is a renewable source since it never runs out. It is a clean, efficient and safe energy source that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from conventional fossil fuels, such as natural gas, coal, and oil. This energy source is also a good alternative to nuclear power, which requires the extraction and mining of uranium as well as long-term radioactive waste storage.
Solar thermal collectors, photovoltaic panels, and concentrated solar-thermal energy (CSP) are all ways to harness the power of the sun. Solar electricity can either be distributed directly to businesses and homes or to grids that supply electricity to other. Some customers even have the option of selling their surplus energy back to the utility company, which helps keep electricity bills low and even offset rising utility prices.
All forms of solar energy generate no air emissions or pollutants, unlike fossil fuels that create carbon dioxide and other harmful gases when they burn. Solar energy can be used to power satellites, boats, spacecrafts and other devices in areas where accessing the grid is either difficult or impossible.
Solar power can be used in smaller structures. Many homeowners install PV solar panels on their roofs to generate electricity and passive solar homes design lets these homes let in sunlight during the day to provide warmth, and then store it in the evening. Solar-powered homes also benefit from the fact that they require very little maintenance.
Another form of solar power is hydropower, which makes use of the natural flow of water in rivers, streams and dams to produce electricity. Like wind and biomass hydropower, hydropower is renewable because it can be replenished. If you are planning to incorporate hydropower into your business or home take a look at the EPA's list of third party certified options.
Geothermal Energy
A geothermal energy plant uses heat from the Earth's interior to produce electricity. The process involves steam and hot water that naturally occur just a few kilometers beneath the Earth's surface. It is a renewable and sustainable energy source that generates electricity all day all year round. Geothermal energy can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and is one of the most environmentally friendly forms of energy generation.
The most popular geothermal power plant is the flash-steam plant. This makes use of water at a temperature of about 182deg C (360deg F) to power turbines and generate electricity. Steam can be utilized to heat industrial processes or buildings. greenpower mobility , for instance, is dependent on geothermal power to melt snow, heat its sidewalks, streets and parking areas during the frigid Arctic Winter.
A hot dry rock power plant is another geothermal source of energy. It taps underground reservoirs that are made up of hot, dry rock heated by man-made or natural processes. HDR plants require significantly less infrastructure than geothermal power plants, which makes them less expensive and easier to construct and operate. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there is enough HDR sources in the United States for all of our electrical needs currently.
Geothermal power stations that produce steam can be used as a source of power by using steam turbine generators or in conjunction with gas-fired turbines to boost efficiency. The mixture can be converted into natural gas and then burned in a boiler to generate electricity.
In addition to being safe and reliable, geothermal energy has the lowest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants that employ an engine to convert steam into electricity produce minimal or no nitrous oxide methane, sulphur and oxide.
Geothermal energy comes with its own difficulties, despite its advantages. The drilling needed to build geothermal power plants could trigger earthquakes and may pollute groundwater. Injection of high-pressure streams in geothermal reservoirs could cause subsidence. This is a slow sinking that could damage roads, structures pipelines and buildings.
Biogas
Biogas is an energy source that is renewable and gaseous that can generate green energy. It is produced from agricultural waste, manure, plant material and sewage, municipal waste, food waste and other organic waste materials. Biogas can be used to transport fuels, electricity, heat and energy, combined heat and energy, or electricity, using the Fischer-Tropsch method. Biogas can also be used to produce renewable hydrogen which is used in fuel cells. Fuel cells are predicted to play an important role in the future energy systems in the world.
The most common way to valorize biogas is by generating electricity in a combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant. The heat generated by the CHP process is used to aid in the fermentation of the organic waste and the electricity is then fed into the grid. Biogas can also be converted into natural gas and blended into existing natural gas distribution systems. Biogas can be used as a replacement for imported mined natural gas in ground transportation, commercial and residential constructions.
Biogas is a renewable energy source that can also help reduce greenhouse emissions of greenhouse gases. The CCAC is working to develop instruments for measuring, reporting and confirming (MRV) of the clean cooking practices within communities and households in low-to-middle income countries to assist the 67 countries that have included clean cooking as a goal in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Biogas can be used as an alternative to traditional natural gas for cooling and heating and to substitute fossil fuels used in the production of electricity carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced. Biogas is also a sustainable alternative to coal, oil and other fossil fuels in the production of liquid transport fuels.
Capturing and recovering methane from food and animal manure waste helps to prevent the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, while also preventing nitrogen runoff that would otherwise end up contaminating water resources. The Plessis-Gassot landfill for non-hazardous waste in Claye-Souilly, France, for example is a biogas capture facility that transforms it into a sustainable source of energy for households connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities may also be set up in cities, allowing the collection and utilization of local organic waste. This will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are associated with transportation and treatment.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower is a renewable source of energy that makes use of the kinetic energy of water that flows. It is the most powerful and cheapest renewable source of power worldwide. It releases no direct greenhouse gases but has significant environmental impact. It is a flexible type of green energy that is able to be adapted to meet fluctuating demand and supply. It is able to last a life of over a hundred years and is able to be upgraded for improved efficiency and performance.
Most traditional hydropower plants use dams to harness the energy of falling water. The energy generated by the water is converted into electricity by a series of turbines, that spin at a speed proportional to the velocity of the water. The electricity is then transferred to the electric grid for use.
Hydroelectric power plants require a large investment in reservoirs and pipes. However, operating costs are low. These plant types can be used as backups for other intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
Hydroelectric plants can be divided into two kinds: storage and run of river. Storage plants are distinguished by large impoundments that store more than a year's worth of water, whereas run-of-river facilities have a small impoundment and draw water from flowing rivers or streams. Hydropower facilities are often located in or near concentrations of population, where there is a significant demand for electricity.
The environmental impact of hydropower is dependent on the size and area of the project, as well as the amount of water that is dispersed, as well as the habitats and wildlife affected by decomposition and floods. These impacts can be reduced and reduced by using Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of a hydropower projects. The standards provide measures to protect the river's flow as well as water quality, fish passage and protection, aquatic ecosystems, watershed protection, endangered and threatened species, recreation and cultural resources.
Certain hydropower plants are the world's largest "batteries" because they generate renewable energy by pumping water from a lower pool uphill to a larger reservoir. If electricity is required, the water from the lower reservoir can be used to power generators. The water from the reservoir above is then pumped downhill via a turbine in order to generate more electricity.