Planet Earth is facing a troubling time as humans are slowly but surely killing the planet and using all the resources. We need to come to terms as to how we can solve this problem, and how we can start looking at renewable technologies to rely on as a source of energy.
Renewable energy is classified as energy that is collected from natural resources, such as wind, water, tides and sunlight. In this post we take a closer look at the top five types of renewable sources of energy.
1. Biomass
This refers to the organic matter that has stored energy by way of photosynthesis. It is transferred from plants to animals and ends up in manure. Biomass energy can be gathered by way of combustion, and is used for electricity, chemicals and fuel. One of the benefits of biomass is that carbon dioxide is released when it combusts, which is then taken by plants.
2. Wind
Wind is used to generate electricity by making use of the airflow through huge wind turbines that mechanically power generators. This renewable source of energy is plentiful and clean, and does not take up a lot of space on land. It is however very costly, and currently not affordable for home consumption.
3. Solar
Solar power as a source of renewable energy is currently the best option for supplying homes with electricity. It is the conversion of direct sunlight to electricity, and has two conversion methods. It can be sourced directly (photovoltaics) or indirectly (concentrated solar power). The use of solar power holds many benefits, including no pollution.
4. Hydropower
Currently, 10% of the United States’ energy comes from hydroelectric power. Hydropower is generated by capturing flowing water that is converted into energy. A dam is used to store water in a reservoir, where the water released from this reservoir flows through a turbine. The turbine spins and activates a generator. Hydropower is an affordable and renewable source of energy.
5. Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy in essence is energy from earth itself. It is cultivated from the heat of the earth, or otherwise known as molten magma. The heat from hot spots are tapped into and used to generate renewable energy. The upside of using geothermal energy is the fact that is completely renewable, and that it reduces our reliance on fossil fuels.
As you can see we already have a couple of options when it comes to tapping into our replenishable resources for renewable energy. Let’s hope that these sources are used in future to lessen our carbon footprint on our planet.