In today’s world, we find that many countries depend on fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal as their main sources of energy. However, these types of energy are posing challenges as it relates to reducing pollution and global warming. Seeing that fossil fuels will eventually run out or be too expensive to source, we owe it ourselves to find alternative energy sources that are clean and renewable. Bear in mind that renewable energy also comes with its fair share of problems, but they provide more benefits and release fewer pollutants. With that said, let us look at some of those sources.
Solar energy
Sunlight is literally our most powerful source of renewable energy. We use solar energy to do several daily activities such as heating buildings, growing crops and generating energy among others. What makes it ideal is the fact that there is an unlimited supply, it does not produce any pollutants and it is not expensive. The practice of harnessing solar energy goes back for thousands of years, with new ways now being developed to take advantage of this natural energy while still making it affordable. It is said that the sun gives off enough energy in a day to power the earth for 22 years.
Solar panel systems are one of the more popular methods being used to collect, store and convert solar energy. Having a few of these installed can lead to a significant cut in your energy bills, and even though it can be somewhat pricey to set up, it is a worthwhile investment that will pay off in the end.
There is still a lot of untapped potential on the subject of solar energy and the benefits keep increasing. According to research, solar energy will be more affordable than coal by 2022. Other advantages include fewer blackouts, improves grid security and you can even resell some of it; putting more cashback in your pocket.
Water energy
Approximately 70% of the Earth is covered with water, which makes it another ideal source of renewable energy. In addition to not emitting any greenhouse gases or pollutants, water is also used in the process of fossil fuel extraction. In hindsight, one would even say it is pointless to use so many fossil fuels. What also makes water energy so fascinating is that it can be divided into many parts with various functions.
If we should take a look at Hydropower, for instance, it is electrical energy derived from running water. This, in turn, causes turbine blades to spin; converting the mechanical energy into electricity. A typical example of hydropower at work is the Niagra Falls, which happens to power the entire city of New York.
Wind energy
Who knew that the simplest breeze that blows against your face is energy that can be harnessed? Then again, wind in itself is energy and we see it all around when kites linger in the sky or trees begin to “wave”. It is one of the oldest renewable energy sources known to man and said to be the most efficient. Quite similar to the renewable energy sources mentioned earlier, it does not release any pollutants or emits any greenhouses gases. Wind turbines are spread over several acres of land in order to collect wind energy that can be later converted.
There you have it for 3 of the best renewable energy sources. As strides are made in science and technology, the hope is that one day we can totally shift away from fossil fuels and look into more ways to use energy without compromising life as we know it.
Biomass As a Source of Energy
Now, what about Biomass? Biomass is one of the most popular growing sources of fuel and the reason is that it is believed to be friendly to the environment, and is renewable. The biomass is basically derived from either plant, animal or human waste matter, and people are in support of using the fuel because they believe that it emits less carbon dioxide when burnt, and could be the answer to fight against climate change. Depending on the processing facilities, biomass also includes the sludgy substance found in any sewer blockage.
What are the benefits of Biomass?
Ever since the green agreement was signed in Paris on 2015, countries around the world, who were a part of the agreement are on full efforts to introduce alternative methods to obtain energy and reduce the consumption of traditional sources.
A report from 2016, by the World Energy Resources, has estimated that up to 50 EJ of energy can be obtained as the final figure from Biomass and this is roughly around 14% of the energy use of the world.
One reason why biomass is beneficial and also is popular because it is a versatile source of energy. That is, it can be burnt directly, or burnt after converting into liquid biofuels, or even the gas which is harvested in the landfills and digesters can also be burnt. The energy source of this form is from the sun and that is why it is classified as renewable.
More specifically, the byproducts which are used to prepare biomass to come from wood, and experts still view this as sustainable, because the consumption of wood can also eliminate the trees which are sick or dead in a particular region of the forest. This includes the tree roots found in drains and undesirable land, as well as waste from a sawmill.
