What is Solar Energy?

There are many benefits to clean energy , and it’s not just about the fact that it is “green”. The industry is expanding and creating jobs. It also makes electricity grids more resilient and expands access to energy for those in the developing world. And it helps lower energy costs. All these factors have played a role in the recent revival of renewable energy, with solar and wind setting records for electricity generation.

In the past 150 years, humanity has relied heavily upon coal, oil and other fossil fuels for powering everything starting from lighting bulbs, automobiles and factories, and from vehicles to automobiles. The greenhouse gases released by fossil fuels from burning them have reached historic levels.

The temperature average of the surface is rising because greenhouse gases trap heat that could otherwise go into space. Global warming is one of the signs of climate change. Scientists now use the term”global warming” to describe the complex changes that affect the weather and climate systems that exist on the planet. Climate change includes rising temperatures extreme weather events, shifting wildlife habitats and populations, rising seas and other impacts.

Like any other source of energy are not without their own set of trade-offs. One of these are the terms used to define renewable electricity. Renewable energy, as it is defined is exactly what you would expect. It’s always available or according to according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration declares, “virtually unlimited.” But, “renewable,” does not necessarily mean sustainable . There are opponents to large Hydropower Dams and corn-based Ethanol. This doesn’t mean other resources with low- or no-emissions that are also backed by advocates, such as energy efficiency and nuclear power.

3 Examples of Renewable Energy sources

Hydropower: People have utilized the power of rivers for long periods of time in order to tap into their energy, and to build dams to regulate water flow. The largest resource in the world for national renewable energy laboratories is hydropower. It is a major source of hydropower which includes China, Brazil and Canada as the leading producers. Although hydropower could theoretically be an alternative source of clean energy that is replenished by snow or rain but there are many drawbacks.

Large dams can create disruptions to river ecosystems and communities. This can result in displacement of residents as well as wildlife. Silt accumulation can cause hydropower generation to be less efficient and damage equipment. Dry conditions can cause issues. According to a 2018 study carbon dioxide emission levels in the Western U.S. were 100 megatons higher than usual over a 15-year period. This was due to utilities turning to coal and gas in order to replace the lost hydropower due to drought. Hydropower even at its highest capacity is not without its emission issues as the decaying organic material in reservoirs emits methane.

Dams are not only the most efficient method to harness water’s power, but so are tide and wave energy. Even though marine energy projects produce less than one percent of renewable energy however, they have the potential to produce 500 megawatts. This has been made possible by programs like that of the Saltire Prize in Scotland.

Wind: Energy from wind turbines has been used as a source of energy for more than 7700 years. Wind turbines, which generate electricity are now popping up throughout the world and include China as well as the U.S. It is believed that the United States and Europe are the leading producers of wind power. Between 2001 and 2017 the world’s total wind power increased 22-fold. It was 23,900 megawatts, but it could generate 539,000 megawatts.

Although some might be unhappy with the way wind turbines appear in the sky or their sounds, wind power is becoming too valuable to ignore, due to its decreasing prices. Although the majority of wind power is generated from onshore turbines most of it is generated by offshore wind farms. Most prominently, they are located situated in U.K. and Germany. In 2016 one of the first U.S. offshore wind farms was opened located in Rhode Island. The other offshore developments are gaining momentum. Wind turbines are a danger to birds and bats. They kill thousands of bats and birds each year, although less than collisions with glass or other dangers like habitat loss or the spread of invasive species. Engineers are seeking ways to make these safe for flying wildlife.

Solar: Solar cells are changing the energy market all over the world and are being used on rooftops in houses to farms on a large scale. The world’s installed photovoltaic panel capacity has increased by 4,300 percent in the period between 2007 and 2017.

In addition to solar panels that convert direct sunlight to electricity Concentrating solar power (CSP) plants also employ mirrors to concentrate solar power plants and extract thermal energy. It is believed that the U.S., Japan and China are the top three countries in solar transformation. However, solar needs a lot to be done. In 2017, it was estimated that the U.S. generated around two percent total electricity. In the world, solar thermal power is utilized for cooling and heating in the sun and hot water.

Solar energy can be used to power your home

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