20 Things Only The Most Devoted Green Power Fans Understand
What Is Green Power? Green power is electricity generated from renewable sources like solar, wind and geothermal biomass, energy and hydroelectricity with a low impact. It is available to consumers in deregulated markets who want to support cleaner energy sources by paying a small premium to their utility bills. Renewable energies are often less harmful to the earth than oil drilling or coal mining. They can also aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar Energy Solar energy is one of the most popular green power sources. Solar energy is considered to be a renewable resource because it will never run out. It is an efficient, clean and safe energy source that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution of the air from fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil. This energy source is an excellent alternative to nuclear power, which requires extraction and mining of uranium and long-term storage of radioactive waste. The sun's radiation can be used to generate electricity in a variety ways, including photovoltaic (PV) panels as well as concentrated solar-thermal power (CSP) and solar thermal collectors. Solar electricity can be directly channeled into homes and businesses or it could be delivered to grids that supply power to other customers. Some customers can sell their surplus energy to a utility company. This can help reduce electricity bills and offset rising utility costs. Solar energy doesn't produce air pollutants or emissions unlike fossil fuels that produce harmful gases and carbon dioxide during combustion. Solar energy can be used to power satellites boats, spacecrafts, and other devices that are located in areas where access to the grid is either difficult or impossible. Solar power can be utilized in smaller buildings. Many homeowners put PV cell panels on their roofs in order to generate electricity and passive solar homes design permits these homes to take in sun's rays in the daytime for warmth, and then store the warmth at night. Solar-powered homes also benefit from the fact that they require little maintenance. Another form of solar power is hydropower, which makes use of the natural flow of the water in streams, rivers and dams to produce electricity. Like biomass and wind, hydropower is considered a renewable resource because it can be replenished. If you are seeking to add hydropower to your business or home take a look at the EPA's list of third party certified options. Geothermal Energy A geothermal energy plant harnesses heat from the Earth's interior in order to produce electricity. The process uses hot water and steam which naturally occur a few kilometers below the surface of the earth. It is an environmentally sustainable and renewable energy source that produces electricity 24 hours a day all year round. Geothermal power could reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. It is also one of the most eco-friendly methods of energy generation. The most commonly used geothermal power station is a flash-steam plant. It uses water at a temperature of about 182deg C (360deg F) to generate electricity and power turbines. Steam can be utilized to heat industrial processes and buildings. Iceland, for instance, relies on the geothermal power to melt snow and heat its streets, sidewalks and parking lots in the frigid Arctic Winter. Another source of geothermal energy is the hot dry rock (HDR) power plant that taps underground reservoirs of hot dry rock that are heated by either natural or human-made activities. HDR plants require significantly less infrastructure than geothermal power plants, which makes them less expensive and easier to construct and operate. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that there is enough HDR resources in the United States to meet all of our current electricity needs. Geothermal power stations that produce steam can be used as a source of power via a steam turbine generator or gas-fired turbines to boost efficiency. The resultant mixture can be converted to natural gas, which can be burned in a conventional boiler to generate electricity. Geothermal energy isn't just reliable and clean, but it also has the smallest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants, which utilize an engine to convert steam into electricity, generate little-to-no nitrous oxide, methane, or sulfur dioxide. Geothermal energy has its own challenges, despite the advantages. The drilling required to establish geothermal power plants could trigger earthquakes and can pollute groundwater. Injection of high-pressure streams in geothermal reservoirs could cause subsidence. This is a gradual sinking that could damage roads, structures, and pipelines. Biogas Biogas is a natural gaseous energy source that can be utilized to generate green power. It is produced from manure, agricultural waste plant material such as municipal waste, sewage, food waste and other organic waste materials. electric wheel scooter can be converted into transport fuels, electricity heat and energy, combined heat and energy, or electricity using the Fischer-Tropsch method. Biogas is also a valuable resource for generating renewable hydrogen for use in fuel cells, which are expected to play an important role in the future of energy systems. The most commonly used method to maximize the value of biogas is generating electricity in the combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant. The heat produced by the CHP process is used to support the fermentation of the organic waste and the electricity is fed into the grid. Biogas can be further compressed into natural gas and blended into existing natural gas distribution systems. Biogas can be used to replace imported mined gas in commercial and residential structures, ground transportation, and other areas. Biogas is an energy source that is renewable and can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The CCAC is working to develop instruments for measuring, reporting and confirming (MRV) of clean cooking within communities and households in low- to middle-income countries in order to assist the 67 countries that have incorporated clean cooking as a goal in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Utilizing biogas as an alternative to traditional natural gas for cooling and heating, and to replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced. Biogas is also a viable substitute for oil, coal and other fossil fuels in the production of liquid transportation fuels. Capturing and recovering methane from food and animal manure waste helps to prevent the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, as well as stopping nitrogen runoff that could otherwise end up contaminating water resources. Plessis-Gassot, a non-hazardous landfill located in Claye-Souilly (France) for example it captures and converts biogas into a renewable source of energy for homes who are connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities can also be constructed in cities, allowing the collection and utilization of organic waste locally. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from transportation and treatment. Hydroelectric Power Hydropower uses the energy generated by the kinetic energy of water to generate electricity. It is the largest and cheapest renewable energy source in the world. It doesn't produce direct greenhouse gases however it has significant environmental effects. It is a highly flexible form of green power that is able to be adjusted to meet changing demand and supply. It has a service life of over a hundred years and can be upgraded for better efficiency and performance. The majority of traditional hydropower plants utilize dams to harness the power of falling water. The energy generated by the water is converted to electricity by a series of turbines, which spin at a speed proportional to the speed of the water. This electricity is then transmitted to the electric grid to be used. Although constructing an hydroelectric power plant requires huge investments in dams, reservoirs and pipes, the operating costs are low. These plant types can be used as backups to other intermittent renewable energy technologies like wind and solar. Hydroelectric power plants can be classified into two kinds which are storage and run of river. Storage plants are characterized by huge impoundments that hold more than a season's worth of water, while run-of-river facilities are small in size and draw water from flowing streams or rivers. Hydropower plants are typically situated near or in areas of high population density in areas where demand for electricity is high. The environmental impact of hydropower is dependent on the size and location of a dam as well as the amount of water displaced, and the wildlife habitats and habitats affected by inundation and decomposition. These effects can be minimized and diminished by utilizing Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of the hydropower projects. The standards contain measures to control river flows, water quality protection and fish passage, as well as protection of aquatic ecosystems endangered and threatened animals, recreation and cultural resources. In addition to generating renewable energy Hydropower plants also function as the world's largest “batteries.” These are called pumped storage facilities and work by pumping water uphill from a lower pool to a larger reservoir. When electricity is required then the water from the lower reservoir can be used to power generators. The water from the reservoir above can then be pumped downwards by a turbine to generate more electricity.