5 Renewable Sources Of Energy That Can Produce Electricity
Renewable energy can serve as alternatives to fossil fuels, which are harmful to the environment. Considering the alarming rate at which the planet has been heating, investing more in technologies that use renewable energy can reverse the effects of global warming.
All of us rely on electricity to light our homes, buildings, traffic lights, and to charge our cell phones. Without power, not only would the world go dark, but devastating consequences would result without it. For example, many of the medical technologies that help people stay alive in hospitals would no longer be available.
The problem is that generating electricity means relying on fossil fuels and other combustibles that are “dirty” for power plants. If we are to stay around for much longer, human civilization has to become less reliant on fossil fuels and rely more on renewable sources of energy.
In this article, we will discuss five renewable energy sources that can produce electricity.
- Solar Energy
Solar energy can be used for heating and electricity. Solar thermal systems can create energy to heat water or air. Power plants can also depend on solar energy to run machinery. Photovoltaic Systems work by capturing the sun’s energy and using it to convert into electricity. This is the technology behind solar panels producing electricity for homes and buildings.
- Wind Energy
Like solar technology, wind energy can also be used to produce electricity. Wind technology relies on the wind’s energy to power the blades on a wind turbine. The turbines are connected to generators which create electrical power.
- Biomass Energy
Biomass energy consists of several sources. If you’ve ever done your own composting at home, all the food scraps and other organic matter that you throw into your compost bin would be considered biomass energy.
Biomass energy can also include garbage and other matter you find in your dumpster. Paper, aluminum, plastics, and other materials can be used as fuel to produce electricity.
- Hydropower Energy
Hydropower is produced through with water. Dams, like the Hoover Dam in Nevada, are a form of hydropower. The concept is similar to that of wind energy. However, instead of wind, hydropower relies on water currents to power the turbines. As water flows, the turbines spin which allows them to generate enough energy to produce electricity.
- Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is made from the earth’s interior heat. If you’ve ever seen hot springs or geysers like the one at Yellowstone National Park, these are examples of earth’s geothermal energy in action. Geysers are rare, but they form when the earth’s internal heat causes a gush of water and steam to rise to the surface. There is a tremendous amount of expended energy during this process, which is enough to generate electricity. The earth’s internal temperature doesn’t change very much. Therefore, this heat is always there, providing us with a stable source of energy that does not run out.
- In Conclusion
By taking advantage of these cleaner forms of energy, we can create enough electricity so that we can continue living our lives. In the process, we become less reliant on fuels that destroy the environment and begin to repair some of the damage that has been done.