With non-renewable energy sources almost draining up due to the high demand for energy, humans find new ways and solutions in order to save their own. And in the past few years, renewable energy solutions are growing rapidly and becomes increasingly common sight.
Not only because these are more affordable and practical sources, but they also help Mother Earth to heal by reducing harmful pollutions and emissions. Plus, they actually work and provides reliable energy solutions to most homes and businesses.
Here are 5 renewable energy solutions that are reliable and actually works:
1. Solar Power
One of the most common and popular renewable energy of today is solar power. Solar energy takes the energy from the sun, using solar panels which will then be converted into electricity to power businesses and homes. Solar energy with the best solar geysers can also produce hot water as well as charge battery systems.
Solar power can benefit both the environment and your wallet. With the cost of solar panels constantly dropping, installing a solar panel on your home can help save you money over the lifetime of the installation. Moreover, producing solar energy does not release fossil fuels or pollute the planet, meaning you can significantly reduce the negative environmental impact of solar panel systems.
2. Wind Energy
Another type of renewable energy source that really works is wind power. Massive wind turbines capture wind power and generate electricity as they spin.
Although wind energy is not a practical choice for homes, wind energy is more popular with utility-scale applications. There are massive wind farms which span square miles around the world. And just like solar energy, wind energy is an eco-friendly source and is an important renewable energy source which supplies electricity grids worldwide.
3. Geothermal Energy
Mother Earth has a large energy source within it. When our planet was formed, heat was trapped in its core, together with heat that comes from radioactive decay in rocks beneath the Earth’s crust which results in a huge amount of geothermal energy. There is a time when this heat escapes at once in large amounts, which we see as volcanic eruptions.
Geothermal energy can be captured by using steam from heated water in order to spin a turbine. In a geothermal spring system, the water is pumped from below the ground and once it is heated, it will rise back to the surface as a steam and will spin a turbine in order to produce electricity.
Although it is still a small part of renewable energy solutions, geothermal power makes a promising and reliable renewable energy source. For instance, geothermal energy is already responsible for 25% of electricity needs and 90% of home heating needs in Iceland.
Geothermal energy is also pollution-free, however, issues and debates regarding the cost of constructing a power plant as well as its relation to earthquakes and surface instability are still ongoing.
4. Hydroelectricity
Just like moving air, we can also generate power with moving water. Energy can be generated when moving water runs to a turbine and spins it in order to produce electricity.
This usually happens at waterfalls or large dams, where water drops are in significant elevation.
There are many renewable energy sources that need to make a significant impact yet, however, hydropower already becomes a major player. In 2017, 7.5% of the electricity in the United States comes from large hydroelectric facilities around the country.
Like the other 2 renewable energy sources, hydropower is also a pollution-free source, however, it has an environmental impact since it can change the currents, water levels as well as the migration paths of fishes and freshwater lives.
5. Ocean Power
There are 2 types of energy which can be produced by the ocean: mechanical energy from the motion of waves and tides and thermal energy from the sun’s heat.
Ocean thermal energy can be used to produce electricity with different systems which rely on warm surface water temperatures. Mechanical energy from the ocean, on the other hand, harnesses the flow of tides that is caused by the gravitational influence of the moon and the rotation of the earth. Wind-driven wave energy is also converted and used in order to cut business electricity costs.