If you’re looking for an exciting and promising career in renewable energy, you need to understand what types of renewable energy there are. Renewable energy refers to any source of energy that can be renewed over again, such as the sun, wind, waves and water. In this article we’ll start learning about some of the most popular types of renewable energy.
One of the biggest advantages of renewable energy is its permanence. While finite fossil fuels get shorter in supply every year, renewable energies such as wind and water are virtually inexhaustible. The earth’s bounty can potentially run our entire civilization for countless years, assuming that we use nothing else. Most of the world’s populace lives in areas where the sun shines every day, providing them with an abundant source of clean energy.
Another one of the main types of renewable energy generation is hydro power. Hydro power doesn’t just mean creating water; it also means generating electricity from it. As hydro energy is water that has been pumped up or flowing into a reservoir or aquifer, it is considered a form of “free energy”. There are two primary ways to generate hydro power: by using a turbine, or by using a dam. Tidal energy, the flow of water from a lake or ocean into a sea or ocean, is also a form of hydro power. Although many environmentalists oppose dams, hydropower is now being used to create electricity for urban areas and to supply power to rural areas, which have become increasingly dependent upon hydro energy.
One of the least discussed forms of renewable energy sources is geothermal energy. Geothermal plants take advantage of the natural heat flow within the earth, but do not harness the heat from its surface. The geothermal plant extracts heat from below the earth’s surface by using pipes or deep wells. The heat is then transferred through electrical devices to create electricity. There are many advantages to using geothermal energy; it is clean energy, friendly to the environment, and potentially can be used to help reduce climate change.
Coal is another one of the primary types of renewable energy. Coal mining methods can be destructive to the environment, so most countries have banned the use of this fuel in their countries. However, there is a huge amount of natural gas in coal, which is much cleaner than coal, which makes it a great replacement for most countries’ use of fossil fuels. Some researchers believe that a transition to a more environmentally sound alternative like natural gas could be more beneficial to the environment than any other option, even going as far as to say that natural gas would be better for the climate than coal.
Solar energy, also known as solar power, is the use of the heat of the sun to create electricity. Photovoltaic cells on solar panels capture sunlight and convert it into electricity using photovoltaic cells. It is an excellent choice for those who want to go completely off the grid, or those who are concerned about both reducing their carbon footprint and increasing their security of electricity. Although many governments have incentives for installing solar energy systems, the cost of these products can often make them out of reach for many homeowners; it is also important to remember that it takes many thousands of solar cells to make enough electricity to supply a household.
One final type of renewable energy sources is wind power. Unlike solar power generators, wind turbines use a different technology to capture the wind and therefore require slightly more space for installation. Wind turbines can generate electricity for your home; they do not however, replace any fuels in the home, like coal or natural gas. It is important to note though, that even if you install wind turbine generators, they will still need to be plugged in to get electricity in the future.
One final option for those interested in a renewable source of energy is biomass fuels. Biomass fuels are much cleaner than coal and they do not emit greenhouse gases or other pollutants as coal does. Burning biomass like wood produces no smoke, so it is a clean burning fuel source. There are many applications for biomass fuels from fuel for wood stoves to power generators. As you can see, there are numerous options when it comes to renewable electricity sources that can power your home and increase your security.