When you think about renewable energy you may have pictures of windmills and solar panels in your mind. While these are certainly important and useful sources of energy, you do not need to own one of each to benefit from renewable energy. In fact, if you produce your own electricity at home you can use many different types of renewable energy. As well as using wind and solar power generators you can build a solar hot water system or use geothermal heat.
Renewable energy, also known as clean energy, normally comes from either natural processes or completely renewable resources. For instance, wind or sun keep on shining and flowing, even when their availability depends upon weather and time. This is because of the current limitations on our earth’s fossil fuels. As more oil, gas, and coal is used up they are depleted and so there is less of them available for us to use. The result is that more of the Earth’s heat and light is put into the process of heating our homes and sending electricity to our electric companies.
If you install a system that uses solar energy you will get some of this heat and light, but not all of it. Solar power does not work well where it is overcast with moisture because the photovoltaic cells cannot trap the light. Snow, rain and fog also reduce the effectiveness of solar energy. On the other hand, fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and coal based fuels like wood, provide us with an abundance of readily available energy. Unfortunately, these fossil fuels are being depleted at an increasing rate due to increasing population, the ever-increasing demand for coal and the continuing pollution of our air by carbon dioxide fumes.
In addition to heating our homes and supplying electricity, solar energy can be used to create heating in rural areas and to provide hot water. It is also sometimes used to generate small amounts of electricity for purposes such as powering remote control appliances. These days many homes are also taking renewable energy sources such as wind energy to provide additional electricity. As the technology becomes better developed residential and commercial buildings are using this form of alternative energy to replace traditional forms of electricity and heat. Many homeowners and businesses are switching to using these types of renewable energy to take advantage of lower energy costs.
One of the best kinds of renewable energy is the solar energy. The sun shines through the transparent panels that line the roof of the home or building. The sunlight is captured by the panels and converted into electricity. The electricity that is generated is then sent to the home or business and is generally enough to meet the needs of the home or business. The technology to capture, convert and store the sunlight is becoming more advanced every day.
A second type of renewable energy is wind energy. Much like solar energy, wind energy is created by using the wind as a means of creating energy. Wind is used to turn the blades of the turbine, which is connected to the power plant. As the wind turns the blades and the generator it generates energy. This energy can be used to power home appliances and other uses.
Another option for a clean energy source is geothermal energy. This method is similar to using a heat pump. The temperature of the earth is measured using sensors to determine how much heat is in the air and then the heat pump converts this heat into cold water or air.
The other options for harnessing renewable energy sources are to use photovoltaic cells or to build your own wind turbines. There are many people who have taken up these new hobbies because they know that they are good for the environment. They do not pollute the air like most people do and they do not contribute to the depletion of the earth’s ozone layer. They can also be interesting ways to make money if you are into building things and are interested in building solar panels and wind turbines.