Research & development in green energy has blossomed over the last three decades, producing hundreds of innovative new technologies that have the potential to lessen our reliance on coal, oil, & natural gas.
Energy is not all created equal. As everyday energy consumers, we should all be aware of where our energy comes from and how it affects the environment. Thankfully, we cannot only determine our energy source but, in many situations, choose that origin. Greater sustainability in our power system can be achieved with the use of green energy.
But what exactly is green energy, and why is it preferable to fossil fuels? The definition of green energy will come first, after which we’ll examine its advantages and much more.
Green energy, often known as green power, is just one small subset of the services and goods offered by the U.S. energy industry. Although many people equate this with renewable energy, there is a major difference. Natural resources like sunshine, wind, rainfall, tides, plants, algae, and geothermal heat produce green energy. These energy sources can be renewed naturally because they are renewable. Fossil fuels, in contrast, require billions of years to create and will continue to deplete as they are used.
What distinguishes green energy from renewable energy?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asserts that green energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, low-impact hydroelectric, and some qualifying biomass sources offer a variety of environmental advantages. By purchasing green energy, you support a range of renewable energy projects and the funding of the technology that makes their expansion possible.
How Do Products for Green Energy Function?
No matter what product you choose, it’s critical to realize that the energy you use combines green, renewable, and conventional energy. This is because they are all mixed when energy sources join the power transmission grid. From here, power is transported to residences and businesses via the few regional networks that cover Canada and the US.
Therefore, when you purchase green energy, you are not getting green electricity for your home; you are paying a little premium to help defray the expense of adding more renewable energy to the grid. The best approach to measurably reduce the carbon footprint connected with your energy use is to use solar panels, which are ideal for individuals who want to go green at home but lack the space or resources for a solar panel array. Additionally, it increases access to green energy for more households and companies and is the most cost-effective option to promote large-scale renewable energy investment.
So what is the purpose of the Green Energy Premium?
You will pay a very little extra to purchase green energy goods with a green energy provider like Just Energy; in most areas, this is comparable to a weekly coffee or movie ticket. This expense helps fund green energy initiatives, like the construction and upkeep of solar fields so that we may work toward a cleaner, greener future. Less of the energy we need will be produced using conventional techniques, which are unsustainable, aggravate global warming and air pollution, and are harmful to the environment, as this movement obtains greater support and funding.
Green energy categories:
Solar energy
A clean source of energy that comes from the sun is solar energy. The most popular way to gather solar energy is via solar panels. These are panels filled with objects referred to as photovoltaic cells. Through the photoelectric effect, these cells generate an electrical current when solar light strikes them. The electricity is then passed via an inverter to change it from direct current to alternating current. You can use it here to power your home or incorporate it into the overall grid.
Like biogas, biomass is a renewable energy source from plants and animals. Solar energy is stored by plants and animals, often in sugar or cellulose. When converting biomass into useful energy, a sizable amount of this material is converted into biogas and liquid biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Burning other solid materials, such as wood, can heat structures and make points. According to the EPA, biomass fuels accounted for approximately 5% of US energy consumed in 2017.
Geothermal Power
This form of green energy is produced by thermal energy stored beneath the earth’s crust. This resource is enormous once consumed, even though it requires drilling to obtain, raising questions about its environmental consequences. Hot springs have been heated for thousands of years for bathing purposes. Geothermal energy can also generate steam to run turbines and generate electricity. The energy alone in the US could provide ten times more electricity than coal does at the moment. While certain nations, like Iceland, have readily accessible geothermal resources, the ease of exploitation of these resources depends on location, and for drilling to be genuinely “green,” strict control is necessary.
Wind Power
The sun also provides energy from the wind. This is so because the wind results from the atmosphere’s uneven heating. The shape of our planet, its spin, and how we circulate the sun all impact this unevenness. The surface that winds travel over—land or water—modifies them further. The most typical wind energy generators have three blades. These operate on a far more straightforward principle than solar energy. Wind drives the turbine’s blades, which causes an internal rotor. This rotor then moves the primary shaft, spinning a generator to produce electricity.
Despite the wind’s apparent strength, substantial wind farms are needed to produce enough electricity to have an impact.
Biogas
If there is such a thing as beauty in biogas, it is that it is a green energy source that utilizes our waste products. Sewage, food, agricultural waste, and manure are some materials that are converted into biogas due to the decomposition of organic matter. Due to the lack of oxygen in the containers where these materials are stored, they ferment and emit several gases, including carbon dioxide and methane. The methane produced can then be sold and used to heat homes, produce electricity, and fuel cars. A biogas digester also produces fertilizer from nutrient-rich waste and is suitable for domestic use.
Principal Advantages of Green Energy
A few benefits of investing in green energy include reducing carbon emissions, stopping additional environmental damage, and creating jobs. And you contribute to bringing that future closer by purchasing green energy.
Each day, the sun provides the earth with more energy to power the entire planet, but there is a drawback. Because our existing technology must be more efficient to convert a substantial amount of it into electricity, many individuals believe using other conventional sources is more cost-effective. To be more environmentally friendly, financing for solar, wind and other renewable energy projects must be increased. Additionally, technology must be developed to better utilize these resources and make them more broadly and affordably available.
The Importance of Green Energy
In the past, we have relied on resources like coal, oil, and even kerosene to give us the energy we require. These fuels, however, don’t regenerate and release pollution into the air and environment. As a result, these resources will eventually exhaust themselves, raising concerns regarding shortages and availability. The harm they cause to the ecosystem, though, is worse.
The burning of these conventional energy sources contributes to global warming. Coal and oil release harmful gases into the environment, which affect overall health, lead to respiratory problems and shorten life spans. Simply taking out coal and oil can have disastrous effects on local economies, landscapes, and ways of life.
Green energy is a cheap alternative to meet the energy needs of many regions of the world. As costs decrease, the availability of green energy, particularly in underdeveloped countries, will only improve. The sooner we switch to renewable energy sources, the better, as it will help us alleviate and avoid at least some of these problems.