Are Green Power The Most Effective Thing That Ever Was?

What Is Green Power?

Green power is electricity that comes from renewable sources such as geothermal, solar, and wind energy, biomass and hydroelectricity with a low impact. It is available to consumers in markets that are not regulated and who wish to support cleaner energy sources by paying an additional cost to their utility bill.

Renewable energy sources are generally less damaging to the environment than drilling for oil or mining coal. They also can aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is a popular green power source. Solar energy is a renewable source because it never runs out. It is a clean, efficient and safe energy source that reduces greenhouse gas emissions as well as air pollution from conventional fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil. This energy is a good alternative for nuclear power which requires the mining extraction, storage and transport of radioactive waste.

The sun's radiation can be utilized to generate electricity in many ways such as photovoltaic (PV) panels, concentrated solar-thermal power (CSP), and solar thermal collectors.  green power scooters  can be delivered directly to homes and businesses or to grids which distribute power to other. Some customers even can sell their surplus energy back to the utility company which can help keep electricity bills low and even offset rising utility costs.

Solar energy produces no pollution or emissions to the air unlike fossil fuels that produce harmful carbon dioxide and harmful gases during combustion. Solar energy can also be used to power different types of devices, such as spacecrafts, boats, satellites and other vessels that cannot connect to the electrical grid is either impossible or not practical.

On smaller scales solar power can be utilized to power buildings. Many homeowners use PV cell panels on their roofs to produce electricity and passive solar home design lets these homes let in sunlight during the day for warmth and then keep the warmth at night. Solar-powered homes also have the benefit of needing minimal maintenance.

Another type of solar power is hydropower, which utilizes the natural flow of water in rivers, streams and dams to generate electricity. Like biomass and wind hydropower, hydropower is renewable because it can be replenished. If you are looking to add hydropower to your business or home take a look at the EPA's list for third-party certified options.

Geothermal Energy

A geothermal energy plant harnesses heat from the Earth's interior to generate electricity. The process uses steam and hot water that naturally occur just a few kilometers below the Earth's surface. It is renewable and a sustainable energy source that generates electricity 24 hours a days throughout the year. Geothermal energy can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and is one of the most eco-friendly forms of power generation.

The most well-known type of geothermal power plant is a flash-steam power plant. This uses water heated to 182deg C or 360deg F to power turbines and produce electricity. The steam can also be used to heat buildings or other industrial processes. Iceland for instance uses geothermal energy to melt snow and heat its sidewalks, streets, and parking lots during the frigid Arctic winter.

Another source of energy from geothermal sources is the hot dry rock (HDR) power plant, which taps underground reservoirs of hot dry rock that have been heated by man-made or natural activities. HDR plants are simpler to build and operate because they require less infrastructure. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there are enough HDR sources in the United States for all of our current electrical needs.

The steam generated by geothermal power plants can be used to create electricity using a steam turbine generator, or it could be combined with a gas-fired generator to increase efficiency. The mixture can be converted into natural gas and then burned in a boiler to generate electricity.

In addition to being clean and reliable, geothermal energy is the smallest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants, that use an engine to convert steam into electricity, generate minimal or no methane, nitrous oxide, or sulfur dioxide.

Geothermal energy comes with its own problems, despite the benefits. The drilling required to establish geothermal power stations can cause earthquakes and may pollute groundwater. Injection of high-pressure streams in geothermal reservoirs may also cause subsidence. This is a slow sinking that can damage roads, buildings pipelines, and other structures.

Biogas

Biogas is a gaseous renewable energy source that can be utilized to generate green power. It can be produced from manure, agricultural wastes, plants wastewater, municipal garbage, food wastes and other organic wastes. Biogas can be used to create electricity, heat and combined heat and power, or it can be converted into transport fuels through the Fischer-Tropsch process. Biogas is also a great resource for producing renewable hydrogen for use in fuel cells which are likely to play a major role in the future of energy systems.

The most common way to make biogas more valuable is by producing electricity through a combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The heat generated by the CHP plant is utilized to fuel the fermentation of organic wastes, while the electricity is fed back into the grid. In addition, it can be compressed into natural gas and blended into existing natural gas distribution networks. Biogas can be used to replace imported gas in commercial and residential buildings, ground transportation and other areas.

In addition to providing renewable energy, biogas could also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from cooking conventionally. The CCAC is working to provide instruments to measure, report and confirming (MRV) of the clean cooking practices in communities and households in low- to middle-income countries, to help the 67 countries that have incorporated clean cooking goals in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

By using biogas as an alternative to traditional natural gas for cooling and heating and to substitute fossil fuels in electricity generation carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced. Biogas can also be used to produce liquid transport fuels as a sustainable alternative to coal, oil, and other fossil fuels.

Capturing and recovering methane from food and animal manure waste stops the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and also stopping nitrogen runoff that could otherwise cause water pollution. Plessis-Gassot, a non-hazardous landfill in Claye-Souilly (France), for instance it captures and converts biogas into a renewable source of energy for homes who are connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities can be installed in cities, which allow for the collection and utilization of local organic waste. This can reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from transport and treatment.

Hydroelectric Power

Hydropower harnesses the energy generated by the kinetic energy of water to generate electricity. It is the biggest and cheapest renewable source of power worldwide. It doesn't emit any greenhouse gases, but it does require significant environmental impacts. It is a flexible type of green energy that can be adapted to meet fluctuating demand and supply. Its lifespan is more than 100 years and is able to be upgraded to improve efficiency and performance.

Most traditional hydropower plants use dams to harness the power of falling water. The water's kinetic energy is converted to electricity by a series of turbines, which spin at a speed proportional to the velocity of the water. The electricity is then transferred to the grid of electricity for use.

Hydroelectric power plants require a large investment in reservoirs and pipes. However the operating costs are low. Furthermore, these plants can act as backups to other intermittent renewable power sources like solar and wind.

There are two major types of hydroelectric plants that are run-of-river and storage. Storage plants are distinguished by large impoundments that store more than a season's worth of water, whereas run-of-river facilities are small in size and use water from free-flowing rivers or streams. Hydropower plants are usually situated near or in areas with high population density in areas where demand for electricity is high.

The environmental impact of hydropower is dependent on the size and location of the dam and the amount of water that is displaced, and the wildlife and habitat affected by inundation and decomposition. These impacts can be minimized and mitigated by the use of Low Impact Hydroelectricity (LIHI) standards for construction and operation of hydropower projects. The standards include measures to control water quality, river flows, protection passage of fish, aquatic ecosystems protection endangered and threatened animals, recreation and cultural resources.

In addition to generating renewable energy Hydropower plants also function as the world's biggest "batteries." These are called pumped storage facilities and work by pumping water uphill from a lower pool to a reservoir higher. When electricity is needed the water from the lower reservoir could be used to power generators. The water from the reservoir above can then be pumped downwards through a turbine to generate more electricity.