Any sustainable energy which comes from
natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides, rain, geothermal energy known
as renewable energy.
Some aspects of renewable energy:
·
It exists
perpetually and is abundant.
·
Clean alternative
to fossil fuels.
·
According to the
report, the global final energy consumption comes from renewable about 16% with
approximately 10% coming from traditional biomass (used for heating) and 3.4%
from hydroelectricity.
·
New renewables
(from hydro, modern biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, and bio-fuels) accounted
for another 3% consumption and are growing very rapidly.
·
Globally, the
electrical generation is mainly from hydroelectricity and the rest from new
renewables.
Types of renewable energies:
Hydropower Energy:
It is the power that is derived from the
forces or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes.
It also known as hydraulic power, water power or hydrokinetics.
·
It is a capture
of moving water to generate electric power.
·
To turn the
turbine blades the falling water used.
·
Turbine converts
hydraulic energy into mechanical energy.
·
Alternator
converts mechanical energy to electrical energy.
·
Usually the dam’s
constructer to generate electricity from rivers in the water flow.
Wind Energy:
At least 5,500 years the humans have been
using wind power to propel sailboats and sailing ships. Since the 7th
century AD, in Afghanistan, India, Iran and Pakistan, the windmills have been
used for irrigation pumping and for milling grain.
It is a source used to generate electricity by
converting wind energy into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy is
converted into electricity by the use of an electrical generator located within
each individual wind machines.
·
The blades of a
wind turbine are spins by blowing wind called wind turbine and not a windmill.
·
To pump water,
windmill grinds used.
·
In worldwide,
with a total nameplate capacity of 194,400 MW there are thousands of wind
turbines operating.
·
Between 2000 and
2006, the world wind generation capacity more than quadrupled and doubling
about every three years.
Solar Energy:
The radiant light and heat from the sun is
called solar energy. Since ancient times, it has been harnessed by humans by
using some range technologies. The solar energy technologies include use of
solar energy for
·
Solar heating
·
Solar
photovoltaic
·
Solar thermal
electricity
·
Solar
architecture
We can change the sunlight directly into
electricity by using solar cells called photovoltaic cells.
Geothermal Energy:
Since Paleolithic times, the hot springs have
been used for bathing. The oldest known spa is a stone pool on China’s Lisan
mountain built in the Qin dysentery in the 3rd century BC, at the
same site where the Huaqing Chi palace was later built.
The energy that determines the earth
temperature known as thermal energy. It originates 20% from the formation of
the planet and form 80% radioactive decay of mineral.
Geothermal Gradient, the difference in
temperature between the core of the planet and its surface which drives a
continuous cossssnduction of thermal energy in the form of heat from the core
to the surface. The Geothermal power has ability to mitigate global warming
when use in place of fossil fuels. It is cost effective, sustainable and
environmental friendly method to produce energy, but limited to the areas that
are near tectonic plate boundaries.
Biomass/ biofuel Energy:
Biomass is all plant material, or vegetable,
either raw or processed, wild or cultivated. The biofuel energy is derived from
biological carbon fixation i.e. conversion of biomass, solid biomass, liquid
fuels and different biogases. It uses in industrial process for heat and steam,
electricity power generation, transportation fuels and other products.
“It is time for a sustainable energy policy
which puts consumers, the environment human health, and peace first.” -Dennis Kucinich
About the Author: Aqsa Abid is doing BS in Environmental
sciences from GCWUS. She is a green blogger and climate activist.
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