What Is Green Power?
Green power is electricity that comes from renewable sources like solar, wind and geothermal biomass, energy and hydroelectricity that has a low environmental impact. It is available to consumers in deregulated markets who want to promote cleaner energy sources by adding a small premium to their utility bills.
Renewable energy sources are generally less harmful to the environment than coal or oil mining. They also help reduce our greenhouse gas emission.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is one of the most well-known green power sources. Solar energy is a renewable resource because it never runs out. It is a safe and efficient energy source which reduces air pollution as well as greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, such as oil, coal natural gas, and coal. This energy source is a great alternative to nuclear power, which requires mining extraction, storage and transport of radioactive waste.
The sun's radiation can be utilized to generate electricity in a variety of ways that include photovoltaic (PV) panels as well as concentrated solar-thermal power (CSP), and solar thermal collectors. Solar electricity can be channeled directly into homes and businesses or it could be transferred to grids that distribute electricity to other customers. Some consumers can sell excess energy to the utility company. This could help reduce electricity bills and offset the rising cost of utilities.
Solar energy doesn't produce emissions or air pollutants, unlike fossil fuels which emit harmful carbon dioxide and harmful gases during combustion. Solar energy can also be used to power different types of devices, like spacecrafts, satellites, and boats in areas where accessing the electricity grid is impractical or impossible.
Solar power can be used in smaller structures. Many homeowners use PV solar panels on their roofs to generate electricity, and passive solar home design permits these homes to take in sun's rays during the day to provide warmth and then retain it in the evening. Solar-powered homes also have the advantage of needing very little maintenance.
Another type of solar power is hydropower, which uses the natural flow of water in rivers, streams and dams to generate electricity. Hydropower, similar to biomass and wind is a renewable resource since it can be replenished. Look through the EPA's list of third party certified hydropower options if would like to incorporate it into your office or at home.
Geothermal Energy
A geothermal plant utilizes the heat of the Earth to produce electricity. The process utilizes hot water and steam that naturally occurs just a few kilometers below the Earth's surface. It is a remarkably renewable and sustainable energy source that produces electricity all day long, 365 days a year. Geothermal power could reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It is also among the most eco-friendly methods of energy generation.
The most common type of geothermal power plant is a flash-steam power plant. This uses water heated to 182deg C or 360deg F to generate electricity from turbines and power plants. The steam can also be used to heat buildings or other industrial processes. Iceland, for example, relies on geothermal energy to melt snow and heat its streets, sidewalks and parking spaces in the cold Arctic winter.
A hot dry rock power plant is an additional geothermal source of energy. It taps underground reservoirs that are comprised of hot, dry rock that has been heated by either natural processes. HDR plants are less difficult to build and operate because they require less infrastructure. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that there are enough HDR resources in the United States to meet all of our current electricity needs.
Geothermal power stations that produce steam can be used to generate electricity through steam turbine generators or a gas fired turbine to increase efficiency. The mixture can be converted into natural gas, and then burned in a boiler, generating electricity.
more.. is not just reliable and clean, but it also has the smallest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants that use an engine to convert steam into electricity create very little or no nitrous dioxide methane, sulphur, or methane oxide.
Geothermal energy has its own problems, despite the advantages. Drilling required to build geothermal power plants can trigger earthquakes and pollute the groundwater. Injection of high-pressure streams in geothermal reservoirs may also cause subsidence. This is a gradual sinking that could damage roads, buildings pipelines and buildings.
Biogas
Biogas is an energy source that is renewable and gaseous that generates green energy. It is made from agricultural wastes, manure, plants, sewage, municipal garbage, food wastes, and other organic wastes. Biogas can be used to generate electricity, heat, and also power and heat, or it can be converted into transport fuels through the Fischer-Tropsch process. Biogas can also be used to make renewable hydrogen that is used in fuel cells. Fuel cells are expected to play a major role in the future energy systems around the globe.
The most common way to make biogas more valuable is by creating electricity in a combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant. The heat from the CHP process is used to aid in the fermentation process of organic waste, and the electricity is then fed into the grid. In addition, it can be converted into natural gas, and then incorporated into existing distribution networks for natural gas. 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 can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and pollution from conventional cooking. The CCAC is working to provide instruments for measuring, reporting and confirming (MRV) of the clean cooking practices in households and communities in low- to middle-income countries, to help the nations that have included clean cooking goals in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Utilizing biogas to replace fossil fuels for electricity generation and as a substitute for traditional natural gas for cooling and heating will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other air pollutions. Biogas is also a sustainable substitute for coal, oil and other fossil fuels for production of liquid fuels for transport.
By taking methane and reusing it to prevent the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and the runoff of nitrogen that could otherwise pollute our water sources. The Plessis-Gassot landfill for non-hazardous waste in Claye-Souilly, France, for example, captures biogas and turns it into a sustainable source of energy for homes connected to the system. In addition small-scale biogas facilities can be installed in cities to facilitate the collection and use of organic waste that is generated locally and avoiding the greenhouse gases that are that are generated by the transportation and treatment of these materials.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower is a renewable source of energy that is based on the kinetic energy of water that flows. It is the biggest and cheapest renewable energy source in the world. It releases no direct greenhouse gases but has significant environmental impact. It is a very flexible green power source that is easily adjusted to meet the changing needs of demand and supply. It is able to last a life of over a hundred years and is able to be upgraded for improved efficiency and performance.
The majority of hydropower plants that are traditional use dams to harness the power of falling water. Suggested Looking at is converted to electricity by the use of turbines which spin at a speed proportional to the velocity of the water. The electricity is then transmitted to the grid to be used.
Hydroelectric power plants require a large investment in pipes and reservoirs. However, operating costs are low. Additionally, these plant can act as backups for other intermittent renewable power sources such as wind and solar.
Hydroelectric plants can be classified into two types which are storage and run of river. Storage plants are distinguished by huge impoundments that hold more than a season's worth of water, whereas run-of-river facilities have a small impoundment and draw water from flowing rivers or streams. Hydropower facilities are usually located near concentrations of population, and in areas where there is a significant demand for electricity.
The environmental impact of hydropower largely depends on the size and location of a dam as well as the amount of water displaced, and the wildlife habitats and habitats affected by inundation and decomposition. These impacts can be minimized and mitigated through the use of Low Impact Hydroelectricity (LIHI) standards for the construction and operation hydropower projects. The standards contain measures for the flow of rivers, water quality protection passage of fish, protection of aquatic ecosystems endangered and threatened species, recreation and cultural resources.
Hydropower plants can also be the world's largest "batteries" because they produce renewable energy by pumping water from a lower pool uphill to a bigger reservoir. When electricity is required, the water from the lower reservoir can be used to power generators. The water from the reservoir above can then be pumped downhill through a turbine to create more electricity.