Renewable Energy – Powering Inexhaustibly

The current state of U.S. oil consumption, with the nation consuming more oil than any other country in the world and more than 25% of the world’s total oil supply, may make it hard for many Americans to be believe that just over a century ago, wood, a form of biomass that can create renewable energy, was used to meet 90% of the nation’s energy needs.

 

The factor that turned the tide of energy use was cost. Fossil fuels, though major emitters of heat trapping greenhouse gases, costs less than wood.  The savings in monetary cost from use of fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, however, are proving to be far from worthwhile. The effects of green house gas emissions have been widespread and immense with potential calamities on the horizon if we don’t change our energy use habits.

 

 

To help protect future generations from the calamitous effects of climate change, many are turning to renewable energy.  Renewable energy has several sources that encompass purer methods for powering. 

Renewable energy includes solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, hydrogen, hydropower and ocean energy

Solar Power

Solar energy is useful for heating spaces, generating electricity, heating water, lighting and drying.  It is generated by thermal radiation from the our most powerful source of energy, the sun.

More about solar energy

Wind Power

Wind energy is most commonly used for generating electricity, with use of wind turbines and pumping water, which is what windmills have traditionally been used for. It is a highly affordable and powerful clean energy source.

More about wind energy

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is used to heat and cool homes anywhere in the nation, and in the western United States it is used to generate electricity and even power plants.  It comes from the constant flow of heat in the earth’s core.

More about geothermal energy

Biomass Energy

Fifty three percent of renewable energy usage entails use of biomass.   Burning wood or other organic matter for warmth and cooking, fueling vehicles and generating electricity all fall under the umbrella of biomass energy.

Biomass can convert into liquid fuels, or bio fuels such as ethanol, made mainly from starch in corn grain, and biodiesel, made mostly from soybean oil.  Biomass electrical generation, or biopower, usually involves direct combustion using conventional boilers and gasifiers that can convert biomass into gas that can burn to generate electricity.

Biomass energy also includes energy saving cooling and heating and bioproducts that can replicate any petroleum based product, such as plastic, but use less energy in creation.

More about biomass energy

Hydrogen Power

Hydrogen can potentially act as the power source for fuel cells, which can provide heat , generate electricity and power vehicles.  Hydrogen can also act as an energy carrier. 

Hydropower or hydroelectric power comes from the energy created by water flow.  Flowing water allows those with access to flowing water to generate their own clean electricity source. It currently makes up 36% of renewable energy usage. 

Ocean Energy

Ocean energy - Oceans can generate thermal energy via solar collection and can create mechanical energy from tides and waves.

Using renewable energy has numerous major benefits that include increasing local jobs, bettering the economy, heightening energy independence and security and of course preventing environmental strain and ruin.