As we move into the next industrial revolution, the human impact on the environment is increasing day by day. Thankfully, using environmentally safe energy has started taking over people’s interest in the last few years.
In this article, let’s take a look at what going green means, how it works, its importance, and different measures you can take to preserve the environment.
Difference between Green Energy and Renewable Energy
Only some renewable resources are considered green energy despite the terms renewable energy and green energy being used interchangeably. Renewable energy is collected from sources that are constant and naturally renewed.
The term green energy is used for sources that don’t produce co2 and other greenhouse gases in the extraction process. An example is how hydropower requires a large area to build dams, which leads to deforestation in the process.
Another term for energy extraction with the release of little to no greenhouse gases is clean energy. An easier way to differentiate between the terms is that clean energy means no air pollution, green energy means sources extracted from nature, and renewable energy means recyclable sources.
What It Means
For an energy source to be green energy, it can’t produce pollution the way most fossil fuels do. By this definition, not all energy sources in the renewable energy sector can be termed ‘green.’ For instance, generating power by burning organic material may count as renewable energy, but it’s not green because of the CO2 it produces during the combustion process.
Sources that provide green energy are naturally replenished. In contrast, fossil fuels like coal or petroleum can take millions of years to form. Moreover, accessing these resources requires conducting drilling or mining operations that can damage the eco-system.
How It Works
Sources of green energy come from technological advancements such as equipment or machinery used to generate energy using natural resources like solar energy, wind power, geothermal energy, biomass and hydroelectric power.
It produces power with no negative environmental impacts, mostly reducing greenhouse gasses.
Each works differently by taking the energy from the natural forces through which the energy is generated.
Importance
Green energy is essential in keeping the environment safe. The creation of greenhouse gasses has caused irrecoverable damage to the surrounding environment, showing results of extreme natural disasters worldwide.
Switching resources through which you obtain power not only keeps our planet alive longer, but also gives our future generations a chance to live healthier and carefree lives.
Benefits
Here are 5 key benefits of using green energy:
1. Emits No or Low Greenhouse Gases
The use of fossil fuels releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases. However, cutting down on the use of fossil fuels will help produce fewer greenhouse gases, which can benefit the environment around us and reduce the chances of severe global warming issues.
2. Secure and Good for Stability
Due to the increase in national energy strategies, a lot of energy security and energy infrastructure has been pushed forward, opening up the security of supply worldwide.
3. Lower Cost of Energy Usage
Since green energy is produced using unlimited resources, it allows affordable prices. Renewable energy is produced locally, less affected by the geopolitical crisis, price hikes, and sudden disruptions in supply chains.
4. Creates Jobs
Renewable infrastructures require various operations, such as management, marketing, and maintenance. In this way, the renewable energy sector opens up hundreds of job positions in these areas.
5. Accessible to Everyone
Renewable energy has a lower power generation cost, making it easy for communities to access. It’s especially beneficial for communities in the developing world that have trouble accessing power.
Types
Here are the different types of natural green energy resources available:
Solar Power
This renewable energy format is created by using photovoltaic cells, which turn into electricity using sunlight. Solar energy is usually used to heat buildings, hot water, and cooking and lighting.
It is a highly affordable use of energy accessible to domestic areas, mostly used as garden lighting. On a larger scale, they can power entire neighborhoods.
Wind Power
This form of renewable energy is accessed offshore, and in higher altitude sites, it uses the flow of air to push the turbines, which help generate electricity.
Hydropower
This energy source is found in running or flowing water, mostly rivers, streams and damn, which produce energy. It is a fully accessible energy source as all you need are water and pipes to create enough pressure to push turbines, creating energy in the process.
Geothermal Energy
This form of energy is stored under the earth’s crust. It requires drilling to access it, but once tapped into, it can turn turbines and generate electricity that is produced ten times greater than other fossil fuels.
Biomass
The use of sawdust, wood waste, and combustible agricultural waste helps create energy from this source. Burning the organic matter creates greenhouse gases, but these emissions are far lower than those of fossil fuels.
Biofuels
In this format of renewable energy, the organic materials are transformed into fuel, such as ethanol and biodiesel. Biofuels are estimated to meet over 25% of global transportation fuel needs by 2050.
Conclusion
Green energy is a great step towards protecting the environment and preserving the earth’s ecosystems. Although it will take some time to implement green energy sources as a full-time solution, increasing their accessibility can help speed up the rate of adoption. In time, they can help reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.
More and more people realize green energy’s environmental, societal and economic benefits. As more cities develop, humans will likely encourage each other to go green.
