Conventional electricity generation, based on the combustion of fossil fuels, is the nation’s single largest industrial source of air pollution.
The increasing availability of green power enables electricity customers to accelerate installation of renewable energy technologies.
As more green power sources are developed – displacing conventional generation – the overall environmental impacts associated with electricity generation will be significantly reduced.
Table of Contents
Green Power Sources
With rising interest in sustainable green power sources, many questions are being asked about safe and clean energy. New answers are encouraging and the future looks bright.
Wind Energy
Wind energy has been used for millennia for human power needs. Wind is harnessed and the power of the wind collected which turns the blades of the turbine. As the turbine turns, a generator turns and energy is stored for future use.
While large scale wind turbines can be initially expensive to install, they are substantially less expensive today than they have been in the past.
However, homeowners who want to install a windmill on their property may be surprised at how inexpensive they are to install and how quickly they will realize a return on their investment by lowered energy costs from their local utility company.
Wind power has the advantage of being available around the world in abundant amounts. It is available on every continent.
By using wind power, countries can reduce or eliminate their reliance on foreign sources of energy and remove themselves from the influence of geopolitical agreements about oil or other fossil fuels.
Solar Energy
Another wonderful sustainable power source is solar power. Like wind energy, solar power is available in wonderful abundance every place in the world. As long as the sun continues to shine, then solar power is a viable and unlimited source of energy.
Solar energy systems work in two ways – either by directly heating water that is used to heat a home or for hot water or by collecting the power of the sun through solar panels and storing it in solar batteries for later use.
Many homes have solar panels installed in locations where the sun shines for the maximum number of hours possible, including on rooftops or in locations on the property.
Large companies like Frito Lay and Johnson & Johnson are now starting to utilize solar power, not only as a way to become more energy efficient and ecologically friendly, but also to take advantage of tax incentives that are available for businesses and homeowners who install solar power systems.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy utilizes available heat that is generated from vents in the earth’s crust. There are three primary methods of harnessing geothermal power.
These include collecting steam from vents in places with hot springs, geysers or steam vents; utilizing the heat from hot magma to generate steam; and utilizing the heat from hard dry rocks that are heated by hard magma to create steam. Steam is used to turn turbines which then create electricity.
Geothermal heat is a sustainable and green energy that is constantly replenished and does not result in harmful damaging environmental emissions, unlike traditional fossil fuel energy generation power plants.
Conclusion
With the safe and clean energy, new answers to old questions are becoming more readily available.
It is now possible to have energy sources that are green, sustainable and renewable in solar, wind and geothermal power.
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