Here's A Little-Known Fact About Green Power

What Is Green Power? Green power is electricity generated from renewable sources such as geothermal, solar and wind biomass, energy and hydroelectricity with a low environmental impact. It's available to customers in markets that are deregulated who want to support cleaner energy sources by putting an additional cost to their utility bill. Renewable energy sources are generally less harmful to the environment than oil drilling or coal mining. They can also aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar Energy Solar energy is a favored green energy source. Solar energy is a renewable source since it never runs out. It is a clean and efficient energy source, which reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, such as oil, coal natural gas, and coal. This energy source is a great alternative for nuclear power which requires mining extraction, storage and transport of radioactive waste. Photovoltaic panels and concentrated solar thermal energy (CSP) are all methods to harness the power of the sun. Solar electricity can either be distributed directly to homes and businesses or to grids which distribute power to other. Some consumers can sell their surplus energy to a utility company. This can help lower electricity bills and offset rising utility costs. All forms of solar energy produce zero air emissions or pollutants unlike fossil fuels which produce carbon dioxide and other harmful gases when they burn. Solar energy can also be used to power other types of devices, including spacecrafts, boats, satellites and other vessels in areas where accessing the electricity grid is not feasible or even possible. On smaller scale solar can be utilized to power buildings. Many homeowners use PV cell panels on their roofs to produce electricity and passive solar home design permits these homes to let in sunlight in the daytime for warmth and then retain it in the evening. Solar-powered houses also benefit from needing minimal maintenance. Another type of solar power is hydropower, which uses the natural flow of the water in streams, rivers and dams to produce electricity. Hydropower, just like biomass and wind is a renewable resource as it can be replenished. If you are seeking to add hydropower to your business or home, check out EPA's list of third-party certified options. Geothermal Energy A geothermal plant utilizes heat from the Earth to produce electricity. The process takes advantage of hot water and steam that naturally occurs a few kilometers below the Earth's surface. It is a sustainable and renewable energy source that produces electricity all day long all year round. Geothermal energy can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and is one of the most eco-friendly forms of energy generation. The most popular type of geothermal power plant is a flash-steam power station. This uses water at temperatures of around 182deg C (360deg F) to power turbines and generate electricity. The steam can also be used to heat buildings, or other industrial processes. green power scooter for instance uses geothermal energy to melt snow and heat its sidewalks, streets and parking spaces during the cold Arctic winter. Another geothermal energy source is hot dry rock (HDR) power plant that taps underground reservoirs of hot dry rock that are heated by man-made or natural activities. HDR plants are easier to construct and operate as they require less infrastructure. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there are enough HDR resources available in the United States for all of our current electrical requirements. The steam from geothermal power plants can be used to produce electricity by using a steam turbine generator, or it can be combined with a gas-fired generator to increase efficiency. The mixture is able to be converted into natural gas, and then burned in a boiler, generating electricity. In addition to being safe and reliable, geothermal energy is the smallest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. green scooters -cycle plants that employ an engine to turn steam into electricity produce minimal or no nitrous oxide methane, sulphur and oxide. Geothermal energy has its own challenges, despite the benefits. Drilling required to build geothermal power stations can cause earthquakes and pollute the groundwater. In addition, the injection of high-pressure streams into geothermal reservoirs may cause subsidence, which is a gradual sinking terrain that can cause damage to pipelines, roads, and buildings. Biogas Biogas is an energy source made of renewable gaseous substances that produces green power. It is produced from agricultural waste, manure, plant material such as municipal waste, sewage food waste and other organic waste materials. Biogas can be used to generate electricity, heat and combined power and heat and can also be transformed into transport fuels using the Fischer-Tropsch process. Biogas can also be used to make renewable hydrogen that is used in fuel cells. Fuel cells are predicted to play a major role in the future energy systems in the world. The most popular method to valorize biogas is by creating electricity in a combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant. The heat produced by the CHP plant is utilized to fuel the fermentation of organic wastes, while the electricity is then fed back to the grid. It can also be compressed into natural gas, and then incorporated into existing natural gas distribution networks. Biogas can also be used to substitute for imported natural gas in commercial, ground transportation and residential structures. Biogas is renewable energy source that can also help reduce greenhouse emissions of greenhouse gases. The CCAC works to provide tools to measure reporting and verifying (MRV) the cleanliness of cooking in households in low-to middle-income countries. This will aid the 67 countries that have included clean-cooking targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions. Biogas can be used as an alternative to traditional natural gas for heating and cooling and to substitute fossil fuels for the generation of electricity, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced. Biogas can be used in the production of liquid transportation fuels as a sustainable alternative to oil, coal and other fossil fuels. Recovering methane from food and animal manure waste stops the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and also preventing nitrogen runoff that would otherwise cause water pollution. Plessis-Gassot, a landfill that is not hazardous in Claye-Souilly (France) for example it captures and converts biogas into a sustainable source of energy for households that are connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities can also be set up in cities, allowing the collection and utilization of local organic waste. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from transportation and treatment. Hydroelectric Power Hydropower makes use of the energy generated by the kinetic energy of water to generate electricity. It is the most sought-after and least expensive renewable energy source around the globe. It doesn't emit any direct greenhouse gases but has significant environmental impact. It is a flexible green power source that can be easily adjusted to meet the changing needs of supply and demand. Its service life spans over a century and it can be upgraded to increase efficiency and performance. The majority of hydropower plants harness the power of the falling water by using dams. The energy generated by the water is converted to electricity by the use of turbines that spin at a speed proportional to the velocity of the water. This electricity is then transmitted to the electric grid to be used. While building an hydroelectric power plant involves huge investments in dams, reservoirs, and pipes, the operating costs are quite low. These plants can also be used as backups to other intermittent renewable energy technologies like wind and solar. There are two major types of hydroelectric power plants that are run-of-river and storage. Storage plants are characterized by huge impoundments that hold more than a season's supply of water, while run-of-river facilities have small impoundment and utilize water from free-flowing rivers or streams. Hydropower plants are usually situated near or in areas of high density of population, where electricity demand is high. The environmental impact of hydropower largely is dependent on the size and location of the dam as well as the amount of water displaced as well as the habitat and wildlife affected by decomposition and flooding. These effects can be minimized and reduced through the use of Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of the hydropower project. The standards contain measures for river flows, water quality protection passage of fish, protection of aquatic ecosystems, threatened and endangered animals recreation and cultural resources. In addition to generating renewable energy and power, some hydropower plants function as the world's largest “batteries.” These are called storage facilities pumped by the government and work by pumping water uphill from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir. When electricity is needed then the water from the lower reservoir can be used to power generators. The water from the reservoir above can then be pumped downhill via a turbine in order to create more electricity.