7 different types of renewable energy (2023)

We know that the threat of climate change is very real. Our atmosphere now contains the highest level is very real. The burning of fossil fuels contributes about 90% of CO2 emissions attributed to climate change. Therefore, switching to cleaner renewables is critical to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change and global warming.

Technology is improving rapidly. This makes renewable energy more reliable and affordable. And it keeps getting better. At the same time, the demand for renewable energy is growing.

We can now see forward-thinking governments legislating in favor of renewable energy. In return, the energy transition is gaining momentum. This progress is positive. And encouraging as below:

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy is energy that comes from abundant natural resources such as the sun and wind.

Traditionally, we have relied on burning fossil fuels like coal and processed crude oil to generate electricity. We drill and extract these energy resources from the earth and burn them to generate our electricity. Unlike renewable energy, fossil fuels are finite.

Researchers predict that we will exhaust our sources of fossil fuels by 2060. Although this may seem a long way off, we continue to burn fossil fuels and emit large amounts of CO2, the main contributor to climate change.

Renewable energy sources do not produce air pollutants that harm the environment, animal and human populations in the same way as burning fossil fuels.

Renewables are on the rise and now account for 26% of global electricity generation. To reach net zero emissions targets, we must accelerate this progress.

To use:Many researchers and policymakers advocate nuclear power as critical to our transition to fossil fuels and the clean energy revolution. However, since uranium and plutonium feedstock sources are not technically renewable resources, nuclear power is not technically a type of renewable energy.

types of renewable energy

1. hydropower

Hydropower uses the energy of running water stored in dams and rivers. When released, the flow spins turbines. The turbines, in turn, generate electricity.

ohistory of hydroelectricityit dates from 1771. Historians report that it was first used as an English mill. The mill used power from a nearby river to spin cotton.

Hydropower is the world's largest renewable energy source. yes it countsfor 71% of all renewable energy worldwide. This popularity is due to the fact that rivers almost always flow. Obviously the weather affects the availability of sun or wind. However, hydroelectric power generates electricity day and night regardless of the season.

"Pumped storage" helps generate electricity from hydroelectric power. The pumps pump the water back to the reservoir. When the natural flow is lower, the stored water is released again by the turbines. A regular flow, in turn, balances the generation of electricity. The pumps allow hydroelectric power to continuously generate electricity. Even if less water flows through rivers or dams.

hydropower around the world

Asia is a leader in hydroelectric generation with more than 511 GW of installed capacity. As a result, the continent has almost twice as much hydroelectric power as Europe.

The largest hydroelectric power station in the world is the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China. Three Gorges was fully commissioned in 2010 and is capable of generating 22,500 MW of electricity. That's 20 times bigger than the world famous Hoover Dam in the United States.

When the dam flooded, this behemoth displaced 1.3 million people, a staggering number. They all lived on or near the flooded land behind the dam. A worldwide controversy ensued. Should it have been built given the human cost?

ecological damage

See Also

Wind power data and statistics | PCA

The construction of a large hydroelectric plant has broader implications.A 2016 research paper discusses the growth of hydropower in developing countries⁶. Your study notes:

"Disturbance of river ecology, deforestation, loss of aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, release of significant greenhouse gases, displacement of thousands of people and disruption of people's livelihoods, and impact on food systems, the water quality and agriculture in its vicinity.

Human invention continues to search for better answers. There is a large amount of work in progress. Much of this is directed at how we can reduce the environmental impact of large hydroelectric power plants.

The improvements available with "Small Hydro" are on the way. Engineers are working to increase the efficiency of turbine blades and find ways to generate electricity using less water flow.

For more information, see: What are the environmental impacts of hydropower?

2. Solar energy

oHistory of Solar Energydates back several decades. Today we can benefit from electricity generated by solar or photovoltaic panels. The technology contributes to the rapid development of solar energy and, in turn, positions solar energy as one of the main sources of renewable energy.

This type of renewable energy is based on energy from the sun. Here he uses solar cells that take advantage of the photovoltaic effect to absorb photons. We can generate electricity by converting photons into electricity.

In its infancy, photovoltaics and photovoltaic systems only existed on a small scale. Initially small pocket calculators powered by solar panels. Today, large solar power plants generate large amounts of electricity.

Solar energy also comes in various other forms. Solar thermal energy collects heat from the sun in liquid tubes. So we can use the stored solar energy to heat our houses.

solar energy in the world

(Video) 7 Types Of Renewable Energy

Noor's complex is thebigger solar systemFound in the Sahara desert of Morocco. This monstrous plant has a capacity of 580 MW. Incredibly, that's enough to generate electricity for a million people. The sun is shining70% do the same rhythm, which supports Noor's colossal ability.

Today, solar power is one of the most reliable sources of green energy, especially in areas where the sun is warm and reliable. However, solar cell production and land use are not completely free of environmental impacts.

Solar energy is the basis of many government climate protection measures. The International Energy Agency estimates that solar power will deliver25% of the energy for the worldby 2050. Achieving this goal will play a key role in reducing carbon emissions around the world. And make a significant contribution to increasing the use of renewable energy.

Many other countries have also installed large amounts of solar power capacity.china keep going. In 2018, China had a total PV capacity of 176,100 MW. Japan, Germany and India follow closely behind. Everyone wants to achieve something.Benefits of clean solar energy offers.

For more information, see: Environmental impact of solar energy

3. Wind power

For centuries we have benefited from the wind as a source of energy, from sailboats to windmills and much more.

However, wind did not become a major renewable energy source until the 20th century. Initially, small wind turbines generated electricity in remote and rural areas.

With the increase in demand, wind power has also grown in popularity, with an ongoing period of research and development resulting in increased efficiency. Engineers have recently improved rotor speeds, locations, and electrical performance. The result? Wind farms are a familiar sight in today's landscape.

The experts are now looking at the wind.one of the cleanest guysof renewable energy. Mainly because the wind blows reliably and constantly. The wind is usually constant throughout the year. Therefore, it meets the high requirements of power consumption.

However, wind farms can get a bad rap for being unsightly. Partly as a result of this is an increasing tendency to exerciseoffshore wind power, where the wind tends to be stronger. We can produce electricity without damaging our landscapes. As a result, offshore wind power has a higher capacity.

become more profitable

In its early days, wind power was one of the most expensive renewable energy sources. Today, technological improvements and increased demand have lowered costs.

Ab 2050,Up to 35% of the electricity generated in the US can come from wind power⁴. World,Wind power could account for up to 25-30% of global electricity by 2050⁸.

Wind power is now less expensive than certain fossil fuels, costing around $30 to $60 per megawatt hour. That's less than natural gas, which can cost anywhere from $43 to $78 per megawatt hour.

Growing wind power capacity will also have an impact on jobs. Therefore, the growth of this type of renewable energy requires employment on a large scale, with many people employed in the construction of wind farms. As a result, supporting infrastructure needs will also create jobs to meet renewable energy targets.

4. Biomass

Biomass was once the most popular renewable energy source. canconvert organic matter into energyfor biomass. Of course it is not a new concept. We have been burning wood to generate energy for centuries.

Biological processes produce raw materials from biomass. The raw materials are essentially cultivated. On the other hand, geological processes form the raw materials of fossil fuels. This process can take thousands of years. Therefore, unlike fossil fuels, biomass benefits from a faster and cleaner source of raw materials.

Biomass: a substitute for fossil fuels?

Fundamentally, we can use biomass to offset the fossil fuels that are polluting the climate. In the United States it represents5% of primary energy demand in 2017.

Today, biomass power fuels offer more than just a renewable source for generating electricity. We can also use it to power our cars and means of transportation.

Biomass provides up to 38% of the UK's renewable energy and contributes around 11% of total energy production.

Cleaner but not perfect

However, it is not exempt from indirect environmental problems. Today, large-scale agricultural processes cultivate raw organic and renewable resources that are used for biofuels. However,Growers often clear heavily forested areas to grow biomass⁵. This drastically reduces the ecological benefit.

We also burn biomass to generate electricity. The raw materials are certainly cleaner. However, the combustion of biofuels still emits pollutants into the environment. There is some debate. While many consider biomass to be clean energy, this suggests otherwise. The Association for Policy Integrity, a US clean energy think tank and lobbyist, says:

"Despite the frequent portrayal of biomass as 'clean' energy, the data from air permit applications and actual stack tests clearly show that biomass is a highly polluting technology."

5. Power of the tides

Tidal power has a lot of future potential for similar reasons to wind power. The tides are reliable and predictable.

Tidal power also has a long history.. For example, dams contained floodwater as early as AD 900. And stored waterwheels powered by water began. The resulting energy was used to grind bread flour.

France built the world's first tidal power plant, the Rance tidal power plant, in Brittany in 1966. Until 2011 it was also the largest in the world. Rance has a capacity of 240 MW. It was recently surpassed by Sihwa Lake in South Korea with a capacity of 254 MW.

However, tidal power plants can be expensive. The reliance on high tidal amplitude and current speeds makes this challenging. Despite these possible limitationsDesign improvements have helped increase the availability of tidal power¹.

swan lake

The United Kingdom does not advance with this type of renewable energy⁷. We are fortunate to have some of the widest tidal ranges in the world in the UK. The Bristol Channel is one of them.

The recently submitted tidal lagoon plans aim to take advantage of the tidal areas in Swansea. The Swansea tidal lagoon will cost around £1.3bn. A significant amount of money for a single system. The UK government has recently rejected proposals to subsidize its development, leaving its future uncertain.

6. Geothermal energy

Geothermal heat comes from the earth. Geothermal resources drawn from the earth's natural energy are used to generate heat to generate electricity that is natural and sustainable. Geothermal energy uses natural energy such as hot springs with other sources such as magma and hydrothermal circulation.

While geothermal technology improves³, geothermal energy itself is diffuse. We can only find it in certain places. Iceland, for example, has been using geothermal energy to heat water for centuries. Today Costa Rica, Kenya and El Salvador generate more than 15% of their electricity from geothermal energy.

For more information, see: Environmental Impacts of Geothermal Energy

7. Hydrogen

We find hydrogen in many organic compounds, including water. In fact, it is the most abundant element on earth. However, it does not exist naturally; For example, it forms water when combined with oxygen. If we split the hydrogen, we can burn it to create renewable energy. However, clean-burning hydrogen requires energy to break down. Still, improvements in this process suggest that hydrogen will play a larger role in our renewable energy future.

Own generation and storage

We are experiencing a growing trend towards generating our own electricity. Put together a home renewable energy and energy storage system, and homes can become energy independent. Government grants can often help households pay for systems to take advantage of the often abundant renewable energy sources used to generate electricity, such as solar panels. B. Small-scale solar and wind power.

In the US, subsidies can take many forms. include examplesTax Credits and Loan Guarantees². Meanwhile, in Britain the governmentstopped accepting rate-regulated applications. Commentators largely view this controversial move as a contradiction to those recently announced.climate emergency.

Regardless, many homes can generate a renewable energy source themselves. The decision to go offline is becoming more and more popular.In 2018, an injection capacity of 6107 MW was registered in Great Britain⁹. Renewable energy houses generated most of this from small wind turbines for power supply or energy-efficient solar panels on the roof.

Home energy storage.

A related trend, home energy storage, is helping to ensure effective power generation at home. Home energy storage allows you to store excess energy from renewable energy sources when the wind blows. Or when the sun shines. Also, home energy storage lowers energy bills and could mean the end of energy bills.

Improvements in battery technology contribute to its growing popularity. As a result, the efficiency of home storage has been increased and costs have been reduced.

Use of energy stored in the home at a later date when production is insufficient, replacing the need to take power from the grid. Tesla recently released its Powerwall 2 product to address this need. At TRVST, we are closely monitoring how this technology is evolving.

Summary

We must do more to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. The different renewable energies are constantly improving and, in line with the demand, energy efficiency has increased and has become cheaper.

Choosing renewable energy sources is now more important than ever. It's also cleaner and generally cheaper. As consumers, we must support clean green energy in the home. Do your part by making a simpleswitch to renewable energy providers.

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