What Is Green Power?
Green power is electricity that comes from renewable sources such as geothermal, solar and wind energy, biomass and hydroelectricity that has a low impact. Customers in deregulated markets are able to add a small fee to their utility bills to help support green energy sources.
Many renewable energy sources are less environmentally harmful than drilling for oil or mining coal. They also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is among the most well-known green energy sources. Solar energy is a renewable resource because it never runs out. It is a clean, efficient and safe energy source that reduces greenhouse gas emissions as well as pollution of the air from fossil fuels like natural gas, coal and oil. It is also a good alternative to nuclear power, which requires the mining and extraction of uranium as well as long-term radioactive waste storage.
The sun's radiation can be used to generate electricity in many ways that include photovoltaic (PV) panels as well as concentrated solar-thermal power (CSP) and solar thermal collectors. Solar power can be delivered directly to homes and businesses or to grids that supply power to others. Certain consumers have the option of selling their surplus energy back to the utility company, which helps reduce electricity bills and even offset rising utility costs.
Solar energy does not produce pollution or emissions to the air unlike fossil fuels, which produce harmful gases and carbon dioxide when they are burned. Solar energy can be utilized to power satellites, spacecraft, boats and other devices in areas where accessing the electric grid is a challenge or even impossible.
On smaller scales solar power can also be used to power buildings. Many homeowners install PV solar panels on their roofs in order to generate electricity and passive solar home design allows these houses to take in sun's rays during the day to provide warmth and then keep it in the evening. Solar-powered homes also benefit from the fact that they require little maintenance.
Hydropower is a different kind of solar energy that makes use of the natural flow of streams, rivers and dams. Like biomass and wind hydropower, it is renewable because it can be replenished. Check out the EPA's list of third-party certified hydropower options if you would like to incorporate it into your office or home.
Geothermal Energy
A geothermal energy plant draws heat from the Earth's interior to generate electricity. The process makes use of steam and hot water that naturally occur a few kilometers below surface of the earth. It is an incredibly renewable and sustainable energy source that produces electricity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Geothermal power can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. It is also one of the greenest methods of energy production.
The most common geothermal power plant is the flash-steam plant. This uses water at temperatures of around 182deg C (360deg F) to power turbines and generate electricity. Steam can be utilized to heat industrial processes and buildings. Iceland, for instance, uses geothermal power to melt snow, heat its streets, sidewalks and parking areas during the frigid Arctic Winter.
A hot dry rock power plant is an additional geothermal source of energy. It taps underground reservoirs that are made up of hot, dry rock that is heated by either man-made or natural activities. HDR plants require significantly less infrastructure than geothermal power plants, making them easier and cheaper to build and operate. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there is enough HDR resources available in the United States for all of our electrical needs currently.
The geothermal steam produced by plants can be used to generate electricity through a steam-turbine generator, or it could be combined with a gas-fired turbine to improve efficiency. The resulting mixture can then be converted into natural gas, which is burned in a conventional boiler to generate electricity.
In addition to being clean and reliable, geothermal energy is the smallest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants, which use an engine to convert steam into electricity, produce minimal or no methane, nitrous oxide or sulfur dioxide.
However, despite its benefits geothermal energy doesn't come without its problems. Drilling required to build geothermal power stations could cause earthquakes and pollute the groundwater. Injection of high-pressure streams into geothermal reservoirs could cause subsidence. This is a gradual sinking process that can cause damage to roads, structures pipelines and buildings.
Biogas
Biogas is an energy source that is renewable and gaseous that generates green energy. It is made from manure, agricultural wastes plants wastewater, food wastes, municipal garbage, and other organic wastes. Biogas can be used to produce electricity, heat and power and heat, or it can be transformed into transport fuels using the Fischer-Tropsch process. Biogas can also be used to produce renewable hydrogen which is used in fuel cells. Fuel cells are predicted to play a significant role in the future energy systems around the globe.
The most common way 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 fed back into the grid. Alternatively, it can be converted into natural gas, and then incorporated into existing distribution networks for natural gas. Biogas can be used to substitute for natural gas imported from mines in commercial, ground transportation and residential structures.
In addition to generating renewable energy, biogas can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants from conventional cooking. The CCAC provides tools to measure reporting and verifying (MRV) the cleanliness of cooking in households of low- to middle-income countries. This will assist the 67 countries that have included clean-cooking goals in their Nationally Determined Contributions.
By using biogas as a substitute for traditional natural gas for heating and cooling and to replace fossil fuels for the production of electricity, carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced. Biogas can be used in the production of liquid transportation fuels as an alternative that is sustainable to oil, coal, and other fossil fuels.
By taking methane and reusing it to prevent the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere as well as the runoff of nitrogen which could otherwise pollute our water resources. Plessis-Gassot is a non-hazardous waste disposal in Claye-Souilly (France), for example, captures and converts biogas into a renewable source of energy for homes who are connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities can be installed in cities, allowing the collection and utilization of organic waste locally. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from transport and treatment.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower is a renewable source of energy that is based on the kinetic energy of flowing water. It is the most powerful and most affordable renewable energy source in the world. It does not emit direct greenhouse gases however it has significant environmental effects. It is a highly flexible green power source that can be easily adjusted to meet the changing needs of supply and demand. Its lifespan is more than 100 years, and it can be upgraded to increase efficiency and performance.
Most traditional hydropower plants use dams to harness the power of falling water. A series of turbines converts the water's kinetic energy into electricity at a speed that is proportional to its speed. The electricity is then transferred to the electric grid to be used.
While constructing an hydroelectric power plant requires an enormous investment in reservoirs, dams and pipes, the operating costs are low. Additionally, these plant are able to serve as backups for other intermittent renewable power sources like wind and solar.
Hydroelectric power plants can be classified into two kinds that are storage and run-of-river. Storage plants are distinguished by large impoundments that store more than a season's worth of water. Run-of-river facilities have small impoundment and use water from free-flowing streams or rivers. Hydropower facilities are usually situated near or in proximity to areas of people, in areas where there is a huge demand for electricity.
The environmental impact of hydropower is dependent on the size and area of the project, as well as the amount of water that is dispersed, as well as the wildlife and habitats affected by decomposition and floods. These effects can be minimized and reduced by using Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of a hydropower projects. The standards include measures to control the flow of rivers, water quality protection and fish passage, as well as aquatic ecosystems protection, threatened and endangered animals as well as recreation and cultural resources.
In addition to producing renewable energy and power, some hydropower plants function as the world's biggest "batteries." They are called storage facilities that are pumped and operate by pumping water uphill from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir. When electricity is needed then the water from the lower reservoir could be used to power generators. The water from the reservoir above can then be pumped downhill by a turbine to create more electricity.