What Is Green Power?
Green power is electricity produced from renewable sources like 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 help support green energy sources by putting an additional cost to their utility bills.
Renewable energies are often less harmful to the planet than coal mining or oil drilling mining. They can also aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is one of the most popular green power sources. Solar energy is a renewable source since it never runs out. It is a safe and efficient energy source, which helps reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas. This energy is a great alternative for nuclear power which requires the mining extraction, storage and transport of radioactive waste.
Photovoltaic panels and concentrated solar thermal energy (CSP) are all ways to harness the sun's power. Solar energy can be channeled directly into businesses and homes, or it could be sent to grids that distribute power to other customers. Some consumers even have the option of selling their excess energy back to the utility company which can help keep electricity bills low and even offset rising utility costs.
All forms of solar energy produce zero emissions of pollutants or air 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 satellites, boats and spacecrafts, where accessing the electrical grid is not feasible or even possible.
On a smaller scale, solar can be used to power buildings. Many homeowners put PV solar panels on their roofs to generate electricity and passive solar home design lets these homes take in sun's rays in the daytime for warmth, and then store it in the evening. Solar-powered homes also have the advantage of requiring very little maintenance.
Hydropower is another kind of solar energy that makes use of the natural flow in rivers, streams, and dams. Like wind and biomass hydropower, hydropower is a renewable resource because it can be replenished. If you're looking to add hydropower to your home or business, check out the EPA's list of third party certified options.
Geothermal Energy
A geothermal energy plant uses heat from the Earth's interior to generate electricity. The process makes use of steam and hot water that naturally occurs just a few kilometers below the Earth's surface. It is a renewable and sustainable energy source that generates electricity all day long, 365 days a year. Geothermal energy can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and is among the most eco-friendly forms of energy generation.
The most popular type of geothermal power plant is a flash-steam power station. This makes use of 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. Iceland for instance uses geothermal energy to melt snow and heat its streets, sidewalks and parking areas in the cold Arctic winter.
Another source of energy from geothermal sources is a hot dry rock (HDR) power plant, which taps underground reservoirs of hot dry rock that are heated by either natural or human-made 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 generated by geothermal power plants can be used to produce electricity by using a steam turbine generator, or it could be coupled with a gas-fired turbine for increased efficiency. The mixture can be converted into natural gas and then burned in a boiler, generating 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, generate little-to-no nitrous oxide, methane, or sulfur dioxide.
Geothermal energy has its own challenges, despite the advantages. The drilling needed to build geothermal power plants could trigger earthquakes and may pollute groundwater. Injection of high-pressure streams in geothermal reservoirs can cause subsidence. This is a gradual sinking that can damage roads, buildings pipelines, and other structures.
Biogas
Biogas is a renewable gaseous energy source that generates green power. It is produced from agricultural waste, manure, plant material and sewage, municipal waste, food waste, and other organic waste materials. Biogas can be converted into transportation fuels, electricity, heat, combined heat and energy, or electricity using the Fischer-Tropsch method. Biogas can also be used to create renewable hydrogen that is used in fuel cells. Fuel cells are predicted to play an important role in the future energy systems around the globe.
The most common method of valorising biogas is to generate electricity through the power of a combined heat and (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 converted into natural gas, and then incorporated into existing distribution networks for natural gas. Biogas can be used to replace imported gas in residential and commercial structures, ground transportation, and other areas.
Biogas is an energy source that is renewable and can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The CCAC is working to develop tools for measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) of the clean cooking practices within communities and households in countries with low to middle incomes to assist the nations that have included clean cooking as a goal in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Using biogas to replace fossil fuels for electricity generation as well as an alternative for traditional natural gas in cooling and heating will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other air pollutions. Biogas can be used in the production of liquid transport fuels as a sustainable alternative to oil, coal and other fossil fuels.
By collecting and recovering methane to prevent the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and the runoff of nitrogen which could otherwise pollute our water sources. The Plessis Gassot waste landfill, which is non-hazardous in Claye-Souilly, France, for example collects biogas and converts it into a renewable source of energy for households connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities can also be set up in cities, which allow for the collection and utilization of organic waste from local sources. This will help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are associated with transportation and treatment.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydropower harnesses the energy generated by the kinetic energy of water to generate electricity. It is the most powerful and cheapest renewable source of power worldwide. It doesn't emit greenhouse gases directly however it has significant environmental impacts. It is a flexible form of green power that can be easily adjusted to meet changing demand and supply. Its lifespan is more than a century and it can be upgraded to improve efficiency and performance.
The majority of traditional hydropower plants utilize dams to harness the energy generated by falling water. The water's kinetic energy is converted into electricity by a series of turbines, that spin at a speed proportional to the velocity of the water. This electricity is then transmitted to the grid of electricity for use.
While building a hydroelectric power plant requires huge investments in dams, reservoirs, and pipes, operating costs are quite low. Additionally, green mobility scooter can be used as backups for other intermittent renewable power sources like wind and solar.
Hydroelectric plants can be divided into two kinds: storage and run of river. Storage plants have large impoundments, which can store more than a season's worth of water. Run-of-river facilities draw streams and rivers that are free-flowing. Hydropower plants are often situated near or in areas of high population density and where the demand for electricity is high.
The environmental impact of hydropower is dependent on the size and location of a dam and the amount of water that is displaced, and the habitat and wildlife affected by inundation and decomposition. These impacts can be reduced and reduced by using Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of hydropower project. The standards contain measures for the flow of rivers, water quality protection and fish passage, as well as protection of aquatic ecosystems endangered and threatened animals as well as recreation and cultural resources.
In addition to producing renewable energy Hydropower plants also function as the world's biggest "batteries." They are known as storage facilities pumped by the government and work by pumping water uphill from a lower pool to a higher reservoir. If there is a requirement for electricity the water in the lower reservoir is released to power generators, while the water in the upper reservoir is pumped back downhill by an engine to produce more electricity.
