Sources of Renewable
Energy
Sources of Renewable
Energy
- Hydropower
- Tidal Energy
- Geothermal Energy
- Wind Energy
- Solar Energy
- Biomass Energy
1 Hydropower:
Water's usability to generate electricity is
tremendous since the kinetic energy of flowing
water is amply used to produce hydroelectricity
such as to rotate turbines. It's a form of
renewable energy where it contributes to less
pollution of environment and consumption of fossil fuels. In the United States there are
approximately more than 5,000 dams that are
used to produce hydroelectricity contributing to
9% of the nation's electricity. Hydropower doesn't require a large dam to
produce electricity but a small canal is enough is
channel the river water to rotate the turbine.
However, only large projects are able to produce
on-demand electricity which unfortunately is the
limitation for small projects. Dams producing hydroelectricity also offer other forms of
recreation such as habitat for aquatic animals and
destructive flooding downstream.
tremendous since the kinetic energy of flowing
water is amply used to produce hydroelectricity
such as to rotate turbines. It's a form of
renewable energy where it contributes to less
pollution of environment and consumption of fossil fuels. In the United States there are
approximately more than 5,000 dams that are
used to produce hydroelectricity contributing to
9% of the nation's electricity. Hydropower doesn't require a large dam to
produce electricity but a small canal is enough is
channel the river water to rotate the turbine.
However, only large projects are able to produce
on-demand electricity which unfortunately is the
limitation for small projects. Dams producing hydroelectricity also offer other forms of
recreation such as habitat for aquatic animals and
destructive flooding downstream.
2 Tidal Energy:
Tidal Energy: Tidal energy also
called Tidal power is a
renewable source of energy and a form of
hydropower used to generate electricity using the
energy of the tides. Though not widely used to
generate electricity, it can be called as the energy
resource of the future with the current rate of depletion of non-renewable resources. High costs
and limited availability have kept tidal energy
from being utilized to its full potential. Tidal
power is generated through Tidal stream
generator, Tidal barrage and Dynamic tidal power. Wave Power: Wave power is the transport of energy on ocean
wave to carry out multiple jobs like electricity
generation, water desalination and pumping of
water into reservoirs. Wave power is not currently
used on a commercial scale though the first wave
farm was opened in Portugal in 2008.
renewable source of energy and a form of
hydropower used to generate electricity using the
energy of the tides. Though not widely used to
generate electricity, it can be called as the energy
resource of the future with the current rate of depletion of non-renewable resources. High costs
and limited availability have kept tidal energy
from being utilized to its full potential. Tidal
power is generated through Tidal stream
generator, Tidal barrage and Dynamic tidal power. Wave Power: Wave power is the transport of energy on ocean
wave to carry out multiple jobs like electricity
generation, water desalination and pumping of
water into reservoirs. Wave power is not currently
used on a commercial scale though the first wave
farm was opened in Portugal in 2008.
3. Geothermal Energy
Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is the thermal energy
generated and stored in the earth that verifies the
temperature of the matter. This clean and
sustainable type of energy is found in shallow hot
ground water, hot rocks a few miles beneath the
earth's surface and in the molten magma if we go deeper. Geothermal energy produces few
emissions and is consistently available for use.
Technologies that make geothermal energy
usable include geothermal heat pumps which
take advantage of the warm ground temperature
and use it to cool or heat buildings. Another use is for bathing as medium of hot water as it
provides heat directly and also contains medicinal
skin properties. Geothermal power plants convert
hydrothermal fluids like hot water or steam
accessed from deep wells to drive a turbine which
then produces electricity.
generated and stored in the earth that verifies the
temperature of the matter. This clean and
sustainable type of energy is found in shallow hot
ground water, hot rocks a few miles beneath the
earth's surface and in the molten magma if we go deeper. Geothermal energy produces few
emissions and is consistently available for use.
Technologies that make geothermal energy
usable include geothermal heat pumps which
take advantage of the warm ground temperature
and use it to cool or heat buildings. Another use is for bathing as medium of hot water as it
provides heat directly and also contains medicinal
skin properties. Geothermal power plants convert
hydrothermal fluids like hot water or steam
accessed from deep wells to drive a turbine which
then produces electricity.
4. Wind Energy:
Wind Energy: Particularly in seabed, hilly areas and seashores,
wind is easily available and hence it is less
expensive source of energy. By utilizing the
momentum and transferring it to rotor blades,
energy can be produced from wind. The process
of producing energy from this source does not create any type of pollution but the maintenance
can produce negligible amount of water or air
pollution. The usage of windmills or wind
turbines to produce energy is constrained to
installing them in windy areas where wind flows
with high speed as otherwise wind cannot be utilized to produce energy. To generate energy,
humans have been harnessing the wind since
ages. But today's modern wind turbines continue
to become more productive and powerful as they
supply energy to hundreds of homes than the
windmills used in old days which were good enough to produce energy only for small jobs like
fetching water from sea or grinding grains.
wind is easily available and hence it is less
expensive source of energy. By utilizing the
momentum and transferring it to rotor blades,
energy can be produced from wind. The process
of producing energy from this source does not create any type of pollution but the maintenance
can produce negligible amount of water or air
pollution. The usage of windmills or wind
turbines to produce energy is constrained to
installing them in windy areas where wind flows
with high speed as otherwise wind cannot be utilized to produce energy. To generate energy,
humans have been harnessing the wind since
ages. But today's modern wind turbines continue
to become more productive and powerful as they
supply energy to hundreds of homes than the
windmills used in old days which were good enough to produce energy only for small jobs like
fetching water from sea or grinding grains.
5. Solar Energy:
Solar Energy: The sun is the most important source of energy.
The sun rays can be used as a mean of producing
the energy. Photovoltaic cells possessing the
characteristic of converting heat to energy are
used to generate electricity. When sun rays strike
the surface of these photovoltaic cells, electric current is produced. This device is also less
expensive as it is made up of silicon which is one
of the most abundant elements on earth. The
only limitation of using solar energy or solar
panels or photovoltaic cells is that they can
produce electric current only in the day, when bright sunlight is available in abundance.
Installing photovoltaic cells or solar panels hence
cannot produce energy in rainy or snowy seasons.
The sun rays can be used as a mean of producing
the energy. Photovoltaic cells possessing the
characteristic of converting heat to energy are
used to generate electricity. When sun rays strike
the surface of these photovoltaic cells, electric current is produced. This device is also less
expensive as it is made up of silicon which is one
of the most abundant elements on earth. The
only limitation of using solar energy or solar
panels or photovoltaic cells is that they can
produce electric current only in the day, when bright sunlight is available in abundance.
Installing photovoltaic cells or solar panels hence
cannot produce energy in rainy or snowy seasons.
6 6. Biomass Energy:
Biomass Energy: Biomass power is
the electricity generated from
biomass and is obtained from wood, crops,
harvest residues, urban refuse and industrial
wastes known as biomass. It is one of the
important sources of renewable energy and
serves as an essential part of waste management process. Pulp and paper industries in United
States are prominent generators of biomass.
Obtaining power from biomass substances is
more cost-effective than that of obtaining it from
wind using wind turbines or windmills or any
other source as it requires less investment. Crops, woody plants, grass absorb carbon dioxide during
their growth and emit same amount of carbon
dioxide when processed to generate electricity.
This recycling of atmospheric carbon may reduce
global warming.
biomass and is obtained from wood, crops,
harvest residues, urban refuse and industrial
wastes known as biomass. It is one of the
important sources of renewable energy and
serves as an essential part of waste management process. Pulp and paper industries in United
States are prominent generators of biomass.
Obtaining power from biomass substances is
more cost-effective than that of obtaining it from
wind using wind turbines or windmills or any
other source as it requires less investment. Crops, woody plants, grass absorb carbon dioxide during
their growth and emit same amount of carbon
dioxide when processed to generate electricity.
This recycling of atmospheric carbon may reduce
global warming.
About the Author
I am Kashif Mirza, the founder of Student Training Lab (STL). I am working on projects since 2005 before that I just search things and now I am sharing my knowledge through this plateform.
| Follow @theenggprojects |
 In 61 people's circles
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Subscribe To Get FREE Tutorials!
|
Respected Readers:
|
0 comments:
Your feedback is always appreciated. I will try to reply to your queries as soon as time allows.
Post a CommentNote:-
Please do not spam Spam comments will be deleted immediately upon my review.
Regards,
Kashif Mirza