Plans for the Future: Renewable Energy Is Our Savior
What is renewable energy? Why is everyone out there concerned about the future of renewable energy? Well, the answers are not as tough as we would have expected, nor do they require a lot of action in order to succeed. Our planet is dependent upon us to keep it thriving, and the best way to do that is to switch over to renewable energy.
Renewable energy effectively uses natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, which may be naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity/micro hydro, biomass and biofuels for transportation.
Solar energy is energy from the Sun in the form of radiated heat and light. Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines. Hydroelectricity is a form of hydropower, and is the most widely used form of renewable energy. Micro Hydro is a term used for hydroelectric power installations that typically produce up to 100 kW of power.
Biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as biofuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibres, chemicals or heat. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel. Biofuel (if cultivated, then also called agrofuel or agrifuel) can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants.
There are a lot of nonliving factors that affect our use of renewable resources. The factors are often called "abiotic" and are what we find naturally in the environment, such as the air, water and sunlight. These three factors are the major sources of our issue. By utilizing these natural resources, we open up worlds of energy that are yet completely untapped. According to the Annual Energy Review of 1999 provided by
Renewable energy effectively uses natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, which may be naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity/micro hydro, biomass and biofuels for transportation.
Solar energy is energy from the Sun in the form of radiated heat and light. Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines. Hydroelectricity is a form of hydropower, and is the most widely used form of renewable energy. Micro Hydro is a term used for hydroelectric power installations that typically produce up to 100 kW of power.
Biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for use as biofuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibres, chemicals or heat. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel. Biofuel (if cultivated, then also called agrofuel or agrifuel) can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants.
There are a lot of nonliving factors that affect our use of renewable resources. The factors are often called "abiotic" and are what we find naturally in the environment, such as the air, water and sunlight. These three factors are the major sources of our issue. By utilizing these natural resources, we open up worlds of energy that are yet completely untapped. According to the Annual Energy Review of 1999 provided by
Cited: Hemberger, P (2004, October 18). Solar. Retrieved May 17, 2008, from REPP-CREST Web site: http://www.crest.org/articles/static/1/995469913_2.html Renewable Energy Policy Project (2001, August 17). National Governors Association Adopts Energy Policy at Annual Meeting. Retrieved June 1, 2008, from REPP-CREST Web site: http://www.crest.org/articles/static/1/998060792_982762890.html