Clean Energy Importance

Clean Energy Importance Abstract Nowadays pollution is a tremendous problem for people and the earth. Researchers and scientists are trying so hard to try to solve that problem. Clean energy is one of the solutions. Clean energy means the energy that will not effect to the environment. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Clean Energy Importance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Clean energy is the energy that can produce by some of the existing resources, like from the wind or the sun. Many organizations try to use these resources to be the main energy for them. Despite the fact that clean energy costs more money than the other energy sources, it can give more benefits to organizations and to the world at large. Introduction No single energy solution can be able to meet the energy needs of the contemporary society. This explains why there are so many sources of energy. The society tries to utilize energy from various sources in a bid t o meet its energy needs. Currently, there are two major categories of energy: renewable and nons of clean energy There are numerous types of renewable energy sources, which are classified here as main types and other types of renewable energy. The main sources of clean energy contribute the highest numbers of Gig watts of clean energy to the world’s energy market, while the other types of clean energy contribute negligible amounts of energy. Main types of clean energy Wind energy Wind energy is the energy generated after wind power turns wind turbines to generate electricity. Wind is a product of changes in the atmosphere. The changes in atmospheric temperatures and changes in atmospheric pressure create wind by making air to move around the earth’s surface. A wind turbine captures the wind power mechanically, and converts it into energy (Weir 1). Wind energy is therefore, a clean source of energy, and it can reliably meet the energy needs of the society. The energy i s cost-effective, affordable, sustainable, and pollution-free.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Clean Energy Importance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since wind energy does not use fossil fuels, it does not produce toxic wastes, greenhouse gases, or radioactive wastes (Weir 1). This, therefore, implies that wind energy does not pollute the environment, and therefore, it is an effective way to fight global warming. Despite the reliability of wind energy for small-scale consumption, wind energy is inappropriate for large-scale consumption. This implies that it will be unwise to rely on wind energy in a factory. The reason for this is that wind energy is dependent on environmental changes, and thus there may be times when there is no wind to generate sufficient power. However, large-scale consumers of energy can counter this by having back-up power provision. That is, using wind energy as the main source of energy and another source like powerful back-up generators, which can be used when there is no enough wind to generate sufficient power. Wind-energy constitutes a small percentage (about 1%) of the world’s energy generation (Weir 1). Solar energy There are several ways to generate energy from the sun. The most common is the solar panel. A solar panel or photovoltaic module captures sunlight and uses it to generate direct current electricity. The design of solar panel is such that it lasts for a long period (decades), while exposed to unfavourable conditions (Imboden 1). In addition to the solar panel, a photovoltaic cell (PV cell) can also harness solar energy. The photovoltaic cell (PV cell) uses sunlight to produce electricity. The PV cell’s body comprises of materials similar to those used in computer chips. These materials have the special property of releasing electrons upon exposure to sunlight, a property that makes them able to generate energy (Imboden 1). An other method of harnessing solar power is by using mirrors to concentrate it. The mirrors concentrate the solar power in one area, generating heat energy. The heat energy then produces electricity after powering a generator. Just like wind energy, solar energy is cheap, reliable and eco-friendly. Solar energy can therefore, be instrumental in countering global warming (Imboden 1). On the other hand, it is also dependent on environmental changes, and thus it is inappropriate for people who consume huge amounts of energy.Advertising Looking for research paper on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Biomass energy Biomass energy is organic waste and it is the oldest energy source because it was the primary source of energy until the nineteenth century. A large faction of human population for cooking and heating hitherto uses biomass energy. With technology advancement, it has been possible to transform the way biomass is used, and currently large biomass plants for generating power are in existence. Some coal plants have even converted from using coal to using biomass as their main raw material in order to reduce climate change and its effects. Biomass is carbons of such countries include India, China, etc. Hydro energy does not have emissions that contribute to global warming, and thus it is a reliable source of green energy. It does not have the disadvantages of intermittency and high costs associable with other clean energy sources. The main disadvantage of hydro energy is that it exposes an area to risks that can be catastrophic. It is thus apparent that the advantages of hydro energy outweigh its disadvantages. Other types of clean energy There are still other energy sources, which belong to the renewable energy category. Examples include tidal energy and wave energy. Tidal Energy Tidal energy is a small form of energy whose global capacity is about 500 MW. It, therefore, constitutes 0.001% of electricity generation worldwide (â€Å"Renewable Energy† 1). Numerous companies are however researching on ways through which they can develop tidal energy generation because it less costly and it does not pollute the environment. The current tidal energy success is attributable to the French Tidal Wave Power Plant. Wave Energy Wave energy is similar to tidal energy in terms of its capacity. It is, therefore, another niche source of green energy. The waves used in energy generation in this case are from the disturbance of the ocean by wind. In many regions, the wind blows consistently enough, forming continuous waves, which are reliable in energy gener ation. Wave-power devices then extract the energy carried by the waves from the water surface. Alternatively, the devices can extract the energy from fluctuations in pressure below the surface of the ocean. Some of the areas that are rich with oceanic waves that produce energy when harnessed with turbines include the western coasts of northern Canada, Australia, Southern Africa and Scotland (â€Å"Renewable Energy† 1). Some people even argue that nuclear energy is a renewable form of energy, but in the strict sense, the primary source of nuclear energy is non-renewable. Once a nuclear plant uses uranium fuel, the latter cannot be re-used. Conclusion As discussed above, the society has many choices as far as clean energy is concerned. It is, therefore, wise to choose renewable energy over its non-renewable counterparts in order to preserve our natural energy deposits for future generations, and limit the extent and effects of global warming. The use of renewable energy sourc es will also lead to minimal atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases, leading to a reduction of pollution. However, it is nearly impossible to reach a situation in which the world will be solely using renewable sources of energy to meet all its energy needs. It is, therefore, imperative that the society strikes a balance between the use of renewable and non-renewable energy. For instance, at home, people can use natural gas for functions like water heating, and they can use wind or solar energy used for other energy needs. From the discussion above, the main sources of clean energy include the sun, wind, water, biomass, and geothermal energy. In addition to these sources of clean energy, renewable and clean energy is also obtainable from oceanic waves and tides. The reason why the aforementioned sources of energy come under the other sources category is because the produce minimal amounts of energy, and thus they cannot be relied on for power production. They normally act as back-u ps for other sources of energy. For instance, tidal energy can back up nuclear energy. 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