Renewable energy is the energy resulting from natural resources that are inexhaustible and constantly renewed, such as wind, water, and sun, and which are available in almost all parts of the world.
Energy can be felt in our lives. Solar energy can be felt in bright sunlight and the warmth we feel when the sun’s rays shine on our skin. Wind energy can be felt by the wind moving tree branches and shaking their leaves. People have different ways to get energy from these renewable sources.
Solar energy
Solar energy can be obtained actively or passively. Active solar energy uses a special technology to capture sunlight. It requires two basic types of equipment: photovoltaic cells (solar cells) and mirrors that focus sunlight in a specific place. These active solar technologies use sunlight to generate Electricity, which we use to run lights, heating systems, computers, and televisions.
Passive solar energy does not require any equipment. Rather, you get energy from the way sunlight changes naturally throughout the day. For example, when building houses, window openings are placed toward the path of the sun. This means that the house will receive natural heat from the sun and will consume energy.
Other examples of passive solar technologies include green roofs, cool roofs, and reflective barriers. Green roofs completely covered with plants, for example, can help eliminate pollutants in rainwater and air and help make the surrounding environment cleaner. Likewise, white painted surfaces maintain a good degree of coolness because they reflect sunlight better. Reflective barriers are made of reflective materials such as aluminum to reflect the sun’s heat rather than absorb it. All of these types of roofs help reduce the amount of energy needed to cool or heat buildings.
Wind Energy
Since ancient times, humans have used wind energy. Five thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians made wind-powered boats, and in 200 BC, humans used windmills to grind grains and pump water. Today, wind energy is obtained using wind turbines that resemble a windmill. These turbines contain a very tall tower with two or three fan-like blades that the wind rotates, and thus the blades operate the generator (located inside the tower), which produces electricity.
An array of wind turbines is known as a wind farm. Wind farms can be found near farmland, in narrow mountain passes, and in the oceans where there are stronger, more consistent winds. Wind turbines located in the oceans are called offshore wind farms. These wind farms provide electricity to homes, schools, and other buildings. Neighboring.
Geothermal energy
The Earth’s core is located deep beneath the Earth’s surface and the Earth’s center is very hot, with a temperature exceeding 6,000 degrees Celsius, and heat is constantly moving toward the surface.
Some of the Earth’s heat can be seen when it floats to the surface of the Earth. Geothermal energy melts and melts underground rocks and seeps to the surface in the form of lava. Geothermal energy also heats underground water sources and releases them to the surface. These water streams are called hot springs.
Most of the earth’s heat remains underground and makes its way to the surface very slowly, but geothermal heat can be accessed in different ways. One of these methods is the use of (geothermal heat pumps), where water pipes are extended to the building to be heated from a deep layer underground, and the water is heated due to. Geothermal energy underground extends the warmth to the building, and geothermal heat pumps are used to heat homes, sidewalks, and even parking lots.
Another way to use geothermal energy is steam. In some parts of the world there is steam underground and it naturally rises to the surface and the steam is transported directly to the power plant, but in other parts of the world the ground is dry so water is injected underground to generate steam.
Biomass energy
Plants obtain energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis , and this energy is stored in plants even after they die. Trees, branches, bark scraps, and recycled paper are common sources of biomass energy. Manure, litter, and crops such as corn, soybeans, and sugarcane can also be used as biomass feedstock.
Biomass energy is obtained by burning it, in which wood, manure and garbage are dried and compressed into small squares that are too dry to absorb water and are stored and burned to generate heat or generate electricity. Biomass can also be converted into biofuel. Biofuel is mixed with gasoline fuel and can be used to power cars and trucks. The result is that the blended biofuel releases less harmful pollutants than raw gasoline.
Hydropower
Hydropower consists of flowing water, and most hydropower plants are located on large dams to control river flow. Dams hold river water and form an artificial lake or reservoir. A specific amount of water is pushed through tunnels in the dam. When the water flows through the tunnels, it drives huge turbines that generate electricity.
Other sources of renewable energy
Scientists and engineers are constantly working to harness other renewable energy sources, the most important of which are tidal energy, wave energy, and algae fuels.
The force generated by the tides in the oceans is sufficient to generate electricity. Projects to harness this energy use the tidal movement to rotate turbine blades. Some projects use small dams to constantly fill reservoirs at high tide, releasing water slowly and rotating the turbines at low tide.
Wave energy depends on the waves of the ocean, lakes, or rivers. Dams and turbines are also used in wave energy projects. These generating equipment float directly on the waves, and the continuous movement of water across these floating pieces of equipment drives the turbines and generates electricity.
Algae fuel is a type of biomass energy that uses the unique chemicals in seaweed to produce clean, renewable biofuel. Algae fuel does not require as much agricultural land as biofuel feedstock.
Renewable energy for vehicles
Most vehicles run on fossil fuels in the form of gasoline or diesel fuel. Another alternative fuel is liquefied gas (LPG), but it is ultimately a fossil fuel and therefore not renewable. Also, there are other types of renewable fuels such as ethanol made from grains such as corn, and biodiesel made from oil plants. Ethanol and biodiesel are called biofuels because they are fuels made from plant or animal materials.
Some vehicles now run on batteries or fuel cells. Fuel cells are similar to batteries but last longer and use fuel such as hydrogen to generate electricity. Fuel cells are also used in spacecraft and in some buildings.
Renewable energy problems
For hundreds of years, people have relied on fossil fuels for industries. Transitioning to alternative energies is expensive and requires major changes to existing systems, such as changing the ways in which cars, large engines, and factories operate. So the transition to renewable energy requires large-scale changes by governments and companies, providing support and helping to provide funds for alternatives.
Some alternative energy technologies are still relatively new and in their early stages and require additional research and development, and these sources may be vital to providing energy while using other resources.
