Renewable energy is the only alternative to long-term climate change. This energy could solve many environmental problems like climate change, radioactive waste, acid rain and air pollution. Renewable energy could cover one third of electricity consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20%. To achieve this, it requires investing around millions of dollars per year. Renewable energy sources are different from fossil fuels or nuclear power plants because of their diversity and abundance.
The first advantage of a certain amount of renewable energy sources that produce no greenhouse gases or other emissions, contrary to what happens with fuel, whether fossil or renewable. Some renewable sources do not emit additional carbon dioxide, except those needed for its construction and operation, and show no additional risk, such as nuclear.
Solar energy for heat and power production
Solar energy is particularly suitable for supplying heat at, or below-boiling water, which can be used for heating or cooling of spaces or water. These uses absorb 30% to 50% of energy use in industrial countries and even more in developing countries. Solar energy can be collected, stored and distributed through active or passive systems. The power supply for active or passive systems that collect solar energy for low-temperature heating in buildings is free and is available naturally in sunny days.
Useful net energy production is moderate (active systems) to high (passive systems). The technology is well developed and can be installed quickly; no carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere and the environmental impacts of air pollution and water are low.
Hydropower
This is a natural resource available in areas with enough water. This involves investing large sums of money, so it is not competitive in areas where coal or oil are cheap, but the cost of maintaining a power plant due to fuel more expensive than a central hydropower. However, the weight of environmental considerations focus attention on these renewable energy sources.
Hydropower has a net energy production and moderate to high operating and maintenance costs low. The hydroelectric plants rarely need to be shut and do not produce carbon dioxide emissions or atmospheric air pollutants. Their dams have a lifespan of two to ten times the life of nuclear plants and coal stations. Large dams also help control floods and provide a regulated flow of irrigation water to areas located downstream from the dam.
Wind
Humans have used this power in various ways throughout its history: sailing ships, windmills, water extraction from underground wells. Today, wind is also used to produce electricity. In some countries, like Denmark and Germany, exits wind farms, where hundreds of mills are driven by the wind, producing enough electricity for entire cities
This energy it's a system of unlimited energy in favorable sites and can build large wind farms in just three to six months. They have a net useful energy output from moderate to high, and these systems do not emit carbon dioxide an d other pollutants into the air during operation. They do not need water for cooling and their manufacture and use of water cause little pollution. The land occupied by wind farms can be used for grazing and other purposes.
Geothermal energy
The heat contained in subsurface rocks and fluids is an important source of energy. At various points in the crust, this geothermal energy inside the Earth are transferred, over millions of years, to concentrations of dry steam, underground, wet steam and hot water trapped in pores and cracks in rocks . If these geothermal reservoirs are close to the surface it is possible to drill to remove the dry steam, wet steam or hot water. This can be used for heating, electricity production and useful high temperature heat in industrial processes. (See Below)
Currently, some 20 countries extract geothermal energy enough to supply heat to meet the needs of over 2 million homes in cold climates and enough electricity to over 1.5 million homes.
Also, this energy is Net useful energy production, in case of large sites, easy access and much less carbon dioxide per unit of energy than fossil fuels. The cost of producing electricity by geothermal plants is lower than that of coal plants and much lower than that of new nuclear plants.
Geothermal energy is considered a renewable resource because of its vast potential supply, but the geothermal reservoirs can be depleted if the heat is extracted at a speed greater than that of its renewal by natural processes.
Only with indigenous, inexhaustible and clean energy sources like renewable energy, we expect a sustainable and prosperous future for our societies.
Javier Ulises Gomez
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