Renewable Energy – Its Sources, Storage, and Significance

Renewable Energy – Its Sources, Storage, and Significance

With increased energy needs, we primarily depend on oil, coal, gas, etc., for sufficient fulfillment. But we overlook the essential part here and don’t get the advantages of renewable energy, the climatic change. 

Because of the excessive use of such elements, we can never deny our dependence on renewable energy sources. Continuous usage of fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum enhances the concentration of harmful pollutants in our environment. 

However, renewable energy sources can be a savior in such a challenging phase for each person residing in this environment. But first, apprehend the meaning of renewable energy.

Renewable energy sources have become increasingly popular to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources and address climate change.

Some standard renewable energy technologies include solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric dams, geothermal power plants, and biomass energy systems.

Can use the technology to generate electricity, heat buildings, and power transportation, among other applications.

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy flows from renewable natural resources like rain, wind, sunlight, tides, heat, etc. It has been alleged as ‘renewable’ as it never lapses. Nothing can be called the best renewable energy, but solar and wind energy are targeted as the best.

The prime advantages of renewable energy are:

There are several reasons renewable energy needs to be conserved and used wisely, considering the advantages of renewable energy.

  • It produces energy that generates little or no greenhouse gases that contribute to improving air quality.

  • Decreasing the demand for imported fuels for power generation.

  • Strengthening the nation’s economy and bringing up employment.

5 Primary sources available of renewable energy

Solar energy

Solar energy stands out amongst the most well-known sustainable renewable energy sources: sunlight-based power. This energy grows from the sun, which spreads to the whole planet with the vitality we must endure. 

Utilizing solar panels, we can gather energy from daylight and convert it to power that controls our homes.

Solar panels can also extract heated water or charge battery frameworks. Solar energy is beneficial for the environment as well as the economy. 

Installing solar plants in organizations can reduce the hazardous impact on nature as solar power does not release harmful pollution.

Wind power

Wind power is another sort of renewable energy source that we associate with consistently. When one sense and try to feel the breeze or wind, they feel air shifting to different places due to the jagged or erratic warming of Earth’s surface. 

We can catch wind intensity utilizing monstrous turbines, which tend to create energy when they turn. 

This renewable energy source is also pollution free, just like solar energy, as there is no release of harmful gases or pollutants into the environment. Wind farms originated approximately 6% of the electricity in the U.S. in the year 2107.

Hydroelectricity

When water on the move flows speedily through the turbines, then by moving or stirring the water, it can produce renewable energy. The spinning of water tends to originate energy which results in electricity production. 

This process generally takes place at immense waterfalls and dams etc. Hydropower is known to be a source of energy that does not give rise to any pollution. It is a non-polluting source of energy.

On the other hand, the process of generating hydroelectricity tends to impact the environment more than other energy sources significantly. Hydropower can easily switch and shift the levels of water.

Geothermal energy

Earth tends to have an eminent source of energy comprised inside it. Heat is enclosed when the planet is composed, mixed with heat from the radioactive decomposition in rocks underneath the crust. 

It gives rise to a massive amount of geothermal heat energy. Geothermal power is relatively cost-efficient, environment-friendly, and capable enough to be used in the future. Still, it is also limited to places and areas near tectonic plate boundaries.

Read also:https://www.essaycorp.com/blog/emerging-trends-in-green-marketing

Why is it important to conserve resources? 

These renewable resources provide an ample ready-to-use power supply without hampering the natural resources. There are several risks associated with resource usage, like spills of fuels and reducing the need for imported fuels.

With proper use of renewable resources, we can keep an analytical track and utilize the resource fully.

Renewable Energy Storage

There is an utmost need to depend on such renewable energy sources. However, to achieve the same, there is a hefty requirement to store these energies when nature does not support them, like when the sun is not shining or the wind stops blowing.

There are numerous methods to store energy:

  • Flywheels include mechanical devices controlling rotational energy to cater to immediate electricity.

  • Compressed Air Energy Storage – Employing and exercising compressed air to produce an influential energy reserve.

  • Thermal – It is related to acquiring heat and cold to generate energy on demand.

  • Pumped Hydro-Power – This type of energy storage works in originating large-scale reservoirs of energy with water.

There are several pros and cons of Renewable energy 

Let’s elaborate more on the pros and cons of Renewable energy:

PROS

  • It helps in creating employability

  • Cleaner environment

  • Minimum carbon emissions

CONS

  • High capital investments

  • Energy dependency can be unreliable

  • It may get impacted by environmental conditions

Conclusion

You may wonder why renewable energy sources are better than non-renewable sources of energy; the reason is non-renewable energy sources, when burnt, produce a considerable amount of emissions that cause environmental pollution; on the other hand, renewable sources are zero carbon emission sources. 

Energy storage has become a hot and trending topic in the industry. The utility handlers must continuously attempt and execute the steady supply and demand to fulfill the peak demand To maintain and assert the competent power flow.

Storage is becoming one of the most significant elements of power generation, conveyance, disposal, and consumption management. 

The efficient and inexpensive storage is the subsequent hindrance that must confound to attain a more effective and higher intrusion of renewable energy in the grid. 

In the coming time, energy storage systems will surely see advances because various manufacturers are exercising prominently in this field.

While still a tiny part of our energy mix, geothermal energy is a promising renewable energy source with massive potential for energy supply. 

In Iceland, geothermal energy accounts for 90 percent of home heating and 25 percent of electricity needs. 

However, some concerns with geothermal energy include the cost of constructing a power plant and its relation to surface instability and earthquakes.

Wind Power, Hydro Power, Renewable Energy, Sources of Renewable Energy,