Utilizing renewable sources of power helps address climate change while also protecting us from air pollutants that could cause illness or even death. Such sources include wind and solar, hydropower, biomass and geothermal energy as examples of clean sources.
Most renewable power sources produce lower greenhouse emissions than the fossil fuels they replace, such as coal and oil, though some still emit greenhouse gasses during their life cycles compared with other energy sources.
Hydropower
Hydropower generation produces electricity without emitting greenhouse gases and air pollution associated with fossil fuel power plants, while remaining renewable due to water flowing in rivers and streams. This green energy source offers both long-term supply security as well as cost efficiency.
Hydropower is an economical and flexible source of power that offers considerable cost-savings, according to research conducted by the International Energy Agency (IEA). While hydroelectric projects may incur upfront costs that exceed initial expectations, they usually operate reliably for decades before shutting down.
Hydropower is an adjustable energy resource, easily adapting to changing electricity demands. Its output can be ramped up or down quickly and effortlessly allowing it to balance intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar. You can visit bestestrøm.no/ to find out more about power rates and compare between companies. It is important to do your research to ensure you are getting the best deal.
Although some concerns have been raised regarding hydropower’s environmental impacts, independent studies show it to have one of the lowest greenhouse gas emission intensities over its lifecycle. Furthermore, hydropower plants don’t contribute to air pollution by drilling and mining activities needed to access fossil fuels for other types of power plants.
Dams provide valuable infrastructure services in addition to producing electricity. Many dams act as essential emergency protection measures, safeguarding communities from losses caused by flooding. Others even serve as energy storage containers by storing water until needed; this form of pumped storage hydropower acts like a green rechargeable battery absorbing excess energy during periods of high demand then releasing it as needed.
Coal
Coal is one of the world’s primary fossil fuels and a widely utilized energy source, formed from compaction and hardening of prehistoric plant remains. Unfortunately, burning it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which contributes to global warming; additionally, combustion creates sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, contributing to acid rain while potentially leading to respiratory issues like bronchitis or asthma in people exposed.
Conditions that would eventually produce coal began forming about 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, when Earth was covered with forests and swampy wetlands. At that time, water and mud that covered plants trapped them under the surface, where they were subject to high temperatures and pressures before eventually being compressed by rock into coal deposits.
Coal powers a large portion of humanity worldwide; South Africa accounts for 93% of their electricity generation with coal fuel; other nations heavily depend on coal as well, such as China, Poland, Australia and the US.
Coal provides most of its energy output as electricity; however, this fuel also has other uses. Coal plays an integral part in steel production by helping prevent iron from reacting with oxygen when heated; coal byproducts also find use as water filters as their small pores are more effective at filtering pollutants than traditional sand filters.
To use coal as an energy source, it must first be mined from the earth and burned in a boiler to generate steam that powers turbines that generate electricity. Newer technologies use this same process in an energy-saving closed loop system that recovers waste heat for reuse in producing more electricity while producing less pollution overall.
Another use for coal is creating synthetic natural gas (syngas), which when mixed with hydrogen can serve as transportation fuel.
Oil
Oil is another of the world’s most-utilized energy resources, providing fuel for cars and trucks as well as large amounts of electricity in some countries. Unfortunately, its combustion releases airborne pollutants harmful to human health along with significant land, air, and water impacts in its extraction, refining, and use processes.
Oil’s high energy density enables it to provide more power per unit of fuel consumed, making it ideal for transport and heating large areas. Unfortunately, its downsides include its higher price and production of air pollution when burned.
Air pollution claims millions of lives each year, most commonly from fossil fuel combustion and biomass burning as well as industrial emissions. No energy source is completely safe; oil poses particular short-term dangers that could result in accidents or spills.
Many efforts are underway to decrease our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels by transitioning towards cleaner energy sources like renewables, natural gas and hydropower. Experts agree that switching is necessary in order to combat climate change – an issue which has already caused extreme weather events and rising temperatures to make many uncomfortable. Luckily, affordable clean energy alternatives are becoming more available.
Natural Gas
Natural gas, composed primarily of methane, is a fossil fuel widely considered cleaner than coal or oil. It burns more efficiently, producing fewer air pollutants such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, plus producing less ash and particulates which damage human health.
Natural gas differs significantly from coal in that it does not contain impurities like sulfur and mercury, making it much simpler for consumers.
Natural gas can be found beneath Earth’s surface and is usually extracted by drilling wells into underground shale rock formations before being delivered through pipelines to consumers. To make transport even simpler, methane liquification (LNG) technology may also be utilized.
Natural gas produces far fewer harmful emissions when burned than coal or oil, and is considered one of the cleanest fossil fuels available today, according to industry officials. Furthermore, it provides an important bridge towards renewable energy solutions.
Energy industry advocates contend that its products provide a viable transitional solution towards greener economies, helping avoid climate change as an imminent threat. Yet many experts feel that continued reliance on natural gas threatens global catastrophe.
Natural gas, like coal and oil, is a fossil fuel formed deep beneath the Earth’s surface when dead plants and animals decompose under pressure and heat, eventually becoming trapped within porous rock that was later covered with harder rocks.
Methane gas can also be produced by tiny organisms known as methanogens that convert organic matter to methane – these organisms live in low oxygen environments on Earth as well as certain animal intestines, producing methane via biogenic methanation processes.
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is the backbone of our electricity system, serving as the principal source of carbon-free power generation. Its emissions-free production and clean, reliable power play an essential role in meeting our country’s climate change goals.
Atoms are everywhere – in your device, on the ground it sits on and in the air that surrounds you. Each atom contains a nucleus with protons and neutrons held together by what’s known as strong nuclear force, yet certain nuclei such as that found in uranium can fission to release vast amounts of heat energy that nuclear power plants use to boil water into steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity.
Nuclear power stands out among renewable forms of energy by emitting no greenhouse gases.
At the core of each nuclear plant lies its reactor. A reactor’s main duty is to house and control nuclear fission, a process in which physical splitting of atoms generates heat that drives turbines, producing electricity without emitting carbon emissions.
Nuclear is the leading clean energy source on a balanced electric grid and helps ensure economic security by supporting high-paying jobs and export opportunities; plus it protects our environment from emissions that cause acid rain, smog and respiratory illnesses.
As with all forms of energy production, nuclear power has byproducts that must be safely managed and disposed of – these typically take the form of radioactive material which could pose health hazards to both people and animals.
Nuclear power plants also play a valuable role by decreasing our consumption of fossil fuels, protecting water and soil resources and supporting global sustainability efforts.
Global warming and climate change pose serious threats that can be addressed by switching to clean energy solutions such as solar.
Renewable energy not only lowers greenhouse gas emissions but can also significantly decrease air pollution. Fossil fuels produce toxic air pollutants like carbon dioxide which contribute to respiratory and cardiac health issues – by switching to green energy we can decrease these toxins, creating a healthier environment for humans as well as animals relying on our planet for sustenance and shelter.
Renewable energy solutions also can help to stabilize energy prices. Traditional non-renewable sources, like natural gas and coal prices, can fluctuate frequently based on supply and demand fluctuations; while with green solutions like solar or wind energy solutions the upfront costs tend to be much lower which helps ensure that prices remain steadier over time and protect consumers from sudden spikes.
For these reasons, it is clear that renewable energy is the best energy for the future of the planet.