Renewable Source Of Energy

Solar Energy 

Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis.

It is an essential source of renewable energy, and its technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power, and solar water heating to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity. The United Nations Development Programme in its 2000 World Energy Assessment found that the annual potential of solar energy was 1,575–49,837 exajoules (EJ). This is several times larger than the total world energy consumption, which was 559.8 EJ in 2012.

In 2011, the International Energy Agency said that "the development of affordable, inexhaustible and clean solar energy technologies will have huge longer-term benefits. It will increase countries' energy security through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible, and mostly import-independent resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of mitigating global warming, and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise. These advantages are global. Hence the additional costs of the incentives for early deployment should be considered learning investments; they must be wisely spent and need to be widely shared".

Wind Energy 

What is Wind Energy?

Wind energy is one of the best sources of alternative energy. Wind refers to the movement of air from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas. The wind is caused by uneven heating of the earth’s surface by the sun. Hot air rises up and cool air flows in to take its place. Winds will always exist as long as solar energy exists and people will be able to harness the energy from till then.

It is a renewable source of energy and does not produce any pollutants or emissions during operation that could harm the environment, other than those required for maintenance. Wind power is one of the cleanest and safest methods of generating renewable electricity. Wind farms can be created to trap wind energy by placing multiple wind turbines in the same location for the purpose of generating large amounts of electric power.

Fact About Wind Energy 

Fact 1: Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world. Wind turbines take the wind’s kinetic energy and convert it into mechanical energy. The generators then convert that mechanical energy into electrical energy. For example, windmills produce mechanical energy, enable sails to move boats, and generate electricity.

Fact 2: Windmills have been in use since 200 B.C. and were first developed in Persia and China. Ancient mariners sailed to distant lands by making use of winds. Farmers used wind power to pump water and for grinding grains. Today the most popular use of wind energy is converting it to electrical energy to meet the critical energy needs of the planet.

Fact 3: Wind energy is underutilized as of now and holds tremendous potential for the future. Though there has been a 25% increase in wind turbine use in the last decade, wind energy still provides only a small percentage of the energy of the world.

Fact 4: Wind energy is mostly harnessed by wind turbines which are as high as 20 story buildings and have three blades which are 60 meters long. They resemble giant propellers of airplanes mounted on a stick. The blades are spun by the wind which transfers motion to a shaft connected to a generator that produces electricity.

Fact 5: The largest turbines can harness energy to power 600 American homes. These turbines form wind farms and hundreds are arranged in lines in windy spots like a ridge. A small turbine in the back yard can easily power a small business or a home. A wind farm is a collection of wind turbines in the same location. Many wind farms provide rental income to rural communities where they are situated.