Types of Renewable Energy

Every civilization’s progress is dependent on the natural resources. In natural resources all living and non living things come, for example manpower is living resource. Similarly minerals are the non-living resource. But continuous use of natural resources is restricting the further usage. Natural resources include:

• Forests
• Agricultural lands
• Oceans and rivers
• Minerals
• Fossil fuels

Some of these resources are natural renewable resources and some are non-renewable. With non- renewable resources most of people are familiar. Such as gasoline, coal etc.

Continuous usage of non-renewable resources like petrol, coal and other fossil fuels had decreased their natural availability. It takes so much time and investment to find new hidden resources for these types of non-renewable fuels.  That’s why day by day fuel price are rising in the market and those are affecting the life of a common person.

Human had made immense advancements in the field of technology but never considered renewable resources more as compare to non- renewable resources. If we look into history renewable sources of energy were used more by the ancient human.

But in modern era scenario had been changed, there is rise in fuel prices and environmental concerns are on rise also!

Its time to consider renewable energy resources seriously before it get too much late.  There are 5 renewable energy types that are available all around the world easily.

Here are the types of the renewable energy:

1. Solar Energy

Solar energy is the energy which is derived from the sun. It can for heating purpose or for power production.  No need to buy fuel or coal to generate electricity sun is available one just have to harness its rays and have to convert them in the desired form of energy either heat or electricity!

Solar heaters are used to heat your home and water; similarly solar panels are used to convert sunlight into electricity. Best thing about solar energy is that it requires very less maintenance. Solar energy is environment friendly and haves zero emissions. But solar panels manufacturing do includes some toxic elements and it is expensive as compare to non-renewable energy resources.

Solar energy is expensive only in the beginning, once solar panels are installed after that your gets power for lifetime in free!

2. Wind Energy

Wind is also a renewable source of energy and available free of cost. Mankind is using wind energy through windmills from so many years. Wind energy is environment friendly and haves zero emissions. Wind can be turned into electricity with the help of wind turbines. Wind turbines are really great source t produce electricity but these can be fatal to flying birds.

3. Hydropower

Hydropower means generating energy with the help of flowing water. This great renewable energy source is being used since ages and is known as hydroelectric power.  Hydroelectricity is produced with the churning water with the help of massive generators. Though hydropower haves zero emissions also but it affects the aquatic life and aquatic ecosystem.

4. Biomass Energy

Plants and trees are the source of biomass energy and are used for creating bio-fuels. Plants are used from paper making to methane gas decomposition. Now plants are even grown for bio-fuels such as ethanol is obtained from corn crops. Biomass energy can be used for lighting and cooking.

5. Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is the energy which is obtained from earth’s heat. It can be in form volcanoes, hot spring, steam reservoir or sun-heated earth crust. There are only few countries in the world that produce electricity from geothermal energy!

Renewable energy is having enormous benefits. Its environment friendly and aside from those renewable energy resources are not going to deplete. They can be naturally replenished which will go long way for the future generations.

How Do Gas Powered Refrigerator Perform?

Almost every home is having refrigerator. The refrigerators which we are having in homes are more cost effective, efficient and they are having long life also. But the refrigerators that we use in home run on electricity. That’s why those refrigerators don’t work if we live in area where there is no electricity or go for camping. For such type of conditions there are other types of refrigerators which are called gas powered refrigerators. 

Gas powered refrigerators works on the places where electricity is not available.

Gas Refrigerator’s Main Components

Gas powered refrigerator’s basic components are same like the electric refrigerators such as:

• Generator
• Separator
• Condenser
• Evaporator
• Absorber

These components work together, uses the gas as both fuel and coolant to make the refrigerator work when there is no electricity available. The whole process is effective, as its less energy efficient than the standard refrigerator. But it works effectively.

How Gas Powered Refrigerator Works?

The gas powered refrigerator process can be described in five steps:

1. Gas burns in the generator which helps to create the energy of the process; it raises the temperature of this combination of ammonia and water, and makes it boil.
2. When the ammonia starts boiling then the combination travels to a separator which moves the ammonia and the water separately through the rest of the system.
3. From here the gas powered refrigerator process becomes similar like traditional refrigerators. The ammonia gas moves through a condenser, where the pressure system moves it through coils. Ammonia is kept warm in these coils, but turns into a liquid.
4. Then the liquid ammonia collides with hydrogen gas. This collision creates evaporation that creates the colder temperatures, which helps to cool the refrigerator.
5. In final step water combines back with the hydrogen and ammonia mixture. Then hydrogen leaves and collects elsewhere, and the remaining solution starts processing all over again.

Though the all procedure of refrigeration in gas powered refrigerator is little complicated but its so much effective in those areas where electricity is not available. It’s not a long lasting system, and not meant to be used for a long periods.

How Long a Gas Tank Last in a Refrigerator?

It depends in the type of the gas which they use. For example, ¾ tank is used by an average propane refrigerator. Consumption of gas depends on models also; the old ones are less efficient. So it’s always better to stock up on propane tank before you leave for a trip. Because on your trip you can afford to run short of propane gas, if that happened then the most of food in your refrigerator will be spoiled.

Anyhow gas powered refrigerators are effective for long camping, RV trailers and other places that don’t have electricity.

Top 10 Renewable Energy Sources

There are so many environment friendly and renewable energy resources. These sources of energy are the alternate source of energy and help to nullify the effects of certain forms of pollution. All these power generation techniques can be described as renewable because they are not reducing the quantity of any resources to create the energy.

Here we had listed the top 10 renewable energy resources.

1. Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is obtained through any nuclear technology designed to extract usable energy from atomic nuclei through controlled nuclear reactions. Recently for that only fission nuclear method is used, though other methods might one day include nuclear fusion and radioactive decay.

The reactors heat up the water to produce steam then its converted into mechanical work for the purpose of generating electricity or propulsion.

Fourteen percent of the world’s electricity is produced by nuclear energy. U.S. , France, and Japan account together 56.5% of nuclear generated electricity.

439 nuclear power reactors are in operation around the world in 31 countries. According to the figures of World Nuclear Association during 1980s one new nuclear reactor started up in every 17 days on average, and this ratio will increase till 2015 up to one reactor every 5 days.

France gets cleanest air than any other industrialized country because of nuclear power, and also cheapest electricity in all of Europe.  For reducing mass and making more energy France reprocess it nuclear waste.

By reprocessing up to 95% of the remaining uranium and plutonium can be recovered to spent in nuclear fuel, putting it into new mixed oxide fuel. France is considered as most successful reprocessor but currently it only recycles on 28% of the yearly fuel use, 7% in France and another 21% in Russia.

 The energy experts believe that nuclear energy is a sustainable energy source that reduces carbon emissions and increases energy security by decreasing dependence on foreign oil. It is also emphasize that storing waste risks are low and using the latest technology in newer reactors can further reduce them.  As comparing to other major nuclear power plants the operational safety record in the Western World is excellent.

According to critics nuclear power generation is dangerous even though using latest technology can lower the risks down.  While on other side proponents advance the concept that nuclear power produces eventually no air pollution as compare to fossil oil energy producing and they also say that nuclear energy is the only virtual course to achieve energy independence for most Western countries.

But its being criticized also and critics say that radioactive waste can be contaminated by accident or sabotage as such accidents had happened before.

2. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

Compressed Natural Gas is the substitute for the fossil fuel like gasoline, diesel or propane fuel. Though its combustion also produce the greenhouse gases but it’s more environment friendly as compare to other fossil fuels CNG is used in traditional gasoline engines which are converted into b-fuel vehicles (gasoline/CNG).

CNG vehicles are increasingly used in Europe and in North America. In Europe Italy is the no.1 and in world its 4th country with largest number of CNG-powered vehicles.

Canada is the largest producer of natural gas and CNG in Canada is used as economical motor fuel.

3. Biomass

As a renewable energy source biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. For that biomass make an appeal to plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce for instance trash like dead trees, yard clippings wood chip biofuel, and it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers, chemicals or heat.

Industrial biomass can be grown up by several types of plants such as misconstrues, switch grass, hemp, poplar, corn sugarcane etc.

Biomass is a growing industry as demand for sustainable energy resources is increasing. Currently in U.S. 0.5% of electricity is produced by using biomass. New Hope Power Partnership is the largest biomass power plant in North America.

4. Geothermal Power

The most efficient and powerful way to extract energy from earth through natural process is called geothermal energy. In ancient roman times it was used for space heating and bathing but now it’s better known to produce electricity.

Though geothermal power is cost effective, reliable and environment friendly but geographically it’s limited only to areas near tectonic plate boundaries.

The largest group of geothermal power plants is in the Geysers a geothermal field in California, United States. According to statistics 5 countries in world (EL Salvador, Kenya, Philippines, Iceland, and Costa Rica) generate more than 15% of their electricity through geothermal sources.

The main advantage of geothermal energy is that it doesn’t need any fuel. Geothermal electricity is generated in 24 countries around the world and still there are number of potential sites that need any discovery.

5. Radiant Energy

This natural energy is gained directly from environment or its extracted from ordinary electricity by using the fractionation method.  Nikola Tesla invented the earliest wireless telephones based on radiant energy. This natural energy can work same as ordinary electricity at less than 1% of the cost.  It doesn’t behave exactly like electricity.

6. Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity is generated by hydropower. Using the force of falling or flowing water generates the power. This is the most widely used form of the renewable energy and it doesn’t produce any waste that will be harmful for the environment.

Hydropower produces the world’s almost 19% electricity.

7. Wind Power

Conversion of wind energy by wind turbines into useful energy form such as electricity or mechanical energy is called Wind Power.

Wind power haves one the lowest environmental impacts of all energy resources. Recently wind produces only 1.5% of worldwide electricity but its growing fast.  It achieved high level of penetration in many countries.

The wind power electricity production in few countries is phenomenal such as 19% of electricity production in Denmark, 11% in Spain and Portugal, and 7% in Germany and Ireland.

If we look in history humans are using wind energy from centuries such it was used to propel the sailing ships, for grinding grains and now today it is used to produce the electricity.

8. Solar Power

Solar power is controls the suns energy to produce the electricity. This is one of the fastest growing energy sources and so many new technologies are developing with rapid speed to attain more from sun’s energy.

Solar cells are becoming more productive, flexible, transportable and easy in installation.  Photovoltaic production was rise rapidly in 1973 due to of oil crisis.

Recent years solar installations are largely expanded to residential areas as governments are offering incentive programs to make green energy and more economically viable option.

9. Wave Power

Transporting the energy from the ocean surface waves to capture the energy for useful work such as generating electricity, water desalination or pumping of the water is called wave energy.

This method of renewable energy is not most reliable due to unpredicted ocean and wave direction. Anyhow waveforms are in use in Europe.  They are using floating Pelamis Wave Energy converters.

The world’s first commercial wave form is in Portugal, at the Agucadora Wave Park, that consists of three 750 KW Pelamis devices.

10. Tidal Power

Tidal power generation is similar to a wind turbine power generation. It is more environment friendly and cause less impact on established ecosystems.

Tidal energy can be generated in two ways, one tidal stream generators and other by barrage generation.

Similar like wind turbines tidal stream generators rotate underwater swiftly driven by dense water.. Though its not used wider basis but its having a potential for future power generation.

Tidal energy production is more predictable than wind energy and solar power. Tidal mills were used in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of America long before.

Tidal power is directly derived from the motion of the Earth-Moon system, tidal forces are produced by the moon and sun with combination of earth’s rotation.

Lunar Energy Company in England had announced that they would build the world’s first tidal energy farm at the coast of Pembrokshire in Wales. It will be the world’s first deep-sea tidal energy farm, which will provide electricity to 5,000 homes.

The Future of Coal

America is having large coal resources but not like as before. In 2007 the National Academy of Sciences told that in its report that the country likely has at least a 100-year supply at today’s consumption levels, but that could not confirm the often quoted assertion that the nation has a 250 year supply of coal.

Since then, the U.S. Geologic Survey substantially reduced its estimate about the amount of coal, which is economically recoverable in the nation’s most important coal field, the Powder River Basin. Anyhow even if the United States coal reserves remain abundant, there are other factors, which may limit the coal use. As there are future expected limits on carbon dioxide emissions, which will very likely reduce the production of the coal, in the absence of the success of carbon capture and confiscation on a large scale.

The world is beginning to signs already of the effect of expected future carbon dioxide regulations, and other policy and market changes, on the expansion of coal burning electricity. Power companies had started to integrate the future price of the carbon into their cost estimates for new plants, that’s the reason, which is seriously impacting their decisions over whether to build new coal plants.

There are so many coal plant proposals in the pipeline and more than 100 coal plant proposals were rejected by regulators in the last few years.

Coal plants are getting increasing attention due to of greenhouse emissions, and also for reduction of CO2 contribution from coal plants. Carbon capture and storage technology can play a major role in reducing plant emissions in the future.

Aside from those above-mentioned reforms there are other available alternatives to coal power that can meet our energy needs and reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. UCS analysis in 2009 shows that policies that promote aggressive investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy will allow United States to reduce vividly its dependence on coal power about 85% till 2030.

The Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)

Renewable energy can help to resolve the problems such as increasing prices of fossil fuel oil, need for more energy for domestic use, and harmful air pollution. National renewable electricity standard can help to provide energy with clean domestic resources. That will help to stabilize electricity prices, reduction in natural gas prices, reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and other harmful air pollutants.

Most of all it will create jobs especially in rural areas and farmers and ranchers will find new income.

What is a Renewable Electricity Standard?

The Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) or Renewable Portfolio Standard is a market-based process, which requires utilities to gradually increase the portion of electricity produced from renewable resources like wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar energy. Thirteen states including Texas had ordained minimum renewable energy requirements. But energy production makes national economic and environmental problems, which need national solutions.

The RES Relies on Market Forces

Use of tradable “renewable energy credits” for achieving compliance at the lowest cost, the functions like the Clean Air Act credit-trading system that permits lower-cost, market-based compliance with prescribed air pollution rule.  This approach creates a competition between the renewable generators, providing greatest amount of clean power with lowest price and also plays major role for driving costs down.

Benefits of the Renewable Portfolio Standard

The Renewable Portfolio Standard is having following benefits:

Saves Consumers and Business Money

America’s homegrown renewable energy resources by several enterprises had created a more competitive market, which can reduce natural gas prices and save consumers money on their energy bills. Renewable energy is not responsible for changing prices that can harm natural gas power plants.

There are two recent studies, which made by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); they used high renewable energy cost estimates and find that a national RES will provide 10 percent of U.S. electricity from renewables till 2020 and that will lower natural gas prices. It will be having no impact o the electricity prices and will save energy consumers as much as $13.2 billion.

There is another 2002 UCS report “ Renewing Where We Live” also shows that a 10 percent by 2020 national RES will significantly reduce consumer energy bills. In this report this also had been looked that what will happen if the national RES were doubles to 20 percent by 2020. In this aspect, the RES will achieve greater diversity, economic development and also beneficial for the environment. And it will save $4.5 billion for consumer’s energy bills.

Reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lower fossil fuel prices

Studies by UCS, the Department of Energy, and other studies shows that RES is able to create healthy competition for fossil fuel power plants that are increasingly fueled by natural gas. When the natural gas heavy demand will reduce then RES will be able to reduce natural gas prices to homes and businesses.

Current chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and former Chair of the Texas Public Utilities Commission, Pat Wood who had implemented the nation’s most successful RPS to date says, “ The benefit of wind and solar energy is a predictable price path, and your variable costs will be zero.”

Foster economic development

This RES will arouse domestic investment in new renewable energy throughout the nation, creating jobs and income in rural areas and also in high tech and manufacturing sectors.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Energy would provide $1.2 billion in new income for farmers and rural landowners by 2020 and 80,000 new jobs. By tripling use of biomass energy in U.S. could provide as much as $20 billion new income for farmers and rural communities. When United States will be having a strong domestic renewable energy industry then the economy will benefit from the large export potential of this industry.

Reduce emissions and environmental impacts

Taking on a strong national renewable energy standard can reduce United States carbon dioxide emissions because the heat-trapping gas is first for being responsible of global warming from electricity generation. Along with energy efficiency improvements, power plant carbon emissions can be significantly reduced.

One of leading source for carbon emissions in U.S. is electricity generation. Almost 40 percent of carbon is emitted by power plants in United States.

A renewable energy standard will also significantly reduce other emissions such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. These mentioned pollutants mainly cause acid rain, smog, respiratory illness and water contamination.

EIA’s recent study shows that the RES could reduce the cost of controlling power plant emissions by reducing pressure on natural gas prices. RES will also reduce the need of drilling for natural gas, building new pipelines and power lines. It will also reduce the need for mining, transportation and burning of coal. Renewable energy can be more efficient and faster than developing new fossil and nuclear energy supplies.

Renewable Energy Sources

There are so many environment friendly and renewable energy resources. These sources of energy are the alternate source of energy and help to nullify the effects of certain forms of pollution. All these power generation techniques can be described as renewable because they are not reducing the quantity of any resources to create the energy.

Here we had listed the top 10 renewable energy resources.

1. Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is obtained through any nuclear technology designed to extract usable energy from atomic nuclei through controlled nuclear reactions. Recently for that only fission nuclear method is used, though other methods might one day include nuclear fusion and radioactive decay.

The reactors heat up the water to produce steam then its converted into mechanical work for the purpose of generating electricity or propulsion.

Fourteen percent of the world’s electricity is produced by nuclear energy. U.S. , France, and Japan account together 56.5% of nuclear generated electricity.

439 nuclear power reactors are in operation around the world in 31 countries. According to the figures of World Nuclear Association during 1980s one new nuclear reactor started up in every 17 days on average, and this ratio will increase till 2015 up to one reactor every 5 days.

France gets cleanest air than any other industrialized country because of nuclear power, and also cheapest electricity in all of Europe.  For reducing mass and making more energy France reprocess it nuclear waste.

By reprocessing up to 95% of the remaining uranium and plutonium can be recovered to spent in nuclear fuel, putting it into new mixed oxide fuel. France is considered as most successful reprocessor but currently it only recycles on 28% of the yearly fuel use, 7% in France and another 21% in Russia.

 The energy experts believe that nuclear energy is a sustainable energy source that reduces carbon emissions and increases energy security by decreasing dependence on foreign oil. It is also emphasize that storing waste risks are low and using the latest technology in newer reactors can further reduce them.  As comparing to other major nuclear power plants the operational safety record in the Western World is excellent.

According to critics nuclear power generation is dangerous even though using latest technology can lower the risks down.  While on other side proponents advance the concept that nuclear power produces eventually no air pollution as compare to fossil oil energy producing and they also say that nuclear energy is the only virtual course to achieve energy independence for most Western countries.

But its being criticized also and critics say that radioactive waste can be contaminated by accident or sabotage as such accidents had happened before.

2. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

Compressed Natural Gas is the substitute for the fossil fuel like gasoline, diesel or propane fuel. Though its combustion also produce the greenhouse gases but it’s more environment friendly as compare to other fossil fuels CNG is used in traditional gasoline engines which are converted into b-fuel vehicles (gasoline/CNG).

CNG vehicles are increasingly used in Europe and in North America. In Europe Italy is the no.1 and in world its 4th country with largest number of CNG-powered vehicles.

Canada is the largest producer of natural gas and CNG in Canada is used as economical motor fuel.

3. Biomass

As a renewable energy source biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. For that biomass make an appeal to plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce for instance trash like dead trees, yard clippings wood chip biofuel, and it also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers, chemicals or heat.

Industrial biomass can be grown up by several types of plants such as misconstrues, switch grass, hemp, poplar, corn sugarcane etc.

Biomass is a growing industry as demand for sustainable energy resources is increasing. Currently in U.S. 0.5% of electricity is produced by using biomass. New Hope Power Partnership is the largest biomass power plant in North America.

4. Geothermal Power

The most efficient and powerful way to extract energy from earth through natural process is called geothermal energy. In ancient roman times it was used for space heating and bathing but now it’s better known to produce electricity.

Though geothermal power is cost effective, reliable and environment friendly but geographically it’s limited only to areas near tectonic plate boundaries.

The largest group of geothermal power plants is in the Geysers a geothermal field in California, United States. According to statistics 5 countries in world (EL Salvador, Kenya, Philippines, Iceland, and Costa Rica) generate more than 15% of their electricity through geothermal sources.

The main advantage of geothermal energy is that it doesn’t need any fuel. Geothermal electricity is generated in 24 countries around the world and still there are number of potential sites that need any discovery.

5. Radiant Energy

This natural energy is gained directly from environment or its extracted from ordinary electricity by using the fractionation method.  Nikola Tesla invented the earliest wireless telephones based on radiant energy. This natural energy can work same as ordinary electricity at less than 1% of the cost.  It doesn’t behave exactly like electricity.

6. Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity is generated by hydropower. Using the force of falling or flowing water generates the power. This is the most widely used form of the renewable energy and it doesn’t produce any waste that will be harmful for the environment.

Hydropower produces the world’s almost 19% electricity.

7. Wind Power

Conversion of wind energy by wind turbines into useful energy form such as electricity or mechanical energy is called Wind Power.

Wind power haves one the lowest environmental impacts of all energy resources. Recently wind produces only 1.5% of worldwide electricity but its growing fast.  It achieved high level of penetration in many countries.

The wind power electricity production in few countries is phenomenal such as 19% of electricity production in Denmark, 11% in Spain and Portugal, and 7% in Germany and Ireland.

If we look in history humans are using wind energy from centuries such it was used to propel the sailing ships, for grinding grains and now today it is used to produce the electricity.

8. Solar Power

Solar power is controls the suns energy to produce the electricity. This is one of the fastest growing energy sources and so many new technologies are developing with rapid speed to attain more from sun’s energy.

Solar cells are becoming more productive, flexible, transportable and easy in installation.  Photovoltaic production was rise rapidly in 1973 due to of oil crisis.

Recent years solar installations are largely expanded to residential areas as governments are offering incentive programs to make green energy and more economically viable option.

9. Wave Power

Transporting the energy from the ocean surface waves to capture the energy for useful work such as generating electricity, water desalination or pumping of the water is called wave energy.

This method of renewable energy is not most reliable due to unpredicted ocean and wave direction. Anyhow waveforms are in use in Europe.  They are using floating Pelamis Wave Energy converters.

The world’s first commercial wave form is in Portugal, at the Agucadora Wave Park, that consists of three 750 KW Pelamis devices.

10. Tidal Power

Tidal power generation is similar to a wind turbine power generation. It is more environment friendly and cause less impact on established ecosystems.

Tidal energy can be generated in two ways, one tidal stream generators and other by barrage generation.

Similar like wind turbines tidal stream generators rotate underwater swiftly driven by dense water.. Though its not used wider basis but its having a potential for future power generation.

Tidal energy production is more predictable than wind energy and solar power. Tidal mills were used in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of America long before.

Tidal power is directly derived from the motion of the Earth-Moon system, tidal forces are produced by the moon and sun with combination of earth’s rotation.

Lunar Energy Company in England had announced that they would build the world’s first tidal energy farm at the coast of Pembrokshire in Wales. It will be the world’s first deep-sea tidal energy farm, which will provide electricity to 5,000 homes.