Introduction
Clean energy is defined as energy that is derived from renewable, zero-emission sources that, when utilised, do not pollute the environment, as well as the energy that is conserved through energy efficiency techniques.
Functions of clean energy
Using clean energy means generating electricity without causing harmful environmental consequences, such as the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. There are many sources of clean energy that are also renewable, including wind power, some hydroelectric resources, and solar-powered energy production.
Importance
The environmental benefits of clean energy as a component of a global energy future are the most significant feature of clean energy. Using clean, renewable resources not only helps to conserve the world’s natural resources but also helps to lessen the likelihood of environmental disasters such as fuel spills and the problems that might arise from natural gas leakage. As a result of fuel diversification, which involves the construction of many power plants that use a variety of energy sources, it is feasible to provide consistent power supplies while also improving energy security by ensuring that there is enough energy to meet our needs.
Advantages
- Using clean energy has several environmental and economic advantages, including a reduction in pollutants in the air.
- The availability of a broad renewable energy supply also helps to lessen the reliance on foreign fuels (and the associated financial and environmental costs this incurs).
- Natural resources such as wind, solar, and geothermal energy all provide intrinsic cost savings, as there is no need to collect and transport fuels, such as oil or coal because the resources replenish themselves over time.
Uses of clean energy
If the clean energy is obtained from a renewable source, it can be used for a wide range of different applications ranging from power generation to water heating and other uses.
- Solar energy
It is possible to use solar energy for a variety of purposes, including heating and lighting, generating electricity, water heating directly for drinking, cooling, and other applications. Using solar panels, you may gather and convert the energy from the sun into electricity. A common application for solar panels is for modest electric activities such as battery charging, and many people are currently utilising solar energy for little garden lamps. However, these same clean energy technologies may be scaled up to larger solar panels that can be used to generate electricity for homes or other buildings, or even installations of many solar panels, such as a community solar panel array that can generate enough electricity to power entire cities.
- Water
Water is another environmentally friendly resource that has a variety of surprising uses. Hydroelectric power plants, which harness the flow of water from rivers, streams, and lakes to generate electricity, are the most visible type of renewable energy. In smaller towns and cities, water is used less visibly, via municipal pipes. With so much water flowing through pipes in houses every day, there is a growing movement to capture this energy to satisfy residential and other energy needs, such as lighting and heating. Because generators are growing smaller and less expensive to install, the usage of municipal water is becoming more and more common.
- Wind
Wind energy is produced by connecting a windmill to a generator, which converts the rotation of the windmill blades into electrical energy. This source of energy has been used to grind grain, pump water, and perform other mechanical chores for ages, but it is currently being employed more frequently to generate electricity. In addition to onshore and offshore wind farms, wind energy can also be employed on a much smaller scale to generate electricity, and even to serve as a source of power for recharging mobile phones.
Non-renewable resources
Non-renewable energy sources include fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, crude oil, and nuclear energy, among others. Once these resources have been depleted, they will not be replenished, posing a significant challenge for humanity given that we are now reliant on them to meet the majority of our energy requirements.
Nonrenewable resources are classified into four categories: oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy. Fossil fuels are defined as oil, natural gas, and coal together. Fossil fuels are fuels that have been generated within the Earth over millions of years by the decomposition of dead plants and animals—hence the term “fossil” fuels. They can be found in the layers of rock and silt beneath the surface of the earth. Pressure and heat worked together to turn the plant and animal waste into crude oil (also known as petroleum), coal, and natural gas.
Uses of non-renewable resources
- Crude oil
Crude oil is a liquid fossil fuel that is mostly utilised in the production of gasoline and diesel fuel for automobiles, as well as in the creation of plastic products. It is found in the rocks beneath the Earth’s surface and is pumped out through wells to be used as fertiliser.
- Natural gas
Natural gas is commonly used in the cooking and heating of homes, among other things. It is composed primarily of methane and can be discovered near oil deposits beneath the surface of the Earth. Natural gas can be extracted from the ground using the same wells that are used to produce crude oil.
- Coal
Coal is a strong fossil fuel that is used to heat houses and power plants. It is found in fossilised marshes that have been buried behind layers of sediment. Because coal is solid, it cannot be extracted in the same way as crude oil or natural gas are; rather, it must be dug up from the ground.
- Nuclear energy
Nuclear energy is derived from radioactive elements, primarily uranium, which is taken from mined ore and converted into fuel before being used as a source of energy.
Conclusion
In light of the continued decline in the use of fossil fuels for energy, clean energy appears to be the way forward for humanity’s power demands around the world. As the drive toward clean, green, and renewable energy continues to progress, the costs of developing and installing these new power solutions will decrease, and more jobs will be created to support this effort. The environmental, social, and economic benefits of clean energy are becoming increasingly well known, and as more cities, states, and countries commit to a green energy agenda, this trend will continue to gain momentum.