Home > Learning Center > Green energy
Green Energy
Green energy is a term to describe energy produced through means that are earth-friendly. With the rising concerns for global warming and other environmental issues, governments and citizens are working to find better ways to power our world without destroying it. Because traditional fossil fuel energy sources are both limited and highly polluting to the environment, research is being designated to coming up with new energy that is non-polluting, renewable and efficient.
Green energy can also be referred to as alternate energy, or renewable energy. The ultimate goal is energy independence, meaning the amount of energy a country like the United States consumes is equal to the amount it produces. Currently the United States depends heavily on oil sources from other geographic regions to feed the electricity demands of the country. By making the country energy independent, a lot of the environmental and political issues of the day would be moot.
Some of the most popular renewable energy sources known are wind energy and solar power. Wind energy is produced by the wind blowing across wind turbines, which in turn convert the mechanical movement into electricity. There are many wind farms throughout the world that are connected to the electrical grid, and they feed the power produced by the wind into the grid, which relieves some of the generational stress put on power plants to keep up with electrical demands. As well, solar power works in a similar way when connected to the grid in communities. People who choose to install photovoltaic panels on their homes which will collect the sun's rays and convert it into electricity can benefit by a grid-tie system. The energy produced by the panels will aid in powering their homes, and excess energy is sold back to the power plants, reversing electricity charges and reducing power bills.
Other green energy sources are still being developed and not as well-known; however, they have potential to add to our alternate energy options. Geothermal energy is derived from the heat contained within the earth (rather than heat hitting the earth from the sun). Hydropower generates energy similar to a wind turbine, except it works on the principles of water flow. And there are efforts being made to create energy sources from vegetation and landfills, referred to as the biomass. The theory is that if these things can be broken down to be used for energy, humankind will benefit in more than one way by reducing the amount of waste in the landfills which add to the destruction of our environments.
It has become a priority for many people to convert our societies to green energy systems. While the effort and research involved will take time, the results will definitely be worth it with a healthier, greener planet. Though some would debate the reality of the planet's environmental health as a whole, it has become undeniable that the earth's resources are limited. As such, it is imperative to learn to generate our own resources and energy without relying on the limited reserves of the land to support an ever-increasing world population.