Renewable Energy
What is a renewable energy source? A renewable energy is energy that is sustainable - something that cannot run out, or without end, like the sun and to some degree the wind. When we say 'alternative energy' it's usually referring to renewable energy sources too. It means sources of energy that are alternative to the current used non-sustainable sources - like coal, oil and gas.
Nuclear power offers many benefits for the environment, Power plants don't burn any materials so they produce no combustion by-products. Additionally, because they don't produce greenhouse gases, nuclear plants help protect air quality and mitigate climate change. Nuclear energy is a stable source, which means it's not dependent on the weather.
1. Solar energy - using photovoltaic cells
2. Wind energy - from small single turbine to the large wind farms
3. Hydro energy - is a renewable energy that uses the power of moving water to generate electricity.
4. Geothermal energy - is how we harness natural heat beneath the Earth's crust to generate electricity
5. Tidal energy - is power produced by the surge of ocean waters during the rise and fall of tides.6. Biomass energy - is energy generated or produced by living or once-living organism.
Solar Power
Sunlight is one of our planet's most abundant and freely available energy resources. The amount of solar energy that reaches the earth's surface in one hour is more than the planet's total energy requirements for a whole year. Although it sounds like a perfect renewable energy source, the amount of solar energy we can use varies according to the time of day and the season of the year as well as geographical location. In the UK, solar energy is an increasingly popular way to supplement your energy usage.
Wind Power
Wind is a plentiful source of clean energy. Wind farms are an increasingly familiar sight in the UK with wind power making an ever-increasing contribution to the National Grid. To harness electricity from wind energy, turbines are used to drive generators which then feed electricity into the National Grid. Although domestic or 'off-grid' generation systems are available, not every property is suitable for a domestic wind turbine.
Hydro Electric Power
As a renewable energy resource, hydro power is one of the most commercially developed. By building a dam or barrier, a large reservoir can be used to create a controlled flow of water that will drive a turbine, generating electricity. This energy source can often be more reliable than solar or wind power (especially if it's tidal rather than river) and also allows electricity to be stored for use when demand reaches a peak. Like wind energy, in certain situations hydro can be more viable as a commercial energy source (dependant on type and compared to other sources of energy) but depending very much on the type of property, it can be used for domestic, 'off-grid' generation.
Tidal energy
This is another form of hydro energy that uses twice-daily tidal currents to drive turbine generators. Although tidal flow unlike some other hydro energy sources isn't constant, it is highly predictable and can therefore compensate for the periods when the tide current is low.
Geothermal energy
By harnessing the natural heat below the earth’s surface, geothermal energy can be used to heat homes directly or to generate electricity. Although it harnesses a power directly below our feet, geothermal energy is of negligible importance in the UK compared to countries such as Iceland, where geothermal heat is much more freely available.
Biomass energy
This is the conversion of solid fuel made from plant materials into electricity. Although fundamentally, biomass involves burning organic materials to produce electricity, and nowadays this is a much cleaner, more energy-efficient process. By converting agricultural, industrial and domestic waste into solid, liquid and gas fuel, biomass generates power at a much lower economic and environmental cost.
