Saving the Planet with Solar and Renewable Energy

Alternative or renewable energy comes from sources and minerals naturally occurring, such as solar, wind, tides, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric power.

These alternative energy sources are much more sustainable, because the power sources will not run out. It can also be much more environmentally friendly as they do not involve a burning process. These factors would be the opposite to non-renewable energy sources such as oil, coal and natural gas.

A considerably rising gap between your demand and supply of fossil-fuel energy thus remains growing the need for these powers. Because of the planet diminishing way to obtain non-alternative energy, there’s an growing focus is shifting toward using more sustainable powers.

Receiving energy right from the sunlight is the most widely used technique to produce sustainable energy, because it is constant and powerful form used across the globe. There are two techniques to retain and convert it into energy – thermal and photovoltaic. Converting sunlight in to heat is the thermal technique.

Applying this heat to a steam generator enabling us to warm buildings, heat water and generate electricity. Photovoltaic power is a technique using solar cells. An electrical current is created when sunlight strikes the semiconductor material. Concentrated power plants, solar towers and portable solar are other technologies which harness the sun’s power.

The sun’s energy could be taken around the globe, however, areas on or close to the equator possess a greater photo voltaic intensity. Solar power has numerous advantages, for instance, the renewable aspect, non-polluting and relatively easy to maintain. Solar power includes a couple of disadvantages, geographically, locations close to the rods of the world are restricted in attaining the sun’s energy, cloud cover can help to eliminate efficiency and PV sections are relatively costly.

Renewable energy can support big and small scale applications and processes. Applications include use of alternative energy to produce electricity, heat, steam, lighting, cooling, water heating, and mechanical energy. These sustainable energy sources are important to industrial and domestic users. Businesses and industry start using these technologies to diversify their energy sources, improve efficiency and cut overhead costs.

Alternative energy sources are being increasingly made use of by developers and utilities providers, to produce sustainable power for villages, small towns and cities. It is clear that over the last few decades, increasing energy demands, environmental problems and declining fossil fuels have made us look at alternative, more sustainable energy options.

Different climates throughout the world mean certain kinds of renewable power technology is more effective in certain areas. It is seen that the United States use more solar energy plants, Europe uses power from wind, and China has the most hydroelectric power plants.

Ian Ward is an expert on solar panels Scotland and renewable energy, working at absolutesolarandwind.co.uk.