As green color symbolizes nature, progress, and rebirth in a nutshell green is something suitable for all. It does not mean it’s green in color but it’s the energy that is safe for the environment and does not destroy our planet after use. Green energy will be the future of our planet and hope to further progress in technologies without hurting the environment. So the topic of today’s discussion is green energy, and how it reduces global warming and carbon footprints.
What is Green Energy?
Green energy is derived from natural resources and has the least impact on the environment. Green energy is synonymous with renewable energy. This energy comes from natural resources like sunlight, wind, and water. These resources won’t harm the environment like greenhouse gases.
Different technologies are used to extract energy from natural resources, and each has a different impact on the environment. It is possible to harness solar energy by using solar panels or wind energy by using wind turbines to do multiple things without impacting the environment, unlike fossil fuels where we impact the environment at every stage.Green energy has some key points:
- Has to come from a Natural resource
- Zero or least affecting the environment.
- Should not produce pollution.
- Green sources are naturally replenished.
- Should not impact the flora and fauna much.
- Used technology must have the least impact on the environment. For example, Often avoid drills in the earth as it impacts the environment
Popular Forms of Green Sources: Helps reduce carbon footprints and Global warming
Due to human activities, we emit gases that cause climatic changes known as carbon footprints. The more carbon footprint we produce more there is a chance of an increased rise in temperature called global warming. Global warming Increases incidents of frequent floods, storms, forest fires, and impacts on aquatic life as well. We can say the most common types of green energy sources are Solar Power, Wind Power, Hydropower, and Geothermal energy.
- The most abundant common natural clean source known to us is Solar energy. The energy of the sun is harnessed by solar panels which produce no carbon gases and is the solution to the sustainability of electric grid systems. Thus the use of green sources can reduce carbon footprints and hence can reduce global warming by relying upon a grid system not on coal but green energy.
- As technologies have been improved we can adopt green lightning to save power on a smaller scale.
- Usage of Solar panels is 20 times less than that of using coal-powered electrical systems
- In common households switching from electrical grid to solar power can reduce carbon footprint.
- Using the power of the wind to generate electricity is one way of reducing carbon footprint.
- In many developing countries huge turbines big as football grounds are being built together to supply power to grids. Thus resorting to wind energy from fossils can reduce carbon footprint and thus reduce global warming.
- Instead of diesel generators, wind energy can be used to supply water in farming. Thus helping to switch from fossils to wind-powered systems.
- Energy harnessed from natural waterfalls, dams, running water, etc. for generating electricity emits 0 carbon gasses. Hence it’s a green source that reduces carbon footprint and hence switching from fossil-fueled grid systems to hydropower plants will reduce global warming as well.
- Hydropower on a small scale can be used in our households as well to reduce carbon footprints.
- According to estimations using hydropower in the year, 2017, 4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses were not released into the atmosphere due to relying on hydropower energy.
- Using the heat of the earth which is stored beneath the surface of the earth is geothermal energy. it’s 100% natural and hence green energy as it does not emit greenhouse gasses.
- Has been used for bathing purposes. Nowadays its steam is used to run turbines to generate electricity.
- There are many Hot springs around the world yet to discover and once they are used for the generation of electricity will have a much greater impact on the global footprint as well. For example, Energy in some countries is 10 times greater than electricity produced from coal.
Biomass:
- When compared to fossil fuels biomass is natural and has very less impact on nature while used. It’s difficult to deem it has green energy as it in some quantity does produce greenhouse gasses. But as the whole biomass can be called green energy and the burning of wood is used to heat buildings thus compared to fossil burning it reduces carbon footprint.
Biogas
- Waste products are recycled and used in common households and hence reduce carbon footprints.
Biofuels:
- Converting biomass into fuels like biodiesel etc. is also a green source of energy.
- Some biofuels such as ethanol have the potential to cut to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 86%.
- Biofuels are cleaner than gasoline and thus emit fewer greenhouse emissions. Ethanol
Examples of Green Energy
From household use to the industrial level green energy has paved the way for a better and bright future.There are numerous examples of green energy such as:
- In Household
Heating, cooking, green lighting, gardening, and bathing are all done with green energy in the home. Solar lighting, solar water heaters, boilers that use biofuels, etc.
- In Offices
Green energy is often used for heating large buildings. Solar pumps distribute water in big buildings, and solar heaters are used to heat them.
- In Industries
Industries can be run by the power of Hydro, biomass, wind, and solar to ensure sustainable and clean electricity.
- Mobility Services / Transport
Switching fossils over sustainable biofuels are increasingly growing in the transportation sector.
- Transport
Renewable electricity and biofuels are becoming increasingly popular for transportation across a wide range of industries. A good example of electric cars using electricity to run without relying on fossil fuels is the removal of fossil fuel dependency.
Conclusion:
Increasing technologies and human advancements are leading to a larger concern for humans as time passes. However, our dependence on our activities is also causing nature to suffer.
Hence it’s our responsibility to ensure our activities do not become our growing concerts for our future. Global warming, carbon footprints, and pollutions are a few examples of where we are heading. The best time to act is now by changing our lifestyles. A switch to green energy will not only save us from climatic change, but is also beneficial in many other ways such as being sustainable and economical.
- To visit the official website of the Indian Ministry of Power- Click Here
- To visit the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy- Click Here
