Friday, February 27, 2009

Use of Renewable Earth 4 Energy

By Lyneth Stone

Because of the many problems on the environment like climate change, almost destroyed ozone layer, and depleting fossil fuel deposits, many people are now considering to use renewable energy.

Well, many people believe that resorting to renewable energy is the answer to all of our problems on the environment. Basically, renewable energy is the energy that can be generated from natural resources like sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat.

Many believe that use of renewable energy can somehow provide us with our daily energy need. About three years ago, almost 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, of which 13% came from traditional biomass like wood-burning. Next in line was hydroelectricity which was the next largest renewable source with 3%. Solar hot water/heating also made a record with 1.3%. While the modern technologies like solar power, geothermal energy, wind power, and ocean energy provided 0.8%.

Main Renewable Energy Technology

Renewable energy technologies of today promote use of wind power, water power, solar energy use, biofuel, and geothermal energy. However, majority of renewable energy technologies mainly promote use of solar energy.

Solar energy is the most effective alternative. It is the energy that is collected from sunlight and can actually be applied in a lot of ways. It can be used to generate electricity using photovoltaic solar cells and/or using concentrated solar power. It can also be used to generate electricity in geosynchronous orbit using solar power satellites and by heating trapped air which rotates turbines often used in Solar updraft towers.

With use of solar energy, hydrogen can also be generated using photoelectrochemical cells. By using solar chimneys, heat and cool air can also be produced. Also, the need of humans for heat water or air for domestic hot water and space heating won't already be a problem through use of solar-thermal panels. Same goes with solar air conditioning.

Perhaps next to solar energy use is the wind power which of course involves conversion of wind energy into a useful form like electricity through use of wind turbines. There are a number of renewable energy technologies that promote use of wind energy which have been used to propel those huge sailing ships, pump water or grind grain. - 15437

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