Renewable energy sources are vast in scope and type from solar thermal and photovoltaic energy, hydro (tide, wave and ocean energy), wind power, geothermal energy as well as all forms of biomass products from biological wastes to liquid biofuels. Renewable sources of energy for home cooking, heating and transportation are becoming more widespread as our reliance on more traditional fossil fuels reduces. Renewable energy as a sustainable energy resource reduces greenhouse gas emissions with the development of energy from renewable sources increasing energy efficiency
Energy efficiency is about more than just switching off a few lights at home its about being aware of your homes energy consumption and changing your behaviour to save energy. Technology plays a part in all our lives but there are many systems available today that use technology in our homes and buildings to reduce their energy costs. Smart building automation, heating and ventilation systems can allow for lower energy consumption and energy savings campared to older systems. Improvements in LED lighting, windows, thermal insulation of walls and roof spaces can all help to reduce heat loss
Nonrenewable energy sources are those which took thousands of years to form and exist in fixed amounts in the Earth so cannot be replaced during the time of a humans life span. Norenewable need to be conserved before they become depleted. Fossil fuels in the form of coal, natural gas, and oil as well as fossilized wood, charcoal, and peat are all regarded as nonrenewable energy sources. Burning these fossil fuels accelerates global warming due to more greenhouse emissions and pollution released into the atmosphere
Geothermal heat pumps are devices used to utilise the energy stored in the ground. The use of the ground and its soil as a potential heat source for heat pumps exploits the vast quantities of solar energy stored in the ground. The ground acts as a seasonal storage element for the suns solar energy and at depths of one metre, the changes in ground temperature is small throughout the year. Depending on the thermal conductivity of the ground soil, ground source heat pumps using horizontal coils of pipes, vertical shafts or trapped groundwater pools extract heat enegy from the ground and use it to heat our homes
Renewable energy sources of energy are abundantly available around the world but are also insufficiently exploited to reduce our dependancy on harmful fossil fuels and increase energy capacity. Renewable energy technologies which harness the potential of the sun, sea, waves and thermal heat have the benefits of reducing the environmental and climate impact on life while at the same time providing a cost effective means of powering our homes and vehicles. The development of high-efficiency solar cells and modules, geothermal heat pumps and marine energy devices create an environment based on renewable sources that provide flexibility to the energy system
Biomass energy is the second most popular renewable energy source behind hydropower. Biomass when used as a fuel consists of organic matter such as agricultural wastes, wood products, sawdust and food wastes. Biomass can be burned directly for energy production or mixed and blended with coal as a fuel in electrical power plants. Biomass energy burns cleaner than coal releasing less emissions and pollutants into the atmosphere. Biomass as an energy source can also be used indirectly, producing methane gas as it decays or through a process called gasification. The global potential of biomass energy production increases daily but increased exploitation of natural areas to cultivate biomass crops threatening food supplies
Geothermal energy uses the hot water sources from the Earth’s core as an alternative natural energy resource. Geothermally heated water is hot enough to be used for cooking, bathing and is very well suited for home heating and cooling by installing either a geothermal heat pump or a geothermal heat exchanger for direct use as they can work in both directions taking heat from the ground or dumping excess heat back into the ground for cooling.
Renewable energy sources are sources of energy that are natural, continuous and largely available. Renewable energy sources are constant supplies of energy that do not run out as they are being continually replenished by mother nature such as the suns solar radiation. The popularity of renewable energy is well known as millions of people around the world use it to generate electricity, cool and heat their homes or to produce a variety of cleaner vehicle fuels. Renewable energy sources include the wind, water, oceans and geothermal with the move towards 100% renewable energy taking place around the world.
