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What Is Green Power? Green power is electricity generated from renewable resources like solar, wind, geothermal and some kinds of biomass and hydroelectricity with low impact. Customers in markets that are deregulated can add a small premium to utility bills to support renewable energy sources that are cleaner. Renewable energy sources are generally less harmful to the environment than coal or oil mining. They can also aid in reducing greenhouse emissions of greenhouse gases. Solar Energy Solar energy is one of the most well-known green power sources. Solar is considered renewable because it will never be exhausted. It is an efficient, clean and safe energy source that reduces greenhouse gas emissions as well as air pollution caused by conventional fossil fuels like natural gas, coal and oil. This energy is a good alternative to nuclear power, which requires mining, extraction and storage of radioactive waste. The sun's energy can be used to generate electricity in a variety ways that include photovoltaic (PV) panels as well as concentrated solar-thermal power (CSP), and solar thermal collectors. Solar power can be delivered directly to homes and businesses or to grids that distribute power to other. Some consumers can sell surplus energy to a utility company. This can lower electricity bills and offset the rising cost of utilities. All types of solar energy create zero air emissions or pollutants unlike fossil fuels which create carbon dioxide and other harmful gases during their combustion. Solar energy can be used to power satellites spacecraft, boats and other devices in areas where accessing the electric grid is a challenge or even impossible. On a smaller scale, solar can be used to power buildings. Many homeowners use PV cells on their roofs in order to produce electricity. Passive solar home design lets these homes receive the sun's warmth during the day and retain it at night. Solar-powered houses also benefit from requiring very little maintenance. Hydropower is a type of solar energy that makes use of the natural flow of streams, rivers, and dams. Similar to biomass and wind, hydropower is considered renewable since it can be replenished. Check out the EPA's list of third party certified hydropower options if would like to incorporate it into your home or office. Geothermal Energy A geothermal energy plant draws heat from the Earth's interior in order to produce electricity. The process utilizes hot water and steam that naturally occurs just a few kilometers below surface of the earth. It is an incredibly renewable and sustainable energy source that generates electricity 24 hours a day all year round. Geothermal power could reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. green power mobility scooters uk mymobilityscooters is also among the most eco-friendly forms of energy generation. The most popular type of geothermal power plant is a flash-steam power station. It uses water at a temperature of about 182deg C (360deg F) to generate electricity and power turbines. Steam can be used to heat industrial processes and buildings. Iceland for instance relies on geothermal energy to melt snow and heat its streets, sidewalks, and parking lots during the frigid Arctic winter. Another geothermal energy source is the hot dry rock (HDR) power plant that taps underground reservoirs of hot dry rocks that have been heated by either natural or human-made activities. HDR plants are less difficult to construct and operate since they require less infrastructure. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there are enough HDR sources in the United States for all of our current electrical requirements. Geothermal power stations that produce steam can be used to generate electricity via steam turbine generators or a gas fired turbine to increase efficiency. The resulting mixture can then be converted into natural gas, which is burned in a conventional boiler to generate electricity. Geothermal energy is not only reliable and clean, but it also has the lowest carbon footprint of all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants that use an engine to convert steam into electricity generate very little or no nitrous dioxide methane, sulphur and oxide. However, despite its benefits geothermal energy has its difficulties. The drilling needed to build geothermal power stations can cause earthquakes and can cause groundwater pollution. In addition, the injection of high-pressure streams into geothermal reservoirs could lead to subsidence, a slow sinking of the land that can damage pipelines, roads, and buildings. Biogas Biogas is an energy source that is renewable and gaseous that generates green energy. It can be made from manure, agricultural waste, plant material such as sewage, municipal waste, food waste and other organic waste materials. Biogas can be used to transport fuels, electricity, heat and energy, combined heat and energy, or electricity using the Fischer-Tropsch method. Biogas is also a great resource for generating renewable hydrogen to be used in fuel cells that are likely to play a major role in the future of energy systems. The most common method of valorising biogas is to generate electricity by using the use of a combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The heat produced by the CHP plant is used to fuel the process of fermentation of organic wastes, and the electricity is then fed back to the grid. It can also be compressed into natural gas and incorporated into existing natural gas distribution systems. Biogas can also be used as a substitute for imported natural gas in commercial, ground transportation and residential constructions. In addition to generating renewable energy, biogas can also help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and pollution from cooking conventionally. The CCAC is working to develop tools to measure, report and confirming (MRV) of the clean cooking practices in households and communities in low- to middle-income countries to assist the 67 countries that have incorporated clean cooking targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Using biogas to replace fossil fuels for electricity generation as well as a substitute for conventional natural gas for cooling and heating will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions as well as other air pollutions. Biogas can also be used to create liquid transport fuels that can be a sustainable alternative to coal, oil, and other fossil fuels. Capturing and recovering methane from food and animal manure waste helps to prevent the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, while also preventing nitrogen runoff that could otherwise cause water pollution. Plessis-Gassot is a non-hazardous waste disposal located in Claye-Souilly (France), for instance it captures and converts biogas into a sustainable source of energy for households that are connected to the system. Small-scale biogas facilities can also be set up in cities, allowing for the collection and utilization of organic waste from local sources. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation and treatment. Hydroelectric Power Hydropower is a renewable source of energy that is based on the kinetic energy of water flowing. It is the most affluent and least expensive renewable energy source in the world. It does not emit greenhouse gases directly however it has significant environmental effects. It is a flexible form of green energy that can be adapted to meet fluctuating demand and supply. Its service life spans over 100 years, and it is able to be upgraded to improve efficiency and performance. Most traditional hydropower plants harness energy of falling waters by using dams. The water's kinetic energy is converted to electricity by the use of turbines which spin at a speed proportional to the speed of the water. This electricity is then transmitted to the electric grid for use. While constructing an hydroelectric power plant requires an enormous investment in dams, reservoirs and pipes, operating costs are quite low. These flexible plants can also be used as backups to other intermittent renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind. Hydroelectric power plants can be classified into two kinds that are storage and run of river. Storage plants have huge impoundments, which can hold more than one season's worth of water. Run-of-river facilities draw the water of streams and rivers that are free-flowing. Hydropower facilities are typically located in or near concentrations of people, in areas where there is a huge demand for electricity. The environmental impact of hydropower largely depends on the size and location of a dam, the amount of water that is displaced as well as the wildlife and habitat affected by inundation and decomposition. These impacts can be reduced and reduced through the use of Low Impact Hydroelectricity Standards (LIHI) for the construction and operation of the hydropower projects. The standards include measures for river flows, water quality protection and fish passage, as well as aquatic ecosystems protection, threatened and endangered animals, recreation and cultural resources. In addition, to generate renewable energy, some hydropower plants act as the world's biggest “batteries.” They are called pumped storage facilities and work by pumping water uphill from a lower pool to a larger reservoir. When electricity is needed then the water from the lower reservoir could be used to power generators. The water from the upper reservoir can then be pumped downhill through a turbine to create more electricity.