Green Power Is Not An Option Anymore
The world has learned in the last ten years or so that we cannot continue to use non renewable energy at the rate we have been so far. Oil, natural gas and coal are in limited supply, and once they’re gone, they are gone for millions of years. Not to mention the overwhelming evidence of global warming caused by burning fossil fuels has proven to the world that green power is not an option anymore, it is a requirement.
Green power has come a long way in the last couple of years. From just being a hobby for eco friendly geeks, these innovative and emission free emerging technologies may just save the world from ourselves.
Certain green ideas are good, and others are seriously pretty stupid. As more and more research dollars flow and people invest in developing alternative sources of energy, some things show real promise to satisfy our thirst for power.
One of the most cost effective ways of producing electricity is through the creation of wind farms. Windmills have been sources of power for hundreds of years, but only recently have they been seen as a reliable and stable source of power. Only three percent of the world’s power is supplied by wind turbines, but that number is growing exponentially as people discover how green this power source really is.
Wind farms produce almost no emissions, they are easy to maintain, and they generate tons of power without burning fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. They can be easily tied into existing electrical grids, and as long as there is wind, there will be power. The best part of wind power is that is very cheap to install and set up.
Turbines have also been adapted to work underwater as well. Capturing energy from moving currents, waves and tides, engineers have been able to design turbines to generate electricity without producing any emissions in the process. Unfortunately, the water turbines need a lot of maintenance, and wind generates more energy than current technology allows water to.
Solar power is gaining momentum, especially in areas where there is abundant sunshine. In unpopulated and sunny areas, solar panels are being assembled to create giant sun farms. Solar energy also provides a stable and reliable source of energy, but they are not as efficient as they need to be in order to be a serious player in green energy. They are also more expensive than wind and coal power.
Since coal and natural gas are non renewable sources of energy, we cannot count on their availability for the long term power needs we share. Natural gas is a great and clean burning source of energy, but also very dangerous. Methane gas from decomposing matter in landfills burn the same as natural gas, and they are being developed and expanded to help fuel our power supply. Huge underwater pockets of methane have also been discovered all over the planet, and will be in use within the next twenty years or so.
Green power has exploded into the world stage in the recent past, and it will continue to become more and more integrated into our power hungry lives. More research will reveal how these technologies can be adapted to satisfy our ever increasing hunger for power.
Cheryl Kearns is an internet marketer and author. She writes about the environment and green issues . You can visit her site at environment
