Green Energy Technology

Effective energy harnessing technologies are important because they provide us with the ability to outlast our dependence on fossil fuels and avoid the negative impact they have on the environment. The cleanest and most efficient methods of energy transfer involve solar, wind, geothermal, tidal, and hydro-power. The least efficient or potentially harmful energy production methods include the burning of coal and oil because they release harmful pollutants into the air, and the utilization of fissionable material due to the consequent production of harmful radioactive waste. An individual aiming to reduce their energy bill and help the environment at the same time will find personal solar panels, wind turbines and geothermal heating to their liking. The cost for these systems is high initially but remember that they pay for themselves over and over in time.

Fossil fuels in the form of Coal and oil have supplied us with the combustible material for energy during the recent past. The combustion of these fuels has increased the amount of green house gas emitted enough to change the very climate of the planet. These fuels aren’t clean burning and their utilization comes at an increased release of CO2 and other pollutants. The main reason to avoid relying on fossil fuels is that they wont be around forever. It has taken since prehistoric times to accumulate in significant amounts and will never do so again because we use most of the organic carbon around us rather than let it sit in the ground.

 The primary methods of harnessing the sun’s energy are photovoltaic solar cells, concentrated solar power and biofuel. Photovoltaic cells take advantage of the photoelectric effect. This effect occurs when high-energy radiation like UV rays, hit a material and move its electrons up higher energy levels to be released from the substance as photoelectrons. These electrons are usually stored in batteries until needed. Concentrated solar power focuses sunlight into a beam that heats a chosen substance like water or gas causing it to expand and power an engine or turbine to generate electricity.  Biofuel is the stored energy from photosynthesizing organisms. Many modern fuels are a mixture of fossil fuels and biofuel to decrease emissions. Biofuel has the limitation of requiring valuable resources to produce. Whether it is worthwhile to clear forests and destroy natural habitat for biofuel that contributes by making an insignificant dent in carbon emissions is up for debate. Individuals looking to use solar power will find photovoltaic systems online that can be scaled to their needs. The expense of one of these units is around 300$ for a panel that generates 250 w.

Wind power is currently the most cost effective clean energy because it requires very simple materials and relies on an energy source that is almost always available to tap. Wind is likely the fastest growing green energy because of its simplicity and cost effectiveness. Individuals seeking to shift to wind power will find many others have built their own turbines from scratch and now partially or completely power their homes this way. New vertical blade designs even cater to residential and urban areas where wind tunnels may force the wind into odd upward or downward directions.  The cost of a standard wind turbine is around 2000$ per 1000w generator and can be considered nearly twice as effective as a solar panel because it won't function at night.

Accessing the inside of our planet can provide all the heat we could ever need. Geothermal temperature regulation takes advantage of the cross current exchange of heat between a solution and the earth. Ideally a geothermal heating system can increase or decrease the temperature to suit the season. During the summer months the earth is cooler than the air surrounding it, the opposite is true during the winter. By running long tubes of water deep into the earth the temperature of the water can be increased and used to heat the air of the domicile. Some major drawbacks of geothermal heating are limited access to the heat and the cost to tap into it. The price of a geothermal heating system will likely run in the tens of thousands of dollars but can eliminate up to 70% of one’s energy bill.