What Makes Solar Energy A Green Energy Source
Solar energy is both renewable and green due to the lack of harmful environmental side effects associated with its use.
Generating energy from solar panels is a zero-emissions process that doesnt release greenhouse gases and other particles into the atmosphere.
What about the environmental impact of manufacturing solar panels?
Like any manufactured product, it takes resources and energy to make solar modules. This means that solar energy production does involve some environmental impact. However, the environmental impact of producing solar panels is decreasing year after year due to the introduction of better solar panel technologies and designs.
- Solar panels are becoming much more efficient at converting sunlight into emissions-free energy
- The environmental cost of producing panels compared to the clean energy they generate is shrinking rapidly
- Solar panels can be recycled
- Components within solar panels cab be repurposed
How Does Solar Power Work
- 1.The Sun’s light is absorbed by the solar panels.
- 2.The silicon and conductors in the panel convert the light into Direct Current electricity, which then flows into the inverter.
- 3.The inverter converts the DC into Alternate Current electricity, which is used in your home.
- 4.Any additional electricity that’s not used by your home goes via your home’s meter into the mains power grid for others to use.
- 5.Electricity is drawn from the grid when you need more power than your solar energy system produces.
With a grid connected solar system, you are still connected to mains power which supplies your home and school at night and other times when the solar panels aren’t generating enough electricity.
State Policies To Support Renewable Energy
The number of renewable energy installations across states varies widely, reflecting individual state or regional priorities, and not always due to resource or technical potential. For example, the top eight states ranked by the capacity of their installed solar power include states in the southwest and northeast ) represent 99.5 percent of all solar PV installations, whereas nationally, the greatest potential for PV-generated electricity is within nine southwestern and western states .
States have adopted a number of policies to support greater investment in and adoption of renewable energy technologies.
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About The Ma In Sustainable Energy Program At Johns Hopkins Sais
Provided by a top-11 global university, the Master of Arts in Sustainable Energy at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies was created to help professionals gain the expertise needed to answer questions about how we can become more effective in our transition to sustainable energy. Students have the opportunity to improve their base of knowledge and their critical thinking skills, helping them rise to leadership positions in their respective fields.
Developed with input from expert faculty, industry leaders and sustainable energy employers, the program and its courses are taught by highly experienced researchers and professionals. Students in the Johns Hopkins SAIS benefit not only from the expertise and industry connections of our faculty but also from our network of 230,000+ alumni.
Disclaimer: This content has not been peer reviewed and is for informational purposes only.
Types Of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy comes from sources that can be regenerated or naturally replenished. The main sources are:
All sources of renewable energy are used to generate electric power. In addition, geothermal steam is used directly for heating and cooking. Biomass and solar sources are also used for space and water heating. Ethanol and biodiesel are used for transportation.
Renewable energy sources are considered to be zero , low or neutral with regard to greenhouse gas emissions during their operation. A neutral source has emissions that are balanced by the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed during the growing process. However, each sources overall environmental impact depends on its overall lifecycle emissions, including manufacturing of equipment and materials, installation as well as land-use impacts.
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Other Alternative Energy Sources
Hydroelectric power
Hydropower is the largest renewable energy source for electricity in the United States, though wind energy is soon expected to take over the lead. Hydropower relies on watertypically fast-moving water in a large river or rapidly descending water from a high pointand converts the force of that water into electricity by spinning a generators turbine blades.
Nationally and internationally, large hydroelectric plantsor mega-damsare often considered to be nonrenewable energy. Mega-dams divert and reduce natural flows, restricting access for animal and human populations that rely on those rivers. Small hydroelectric plants , carefully managed, do not tend to cause as much environmental damage, as they divert only a fraction of the flow.
Biomass energy
Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals, and includes crops, waste wood, and trees. When biomass is burned, the chemical energy is released as heat and can generate electricity with a steam turbine.
Geothermal energy
Daniel Snaer Ragnarsson/iStock
Ocean
Everything You Need To Know About Solar Energy
When we say solar energy, were talking about capturing the suns light and converting it to electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect, or PV. Solar energy thats captured using PV technology can power everything from homes, businesses, cars and aircraft to small appliances like calculators, portable power stations and more.
As of 2020, the United States has a total installed solar capacity of 97.7 gigawatts . Thats enough to power nearly 17.7 million homes!*
The sun is the single most abundant energy source in our solar system. Without it, wed be just another cold rock floating through space. But exactly how powerful is the sun? According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratories , the amount of energy from sunlight that hits the Earth in one hour could supply the worlds energy needs for an entire year! Thats pretty powerful.
Solar energy has been one of the fastest-growing sources of new energy in the world for many years now. As of 2020, the United States has a total installed solar capacity of 97.7 gigawatts . Thats enough to power nearly 17.7 million homes!* And thanks to improved technology, more affordable materials and increased customer demand, solar continues to become more affordable. For many homeowners, that means rooftop solar now makes economic sense and can provide long-term savings.
Make a commitment to using clean, renewable energy in your own life with a solar energy plan from Green Mountain Energy.
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A Policy Benefits Of Renewable Energy Facilities
Cost-benefit analysis is a generally accepted method of evaluating the value of competing energy sources.
Although a complete list of the benefits of renewable technologies can be very extensive, they can be categorized under four headings: environment, diversification, sustainability and economics.
Renewable resources are environmentally benign.
Renewable resources promote energy diversification.
Development of a diverse portfolio of generation assets reduces both a countrys dependence on any one particular form of technology or fuel and its vulnerability to supply disruption and price increases.
The primary long-term benefit of renewable technologies is that once a renewable project has been constructed, and fully depredated, it becomes a permanent, environmentally dean, and low cost component of a countrys energy system. In effect, the construction of a renewable energy project provides future generations a low cost, energy facility that produces power with little or no environmental degradation.
Renewable resources are sustainable.
Renewable technologies are designed to run on a virtually inexhaustible or replenishable supply of natural fuels. Expanding a nations electricity supply by attracting investment to renewable energy projects is, by defintion, a strategy for sustainable growth, since operation of the facilities does not deplete the earths finite resources.
The Five Primary Types Of Renewable Energy
There are five primary types of renewable energy which include:
By using those technologies, sunlight is turned into heat or electricity. Find comparisons between the three solar energy technologies in our article about why is a solar PV system the best technology of solar energy.
From Solar Energy to electricity
There are two methods to transform sunlight into electricity:
- To start with, solar Technology, in which the solar panels trap sun rays and transform this solar radiation into current electricity.
A device called inverter converts the direct current generated by solar panels into the grid-compliant alternating current, which is what the most household appliances use. Find more information about solar inverter in our article about the Most important things to know about solar power inverter.
- Concentrated Solar Power technology the most famous is parabolic trough plant, in which parabolic mirrors concentrate sunlight to heat water. The generated steam is used to turn steam turbines which generate electricity.
Heat from Solar Energy
Solar thermal technology uses solar thermal collectors to convert sunlight into heat. The generated heat is used for various purposes such as heating water, industrial processes, space heating as well as solar cooling.
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Top Reasons Why Renewable Energy Is Extremely Vital For The Survival Of Humans
There are reasons why renewable energy is essential for the survival of man. Without renewable energy, man future would be brink.
The following are reasons why man needs renewable energy.
Feeling Like A Solar Pro
Now that we answered the question is solar energy a renewable resource? you can make an informed decision whether or not to go solar. If you are looking to save some money and help the planet at the same time this is probably the best way to go. It also comes in very handy when power is knocked out in your area and you dont have to deal with that because you have a renewable source of electricity.
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How Sustainable Is Solar Energy
Measuring how sustainable solar energy is means using a life-cycle assessment for all of its environmental impacts. What is the effect of solar power plants on land-use patterns and habitat loss? How much fresh water is used in the production of solar panels? What is the source of the energy used to produce solar panels, and how much greenhouse gas do they emit? How are the raw materials extracted, and how renewable or recyclable are those materials? And perhaps most importantly, how do all those assessments compare to the alternatives? For example, it may be more sustainable to produce solar panels in an area of the world with low levels of solar insolation and install them in areas where lots of the sun’s energy reaches Earth , unless each of those areas contain fragile ecosystems or the transportation of materials halfway around the world involves burning more fossil fuels than the panels replace.
It’s worth remembering that all energy on Earth comes from the sun. Ideally, the most sustainable use of that energy is the one that is most efficient at converting the sun’s energy to usable final energy with the least environmental impact. While fossil fuels are energy-dense, they do not contain a lot of solar energy that plants converted using photosynthesis during the Carboniferous period. This makes them far and away the least efficient source of energy, independent from their environmental impact.
How Solar Energy Is A Renewable Resource
Solar power is generated in two main ways: Photovoltaics also called solar cells are electronic devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity. Today PV is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies and is ready to play a major role in the future global electricity generation mix.
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What Is A Renewable Energy Source
A renewable energy source means energy that is sustainable – something that can’t run out, or is endless, like the sun. When you hear the term ‘alternative energy’ it’s usually referring to renewable energy sources too. It means sources of energy that are alternative to the most commonly used non-sustainable sources – like coal.
Top Reasons To Solar Energy
The second Friday in March is Solar Appreciation Day! Were taking advantage of this opportunity to share the major benefits of sun power.
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Epa Programs Supporting Renewable Energy
Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that supports the organizational procurement of green power by offering expert advice, technical support, tools, and resources. The Partnership works with hundreds of companies, colleges and universities, organizations, and local, state, and federal government agencies. GPP provides resources to states on how they can lead by example by purchasing green power for government operations.
Landfill Methane Outreach Program is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that promotes the use of landfill gas as a renewable, green energy source. By preventing emissions of methane through the development of landfill gas energy projects, LMOP helps businesses, states, energy providers, and communities protect the environment and build a sustainable future.
AgSTAR is a voluntary program that promotes the use of biogas recovery systems to reduce methane emissions from livestock waste.
REPowering America’s Lands – EPA is encouraging renewable energy development on current and formerly contaminated land and mining sites. This initiative identifies the renewable energy potential of these sites and provides other useful resources for communities, developers, industry, state and local governments or anyone interested in reusing these sites for renewable energy development.
The Renewable Energy Vs Sustainable Energy Debate
Energy leaders need to not only understand the nuances between these two terms, but be mindful of how they use them in legislation and organizational decision-making. Not only will the precise use of language benefit consumers, allowing them to understand the implications of their energy choices, but it will also help officials ensure their policies accurately reflect their objectives.
For example, a policymaker who drafts a green bill only using the term renewable energy may subvert the effect of their own legislation by failing to account for the potential environmental impact of energy sources like biofuels.
The question then becomes: How do we go from simply supporting sustainable energy to widespread adoption? The answer is multifaceted, but higher education plays a significant role.
Energy professionals must understand how energy creation, distribution and consumption are affected by factors such as:
Even those currently in the industry may find themselves bewildered by the fields rapid pace and myriad influences. They need the opportunity to build on their existing knowledge and skills in order to address the needs of now and the future.
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Solar Energy Is Good For The Environment
When we use the sun as an alternative energy source, it can be great for the environment. Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy does not produce any carbon emissions. This is a key factor that makes it far more environmentally friendly than traditional energy sources.
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and, natural gas are responsible for polluting our planet. When we burn them, they release vast quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which include the following:
Greenhouse gases pollute the air we breathe and also contribute to whats known as the greenhouse effect a phenomenon that contributes towards climate change. Using the sun as an alternative to fossil fuels avoids the release of these gases. Therefore, it is much better for the environment and can help to reduce the effects of climate change.
It Is Inexhaustible And Renews Itself
Compared to conventional energy sources such as coal, gas, oil and nuclear – reserves of which are finite – clean energies are just as available as the sun from which they originate and adapt to natural cycles, hence their name renewables. This makes them an essential element in a sustainable energy system that allows development today without risking that of future generations
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