About Renewable Energy

Every time the topic of energy conservation is delved into, whether it's during a political debate or a news story, the term "renewable energy" is always a primary focus. But, what exactly is renewable energy and how can it change our life? And better yet, can it solve the world's energy crisis as effectively as most would have us believe?

What is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy is a source of energy that is constantly and naturally replenished. Sources of renewable energy include harnessing power through: Sunlight, Wind, Rain, Geothermal heat, Ocean tides.

What is the Potential of Renewable Energy?

In terms of solar energy alone, the amount of sunlight that hits the Earth in one hour, if harnessed properly, could meet the energy demands of the entire planet for a whole year.

One wind turbine can create enough energy to power 300 homes.

In many areas on the planet, geothermal heat is used to heat homes. This method has been used since the days of the Romans.

Common Misconceptions about Renewable Energy

Because of renewable energy being the latest buzz word and the recent demand for its implementation, many people think that it's something that is still being developed and not in use yet. The fact is, much of our energy use is already coming from renewable energy sources.

In 2006, approximately 18 percent of the Earth's energy consumption was produced through renewable means. Wind power is already used in many areas and its use is growing at a rate of 30 percent annually. Currently, water is our primary source of renewable energy and today, it powers nearly 29 million homes and businesses.

The Future of Renewable Energy

Most of today's electricity is delivered to homes from giant power stations. By replacing the nation's outdated grid with sources of renewable energy, these renewable power sources could be located closer to the areas they serve. This would greatly reduce operational and delivery costs and allow for a more reliable, efficient and safe system.

Experts agree that by focusing on renewable sources of energy, we will effectively be able to eliminate the dependence on foreign oil, prevent further damage to the planet and create a safer and more efficient environment for future generations.

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  • Renewable Energy

    Renewable Energy

    A short video that I made for science when I was In Year 10, Hope you enjoy :) Thanks so much to those who have watched this video, which has reached over 28000 views!
  • 20% renewable energy by 2020

    20% renewable energy by 2020

    Raising the share of renewable energy from 8.5% to 20% in the overall energy consumption is a necessary contribution to the global fight against climate change and towards better control over our energy dependence. The various uses of renewable energy are examined: electricity through wind and hydraulic energies; electricity or heat through geothermal and solar energies; electricity, heat, and biofuel coming from biomass. The EU is a world leader in the use and deployment of technologies that exploit renewable energy sources, providing over 350.000 jobs and an annual turn-over of € 30 billion. Download: ec.europa.eu. ec.europa.eu
  • Renewable Energy From the Deep Ocean

    Renewable Energy From the Deep Ocean

    Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) process and an ideal location in Puerto rico
  • Off-Grid Living with Renewable Energy

    Off-Grid Living with Renewable Energy

    Life off the electricity grid, using renewable energy, with best selling author William "Bill" Kemp and his wife, living the good life with a low impact on the planet.
  • Renewable Energy: Wind Power

    Renewable Energy: Wind Power

    A Dorky Engineering Student explains how a homebuilt wind turbine create usable Electrical Power
  • Solar Tower - renewable energy green global warming

    Solar Tower - renewable energy green global warming

    EnviroMission Limited (www.enviromission.com.au) produced this 5 minute video on the pilot plant in Spain. It is an older video (2000) but gives a decent understanding of the solar tower concept. EnviroMission, Ltd. (US Market: EVOMY, Australian Exchange: EVM) is a renewable energy developer of sustainable "green" energy solutions for the energy market. EnviroMission aims to be one of Australia's leading producers of clean renewable energy. EnviroMission holds the proprietary rights to Solar Tower technology, a large-scale renewable energy technology based on simple fundamentals of physics -- hot air rises. Solar Tower technology has the potential to offer competitive renewable energy with equal reliability to fossil fuel generators. A single 200MW Solar Tower power station will provide enough electricity to power around 400000 households. The energy output will represent an annual saving of more than 1960000 tonnes of greenhouse CO2 gases from entering the environment when compared to brown coal emissions in Victoria. The greenhouse savings equate to the removal of approximately 500000 cars from the road. The Australian Solar Tower project consists of six distinct phases, the first two of which (project optimization and pre-feasibility commercialization) have already been completed. The third phase (final feasibility), paving the way for the implementation of the next three phases (final design, construction, and commercial operation).
  • Plug-in Hybrids: Renewable Energy Solution of the Month

    Plug-in Hybrids: Renewable Energy Solution of the Month

    To help support Climate Denial Crock of the Week Go to climatecrocks.com This video inaugurates a new series, that will augment, but not replace, "Climate Denial Crock of the Week". Many people seem to think dealing with climate change will bring poverty and limit human development. The truth may be exactly the opposite. Moving to a world of where we aren't fighting each other over the last few drops of oil, where energy is free, will mean a better life, with greater opportunities even for an expanding population. If we make the right decisions, we could be on the verge of the most prosperous period in human history. Climate Denial Crocks will be back soon to tweak trolls and ding deniers. www.ferc.gov www.environmentamerica.org www.udel.edu www.udel.edu newenergynews.blogspot.com climateprogress.org
  • Renewable Energy and the Economy

    Renewable Energy and the Economy

    April 1, 2009 - Dan Arvizu, director of the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, discusses the current state of renewable energy technology and implementation in the US, as well as potential advancements in the near future. The Energy Seminar meets during the academic year on Wednesdays, 4:15 to 5:15 pm For a listing of upcoming Energy Seminar talks, please visit the events listing at the Woods Institute for the Environment website. Stanford University www.stanford.edu Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford http National Renewable Energy Laboratory www.nrel.gov Stanford University Channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com
  • Renewable Energy

  • 20% renewable energy by 2020

  • Renewable Energy From the Deep Ocean

  • Off-Grid Living with Renewable Energy

  • Renewable Energy: Wind Power

  • Solar Tower - renewable energy green global warming

  • Plug-in Hybrids: Renewable Energy Solution of the Month

  • Renewable Energy and the Economy

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