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Clean energy may also be called green energy or renewable energy, is a term used to describe energy that is derived from resources, like the sun and the wind -- resources that are continually available to some degree or other all over the world.

The use of natural energy sources to provide heating and electricity is rapidly increasing in popularity among homeowners. Wind power is growing at the rate of 30% annually, with a worldwide installed capacity of 158 gigawatts (GW) in 2009, and is widely used in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Sunlight is the source of most renewable energy power, either directly or indirectly. The sun can be harnessed to produce solar energy -- electricity for heating, cooling, and lighting homes, offices, entertainment complexes, airports, and a variety of other industrial structures. Hydroelectric power is produced from streams, rivers, and waterfalls that flow downhill, their tremendous power turning large turbines that convert the flow to electricity. Geothermal energy taps the Earth's internal heat in the form of steam for a variety of uses, including electric power production, and the heating and cooling of buildings. Some new systems are in development for harvesting even more power by injecting water back into underground heat sources to produce more steam. Organic plant matter, known as biomass, can be burned, gasified, fermented, or otherwise processed to produce electricity, heat and biofuels for transportation.

Advantages of Clean Energy

Clean Energy can be considered only energy that doesn’t pollute at all and doesn’t use resources that can’t be easily renewed. It comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat. An additional reason why clean energy can be so desirable is because it tends to come from sources that are free. While harnessing this energy costs money, wind and sun aren’t owned by anybody in particular. After the initial cost of; solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal energy systems, the only cost to the consumer relates to any required maintenance. You could even sell excess electricity back to your national grid.

Some limitations of Clean Energy

Renewable resources are often located in remote areas, and it is expensive to build power lines to the cities where the electricity they produce is needed. The use of renewable sources is also limited by the fact that they are not always available — cloudy days reduce solar power; calm days reduce wind power; and droughts reduce the water available for hydropower.

Despite some negative consequences to the environment from things like wind farms or use of hydroelectric power, these tend to be minimal in comparison to the use of petroleum or non-clean coal. By making the switch to natural and renewable energy sources, you will be doing your part in helping to improve the quality of the environment and the air we breathe.

Clean Energy