COMPUTER ENEGINEERING VVIT, PAL

❖ Content:

• What is a renewable energy source?

• Solar energy

• Wind energy

• Hydro energy

• Geothermal energy

• Biomass energy

• Tidal energy

• Conclusion, References

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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.

➢ The most popular renewable energy sources currently are:

1. Solar energy
2. Wind energy
3. Hydro energy
4. Geothermal energy
5. Biomass energy

Fig.(a) Renewable Energy Sources.

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➢ Solar Energy:

Solar power is clean green electricity sourced from sunlight. Or in

some cases, from heat from the sun. Installing solar power systems in a residential setting
generally means setting up a solar photovoltaic or a solar thermal system on the roof.
Definition of photovoltaic: Photo = “light” and photons = energy particles coming from
sunlight; voltaic = producing a voltage or volts. Abbreviation = PV Solar energy is a
renewable free source of energy that is sustainable and totally inexhaustible, unlike fossil
fuels that are finite. It is also a non-polluting source of energy and it does not emit any
greenhouse gases when producing electricity. Solar electricity can supplement your
entire or partial energy consumption. Using solar power means reducing your energy bills
and saving money. Low maintenance and unobtrusive, installing solar panels adds value
to your home.

Fig.(b) Solar Energy

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Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed
using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal
energy (including solar water heating), and solar architecture.

It is an essential source of renewable energy, and its technologies are

broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture
and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. Active solar techniques include the
use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power, and solar water heating to harness
the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting
materials with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces
that naturally circulate air.

➢ Benefits:

One of the benefits of solar energy is that sunlight is functionally endless.

With the technology to harvest it, there is a limitless supply of solar energy, meaning it could
render fossil fuels obsolete. Relying on solar energy rather than fossil fuels also helps us
improve public health and environmental conditions. In the long term, solar energy could also
eliminate energy costs, and in the short term, reduce your energy bills. Many federal local,
state, and federal governments also incentivize the investment in solar energy by providing
rebates or tax credits.

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➢ Wind Energy:

Wind power involves converting wind energy into electricity by

using wind turbines. The wind comes from atmospheric changes. These include changes in
temperature and pressure which make the air move around the surface of the earth. A wind
turbine captures the wind to produce energy. Wind power is a clean energy source that can
be relied on for the longterm future. A wind turbine creates reliable, cost-effective,
pollution free energy. It is affordable, clean and sustainable. One wind turbine can be
sufficient to generate enough electrical energy for a household, assuming the location is
suitable. Because it is a renewable resource which is nonpolluting and renewable, wind
turbines create power without using fossil fuels, without producing greenhouse gases or
radioactive or toxic waste. Wind power is one of the best ways to combat global warming.

Fig.(c) Wind Energy

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Wind power or wind energy is mostly the use of wind

turbines to generate electricity. Wind power is a popular, sustainable, renewable
energy source that has a much smaller impact on the environment than burning fossil fuels.
Historically, wind power has been used in sails, windmills and windpumps but today it is
mostly used to generate electricity. Wind farms consist of many individual wind turbines,
which are connected to the electric power transmission network.

➢ Benefits:

Wind energy is a clean energy source, which means that it doesn’t pollute
the air like other forms of energy. Wind energy doesn’t produce carbon dioxide, or release
any harmful products that can cause environmental degradation or negatively affect human
health like smog, acid rain, or other heat-trapping gases.

Investment in wind energy technology can also open up new avenues for
jobs and job training, as the turbines on farms need to be serviced and maintained to keep
running.

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➢ Hydro Energy:

Hydro power generates power by utilizing the energy of water falling

from a higher position to a lower position. One of these hydro power generation systems is a
"pumped-storage system" , which pumps up water from a lower reservoir to a higher
reservoir during off-peak hours and generates power by dropping water from the higher
reservoir to the lower reservoir during peak hours. We manufacture an entire generation
system for these power plants. Since hydro power emits a minimal amount of CO2, which is
known to be a cause of environmental pollution and global warming. Effective use of hydro
power is being revalued throughout the world these days.

Fig.(d) Hydro Energy

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➢ Benefits:

Hydroelectric power is very versatile and can be generated using both large
scale projects, like the Hoover Dam, and small scale projects like underwater turbines and
lower dams on small rivers and streams. Hydroelectric power does not generate pollution,
and therefore is a much more environmentally-friendly energy option for our environment.

Hydropower is better for the environment than other major sources of

electrical power, which use fossil fuels. Hydropower plants do not emit the waste heat and
gases—common with fossil-fuel driven facilities which are major contributors to air
pollution, global warming and acid rain. The mining and drilling required to acquire fossil
fuels for other power sources also have a significant negative environmental impact.

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➢ Geothermal Energy:

Geothermal energy is power derived from the heat from the Earth.
This can be sources such as the shallow ground to hot water and hot rock found a few
kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface. It may go down even deeper to the extremely high
temperatures of underground molten rock called magma. We usually only see this when it
erupts to the surface in the form of lava.

Fig.(e) Geothermal Energy

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Geothermal energy is the thermal energy in the Earth's crust which originates
from the formation of the planet and from radioactive decay of materials in currently
uncertain[1] but possibly roughly equal[2] proportions. The high temperature and pressure in
Earth's interior cause some rock to melt and solid mantle to behave plastically. This results in
parts of the mantle convecting upward since it is lighter than the surrounding rock.
Temperatures at the core–mantle boundary can reach over 4000 °C (7200 °F).

➢ Benefits:

Geothermal energy is not as common as other types of renewable energy

sources, but it has a significant potential for energy supply. Since it can be built underground,
it leaves very little footprint on land. Geothermal energy is naturally replenished and
therefore does not run a risk of depleting (on a human timescale).

Geothermal energy shares many of the advantages of most other renewables.

For instance, compared to traditional thermoelectric stations powered by fossil fuels like coal,
it produces less carbon dioxide, particulate matter and other toxic substances that create the
greenhouse effect, which contributes to climate change. Using this underground energy
allows us to reduce our use of fossil fuels and can help us to achieve energy self-sufficiency.
Geothermal energy is also in line with sustainable developmentand is essentially free once
the plant has been installed. There is no doubt either that recent history has taught us that
both the performance and efficiency of renewable plants are improving year after year.

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➢ Biomass Energy:

Biomass is an energy source derived from organic material such as animal

or plant matter and it is growing in popularity. Proponents increasingly favor biomass use
over fossil fuels due to the low levels of carbon emitted when the material is burned, and
see it as the answer to fighting climate change.
However, though it is classed as renewable, questions have been raised over just how green
it really is, with fears that its predominant reliance on felling and burning trees as a
replacement for fossil fuels could do more harm than good.

Fig.(f) Biomass Energy

Biomass is organic, meaning it is made of material that comes from

living organisms, such as plants and animals. The most common biomass materials used for
energy are plants, wood, and waste. These are called biomass feedstocks. Biomass energy
can also be a non-renewable energy source.
Biomass contains energy first derived from the sun: Plants absorb the sun’s
energy through photosynthesis, and convert carbon dioxide and water into nutrients
(carbohydrates).

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➢ Benefits:
The use of biomass in energy production creates carbon dioxide that is put into
the air, but the regeneration of plants consumes the same amount of carbon dioxide, which is
said to create a balanced atmosphere. Biomass can be used in a number of different ways in
our daily lives, not only for personal use, but businesses as well. In 2017, energy from
biomass made up about 5% of the total energy used in the U.S. This energy came from wood,
biofuels like ethanol, and energy generated from methane captured from landfills or by
burning municipal waste.

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➢ Tidal Energy:

Tidal power harnesses the energy from the tidal force and wave
action in order to generate electricity. Unlike other primary energy flows, it is a predictable
source of energy because tides occur at expected times. This predictability has an advantage
over wind and solar power since the sun may or may not shine on a particular day and the
wind doesn't always blow the expected amount. Tidal power is still not a dispatch able
source of electricity as it is available when nature provides it, not necessarily when it is
needed. Tidal power is not a widely used energy resource at the moment because its costs
outweigh the advantages. Previously only very specialized locations were able to support
these technologies. However, recent improvements are making tidal power much more cost
effective and adaptable to a wider range of locations. If support for tidal power continues to
increase the industry will likely grow.

Fig.(g) Tidal Energy

Tidal power or tidal energy is harnessed by converting energy

from tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity using various methods.
Although not yet widely used, tidal energy has the potential for
future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable than the wind and the sun.
Among sources of renewable energy, tidal energy has traditionally suffered from
relatively high cost and limited availability of sites with sufficiently high tidal ranges or
flow velocities, thus constricting its total availability

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➢ Benefits:
Unlike other forms of renewable energy, wave energy is predictable and
it’s easy to estimate the amount of energy that will be produced. Instead of relying on varying
factors, such as sun and wind, wave energy is much more consistent. This type of renewable
energy is also abundant, the most populated cities tend to be near oceans and harbors, making
it easier to harness this energy for the local population.

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➢ Conclusion:

Ongoing concerns about climate change have made

renewable energy sources an important component of the world energy
consumption portfolio. Renewable energy technologies could reduce CO2
emissions by replacing fossil fuels in the power generation industry and the
transportation sector.

➢ References

www.google.com
www.Wikipedia.org
www.nationalgeographic.com
www.energyeduction.ca
www.power-technology.com

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