The main types of renewable (clean, green) energy sources include: solar (thermal and pv, even pvt!), wind, geothermal, bioenergy, hydropower, and hydrogen.
Let's take a closer look at the most common alternative energy types along with their benefits:
Solar Power
solar power
[ˈsōlər ˈpou(ə)r]
NOUN
solar power (noun)
-
power obtained by harnessing the energy of the sun's rays.synonyms:
Solar thermal technology uses the energy from the sun instead of fossil fuels to generate environmentally friendly and low-cost energy to heat your home. It can reduce your energy bills and lower your carbon footprint all year round.
SunEarth offers a variety of solar hot water heating products and solutions that allows you to use the sun's power to provide hot water for all your needs.
Wind
wind power
[wind power]
NOUN
wind power (noun) · wind powers (plural noun) · windpower (noun) · windpowers (plural noun)
-
power obtained by harnessing the energy of the wind.
Wind power is amnong the fastest-growing types of utility-scale electrical generation in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Wind flow is captured by giant turbines and converted into electricity.
Geothermal
geothermal
[ˌjēōˈTHərməl]
ADJECTIVE
geothermal (adjective) · geothermic (adjective)
-
relating to or produced by the internal heat of the earth."some 70% of Iceland's energy needs are met from geothermal sources"
Geothermal power plants harness heat generated from the earth, usually in areas near volcanos or tectonic activity – though geothermal power can be found in other places as well. A geothermal plant can be put on a small plot of land as long as there’s plenty of heat coming up from the earth.
Bioenergy
bioenergy
[ˌbīōˈenərjē]
NOUN
-
renewable energy produced by living organisms.
People have been using biological matter to create energy for centuries. Materials for bioenergy can be found everywhere and using them for this purpose often gets rid of waste in a constructive way.
Hydropower
hydropower
[ˈhīdrəˌpouər]
NOUN
hydropower (noun) · hydro-power (noun)
-
hydroelectric power.
This type of energy is created by moving water. Damming a river forms a reservoir, and the water from the reservoir spins a turbine that produces electricity.
Hydrogen
hydrogen
[ˈhīdrəjən]
NOUN
hydrogen (noun)
-
a colorless, odorless, highly flammable gas, the chemical element of atomic number 1.
ORIGIN
late 18th century: coined in French from Greek hudro- ‘water’ + -genēs (see -gen).
Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe, and it can generate a lot of energy while producing little or no pollution. Liquid hydrogen has been used since the 1950s to launch rockets into orbit. Hydrogen fuel cells in cars and other vehicles convert the potential chemical energy of hydrogen into electricity, with water and heat as the only byproducts.
While many of the forms mentioned above are still being perfected, solar technology remains one of the least polluting forms of renewable energy, as well as one of the most affordable.