This is a collaborative post: Global warming is no longer a secret – its effects are screaming at us, in the form of extreme, once-in-a-lifetime global weather patterns happening about once a week. The crux of the issue has been that simply put, we need energy to sustain our modern lifestyles, and to support the human population.
That’s where renewable energy comes in. If you’re unfamiliar with the subject, read on for some insights into how renewable energy can massively reduce mankind’s carbon footprint.
This article wouldn’t have been possible without the invaluable insights provided by the team at Exagen.
What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy, sometimes referred to as green energy, is energy that comes from sources which are naturally replenished – in other words, sources that don’t deplete natural resources or cause immense harm to the environment.
Common examples include wind power, hydropower, geothermal energy, and, of course, solar power. So, why are these sources better than, say, coal or gas?
No greenhouse gasses
The main benefit of renewable energy sources is that they don’t produce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. When power stations burn fossil fuels, they release massive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases into the atmosphere; when these gases start to build up, they trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to the global warming patterns we’re experiencing.
The renewable energy sources listed above, on the other hand, release no greenhouse gasses at all. While there are a certain amount of emissions released as a result of the energy capture system production processes, these technologies are becoming increasingly clean to produce at scale.
They won’t run out
While fossil fuels are treated as abundant resources that will never run out, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. They are absolutely finite, and will run out in a matter of decades. Renewable energy sources on the other hand are, as the name suggests, renewable – they will never run out, or at least not for millions (or in the case of the sun, billions) of years.
The sun will continue to shine, the wind will keep on blowing, and water will always obey the laws of gravity. This means that if we build a society dependent on these kinds of energy sources, we won’t have to worry about future generations running out of power.
Reducing other pollutants
While CO2 is the most famous emission from burning hydrocarbons, it’s by no means the only one. Burning fossil fuels also released a wide range of other toxic pollutants, including carbon particulates, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. These pollutants are massively harmful to both humans and other forms of wildlife, and cutting them out is one of the many significant selling points of renewable energy sources.
There’s a lot going for renewable energy sources, as you can see – with the climate rapidly degrading, there’s no time to be lost in terms of transitioning to these alternative energies. Not only will they help us to massively decrease our carbon footprint, but they’ll also provide us with long-term energy supplies that don’t emit toxic pollutants.