The term Green energy accounts for sources of energy which are environmentally friendly – do not pollute or damage the environment. Whilst other forms of energy drain the world’s resources and cause pollution Green energy does not make a negative impact on the environment and so provides a solution to problems such as climate change caused by global warming.
Green energy is generally regarded in terms of electricity, heating and the utilization of normally wasted heat energy and is becoming more commonly available. Green energy can be purchased by consumers and businesses, not only does this reduce the environmental damage caused by conventional energy sources but also supports further development. Homes can also purchase Renewable energy certificates to support Green energy. Some governments are also offering subsidies for Green energy and related technology.
Green energy sources are natural energetic processes which can be harnessed with very little pollution, e.g. geothermal power, anaerobic digestion, wind power, small-scale hydropower, solar power, biomass power, tidal power and wave power. Environmental organizations tend to reject Nuclear power as a Green energy, due to the issue of nuclear waste and nuclear energies lack of reduction in CO2 emissions.
The process of anaerobic digestion produces a methane and carbon dioxide rich biogas suitable for energy production helping replace fossil fuels. Nutrient-rich solids left after digestion can be used as fertiliser.
Wind power takes the energy in the wind and uses it to turn a turbine that creates electricity.
Power is also generated from small-scale hydro-electric schemes, for example in the UK they are currently based in Cumbria, Cambridgeshire and the Peak District. Hydro-electric power plants convert the energy from free falling water into electricity.
Solar power uses photovoltaic cells which take sunlight to convert into power. Solar thermal systems use sunlight to heat water for homes.
Biomass is produced from organic material, directly from plants or indirectly from industrial, commercial, domestic or agricultural products. It falls into two categories; Wood biomass includes forest products, waste wood, and energy crops like elephant grass and quick-growing trees like willow. Non-wood biomass includes animal waste and biodegradable food products like vegetable oil.
Combined heat and power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of heat and power (usually electricity) in a single process. CHP is a highly efficient way to use both fossil and renewable fuels.
Several countries have electricity retailing arrangements to allow consumers to purchase green electricity from their utility or a green power provider. When energy is purchased from the electricity network, the power reaching the consumer is not always generated from green energy sources. The local utility company, electric company or state power pool buys their electricity from electricity producers who may be generating from fossil fuel, nuclear or renewable energy sources.
When a customer participates in a green energy program they could be contributing to the usage of environmentally friendly energy and are ultimately increasing the popularity of green energy. They are also demonstrating to policy makers that people will be willing to pay a price premium to support green energy, essentially either obligating utilities to increase the amount of green energy that it purchases (and so decreasing the non-green energy purchased) or to directly fund green energy. If there are not enough green energy sources available then the utility must create more.
In some countries, e.g. the Netherlands, electricity companies buy an equal amount of 'green power' as is being used by their green power customers. The Dutch government exempts green power from pollution taxes, which means green power is hardly any more expensive than general power; this policy is really encouraging for green energy and hopefully will be implemented more widely in the future.
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Posted under Environmental News, Gas & Electricity, Renewable Energy
This post was written by Hannah Walker on August 1, 2008