The Benefits of Using Renewable Energy Over Fossil Fuels & Nuclear Power

Work is a force applied over a distance. Let us further define energy as a shifting back and forth, but never truly changing one thing: it's constancy.

The first law of thermodynamics: energy is conserved. Thermodynamics is the study of the movement of heat. This law instructs us that although the kind of energy in a given system can change, the total amount can't. Energy is able to travel seamlessly through systems, yet it never changes its structure or shape.

I find this concept enlightening, because you wouldn't normally think of energy as such a fluid movement. It seems more. I found it fascinating that all forms of energy are interchangeable. It makes one think about the potential of newer energy as well.

All objects hold some internal energy. That is, the kinetic energy of moving atoms. Conduction is discussed as the transfer of heat through collisions of electrons and atoms. Leaders at the University of Irvine that are studying the effect of aging, and specifically how the breakdown of DNA over time, effects aging.

The group at the University of Irvine has made a fruit fly live twice as long by their experiments. As they stated, it may only be a bit more time before scientists discover a way to reverse or slow down aging, if they can discover the cause.

Thermal conductivity, the study of how energy transfer occurs, sounds very interesting. Radiation, or the movement of infrared energy and light traveling across a room, until they absorb, are also important to the second law of thermodynamics as well, because it makes one think about the process of how atoms and energy move from place to place.

The concepts of electricity and magnetism can be explained very differently from how Sir Isaac Newton explained gravitational pulls. One learns that lightning is a result of electrical charges, which come about from the transfer of electrons. That makes one think about what is going on to cause the lightning bolt, rather than just running from them!

It's also important to note that objects with like charges experience a "get away from me" stance, while objects with opposite charges attract each other. We know that every Magnet has a north and south pole and those magnets exert forces on each other, and always contain two poles.

A compass will point at the earth's "dipole" magnetic field. Dipole is the magnetic field that arises from the two poles of a magnet. In the previous example of the earth, that would be the north and south poles. That's a long distance to carry forces!

That brings us to wavelengths, amplitude, and frequency. Science has discovered that ocean waves are transverse waves that move perpendicular to the direction of the waves. James Clark Maxwell discovered that electromagnetic radiation could travel through a vacuum at the speed of light. Before this, scientists must have really wondered how that happened.

Gamma rays are the highest energies in the spectrum, and they are used to treat tumors and other medical needs in hospitals. The rays cause the bad tissues to die, allowing the human to live on his/her excellent tissues. It really makes one think about what happens as light moves.

Knowing all of the above, how can we better make use of earth's energy? The answer is renewable energy. This type of energy use taps into natural cycles such as the movement of the wind and water, the heat and light of the sun, heat in the ground, and the carbohydrates in plants. These are all natural energy sources that can supply our needs in a sustainable way.

Current levels of renewable energy use represent only a tiny fraction of what could be developed in the United States. Since electricity generation is a leading cause of carbon dioxide emissions, something needs to be done soon.

Renewable energy will also help alleviate our polluted air, water, increase plant and animal life, and help deter global warming. It's tough though, because fossil fuels and nuclear energy are tough to compete with due to their widespread usage and politics.

Still though, I encourage you, write your congressman. Let them know that you are for renewable energy and you can even get petitions going in your area to see this come to pass. Over time, renewable energy sources could replace nuclear generation altogether. Furthermore, because renewable energy is homegrown, it can increase our energy security as a nation and create a ton of jobs as well. (ArticlesBase SC #201562)

Hydropower Renewable Energy - Fossil Fuel Replacement

Approximately ten percent of energy produced in the United States is from hydropower. In this process, water spins in turbines in generators.

Hydropower is one of the renewable energy sources being researched and implemented to replace fossil fuels, which are in the process of depletion. It does not produce carbon dioxide, as coal power stations do, making it a cleaner, as well as, cheaper alternate way to produce electricity. It is also renewable, with the help of rainwater for replenishment.

The impoundment facility is the most common type of hydropower facilities. A dam is built on a large river or lake to store its water in a reservoir. When water is released from the reservoir through tunnels it flows through a turbine. Since the height of the water behind the walls is so great, the released water goes through the turbine with a great force of energy. As the turbine spins, it sets in motion a generator, which in turn produces electricity. The water then travels back into the stream or river below. Networks of transmission lines and facilities carry the electricity from the generator to users in a form they can use. The Hoover Dam is an illustration of the process just described. When it was initially built, it produced enough electricity for the entire city of Las Vegas. As Las Vegas grew, they turned to other energy sources

The pumped storage hydro plant facility is able to store power. It does so by pumping water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir during low energy demand periods. When needs increase, the water is released from the upper reservoir back to the lower reservoir for electricity generation.

Hydroelectric plants require a lot of land in order to build a dam and reservoir. This requires a great deal of money, time and construction. There are not many ideal places to put them and most of these have already been taken. The good thing is once constructed; the electricity is free to produce. Due to costs, the tendency will be to put up smaller hydro plants that are more economical.

Hydroelectric plants using dams have a negative effect on the environment. Through the construction of a dam, there is a blockage of the flow from upstream to downstream. This disrupts the migration pattern of fish. Fish can also be killed passing through the turbines. An advantage to hydropower is the ability to control energy release to meet changing demands.

The population is growing and so will its power needs. Fossil fuels are being used up and there will come a time when they will be depleted. We need to turn to renewable energy sources to meet our needs. Natural resources seem to be a natural solution. Hydroelectric plants can meet our power needs without worries of depletion or pollution. It is also the most reliable source available today. Research and development is ongoing to provide a solution to the damage a dam can do. The potential for hydroelectricity is within our grasp and we must find a way to make this work.  (ArticlesBase SC #108246)

The Benefits of Renewable Energy Solutions

Some people may not want to admit it, but the world is slowly moving towards an energy crisis. Non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels are much closer than people think to becoming extinct. We have always known that the everyday energy we use is not unlimited, yet it is constantly being taken for granted. Oil, gas, power, even water has limited availability. Yet, we have not taken nearly enough precautions to deal with a very real threat of an energy crisis. When I say ‘we’, I am not referring to the governments of the world, but to all of us, the common people. We are the ones who can make a difference.

To neutralize this crisis, it is important that we learn to reduce our dependency on energy sources that are non-renewable and start focusing on energy solutions that can provide us with a continuous source of energy that will not exhaust any resources. There are 3 main sources of energy which fall into this category: hydro energy, wind energy, and solar energy.

First, let's look at hydro energy.

Hydroelectricity is the most widely used form of renewable energy in the world. It is typically generated on a large scale by way of hydroelectric dams. Although it is indeed a renewable source of energy, hydro energy comes with some drawbacks. Hydroelectric projects have been known to have negative effects on surrounding aquatic ecosystems. One example, is there are studies that have shown that dams along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America have reduced salmon populations due to their preventing access to spawning grounds upstream. A major disadvantage to hydroelectricity although rare, is the risk of dam failure. In Southern China, the Banquio Dam failure resulted in the deaths 171,000 people and left millions homeless. Although it is an effective source of renewable energy, it is not as environmentally friendly as the other 2 main sources of renewable energy, wind and solar power.

Let's look at wind energy.

Windmills have been around for thousands of years. They are older than electricity itself. In pre-industrialization times, they were used to propel sailboats and ships, they were used to pump water, and they were used as a means of natural ventilation in buildings.

Wind power has many advantages: It causes absolutely no pollution whatsoever. It consumes no fuel and has practically no effects on the environment at all. Wind energy can help generate tonnes of megawatts of electricity. When employed at home, it can help do away with conventional power sources which will reduce your electricity bill and can even eliminate it altogether. Wind power is an excellent source of continuous, renewable energy.

Finally, let's look at solar energy.

Solar power is by far the most available source of continuous, renewable energy on the planet. It is easily capable of providing the world's total current energy demand many times over. Solar power solutions at home are another way of dramatically cutting down power bills or even completely eliminating them altogether. Also, solar power has no effect on the environment whatsoever. It is the most environmentally friendly source of energy in the world.