What is renewable energy?

Ishaa

For over 200 years we have relied on burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal to give us the energy we need for electricity, transport, communications, manufacturing… pretty much everything actually!

And while it has resulted in lots of exciting and life-changing technology, and the home comforts that we all know and love, it has had a devastating impact on the environment.

Renewable energies have been developed as an alternative to fossil fuels. Renewable energy makes use of what is already naturally existing in our environment like harnessing wind with wind turbines or the sun with solar panels.

Natural resources like the wind and sun won’t run out and don’t add any pollutants into the atmosphere.

There are a few main types of renewable energy in use around the world: hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal, ocean energy, wind and solar.

Because they rely on natural resources different renewable energies are popular in different parts of the world - like ocean energies being used in places near the coast.

These types of energy are less polluting or ‘cleaner’ than fossil fuels, because they don’t add many pollutants into the atmosphere. But …they are not perfect either!

The process of making the equipment like a wind turbine or a solar panel does release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However, if we take wind turbines as an example, a single turbine usually pays back, the emissions released to make it, in less than a year of being used.

So renewable energies can kind of clean up after themselves helping to keep the planet cleaner.

I know what you’re thinking… why aren’t we using these more?

Well, even though they have become cheaper in recent years, they are still expensive, and it will take countries time and money to get to a point where they can replace fossil fuels completely.

Currently, the UK is aiming to have 100% of its energy produced from clean sources by 2035.

Some people argue that nuclear power is the best option to move us away from fossil fuels and towards greener energy. Nuclear power can generate energy more quickly than renewable energies and releases much less pollutants into the atmosphere than gas, oil or coal.

However, many people do feel that nuclear power is not a viable clean source because the process creates radioactive waste which can harm people and the environment.

People like you and me can always make a difference by choosing to use alternatives to fossil fuels, when possible. Like riding a bike instead of taking a petrol car for short journeys.

If more people want to use renewables, a country is more likely to invest in making it accessible. So that we can all benefit from the long-term effects of cleaner and greener energy on our environment and quality of life.