Renewable energy sources and how to apply them in your life

Renewable energy sources are a necessity right here and now. But what are they? And how to apply them in our lives? Here you will find everything you need to start. Keep reading to find out more!

Why is it important to invest in renewable energy sources?

Science has taken giant strides to sustain life for the now 8 billion people on the planet. The challenge is to continue sustaining that economic growth without endangering the natural resources we will need.

If we want to ensure this goal, we need to ask ourselves how efficiently we use energy on the planet and in our homes.

Renewable energy sources are undoubtedly essential. They allow us to stop emitting harmful gases to the planet due to traditional polluting energy sources (coal, oil, etc.)

These days, investing in renewable energy sources is a sign of generating sustainability for the planet, social responsibility, and energy savings. It has led to lower prices year after year for these types of clean energies, becoming increasingly closer to the public.

Renewable energy sources deserve to delve into them, right?

Let's learn more!

Renewable Energy Sources

At this moment it might be interesting to invest in non-renwable energy sources according Capitalist Exploits. However, we believe that in the long term it is best to invest in renewable energy. Learn more about ETF investing, real estate investing and investing in stocks before starting!

Solar energy

This type of renewable energy involves taking advantage of the radiation from the sun through photovoltaic cells that generate electricity.

One of its exceptional contributions is that it solves easy access to electricity for remote towns and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The sun can be used as a source of energy anywhere on the planet. Intelligent control can store the excess energy from sunny days in lithium batteries to use on days of scarce sunlight. It is a challenge that has been improving over the years.

It can be a perfect solution for regions where importing energy is complicated and expensive.

Wind power

The winds are responsible for generating kinetic energy. That happens due to the movement that the aerodynamic blades cause due to the wind.

Then the operation of transforming that kinetic energy into electricity is done by wind turbines.

They can produce power 24 hours a day, but not in all places since it depends on the speed of the wind.

Wind farms are a good energy solution for many cities that want to decarbonize their economies.

This type of energy is more efficient in regions near the seas because the wind is more constant. However, the cost of their construction increases due to the complexity of building them at sea.

Hydraulic energy

This type of renewable energy makes the most of the movement of water to generate electricity.

How do you manage to acquire this source of renewable energy? By using the kinetic and potential energy of waterfalls, currents, or tides.

The force that causes the movement of the water turns a turbine connected to a transformer, which converts them into electrical energy.

Thanks to the water cycle, this type of energy can be considered renewable, in addition to not generating pollutants.

However, during and after the construction of dams or water flow retention systems, if they are not planned in an orderly manner, it does cause an environmental impact by modifying the ecosystem.

Geothermal energy

Did you know that it is possible to take advantage of the heat inside the Earth's crust?

The Earth emits heat. This is the fundamental principle of this renewable energy, which takes advantage of the heat from the interior of the Earth's crust.

That leads to being a positive alternative to produce thermal energy, both for industrial and domestic use.

According to the FAO, this type of energy can be very beneficial in developing countries since people can use it to dry food or pasteurize and sterilize milk.

The challenges in this renewable energy source involve carrying out a detailed study of the place to ensure that the heat emitted is sufficient and available for long periods of extraction.

Biomass

Surely you have heard that you can generate energy from organic remains such as wood, sawdust, or agricultural waste.

How is biomass converted into energy? There are several methods. The classic used by our ancestors is to use organic matter from plants and trees, as fuel and with the help of a wood stove to produce heat to heat homes and buildings.

On the other hand, there is a biological method known as anaerobic digestion. Here, microorganisms break down waste to produce liquid or gaseous fuels such as biogas, made up of methane and carbon dioxide.

This renewable energy biogas can be burned directly for cooking or to generate electricity.

Anaerobic digesters are necessary to generate this bioenergy. They are used to process this organic waste to produce the electricity you will need a turbine or motor.

This renewable energy can also become a source of income for farmers and some industry sectors to take advantage of "waste."

How we can apply renewable energy in our lives

Thinking globally and acting locally leads us to provide solutions from our homes.

Renewable energy sources applied in urban environments are effective. For example, it is possible to place photovoltaic panels and equipment on the roofs of buildings, where they work efficiently, without hindering normal activity, and with low maintenance.

Can you imagine a town where the energy network is managed by its inhabitants? It is also possible with the technology of solar panels.

In our home, it is possible to survive thanks to solar energy and biomass.

Taking advantage of geothermal, wind, and hydraulic energy is also possible, but with a higher level of investment.

For starters, you can install photovoltaic cells on the roof of your house and start using the famous solar thermal, as well as design the flow of electrical energy from the sun to a sustainable home network system. In this way, you will save significant amounts of money.

Like any investment, it requires an initial effort, which results in savings, month after month, year after year. And you will contribute to not generating more harmful gases for the planet.

Investment in renewable energy sources lowers the costs of electricity production. Technological advances in recent years have made generating energy from renewable sources increasingly less expensive and can reduce the cost of energy.

However, if we take advantage of the waste we generate, we will obtain biogas. It can be used as fuel to produce heat and electricity through internal combustion engines or microturbines and water heaters. The heat generated is used to heat the digesters or heat buildings.

When the cold comes, you will want to be able to heat your house efficiently and sustainably. It is possible thanks to biomass energy.

If municipal waste could be used for biogas production, thereby reducing the demand for landfills, it would be possible to produce renewable and sustainable energy. Besides, there would be a beneficial by-product known as Biol, potentially usable as fertilizer.

Conclusions | Renewable energy sources

Educating people about the benefits of renewable energy and how it can help protect the environment is one way to encourage the development of renewable energy.

Imagine having the peace of mind that we carry out our daily actions using clean and renewable energy. Would not that make us feel part of a project for a much more sustainable world?