The Importance of Renewable Energy for Environment:
Usually we use energy to obtain electricity, hot water, and fuel for cars. We harvest this energy from fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal.
However, these are nonrenewable energy sources. Therefore, the problem is now if these sources finish, we will not be able to more energy during our lifetime.
Thus, it is important that we start to use renewable energy resources for avoiding this problem. Renewable energy is the energy that is replenished on a human timescale, but these sources are flow-limited and we can harvest it by renewable resources, such as sunlight, the wind, hydropower, geothermal, tides and rains.
1- Renewable energy sources:
•Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—
•Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—
•Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—
We can have renewable energy from natural resources such as:
1-Solar energy (From the sun):
- We use the sun to collect energy and convert it to electricity. This can be used as a source of heat and light.
Advantages:
1- Sunlight does not produce any wastes or pollutants for environment.
2- It is free to collect sunlight as it is always present.
Disadvantages:
1- It is very expensive to collect this energy using the tools needed.
2- We must collect this energy during the day when it is sunny.
2-The Wind:
In the past, we used windmills for hundreds of years to pump water from the ground. However, we now use large, tall wind turbines to generate electricity using wind.
We often place many wind turbines together in wind farms in flat areas with strong winds.
Advantages:
1- The wind doesn’t produce any wastes or pollutants for environment.
2- It takes up little ground space.
Disadvantages:
1-Wind turbines kill flying creatures like bats and birds.
3-Hydropower Power:
We use water to move wind turbines and generate electricity.
Advantages:
1- Hydropower is considered as inexpensive source.
2- It does not leave any harmful chemicals as waste.
Disadvantages:
1- Fish can’t migrate from dams.
2- Dams change and destroy habitats near the rivers.
4-Biomass:
We use plant matter and animals waste to produce electricity.
Advantages:
. 1- Growing biomass crops use up carbon dioxide and increase oxygen
2. Biomass is always available, thus, it can be used as a renewable resource.
Disadvantages:
1. It can have a significant negative impact on the environment if it has been wrongly used.
5-Geothermal Energy:
We can convert the steam to electricity by using power stations. To run these stations, we use heated water and steam from the earth.
Advantages:
1- For heating and cooling, geothermal heat pump systems use 25% to 50% less electricity than conventional systems.
2. Biomass is always available and can be used as a renewable resource.
Disadvantages:
1-It is expensive to build plants.
Differential ratios between renewable energy sources
Disadvantages:
1. It can have a significant negative impact on the environment if it has been wrongly used.
We can convert the steam to electricity by using power stations. To run these stations, we use heated water and steam from the earth.
Advantages:
1- For heating and cooling, geothermal heat pump systems use 25% to 50% less electricity than conventional systems.
2. Biomass is always available and can be used as a renewable resource.
Disadvantages:
1-It is expensive to build plants.
Differential ratios between renewable energy sources
This is why; “ Renewable Energy Sources ” is one of the topics that will be discussed in the conference: Resilient and Responsible Architecture & Urbanism (RRAU). Make sure not to miss it.
