[October thematic report] Renewable energyby pallavi singh | 14-10-2022 06:36 |
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Since the 1860s, when petroleum was first discovered, people have looked on fossil fuels as the primary energy source for our modern economy, transportation, and standard of living. Its accessibility was never questioned before to the 1973 crisis. Given the present pace of global expansion and the general understanding that these fossil fuels will be exhausted at some point, scientists have begun looking at renewable energy sources with a low pollution rate and low cost. What source of energy will our offspring rely on if the present economic and population trends continue? Is it possible and safe to continue using the same resources we are now? We need to establish a new model of sustainable growth for business that will allow us to maintain economic growth and ensure continuous progress while also protecting ecological balance. In the next two centuries, renewable energy will play a pivotal role in driving economic growth. It's general knowledge that our present energy source won't be enough to maintain our standard of living for another 40 years or more, hence it's critical that other options be discovered. Renewable energy is expected to remain at a steady level over the next thousand years. The perpetual and ongoing natural replenishment of renewable energy sources ensures that their usage will never decline. Solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and wind power are the four most common types of renewable energy. None of these things stop: the wind continues blowing, the light keeps shining, the river keeps running, and the Earth keeps heating beneath rocks. We don't need to worry about depleting this source of energy since it will be here as long as the Earth does. Therefore, the future of the business model depends on different renewable energy sources. Types of Renewable energy: 1.Sunlight, the Primary Source On Earth, life depends mostly on energy from the sun. By focusing the Sun's rays using mirrors, the Greeks and Romans of the second century B.C. were able to light torches and start fires. By the middle of the 17th century, solar cookers had been developed, and by the 1860s, sun-powered motors had been created. The photoelectric effect, which describes the release of electrons when light strikes a material's surface, won Albert Einstein the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. The invention of photovoltaic cells and the proliferation of solar-powered structures both occurred in the 1950s. Satellites have routinely been run on electricity generated by solar cells. Research and development on solar-powered automobiles is also underway. The government and commercial businesses both now operate solar parks and farms in India. As of the 30th of June 2019, our installed capacity for solar energy is 29.55 GW. 2. Hydroelectricity Water wheels were employed by the ancient Persians and Chinese for a variety of tasks, including milling grain, irrigating crops, and cutting wood and stone. Hydroelectric power plants use the power of water to generate energy today. We have also used tidal energy to generate power from the seas, rivers, and man-made canal systems. Tidal energy converters may be set up in areas with strong currents. 3. Wind Power Wind was originally exploited as a source of propulsion for ships. Flour was being milled by windmills in the Middle East by the 11th century. The Dutch built massive windmills in the 17th century to drain water from lakes and canals. The global wind power capacity was around 36.625 GW as of March 2019. Wind power generation in Germany is the highest in the world, with India coming in at number four. 4. Energy from Biomass Fossil fuels, as we all know, originated from biological materials. In a similar vein, we may convert plant remnants, manure, and even animal excrement into usable energy. Biofuel is the common name for this kind of energy source. Plant raw materials may also be processed directly into fuel. It's been used effectively to develop energy sources including compressed natural gas (CNG) and ethanol. Renewable sources of power are not limited to the aforementioned; geothermal, hydrogen, and ocean energy are also viable options. These resources are currently underutilised and very region-dependent. In any case, we should use them whenever and whenever we can. There are various restrictions on the use of renewable energy. They are not always available. This means that we must develop energy storage solutions. It's crucial that we realise a future devoid of fossil fuels is not a dream. |
