Global Warming and Green Energy Sources - Research Paper Example

Your full April 6, Green Energy We use energy to exist, develop and grow. Energy makes our lives simpler for us. The energy industry produces for us heat, light and force. Since our needs are not going to get fewer in the next twenty years as the country’s economy and every other field is digitally driven, hence the demand for energy will continue to increase. Today, computers and all other technological tools take around 13% of electricity produced, and this is going to increase in the coming years. Hence, the future of energy industry is very bright in the next 20 years. A renewable energy source, that is green energy, has bright chances to take over the main role in the years to come (Sorensen and Breeze 54). Man will devise ways to substitute the materials endangered by exhaustion like fossil and nuclear energy sources, with renewable energy sources. Renewable energy will continue to combat “greenhouse gas emissions within the power sector” (Moselle, Padilla and Schmalensee 160). This paper discusses important sources of green energy, and why these sources are known as renewable sources of energy. First of all, it is important to describe the types of renewable energy sources. Sun power, wind power and water power are three main sources of green energy. Sun power produces solar energy, and is a very powerful form of energy. It has been there since ages, and will remain there till the end of the world, providing heat and light energy to all forms of lives- animals, plants and humans. Solar energy is called renewable energy due to a variety of reasons. First, when modern technological methods convert solar energy into electricity, no smoke is produced. So, there is no production of carbon dioxide and other toxic chemicals in the air. Also, the supply of solar energy is not limited, so, there is no worry about running out of energy. However, solar power cannot always be relied upon, as there is no sun in the night or in cloudy weather. Solar cells and solar panels are two main devices that convert solar energy into electrical energy. Solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells, are found in smaller devices as calculators, and are also used for bigger purposes like in road signs. Solar thermal power plants and the parabolic trough systems are modern technological methods that use solar panels that trap in sun power to heat up water that, in turn, produces electrical energy. Another source of renewable energy is water, called hydro-power. Since water in motion produces kinetic energy, this scientific fact is used by hydro-electric power plants that maintain the level of water high in dams so that when it falls, it releases potential energy due to gravitation, which is then converted into kinetic energy. Sluice gates are special gates to regulate the motion of falling water. Coils and magnets in the generators are charged with the moving water, and as a result, electrical energy is produced. Just like solar energy, water energy also does not release any of the greenhouse gases, which is why it is called green energy. The third important green energy source is wind energy. The convection currents found in the atmosphere drive wind through the production of heat energy. Wind turbines are used to convert the wind’s kinetic energy into electrical energy. There are blades that are rotated by the wind, and a shaft that spins. This shaft is connected to a generator. Electricity is produced in the generator. It is also important to discuss the difference between renewable and non-renewable sources of energy. Non-renewable sources use fossil fuels to produce energy. Coal, propane, uranium, natural gas and petroleum are used to produce energy. These sources are used in the modern technological methods, but they are linked with a wide variety of hazards. First of all, these sources will run out one day, as these are not the natural sources and are formed by humans. Anything that is not natural has to end someday. Second, these sources when burnt produce a large amount of toxic gases, also called greenhouse gases, of which carbon dioxide is the major greenhouse gas. The emission of carbon tends to pollute water, land and air. So, these tend to destroy the environment. On the other hand, green energy sources, like sun, water and wind, are found naturally in the environment, and so, they have existed since ages and will stay there till the end of the world. Also, these sources do not produce carbon while being converted in other useful forms of energy. Thus, they support the sustainability of the environment by keeping it pollution free. Kane (90) states: “Renewable energy has many advantages over conventional fossil fuels…renewable energy will not run out, energy security is not a problem as each country owns its own resources, and prices are more stable.” Since there is no emission of greenhouses gases in the utilization of green energy, hence there is no risk of global warming. Global warming is the condition in which the temperature of the Earth rises due to the trapping of sun’s light and heat by the greenhouse gases which include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and water vapors (Houghton xxiii). The earth’s atmosphere contains these trace gases whose purpose is to prevent some of the heat of the sun to escape into the atmosphere when it is reflected by the Earth. This helps maintaining a certain degree of acceptable temperature on the Earth. When these gases rise in concentration through the burning of non-renewable sources like fossil fuels, they start absorbing sun’s heat which results in rise in temperature to an unacceptable degree. Due to the rise in temperature, much of the living organisms are affected most of which die. Everybody will agree to the fact that the Earth today is much warmer than it was 100 years ago. “Around the world, the Earths average temperature has risen more than 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) over the last century, and about twice that in parts of the Arctic” (National Geographic Society, para.2). Human communities are at stake due to abrupt rise in sea level, massive storms and hurricanes, and heat and cold waves. After human beings, the next important stakeholders are the animals and plants. Some animals are able to move to places of acceptable temperature but some are not able to cross the mountain barriers and waters. Plants cannot move, so they die. All of these hazards are linked with utilization of non-renewable energy resources like coal and oil. On the other hand, when green energy is used, no carbon is emitted in the atmosphere as no factory is involved to destroy the purity of the air and sustainability of the environment; and therefore, it can be stated that green energy eliminates the risk of global warming. To conclude, green energy sources are called renewable sources since they do not produce carbon and carbon compounds when they are used. They do not pollute the air, and add to the sustainability of the environment. The most basic green energy sources include solar energy, hydro-power energy, and wind energy. Solar cells, solar panels, dams and wind turbines are used to convert the green energy into useful forms of energy like electrical energy. The most important benefit of green energy is that there is no risk of green energy since no factories and hazardous methods are used in the conversion of green energy. This means there is no emission of greenhouse gases, and thus, no global warming. Hence, green energy is the best source of energy that will never run out. Works Cited Houghton, John Theodore. Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. USA: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Kane, Gareth. Renewable energy. The Green Executive: Corporate Leadership in a Low Carbon Economy. New York, NY: Routledge, 2011. Moselle, Boaz, Padilla, Jorge, and Richard Schmalensee. Harnessing Renewable Energy in Electric Power Systems: Theory, Practice, Policy. New York: Earthscan, 2010. National Geographic Society. (2011). Is global warming real? National Geographic. Retrieved July 10, 2011, from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-real.html Sorensen, Bent, and Paul Breeze. Renewable Energy Focus Handbook. New York: Academic Press, 2008. Read More