Renewable energy is growing rapidly, creating thousands of jobs, reducing pollution, tapping American energy sources, and helping consumers and rural Americans. Renewable energy is cleaning up our air and water, improving our health, and protecting our climate for future generations. People do not seem to realise that renewable energy is very economical.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is currently the 'cheapest' source of renewable energy and another way to shrink the pie.
Wind Power Systems
The wind-energy industry is forging ahead in these countries, helped by government policies that encourage more clean-energy production.
Solar Energy
Several types of renewable energy exist, these include solar, wind, wave, geothermal and biomass.
Electricity by Renewable Sources
Electricity by renewable sources does avoid carbon emissions each kilowatt hour. Only two percent of our electricity comes from clean, renewable sources.
The Feed in Tariff Rewarding Renewable Energy
A utility purchasing clean energy compensates for the cost of this energy by spreading the difference across all its customers. Rates usually vary depending on what renewable energy technology is used, this being due to the difference in the cost of energy generation respective to the technology. Renewable energy in Germany now accounts for around 15% of the nation's energy. Of this renewable energy growth, more than half was supported by feed-in tariffs. It is clear that a good feed-in tariff system has the capacity to greatly boost the renewable energy sector in the country of implementation. A booming renewable energy industry, such as in Germany, creates very solid economic benefits.
In Germany, the economic benefits of renewable energy totalled more than 9 billion euro ($12.7 billion) in 2006, including: The potential of renewable energy is very great, taking advantage of this potential is absolutely imperative. In 2006, approximately 240,000 people where employed by Germany's renewable energy sector.
The Definition of Renewable Energy - Present and Future Outlooks
The definition of renewable energy is dependent on the term renewable. An energy source that naturally replenishes is considered renewable. Many people think solar energy, the most popular form of renewable energy, is a new concept.
Renewable Energy Past to Present
Technology is constantly changing and the future definition of renewable energy is also changing.
The Future of Renewable Energy
Everything that moves creates energy. This fact applies to wind, water and sunlight which are the most commonly used renewable energy sources. However, the movement of man is also being viewed as a source of renewable energy.
Speed bumps that harvest kinetic energy are one concept currently being tested by New Energy Technologies. The world is just beginning to see the potential kinetic energy has as a renewable source of electricity. Dance clubs are utilizing the energy created from movement on the floor to harvest energy.