How Green Energy Is Taking Over the World

More and more people are becoming increasingly aware of their responsibility to look after this planet.

We can all do our part to live more sustainably, and one way to do that is by embracing green energy.

Electricity is transforming. Where once, you might have seen power plants burning coal, oil, or natural gas, there has been a recent switch to green energy sources. True, we still use fossil fuels, but it’s become increasingly easy to find green energy sources.

What is Green Energy?

In short, green energy is a source of electricity that doesn’t have an overwhelmingly negative impact on the environment. There will always be a tradeoff, but green energy reduces the impact as much as possible.

Green energy sources are renewable, which means that they will never run out. Oil, coal, and natural gas are all fossil fuels, so there is a finite amount of them. But energy sources like the sun, the tides, the wind, and geothermal energy are produced continuously by nature and can be harnessed without being used up. Green energy sources are often clean energy sources as well. While burning fossil fuels releases harmful fumes into the atmosphere, green energy doesn’t.

The main negative effects of green energy come down to the resources required to build them, which is a one-time cost. For example, solar panels need mined materials to be constructed, as do batteries and power cells. However, the technology is constantly evolving to reduce these environmental costs.

Rooftop Solar Panels

One of the most promising sources of green energy is solar energy. Solar energy uses the power of sunlight and converts it into electricity.

Solar panels can be put anywhere that is stable and that gets plenty of sunlight. This means that the average consumer is able to take advantage of solar panels and generate electricity on their own property. Rooftop solar panels can power a house and even provide an excess of energy that can be sent to the national power grid. One of the downsides of solar panels is that they only work during daylight hours. However, you can also install batteries that store excess energy, allowing you to continue to use green energy overnight.

Some governments and local authorities offer grants and subsidies to solar panels to encourage more people to use them.

Green Transportation

Green energy also finds its way onto the roads and sidewalks around the world. Electric vehicles are an increasingly common sight, and charging stations are dotted throughout the world.  While there are still some downsides to electric cars, most people find that the reduced fuel and maintenance costs outweigh potential issues. Modern batteries are increasingly efficient, meaning that people can travel further without having to recharge or replace their batteries.

As well as electric cars, more and more people are using electric bikes and scooters to get around. These forms of transportation are quicker than walking and more affordable than getting into a vehicle. Another option is to use public transportation. Even public transport that uses fuel is still more efficient than taking a vehicle.