The need to meet current and ever-increasing energy demand is one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the associated environmental problems, such as rising temperatures on our planet, melting of the poles, decreased rainfall, desertification, and so on.
Therefore, it is becoming increasingly clear to us and more evident that the energy production method dependent on fossil fuels is practically unsustainable and at the same time, not very respectful of the natural environment. It is then that we are faced with the question and doubts about how to stop this situation and that is where the importance of clean energy for the environment comes into play . At EcologíaVerde, we are clear about this!
What are clean energies?
First of all, it is important to highlight that clean energies are not the same as renewable or green energies , since clean energies are those that do not produce waste or polluting emissions , while renewable energies are those that come from natural sources and whose use is unlimited.
Not all clean energies have to be renewable , nor do all renewable energies have to be clean. This occurs, for example, in the case of natural gas, which, although it does not produce pollutants or waste, is obtained from a non-renewable source, or in the case of biomass , which, on the contrary, comes from a natural source but in turn generates large amounts of waste.
However, both types of energy are considered environmentally friendly and represent an optimal alternative to non-renewable and environmentally disrespectful energies.
Types of clean energy
Solar energy
The sun is a practically inexhaustible source, capable of providing us with energy for millions of years, so that, depending on the type of mechanism we use to harness it, we can obtain heat or electricity.
- Photovoltaic panels: these panels transform the energy from the sun’s rays into electricity, which is stored in batteries or accumulators and can even be incorporated into the electrical grid.
- Thermodynamic technology: it uses solar radiation as a source of heat energy, using it to heat fluids that generate pressurized water vapor, which can then be used to produce electricity.
- Thermal technology: uses the sun’s energy to obtain heat, and is used to heat buildings, obtain hot water or for industrial applications.
Wind energy
It consists of harnessing wind energy through wind turbines, or in other words, large windmills that move their blades under the action of the wind, at the same time turning a generator capable of producing electricity.
Learn more about this in the following EcologíaVerde article on Advantages and disadvantages of wind energy .
Hydroelectric power
It obtains electricity from the kinetic energy produced by the movement of water currents. To ensure its operation, it is common to build dams to ensure a continuous flow of movement. A similar type of energy is tidal or wave energy , which are supported by the movement of tides and waves respectively.
Geothermal energy
It is obtained thanks to the heat from the center of the Earth, so that energy is obtained through rotors and generators located in areas with high levels of activity.
In this other article we explain everything about Geothermal Energy: definition, advantages and disadvantages .
Clean energy: importance, advantages and disadvantages
Clean energy emerges as an alternative to the progressive decrease of non-renewable resources ( fossil fuels : coal, gas and oil), and at the same time as a solution to mitigate the environmental problems we face.
Therefore, the use of clean energy has several advantages, since it does not produce waste or pollutants , thus avoiding environmental damage and helping to curb global warming. In addition, it is generally obtained from renewable sources and offers the same efficiency and quality as the more polluting energies used today.
The industrial and business sectors also benefit from the use of clean energy, since, at an economic level, it represents savings in waste management, given that this type of energy does not generate waste and therefore it is not necessary to have spaces or licenses for its storage and destruction.
However, they also have certain drawbacks, such as the large surface area occupied by installations such as solar panels or wind farms, as well as the visual and landscape impact and even bad smells in the development of geothermal energy, although these are in the minority compared to the many advantages they present.
