The word Sustainability defines as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Also, it’s real sustainability is when everyone and everywhere can meet their basic needs forever. In another way Sustainable energy definition is finding clean, renewable sources of energy sources that renew themselves, rather than sources that can be depleted. In this article, we are going to share about sustainable development, what is sustainable energy and why sustainable energy important. You can read more about Autonomous building and Self Sustaining Homes on our website.
What is sustainable energy?
Sustainable energy is a form of energy that meets our every day’s demand for energy without putting them in a situation where getting expired or depleted and it can be used over and over again. Sustainable should be the type of energy that does not cause any bad effects on the environment and available free of cost for everyone. All types of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower and ocean energy are sustainable as they are stable and they will continue to provide energy to the coming generations.
Why is sustainable energy so important?
We know that sustainable energy plan is one that meets our energy needs today without risking that energy sources will run out in the soon future. In addition, sustainable energy is ‘clean’ and ‘harmless’ towards the environment. Sustainable energy is very important, for an example take a look at the “fossil fuels”. The coals in fossil are not sustainable energy sources. When the coal is burned, it gives off greenhouse gases like; CO2, which damage the earth’s atmosphere and environments. This is contributes to climate change, which cause to more extreme storms, floods, and droughts.
In addition, supplies of coal in fossil fuel are finite, meaning they will run out one day like all other non-renewable energies. This is why sustainable energy plans so important for us and our next generations. It might be easy to get our energy from burning fossil fuels present or in the near future because they are still pretty much available. However, how will our next generations meet their energy needs in the future? We running the big risk of there being no fossil fuels left by the end of the century or few. The worse part is the planet will be damaged by our mistake of them in the past.
It is not only having a sustainable energy plan for a lower cost but also it is about protecting and preparing for the future for the next generations. In Addition, to secure a sustainable in the future, we must turn to renewable energy sources and use renewable energy today.
Sustainable Energy Examples
When we come to sustainable energy examples or sources, the term sustainable energy and renewable energy are often used interchangeably, however, they both are related to each other in environmental benefits. For example, all types of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower and ocean energy all are sustainable.
Meaning, the Sun will continue to provide us sunlight here on earth, the heat caused by the sun will continue to produce winds for our atmosphere, earth will continue to produce heat from the inside core and it will not cool down anytime soon, the movement of earth, sun, and the moon will not stop and this will keep on producing the tides of oceans and the process of evaporation will cause the water to evaporate that will fall down in the form of rain or the ice which will go through rivers or streams and fall in the oceans and can be used to produce energy through the hydropower.
Here are few details of all renewable and sustainable energy examples;
- Solar heating: The Solar heating systems generally consist of solar thermal heat collectors. It’s a liquid system that moves the heat from the collector to point of usage, and a reservoir or tank for heat storage and subsequent use. The systems may be used to heat normal hot water, swimming pool water, or for space heating. In many climates, the solar heating system provides a very high percentage of 20 to 80% of hot water energy. The Energy received from the sun by the earth of electromagnetic radiation. The heat percentage changes due to changes in seasons and from day to night. High-temperature countries like Israel, USA and the Middle East using solar heating technology.
- Solar electricity: Solar electricity production uses photovoltaic cells to convert light into electrical current. The Photovoltaic modules can be set into buildings or used in photovoltaic power stations that connected to the electrical grid. Solar electricity is very especially useful for providing electricity to remote areas. There are few large national and regional projects on artificial photosynthesis, they are designing nanotechnology based on systems that use solar energy to split water into hydrogen fuel. The researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed what they are calling an Artificial Leaf, it is capable of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen directly from solar power.
- Hydro-power: Present day around 20% of the world’s energy needs come from renewable energy sources, and Hydro-power is the most common form of alternative energy that is being used around the world. Most noteworthy sources of all renewable energy, hydroelectric plants have big advantages of being long-lasting, there are many existing plants that have operated for more than 100. Furthermore, hydroelectric plants are clean years and hydroelectric dams are one of the most reliable sources of sustainable energy. Anyhow it releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide during construction.
- Geothermal: The Geothermal renewable energy sources can be very harnessed to for electricity generation. This energy type of electricity generation is being used in more than 24 countries, geothermal heating is in use in more than 70 countries.
- Wind: Wind power has high potential and has already realized relatively it is the low production costs. In electric grid statistics at the end of 2008, worldwide wind farm capacity was 120,791MW, during the year it has an increase of 28.8 percent, wind power produced 1.3% of global electricity consumption.
- Ocean energy: The Ocean energy also referred to as Marine energy or the marine and hydrokinetic energy, that refers to the source of energy carried by ocean waves, tides and temperature differences in oceans. The movement of water in the oceans creates a vast store of kinetic energy or energy in motion. Some of these renewable and sustainable energy can be harnessed to generate electricity to power homes, transport, and industries.