Renewables are clean and inexhaustible energies and, although they have some drawbacks, they are generally considered advantageous due to their low environmental impact. In addition, its diversity – solar, wind, biomass, tidal wave and geothermal are its main types – allows you to choose the most convenient depending on the characteristics of the place, adapting them to the natural resources of the region where you want to install.
In turn, each of them has pros and cons that can be decisive when deciding on one or the other. In any case, we must also take into account the constant progress made at a technological level to try to overcome the problems that, due to their high price, storage problems, space they occupy, landscape impact or necessary infrastructures can discourage their use or make them more inefficient.
In this post, however, we focus on its positive aspects, although in many cases its strengths are simply because we avoid a problem of another type of energy, whether or not it is renewable. And, of course, all of them represent a desirable alternative to conventional non-renewable energies, such as dangerous nuclear energy or disastrous fossil fuels. Keep reading this AgroCorrn article to learn about the types of renewable energies and their advantages .
Index
Solar, wind and tidal wave
Solar energy is one of the cleanest renewable energies, not so much during the manufacturing and recycling of technology, but in terms of capturing solar radiation. Being available in favored areas, such as Spain, not polluting and, despite its high price, the amortization of infrastructure, are three fundamental advantages.
At a socioeconomic level, the sector moves large sums of money that revert to the creation of jobs, and its use in marginal areas helps the development and energy independence of regions and even countries, which is why it constitutes a competitive advantage . This same boost at the level of communities and nations can be achieved with other renewables, depending on the natural resources available and the need for investment.
Kinetic energy, better known as wind power, is another of the most popular green energy sources for obtaining electricity. Since time immemorial, the force of the wind has been harnessed, and today the sector has taken a qualitative leap thanks to turbines located on land or at sea.
Among its advantages: minimal pollution, without emissions, since wind turbines do not carry out any combustion process, and high productivity, so we can also speak of great profitability.
In addition, their decommissioning does not leave a dent, although while they work they often pose a problem for the birds. Currently, the technology is moving towards its location in wind farms in the ocean to minimize these problems and as a solution to large areas on land.
For its part, tidal energy takes advantage of tidal dynamics to generate electricity. It is an energy with great potential, which, however, is being used very little. Silent, clean, with zero emissions and easy to obtain, compared to other clean energies. New technologies are looking for ways to make it more profitable.
For its part, hydroelectric energy also takes advantage of the power of water, but in a different way, and although it is clean, it cannot be considered green, since the use of dams causes serious environmental problems and affects the water cycle worldwide.
Geothermal, biomass and biogas
Geothermal energy finds energy in the subsoil or, what is the same, extracts it from the internal heat of the Earth. It is characterized by a minimal environmental impact and its production is cheaper than other tremendously polluting ones, such as nuclear power plants or coal plants.
Advantageous for residential use, it allows generating electricity and heat at a minimum cost regardless of the outside temperature. Specifically, the geothermal pump has a long useful life, reduces the cost of air conditioning in a home and its performance can quadruple that of a conventional boiler and represent a saving of 75 percent.
Biomass is another source of renewable energy, with tremendous potential both for its energy exploitation and for improving the environmental management of natural ecosystems. Converting a waste (olive pits, pruning remains, etc.) into a valuable resource, its neutral emissions balance, not causing the phenomenon of acid rain with its combustion process and minimizing the risk of fire are other advantages .
Lastly, biogas comes from renewable resources or different types of waste. provides thermal or electrical energy through uninterrupted biological processes through the gasification of biomass or by taking advantage of the gas generated by biodegradable waste.
Biogas plants make it possible to produce gas, electricity and heat, as well as biological fertilizer suitable for use in organic crops, although it presents problems for its storage and distribution and is easily flammable.
Its production in rural settings can be of great help for development, since it provides electricity to marginal communities. On the other hand, since biogas digesters are fed with farm and crop waste, including wastewater, an environmental improvement is achieved that favors the health of the population.
Unlike wind or solar, which depend on the weather and the time of day, biogas constantly generates electricity. Its emissions are neutral, as is the case with biomass, and can also be considered to reduce the greenhouse effect by avoiding the use of fossil fuels.
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