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What Is Green Power? Green power is electricity produced by renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal and some forms of biomass, and low-impact hydroelectricity. Customers in markets that are deregulated can add a small amount on utility bills to help promote cleaner energy sources. Many renewable energy sources are less harmful to the environment than drilling for coal or oil. They also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Solar Energy Solar energy is a well-known green energy source. scooter green power is a renewable resource because it is never depleted. It is an efficient, clean and secure energy source that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as pollution of the air from fossil fuels like natural gas, coal and oil. It is also a good alternative to nuclear power, which requires mining and extraction of uranium as well as long-term storage of radioactive waste. Photovoltaic panels and concentrated solar thermal energy (CSP) are all methods to harness the sun's power. Solar power can be channeled directly into homes and businesses, or it can be sent to grids that distribute electricity to other customers. Some customers can sell surplus energy to a utility company. This can lower the cost of electricity and offset the rising cost of utilities. All types of solar energy create zero air emissions or pollutants unlike fossil fuels, which create carbon dioxide and other harmful gases when they burn. Solar energy can be used to power satellites, spacecraft, boats, and other devices in areas where accessing the grid is either difficult or impossible. Solar power can be used in smaller buildings. Many homeowners put PV cell panels on their roofs to produce electricity and passive solar homes design allows these houses to welcome in the sun's rays in the daytime for warmth and then keep it in the evening. Solar-powered houses also benefit from needing minimal maintenance. Hydropower is a kind of solar energy that makes use of the natural flow of streams, rivers dams, and streams. Hydropower, similar to wind and biomass is a renewable resource as it can be replenished. If you are seeking to add hydropower to your business or home take a look at the EPA's list for third-party certified options. Geothermal Energy A geothermal plant uses heat from the Earth to produce electricity. The process uses steam and hot water that naturally occur a few kilometers below the Earth's surface. It is a remarkably sustainable and renewable energy source that produces electricity all day long and 365 days of the year. Geothermal power can reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. It is also one of the most environmentally friendly forms of energy production. The most popular type of geothermal power plant is a flash-steam power station. This makes use of water at temperatures of around 182deg C (360deg F) to generate electricity and power turbines. Steam can be utilized to heat industrial processes or buildings. Iceland for instance relies on the geothermal power to melt snow, heat its sidewalks, streets and parking spaces in the frigid Arctic Winter. Another geothermal energy source is a hot dry rock (HDR) power plant that taps underground reservoirs of hot dry rocks that are heated by man-made or natural activities. HDR plants are simpler to build and operate because they require less infrastructure. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that there are enough HDR resources in the United States to meet all of our current energy needs. The steam from geothermal power stations can be utilized as a source of power through steam turbine generators or combined with gas-fired turbines to boost efficiency. The resulting mixture can then be converted to natural gas, which can be burned in a traditional boiler to produce electricity. Geothermal energy is not just clean and reliable but also has the smallest carbon footprint among all renewable energy sources. Binary-cycle plants that employ an engine to convert steam into electricity produce little or no nitrous dioxide methane, sulphur, or methane oxide. Geothermal energy has its own challenges, despite the advantages. The drilling required to construct geothermal power plants can trigger earthquakes and may cause groundwater pollution. Furthermore, the dumping of high-pressure streams into geothermal reservoirs can lead to subsidence, which is a gradual sinking of the land that can damage pipelines roads, pipelines, and even buildings. Biogas Biogas is a renewable gaseous energy source that generates green power. It is made from manure, agricultural wastes, plants, sewage, food wastes, municipal garbage and other organic wastes. Biogas can be used to create electricity, heat and power and heat, or it can be transformed into transport fuels using the Fischer-Tropsch process. Biogas is also a great resource for producing renewable hydrogen to be used in fuel cells, which are expected to play a significant role in the future of energy systems. The most commonly used method to make biogas more valuable is by producing electricity through the combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant. The heat produced by the CHP process is used to aid in the fermentation process of organic waste and the electricity is fed into the grid. Alternatively, it can be converted into natural gas, and then incorporated into the existing distribution networks for natural gas. Biogas can be used to replace imported mined gas in commercial and residential constructions, ground transportation and other areas. In addition to generating renewable energy, biogas could also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution from traditional cooking. The CCAC provides tools for measuring reporting and confirming (MRV) healthy cooking practices in households in low to middle-income countries. This will help the 67 countries that have included clean cooking targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions. Using biogas to replace fossil fuels for electricity generation as well as a substitute for traditional natural gas in heating and cooling will reduce carbon dioxide emissions as well as other air pollutants. Biogas is also a viable substitute for oil, coal and other fossil fuels for production of liquid fuels for transport. Recovering methane from animal manure and food waste prevents the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, as well as preventing nitrogen runoff that could otherwise end up contaminating water resources. The Plessis-Gassot non-hazardous waste landfill in Claye-Souilly, France, for instance collects biogas and converts it into a renewable source of energy for the households that are connected to the system. In addition small-scale biogas facilities can be constructed in cities to allow for the collection and utilization of local organic waste and avoiding the greenhouse gases that are that are generated by the transportation and treatment of these materials. Hydroelectric Power Hydropower is a renewable source of energy that is based on the kinetic energy of water that flows. It is the most affluent and least expensive renewable energy source around the globe. It does not emit direct greenhouse gases, but it has significant environmental impacts. It is a very flexible form of green power that is easily modified to meet changes in supply and demand. Its service life spans over 100 years, and it can be upgraded to improve efficiency and performance. The majority of traditional hydropower plants utilize dams to harness the energy generated by falling water. A series of turbines converts the energy of the water into electricity at a speed that is proportional to the speed at which it travels. The electricity is then transferred to the grid to be used. Hydroelectric power plants require a large investment in pipes and reservoirs. However, operating costs are low. These flexible plants can also be used as backups for other intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Hydroelectric plants can be classified into two types: storage and run of river. Storage plants are characterized by large impoundments that can store more than a season's worth of water. Run-of-river facilities draw streams and rivers that flow freely. Hydropower plants are often situated near or in areas of high density of population and where the demand for electricity is high. The environmental impact of hydropower largely depends on the size and location of a dam and the amount of water that is displaced as well as the habitat and wildlife affected by inundation and decomposition. These effects can be mitigated and mitigated by the use of Low Impact Hydroelectricity (LIHI) standards for the construction and operation of hydropower projects. The standards provide measures to protect river flows, water quality, fish passage and protection and watershed protection, threatened and endangered species, recreation, and cultural resources. Certain hydropower plants are the world's biggest “batteries” because they generate renewable energy by pumping water from a lower pool uphill to a bigger reservoir. When there is a demand for electricity, the water in the lower reservoir is released to power generators, and the water in the higher reservoir is pumped back downhill through a turbine to create more electricity.