2022 Renewable Energy Trends: Part 1

Due to the damaging effects of fossil fuels on the environment and society, many people now realize that we need to stop using them. This has led to the development of new technologies and the creation of new business models that can help people transition away from these fuels.

Despite the widespread awareness about the harmful effects of fossil fuels, there are still strong financial incentives available to help people make the transition. The global renewable energy market is expected to grow from $880 billion to almost $2 trillion by 2030. Also, the increasing number of people talking about the importance of social and environmental governance has created a huge incentive for people to participate in the development of new renewable energy sources.

The year 2022 is expected to be a record year for the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. It will also see the emergence of new technologies that can help people meet their energy needs. In addition, various pilot projects and laboratory projects are also expected to be launched in the next 12 months.

Originally published at BlakeZimmermanHouston.net

Read part 2 here!

Renewable Energy and the Future

Renewable energy is a big topic when it comes to the economy, pollution and climate change. While there are still considerable hurdles for renewable energy, the future looks bright. Technology and public policy is helping to spur a movement towards greater sustainability in energy.

One of the best news for renewable energy is that it is growing rapidly. Countries from all over the world are increasing their green energy output at an incredible rate. The United Kingdom surpassed a million solar panels back in 2018 and Australia had over two million solar panels. In the United States, it is estimated that there will be over four million solar panels within the next year or two.

Even less developed countries like Brazil, India, Ethiopia and China are building massive wind farms to harness renewable energy to power their economies. Massive wind farms projects such as the Wodongde project in China and Grand Renaissance Project in Ethiopia, are allowing rapidly developing economies to tap into renewable energy on a massive scale. A more mature economy such as Japan is also trying to harness more wind power by expanding offshore wind production and incorporating it into port development…

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Pros and Cons of Solar Energy

Solar energy is a renewable power source that harnesses the strength of the sun to create electricity. This entire process is completed by installing solar panels on a home or office building. With so many people trying to get away from fossil fuels, solar energy is becoming increasing popular throughout the country. While solar energy has its fair share of benefits, it also still has a few faults. These are the main pros and cons of solar energy.

Pros:

Lower Electric Bills

Using solar energy results in a direct reduction of your traditional electric bills. Once the solar panels on your home start generating power, you will be less reliant on power from the electric company. Creating more solar energy will create smaller energy bills each month. You will continue to see this savings every month throughout the lengthy lifespan of your solar panels.

Save the Environment

While you may not think about it much, the electricity used in your home is not very good for the environment. The power company creates the electricity primarily using coal and natural gas. Constantly depending on these limited resources is not sustainable for the environment. Solar energy is completely sustainable because it only uses sunlight to create the power. This is simply one of the easiest ways to help the environment right now…

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How Can AI Impact Renewable Energy

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has quickly made its way through various industries and businesses. New technological developments have changed the way many processes are completed, and when it comes to AI, the possibilities seem endless. AI technology uses data and advanced algorithms to think, calculate, analyze, and predict information systematically. The idea is to mimic that of a human brain (with a little extra brainpower). In the energy industry, artificial intelligence plays three primary roles:

Energy Forecasting 

Weather forecasting isn’t only a large part of meteorology. In the energy industry, weather forecasting is essential. AI algorithms use industry data to make accurate weather forecasts that will impact renewable energy sources like solar or wind power. Because these power sources are highly based on the weather, they tend to fluctuate, making it more difficult to balance supply and demand. Tech companies use data mining to pool data from the industry with weather forecasts to make accurate predictions. 

Energy Efficiency 

Aside from using AI for weather forecasting, companies like Google have acquired AI applications like Deepmind, to improve the use of energy. After Google’s acquisition of Deepmind, the AI application reported a 40% reduction in the amount of energy it took to cool Google’s data centers. Deepmind’s AI technology was used to train a system of neural networks in the data centers. The neural network then learned the function of the data center and started to identify areas for improvement and optimization. 

Energy Accessibility

For accessibility purposes, AI is used to model potential savings costs on utilities using energy industry data, mainly in the smart home sector. For example, energy-conscious homeowners can use AI applications to assist with energy management within their homes. Homeowners can see collected data recording how much energy their home appliances use, thus assisting in monitoring monthly utility costs. 

The future of artificial intelligence in the energy industry is likely going to increase as businesses and homeowners seek the ability to make more accurate predictions and save on energy costs.

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This article was originally published on blakezimmermanhouston.net 

 

 

The Positive Impact of Renewable Energy

Energy is a necessary need for every human being on Earth. Harvesting and utilizing natural resources is a vital part of survival for both individuals and societies. As technology advances, how energy is collected has also become more efficient. Unfortunately, many energy providers still rely on antiquated resources such as coal, wood, and natural gas. These types of natural resources can no longer satisfy the massive energy needs of an increasing global population–at least not without an expensive and harmful impact on the environment.

Many people are familiar with solar, wind, and hydroelectric sources of power; however, innovations in hydrokinetics, biomass, and other forms of sustainable energy have bolstered the number of alternatives to non-renewable energy. 

There’s no way to eliminate the environmental impact of harvesting energy, but the process of extracting energy from these cleaner sources releases minuscule carbon emissions compared to classic energy plants.

Beyond considering the future of the planet, there is also an immediate economic benefit to renewable energy. Construction and maintenance of renewable energy plants are much less costly than their non-renewable equivalent. More labor is also needed, leading to increased job opportunities. Finally, public health has been impacted by the adverse effects of non-renewable energy, causing the healthcare sector to bleed money from national wealth.

Coal, oil, and gas are being used at a much faster rate than they can naturally form, leading to their inevitable exhaustion in the future. The disastrous effects of non-renewable energy are self-instigating. As carbon gasses take their toll on the availability of clean air and water, as well as raising the global temperature, natural disasters are becoming more of a risk. Events such as droughts and heatwaves have terrible effects on non-renewable power plants. On the other hand, wind farms can work in a modular system that mitigates the impact of destructive situations.

Leaders around the world have already committed to increasing the use of renewable energy, yet there is still much progress needed to protect ourselves and our environment. At one point, whale oil was the preferred energy source for keeping a light on at night; now, it’s time for humanity to look towards a cleaner and safer solution to meeting energy demands.

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This article was originally published onblakezimmermanhouston.net 

Pros and Cons of Hydropower

Renewable energy sources have been on the rise as home, and business owners become more environmentally conscious. Hydropower, specifically, is the most widely used source of renewable energy. According to the USGS, hydropower represents about 17% of total electricity production. Hydropower plants utilize running water stored in dams or naturally flowing rivers to create electricity. The water rotates turbine blades that spin a generator to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. While hydropower is a great way to minimize air and water pollution, like many other forms of renewable energy, there are pros and cons. 

Pros

Minimal Pollution 

One of the most significant advantages of hydropower as an energy source is its minimal pollution level. Since hydropower is fueled by water, it’s a clean form of fuel; meaning, the plants won’t pollute the air like other power plants that produce energy using fossil fuels like natural gasses or coal. 

Low Operation and Maintenance Costs 

Hydropower plants have much lower operating costs than other energy-generating plants that use fossil fuels. River water is a constant resource, so any volatility in the economy doesn’t cause an impact. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are primarily impacted by economic fluctuations, causing their prices to quickly fluctuate with any changes in the market. 

Renewable 

Because hydropower generates energy through the water cycle and the sun, it is considered a renewable energy source. This works hand in hand with the low market costs to make hydropower a reliable and affordable energy source.   

Cons

High Investment 

Although hydropower is a reliable energy source with low operation and maintenance costs, initial investment costs for hydropower plants can be high. “Hydroelectric power plants are very costly to construct due to logistical challenges like topography, laying foundations underwater, and the materials used to build it. The only upside is that after completion, it will require less maintenance.”

Negative Impact on Aquatic Habitat

With the potential for environmental benefits, hydropower can also cause some environmental damage, especially when it comes to aquatic life. Building dams for the plants can impact the breeding season for fish, as well as create an unfortunate food shortage, ultimately leading to a drop in reproduction rates and a rise in overall death for various species of fish.

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This article was originally published on blakezimmermanhouston.net

How Can Solar Energy Benefit the Environment?

Environmental concern is increasing rapidly, and people are trying to do what they can to be more environmentally conscious. Renewable energies have become a significant focus for many homeowners, business owners, and large corporations across the United States. Solar energy, for example, is being widely used by big businesses and regular homeowners to preserve energy and become more environmentally friendly. Here are a few ways solar energy can benefit the environment:

Can Improve Health 

The use of solar energy can drastically decrease the potential for air pollution. Air pollutants are often responsible for many respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular problems. The widespread use of solar energy would significantly reduce the emittance of nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide, both of which can cause serious health problems. Overall, solar panels can be used as a source of energy that won’t contribute to air pollution. 

Reduce Greenhouse Gasses

Greenhouse gasses are produced when fossil fuels burn; they are one of the main contributors to an increase in global temperatures and climate change. Your carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced by the use of solar energy and other renewable forms. According to Vivint Solar, “As the carbon count continues to increase, so will our retention of heat from the sun. These changing air conditions will continue to affect different climates, causing some to warm, others to cool, and causing weather patterns everywhere to become more sudden and volatile.” 

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Is Wave Power the New Solar?

Out With the Old, In With the New?

Solar energy is a great way to generate usable energy from a source that is readily available to most places. Though solar energy is great it is not always the best option for certain places. Therefore, many other forms of renewable energy are being researched. One of the most profound sources of energy currently is wave energy.

Wave Energy

Waves are created by a variety of environmental forces. The most common force that people know is the force of wind, which creates waves as it hits the surface of the water. Gravitational pull, the force generated by the interactions between the sun, earth, and moon, is also responsible for the creation of waves. These waves, though created by energy that moves through water, also generate energy.

Attenuators

Wave energy can be captured by a system that utilizes attenuators, a device that works opposite to the way that an amplifier works. The wave energy is captured by attenuators that sit perpendicular to the direction of the moving waves. As the waves continue to move along the body of the attenuator, the attenuator continues to move as well. The movement of the attenuator transfers to a hydraulic pump which then converts the wave energy into usable energy.

Absorbers

Absorber systems utilize buoys to capture wave energy from the surface of the water. The energy is transferred through a series of cables and underwater devices to an undersea substation. A linear or rotary generator is then used to convert the energy into a usable form of electric energy.

Water Columns

Oscillation water columns (OWC) use a combination of water, air, and gravity to create pressure within the column system. Air is transferred as the system is continually pressurized and depressurized. The transferred air is then pulled into an air turbine which subsequently converts the energy into usable energy.

Devices

There are two types of devices that can be used to convert wave energy: overtopping devices and inverted-pendulum devices. Overtopping devices utilize turbine systems to drain water and convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy. Inverted-pendulum devices, as suggested by their name, use an upside-down pendulum device to sway with waves. A series of hydraulic pumps and electric generators then convert the energy transferred by the inverted-pendulum device.

Originally posted to BlakeZimmermanHouston.net.