Renewable Energy – The Advantages and Disadvantages of Green Technology
Technology is changing our lives every day, changing how we do things, the way we live, and the quality of our lives. The advancements in technology over the last century have led to a more powerful, faster pace world. However, it is important for everyone to understand that this progress does not necessarily mean a better quality of life or one with less challenges. While technology has made many things easier and more convenient, there are still certain types of technology that are harmful to the environment.
Technology that has contributed to climate change is one type of technology that should be reduced, if not reversed. The combustion of fossil fuels, like oil, coal, gas, and natural gas, contributes to global warming. Because it is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere as a result of this fuel combustion. The burning of fossil fuels contributes to climate change because it releases carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and into the earth’s atmosphere.
Cutting down on the use of fossil fuels will take a large impact on our environment. Cutting down on the use of fossil fuels means reducing the use of forests, as well as other plants and animals that carbon dioxide needs to be taken from in order to be released into the atmosphere. This means that plant and animal life will be terminated. The reduction of other plant and animal life will mean less food is available for people and animals. In addition, the reduction of other natural energy sources means that electrical power will become much more costly, as well.
There is one type of technology that has the potential to increase the amount of green energy available in the environment and reduce the harmful effects to the Earth’s atmosphere and climate. That technology is called Hydroelectricity. Hydroelectric power utilizes water and converts it into electricity. There are two types of Hydroelectric power: hydroelectricity generated by fossil fuels and hydroelectricity generated by solar energy. The technology for hydroelectric power is similar to the technology for fossil fuel hydroelectricity; however, it generates electricity by passing water through turbines that create the electricity. Some smaller scale hydroelectric dams can have an effect on the environment; therefore, control of such dams is necessary in order to maintain or increase the volume of water flowing to the dam.
There are three types of green energy solutions. These include solar energy, wind energy, and biofuels. Solar energy, also called photovoltaics, uses sunlight to convert into electric energy. Wind energy utilizes windmills to convert wind power into electricity. And biofuels can be used to run vehicles; however, there are limits to these types of green energy solutions. For example, biofuels cannot be used to generate electricity for homes and cars; however, they are great for powering remote villages and farms.
The third type of green technology for energy solutions is the use of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen energy comes from combining the gases hydrogen and oxygen to make a gas known as Brown’s gas. This gas is then combusted in an engine in order to create electricity. With the use of solar panels, you can collect the Brown’s gas and then store it. Once stored, the gas can be used to run your car or generator; however, without sunlight the process of compressing the gasses to the necessary temperatures will not take place.
Technology to convert renewable energy to clean energy can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, there are biomass gasification methods which can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Similarly, you can boil methane gas that can be recovered from smelters and use this to generate electricity. Other methods include using wood and other biomass to generate electricity or using renewable energy from wind and solar power systems. With the increasing availability of green energy sources and the improvement of technology, it is not long before all forms of renewable energy are available at a reasonable cost.
Although the process of converting biomass to electricity does involve burning fossil fuels, there are several methods that use less fuel. Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that cause global warming. By burning biomass in place of fossil fuels, biomass is considered a cleaner source of energy as it does not produce any carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. However, the overall impact on the environment will depend on the amount of wood used and the speed at which the fuel burns. To minimize the environmental impact of your energy solution, you should consult your local community when implementing any renewable energy project.