Wind and solar are driving a clean energy revolution. Here is what you need to know about renewable energy.

What Is Renewable Energy?

Clean energy comes from natural resources that are constantly refreshed. For example, Even if it's not possible to see sunlight or wind at certain times, they still keep shining or blowing.

For several years nature's power has been used for heating, lighting, and more, even though renewable energy is usually new technology. Grain is ground with the help of wind boats and windmills. During the day, the sun provided warmth and helped cause fires. Humans have increasingly turned to dirtier energy sources such as coal and fracked gas.

More than one-eighth of the U.S. generation is powered by renewable sources such as wind and solar energy, thanks to innovative and less expensive ways to capture and retain them. There is an expansion of renewable energy at large and small scales from rooftop solar panels that can sell power back to the grid to giant offshore wind farms. A lot of rural communities rely on renewable energy for heating and lighting.

The goal of modernizing America's electricity grid will be to make it more innovative, more secure, and better integrated as renewable use continues to grow.

Solar Energy

Humans have used solar energy like what experts from https://www.smartsolarenergyco.com/solar-panels-grants-pass-oregon/ offer. It used to serve for thousands of years to grow crops, stay warm, and eat dry food. The sun's rays can be used to heat homes and businesses, warm water, or power devices.

Wind Energy

Old-fashioned windmills have been gone for a long time. As tall as skyscrapers and as wide in diameter, the turbine is at attention around the world. The electricity produced by wind energy is fed into an electric generator.

Wind has become the cheapest energy source in many parts of the country, as it generates about 5 to 6 percent of U.S. production.

Some of the top wind power states include California, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa.

Hydroelectric Power

The wind is expected to take over from hydropower as the largest renewable energy source for electricity in the United States. Water coming from a large river or rapidly descending water from a high point can be used to convert the force of that water into electricity by spinning the generator's turbine blades.

Large hydroelectric plants or mega-dams are often not considered to be renewable energy. Natural flows are diverted and reduced by mega-dams, restricting access for animals and humans. Smaller hydroelectric plants that are carefully managed do not cause as much environmental damage as larger ones.

Biomass Energy

Crops, waste wood, and trees are organic materials that come from plants. A steam turbine is utilized to generate electricity when chemical energy is released.

It is often thought of as a clean, renewable fuel and an alternative to fossil fuels for producing electricity. According to contemporary science, many types of wood have higher carbon emissions than fossil fuels. There are negative consequences when it comes to biodiversity. Under the right circumstances, some forms of biomass energy could serve as low-carbon options. A low-carbon energy source is sawdust and chips from sawmills that would otherwise quickly decompose and release carbon.

Selling the Energy You Collect

Wind- and solar energy–powered homes can either operate independently or be connected to the larger electrical grid provided by their power provider. Net metering is a process by which electric utilities allow homeowners to pay the difference between grid-supplied electricity and what they consume. If you generate more electricity than you consume, your provider will charge you a retail price for that power.

Renewable Energy and You

It is possible to accelerate the transition to a clean energy future if you advocate for renewable sources in your home. If renewable energy isn't available through your power company, you can purchase renewable energy certificates.

Ashok Gupta cleaned up new York's grid over decades. He wants to bring the future of clean energy to the Midwest.

During the current economic crisis, clean energy has struggled. Renewable energy is poised to lead the way in our country's recovery despite job losses and open hostility from the Trump administration. The tribe is working to free itself from dependence on fossil fuels and will help solarize the rest of the state. 

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