Renewable energy stands at the forefront when it comes to sustainable economic development. It focuses on reducing energy demands and significantly contributes to lowering greenhouse gas emission and dependency on oil. Besides, using renewable energy is considered one of the best ways to save on the huge electricity bills that one has to shell out on every month. While making a transition from the existing energy source to a renewable source can be a bit challenging, the result can be prolific to your source of revenue. Here are a few effective ways that will help you make an easy transition to clean energy source.
- Leveraging the Green Power
The easiest way to transit in clean energy is to contact your current provider and see if they offer a renewable alternative. Presently many companies are harnessing multiple renewable sources like wind, solar, hydro, etc. to offer electricity to their customers. While the installation prices of these systems are costly, they offer an infinite source of sustainable energy.
- Adopt Solar Panels
Solar power is gathered through photovoltaic or solar cells and can also be stored to use in the future. You can either invest in grid tie to go off-grid altogether or you can buy a regular power grid that can act as a backup to provide power at night or on cloudy days. While solar power systems used to be very expensive to adopt, their prices have significantly fallen and have become affordable to common folks.
However, before you switch to solar energy consumption, there are many factors to consider. For example, many countries have a limitation imposed on the type and size of the collectors. Therefore, such factors should be weighed in before installing a solar power system.
- Tap into Natural Geo-energy
People often use geothermal and ground source heat pump interchangeably, however, they are different concepts. Geo-energy comes directly from the ground like hot springs, volcanic areas, geysers, etc. Ground source heat pumps, on the other hand, uses the relatively steady temperature of the Earth. These pumps use as little as a quarter to half the energy as conventional systems and typically last between 25 to 50 years; hence they pay for themselves in energy conservation in around 10 years’ time.
- Using Biomass/Biofuels instead of Fossil Fuels
You can efficiently use biofuels to heat your home. They are biodegradable, non-toxic, and a clean power source which is made from wood or oil and fat generated from animals and vegetables. Have a technician examine your furnace and ensure whether it’s okay to install a blend of 20%-99% biodiesel. Typically, it can be done without any requirement of additional parts to make the transition. Pellet stove is a modern alternative for the wood stove to heat your house. The pellets of compressed sawdust take less storage space when compared to the traditional piles of wood and burn with very few emissions. Biofuels don’t even require EPA certification.
- Benefit from Wind Power
Wind power is the cleanest form of alternative energy available at your disposal. According to the Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, you need around 1 acre of rural land and also an area where there is a steady breeze. If you are in accordance with these two criteria’s, then run a thorough energy audit to determine the size of the turbine you will need. Typically, where is a 5-15 kilowatt turbine generates an average of 780-kilowatt hours every month.
- Small-scale Hydropower
If you wish to opt for a bigger clean energy project and have a stream, river, or creek in the backyard, then running a small-scale hydropower system is an effective energy solution. By diverting a section of water flow through a turbine or wheel, you can enable the shaft to spin which will eventually enable power generation.
- Solar Oven
You may not be able to power your entire house with clean energy. However, you can certainly start the transition with a small part of your home. For example, building a solar oven is one of the easiest ways to make a transition towards clean energy. While they are generally considered as a science project, they can be an effective alternative to the high electricity consuming modern oven. The device uses passive solar energy to heat your food. As the energy is stored, you can use it to heat your food during a power outage as well.
- Solar Water Heating
Solar power is not merely used for electricity generation; you can also use the energy to heat water. It is cheaper than using electricity or gas for the same purpose. Solar water heaters use the sun to raise the temperature of the water reserve, which can then be pumped to the showerheads or faucets. It is also easier to install as compared to solar panels. There are differ solar water heaters available in the market serving the different requirements of households.
There you have it, some easy and effective ways to transit into clean energy and move towards a sustainable lifestyle. It is obviously a challenging process, but gradually, you can take these steps and convert your zone into a sustainable environment that is ready for the future.
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