Sustainable energy is important. The pursuit of safe sustainable energy poses one of the most critical challenges of our time. It plays a vital role in our fight against global warming.  Sustainable energy doesn’t run out, unlike fossil fuels, and doesn’t spew more carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Sustainable energy resources include:

Sustainable Energy

Solar: We can use solar energy that comes from the sun in different ways. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, even working on cloudy days. We can also harness the sun’s direct heat for water and buildings. Solar energy is the most plentiful type of sustainable energy we have available.

Wind: We can harness wind power by using a wind turbine to generate electricity. Wind turbines utilize wind force to spin aerodynamic blades that turn a rotor to generate electricity. A group of wind turbines are known as a wind farm.

Geothermal: Geothermal energy comes from the heat of the earth. We can use that heat to produce steam that propels turbines to generate electricity.

Hydro: Using hydro or water power to generator power is probably the oldest form of sustainable energy. It harnesses the power of river flow to turn a wheel that generated electricity.

Ocean: Ocean power is similar to hydro power in that it uses force from the movement of water. The ocean power comes from the movement of tides, currents or waves.

Biofuel: Plants that are high in sugar can be fermented to produce ethanol, a type of alcohol, that can be used as fuel, or bio-fuel meaning it is derived from living organisms. In theory, bio-fuels are considered have zero emissions because when they are burned the carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere is the same as was what was absorbed during the plant’s growth.

You’ll often hear people use the terms ‘Sustainable Energy’ and ‘Renewable Energy’ interchangeably but there is a difference.

So, what is the difference between Renewable and Sustainable Energy?

Renewable Energy

Renewable forms of energy are not depleted by use but the word renewable doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for the environment. For example, burning wood is polluting and when rainforest trees are logged for short-term financial gain we lose a wealth of sustainable resources including the possibility of yet to be discovered medicinal plants.

Sustainable Energy

Sustainable energy is are often regarded as including all renewables but also includes technologies that improve energy efficiency.

Sustainable Energy Sources

The main idea behind sustainable energy sources is that by their use we are providing for the energy needs of today without compromising the energy needs, health or well-being of future generations.

Sustainable Energy and the fight against Global Warming

Global warming, also known as climate change, has serious immediate and long-term consequences for our planet.

“Humanity is conducting an unintended, uncontrolled, globally pervasive experiment whose ultimate consequences could be second only to a global nuclear war.”
Scientific Conference, describing climate change.

Climate science is difficult with many uncertainties but there is a general level of consensus among scientists. Doubling the carbon dioxide concentration in our atmosphere would have roughly the same effect as increasing the intensity of the sun by 2%, increasing the global mean temperature by around 3 ◦C. Probable disastrous effects include melting glaciers with sea levels rising by around 7 meters. There will be an increased risk of extreme weather ranging from major storms and floods to droughts and evaporating lakes.

The main causes of global warming are burning fossil fuels and deforestation making global warming principally an energy problem. However, we are fortunate enough to already possess knowledge and tools we need to address the problem of climate change. Sustainable energy such as solar, has the lowest possible impact on our environment and is theoretically inexhaustible.

I hope to make SustainableEnergySources.org into a useful resource to help fight global warming through the widespread use of sustainable energy. I’d like to ensure that our grand children, their children and all future generations have access to the same level of resources that we enjoy today.

You can help too by raising awareness about global warming and sustainable energy sources.

Becket Green
Sustainable Energy Sources