What is Energy?

In Layman terms, Energy is the amount of force or power when applied can move one object from one position to another or Energy defines the capacity of a system to do work. Energy exists in everybody whether they are human beings or animals or non living things for eg: Jet, Light, Machines etc..

Energy can have many forms: kinetic, potential, light, sound, gravitational, elastic, electromagnetic or nuclear. According to the law of conservation of energy, any form of energy can be converted into another form and the total energy will remain the same. For eg: a laborer when pushes the pile of bags, his potential energy stored inside him is converted into the kinetic energy from the movement of matter or when you burn the wood it's chemical energy is converted into the heat energy or when you charge your mobile phone the electrical energy is converted into the chemical energy which gets stored inside the battery's molecules.

The many different natural and renewable energy technologies highlighted throughout the website are by no means breakthrough. Many of the renewable energy technologies have been around for years, and as time goes by, are increasing in efficiency.

What are the sources of energy?

Energy are broadly classifies into two main groups: renewable and Non-renewable.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is energy which is generated from natural sources i.e. sun, wind, rain, tides and can be generated again and again as and when required. They are available in plenty and by far most the cleanest sources of energy available on this planet. For eg: Energy that we receive from the sun can be used to generate electricity. Similarly, energy from wind, geothermal, biomass from plants, tides can be used this form of energy to another form.

What is Energy?

Before getting into knowing what are energy sources we must know what energy is. Energy is the ability to do work. Energy helps in powering business, manufacturing and transportation of goods and services. There are many different ways in which the abundance of energy around us can be stored, converted, and amplified for our use. 

Energy comes in different forms heat, light, thermal, mechanical, electrical, chemical and nuclear energy. We all use energy for our daily work like when we walk, jump, eat food, drive car, play etc. Energy is stored in different ways and can be transformed from one type to another. 

So, the energy sources from which we gain energy are classified broadly into 2 groups namely: Renewable and Non-Renewable (Fossil Fuels)

Renewable Sources

Renewable Sources include solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and hydropower. Solar energy is the energy that we get from the sun. It is the major source of energy among all the nations. However, there are major drawbacks related to limited production as well as high costs that don't allow people to use it in a wider scale. Solar energy is responsible for growth of plants and indirectly, the existence of all animal life. Wind energy is used in large farm fields where they can use windmills to provide power for the accomplishment of agricultural tasks has contributed to the growth of civilization. This apart from solar is another clean and renewable source of energy. The major drawback is that it can be used only in the coastal regions and can be noisy too. Geothermal energy is the energy stored inside the earth. The center of the earth has temperature about 6000 degrees F. The heat that is stored inside the earth is used to produce steam,

Introduction

We all have been using sun's energy since years for numerous purposes but only recently we have started using the sun's energy for generating power. About 70% of the light that hit the earth gets reflected back to space and only the remaining 30% light is enough to meet up our needs for years to come. So, solar energy is the energy that we get from the sun. We get enough energy from the sun that it could meet up our power demands, if only we could harness it properly. The energy that is absorbed by the earth is used for drying clothes, used by plants in the process of photosynthesis, taken in by the ocean where the heat creates wind and heat currents and for heating up homes.

How Solar Energy Works?

When we get the solar energy from the sun it gets trapped and stored and can be used in various ways to generate power. Solar energy can be used as direct or indirect, active or passive. Basically there are 2 ways in which we can harness sun's energy:

Solar Power - Energy from the Sun

Imagine a place, where everything from cars to homes and industries are powered by solar energy. Where the air is pure. Energy costs nothing. Power shortages are history. Man is finally at peace with the environment. Dangerous escalating pollution levels, depleting natural resources and out of control fuel prices, the world is looking to the skies for the solution.

The answer lies in tapping the unlimited, clean, eco-friendly energy of the sun. The sun is the key to the existence of life on the earth. It has been there for billions of years and continuously shooting its solar energy in our direction. The sun continues to warm our planet and we need to find some more efficient ways to harness it's energy to full potential. This energy has to be harnessed by technology in order to be converted into something that is usable by mankind. There are two types of solar technology that can be used to do this, one referred to as passive, the other active. Active solar energy trap light from the sun and then perform some action by producing the current for eg: Solar Panels. Passive solar energy simply trap solar energy for eg: GreenHouse.

As the demand for the fossil fuels grow, the idea to tap energy from the alternative energy sources continue to come, and solar energy in particular. For both the consumer and the environment can and will be life-changing once solar energy is adopted broadly. Today we use solar energy for various purposes from drying clothes, to generate power, to heat up our homes or heat water. The energy that sun generates is helping thousands of people from across the world. The idea to convert the solar energy into electricity is a noble one but the costs involved in installation and maintenance of solar kit are limiting the users from adopting this method. However, nations across the world are giving it a serious thought before it gets too late.

Introduction

Wind energy has been used since several years to power homes, sail boats, pump water from wells or heating and cooling homes and offices. Today with the ever increase in the demand for fossil fuels and with the prices soaring all time high numerous resources have been invested in the wind energy. Today less than 3% of total world energy demands are met by wind energy and in the years to come this figure is going to be much higher.

How Wind turbines Work?

Basically there are two types of turbines: vertical and horizontal. Both of them work in the exactly same way except the difference in their design. The process of producing electricity is the same in both the turbines.

Wind turbines consists of a rotor or blades which converts the wind's energy into mechanical energy (turbine). The energy that moves the wind ("kinetic energy") moves the blades. They(blades) spin a shaft that leads from the hub of the rotor to a generator. The generator turns that rotational energy into electricity which is then stored in batteries or transferred to home power grids or utility companies for use in the usual way. If you place an object like a rotor blade in the path of that wind, the wind will push on it, transferring some of its own energy of motion to the blade. This is how a wind turbine captures energy from the wind. At its essence, generating electricity from the wind is all about transferring energy from one medium to another.

Wind Turbines Impact

Wind Turbines Impact

Wind energy is a renewable source of energy and offers green solution to ever increasing dependence on fossil fuels. Though it is not used worldwide on a larger scale but still in some countries it currently represents 10% of electric supply. In order to battle with the global warming induced climate change and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels the dependence on wind turbines is going to increase in the years ahead and sight of wind turbines will become more common occurrence.

Impacts

1. Noise Pollution: A major disadvantage of using wind turbines, is the noise pollution that it creates. Though it is used on a larger scale in some countries and are built in the large farm lands because nobody wants their home close to the wind turbines. Though technology is being developed to increase its efficiency yet it is not able to reduce the noise. Noise pollution also depends on the wind speed, the more the wind speed, the greater the noise pollution.
   
2. Affects Wildlife: Few studies have been done to determine the affect of wind turbines on wildlife and the evidence is clear that they pose threat to the lives of birds and bats. The presence of large turbines causes birds to avoid that site. In some areas birds have been found dead where large turbines are located. The installation of such large structures in wild areas after clearing of trees has a negative affect and may result in loss, degradation and fragmentation of habitat.

Facts of Wind Energy

Wind energy is another form of renewable energy which is available in abundant and is renewable. So, there will always be constant supply of it. The initial cost to set up wind energy is very high and requires huge initial investment, but once it starts working, it is one of the cheapest form of electricity to maintain.

Below are few facts that many of you don't know. So, just have a look at them and see how wind energy can become as the major source of power generation if it is harnessed up to it's potential.

1. Wind energy is a form of solar energy which is caused by sun's heating of the earth's surface. The use of wind energy is growing rapidly because it is abundant, cheap, clean, widely available and environment friendly.
2. The wind turbines effectiveness depends on the location where they are placed. Ideally, wind turbines should be located where there are constant flow of wind throughout the year.
3. U.S, Germany, India, France, U.K, Spain, China, Italy, Denmark and Portugal are the top ten nations where wind turbines are used most efficiently.