10 Facts About Renewable Energy

How much do you know about renewable energy? 

How much do we understand the sources of clean energy, their costs and benefits?

Do you wonder why we aren’t taking more advantage of the renewable resources our planet offers?

Is it a lack of awareness? To a certain extent, yes. 

So let’s take the blinders off and open our eyes to 10 amazing facts about renewable energy that everyone should know.

#1: Renewable energy is a form of clean energy that is provided by natural sources present in nature.

#2: The main forms of renewable energy are: solar, wind, hydro, biofuel and geothermal (energy derived from heat generated under the earth’s surface) and these sources are all continually replenished!

#3: In some countries, renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels. Renewable energy is a much cheaper alternative in some countries because of their ability to harness sources of energy that are prevalent to their location.

#4: Renewable energy creates three times more jobs than fossil fuels. According toClean Technica, “a national study showed that job creation in clean energy outdoes fossil fuels by a margin of 3-to-1 — every dollar put into clean energy creates three times as many jobs as putting that same dollar into oil and gas.”

#5: Renewable energy investments are cost effective. The International Renewable Energy Agency released a new policy brief showing that renewable energy has become the most cost-effective way to generate electricity for hundreds of millions of people worldwide who are not on the grid. Read more here.

#6: One wind turbine can produce enough electricity to power up to 300 homes.

#7: If it could be properly harnessed, there’s enough sunlight that falls on the earth in just one hour to meet the world energy demands for a whole year! Our whole energy problem would be solved if we could somehow find a way to harness solar energy more efficiently. 

#8: Unlike fossil fuels, renewable sources of energy like hydropower, wind and solar do not directly emit greenhouse gases. Did you know? Scientists believe that greenhouse gasses are the culprits behind global warming.

#9: Surveys show the world’s resource base for geothermal energy is larger than the resource base for coal, oil, gas and uranium combined. Lets use this fact to raise awareness and action.

#10: Biomass is currently the largest U.S. renewable energy source with more than 200 existing plants providing electricity for 1.5 million American homes.

People are waking up to the fact that our large dependency on fossil fuels is causing huge problems, and not just because fossil fuels are depleting worldwide, but primarily because the health of our planet is deteriorating

Is renewable energy the game changer to a world so dependent on fossil fuels? We think so. Many others also believe that the full-fledged switch to renewable energy is coming and it’s only a matter of time before the global energy market is dominated by renewable energy choices. We’re hopeful! Our planet’s future and well-being depends on it!

Source:  Terrapass