Do you want to make the earth a little bit greener? If so then you can consider embracing alternative energy. Here is how solar and wind energy—the two most popular alternative energy solutions—can help you achieve your goal.
The ever-increasing Carbon Dioxide contents of atmosphere are contributing to the phenomenon of global warming. One way we can offset the damaging effects of global warming is by finding alternatives to the existing energy generation technologies.
The alternative energy is a form of clean energy that is produced using nature’s renewable resources. They help avoid the use of fossil fuels or nuclear power and do not directly emit green house gases. All the major sources of alternative energy, namely solar, wind, hydro, biofuel and geothermal energy get naturally replenished.
With the advancements in technology, various alternative energy solutions are becoming commercially viable. Solar and wind energy in particular have become immensely popular across many high growth US markets such as Tampa.
Solar Energy:
From generating electricity to handling all your family’s heating needs, solar energy can be used for a number of purposes.
Currently there are two dominant technologies to produce solar energy.
- Concentrated Solar:
Concentrated solar power or CSP technology leverages mirrors to generate solar energy. The mirrors help concentrate sun light in a large area. The light energy is then converted into heat energy, which is used to run a steam turbine, which generates electricity. CSP has emerged as a commercially viable solution and experiencing a rapid growth not only in the USA but across the globe.
- Photovoltaic Solar:
In this system, solar photons are captured by Photovoltaic cells. Made of semiconductors, Solar photovoltaic technologies help directly convert solar energy into electricity. PV solar energy is capable of adding large amounts of power to the existing electric grid.
Benefits of Solar Energy:
Solar energy is hundred -percent pollution free and does not emit greenhouse gases. With a host of innovative technologies out there, it is possible to generate clean, green and cheap electricity using solar energy. It is expected that with new emerging technologies, it will be possible to harness electricity more efficiently. It is hoped that someday solar energy will be to meet majority of the world’s energy needs.
Wind Energy:
Wind energy is generated by tapping the raw force of unobstructed wind. Multiple wind turbines are erected over a vast area to generate huge amounts of electric power. As the wind blows, it keeps the blades spinning. In case of wind energy, motion is converted into electricity with the help of generator.
Benefits of Wind Energy:
Wind energy has been around for thousands of years. Today wind energy is viewed one of the most promising green energy solution.
- With diminishing costs of wind, wind energy is becoming increasingly cheaper and wind energy markets are fast proliferating across the USA.
- According to some estimates, the higher capacity wind turbines are capable of generating enough clean electricity to power 600 US homes. Even the comparatively smaller turbines can help meet the electricity needs of small homes and small size commercial establishments.
- One of the greatest benefits with wind energy is: operational costs gradually diminish after the successful erection of the turbines.
- Another exciting part of wind energy is: wind energy generation is a completely water-less process. As such, it can help save a huge amount of water resources of a country.
Tampa happens to be one of the few US cities that enjoy sunny weather throughout the year. Then, there is no dearth of windy locations in the city. With abundance of sunshine and consistent wind flow, Tampa could well be the USA’s next hot alternative energy destination. In fact alternative energy markets in Tampa are fast expanding. With Tampa people becoming increasingly aware of the advantages of switching to clean and green energies, it seems that, it is only a matter of time when the region’s power grid will incorporate more renewable energy choices.