ANY QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Renewable energy comes from sources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat.
Renewable energy is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, combating climate change, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, and promoting sustainable development.
Solar panels, or photovoltaic (PV) cells, convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar thermal systems use sunlight to heat a fluid, which is then used to produce steam that drives a turbine connected to an electricity generator.
Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as pumping water) or converted into electricity using a generator.
Hydropower plants capture the energy of falling or flowing water to generate electricity. The most common type is a dam that stores water in a reservoir, which is released through turbines to generate electricity.
Energy storage technologies include batteries, pumped hydroelectric storage, compressed air energy storage, flywheels, and thermal storage.
Most renewable energy technologies are still relatively expensive compared to conventional energy sources. As consumers become more sophisticated about consequences of their purchasing decisions, however, demand for clean energy technologies will increase. Adopters of clean energy technologies have the added challenge of dealing with a regulatory infrastructure geared to large, centralized power plants and fossil fuel delivery system.
Renewable energy sources are clean and inexhaustible. The money spent on renewable energy installations tends to remain in the community, creating jobs and fueling local economies. The use of renewable energy equipment also reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized sources of energy, and is an important strategy in the process of creating a truly secure and sustainable energy future.
