What are Clean Energy Resources?

According to UNDP reports, energy production is one of the main drivers of climate change. Energy production accounts for 60% of greenhouse gases. This is because fossil fuels have been used for decades in homes, workplaces, public spaces, and many other places. Clean energy sources aim to protect the planet today and tomorrow by reducing carbon emissions. So, what are clean energy sources and where are they used?

What is Clean Energy?

Fossil fuel sources cause many problems, from air pollution to depletion of water resources, from increased mortality due to climate change to damage to biodiversity. Data published by the World Health Organization in 2022 revealed that the world’s population breathes inferior quality and polluted air that threatens health due to carbon emissions. In this context, it is essential to utilize clean energy sources for the future of both the world and people.

Clean energy is energy produced using inexhaustible natural resources. At this point, clean energy and renewable energy sources can be confused with each other. The main difference between the two energy sources is that clean energy production does not cause greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable energy can emit greenhouse gases while utilizing inexhaustible natural resources. For example, if a hydroelectric power plant emits greenhouse gases even though its source is renewable, it is not a clean energy source. Clean energy does not emit any carbon emissions that harm the planet.

Clean Energy Sources

Clean energy sources that prevent carbon emissions and provide the energy we need without causing environmental pollution and climate change are classified into many types. We can detail the types of clean energy sources as follows:

Solar Energy

Solar energy is a clean, renewable, and inexhaustible power source that absorbs sunlight using panels and converts it into electricity. Solar energy is not only clean but also economical. However, it may not be suitable for use in areas that do not receive regular power.

To generate energy by using the sun, it is necessary to install panel systems suitable for the area dimensions. Investment is made in this installed system only in the first stage. Afterward, there is no need for any financial expenditure or extra workload other than cleaning the panels at routine intervals. In addition, since solar panels are extremely quiet technologies, they do not cause noise pollution.

Electric energy from the sun is used in many areas, from heating to lighting. For example, it is preferred for heating homes, workplaces, and public housing. Solar energy is used to operate electrical appliances and activate indoor or outdoor lighting. This energy source is also used to heat water.

Wind Energy

By using turbines, a clean energy source is obtained by converting the kinetic energy from the wind generated by the pressure difference into electrical energy. The efficiency of this energy source, which has been used since 5000 BC, may vary regionally depending on the intensity of the wind.

To obtain kinetic energy from the wind, energy is produced in two separate ways. In the first, onshore turbines are installed to use air currents generated on land. On the other, offshore turbines are installed to use the wind blowing offshore, which is higher speed and constant.

Wind energy has been used for centuries to grind grains or pump water in agricultural lands. However, it is possible to say that wind energy is often preferred for electricity generation today. In addition, wind energy also produces the continuous electric current required to produce hydrogen energy used for synthetic or eco-fuel.

Biomass Energy

Biomass energy is a clean energy source obtained by using animal and plant waste. Organic waste such as dried trees, animal droppings, and sawdust are burned and converted into solid, liquid, or gaseous biofuel. However, biomass energy production must be done with sustainable methods. Otherwise, there is a possibility of environmental damage.

For example, the incineration of some wastes can produce methane gas. Forest areas may be plundered for biomass energy production facilities and biodiversity may be harmed. To say that biomass is a clean energy source, all processes require long-term and consistent policy management. The American Institute of Economic Research also presents the ongoing debate on whether this resource is clean energy or not.

Preferred for transportation and heating, biomass energy met the total annual energy consumption of the US until the mid-1800s. Today, it is possible to say that it is still used for heating and cooking in economically underdeveloped countries. It is also preferred to meet the energy needs of the industrial sector. Liquid biofuels derived from organic waste are also suitable for use in the transportation sector.

Geothermal Energy

Wells are drilled in geothermal fields to use the heat from the earth’s core. From here, steam and water are provided to rise to the surface. When the water reaches the surface, geothermal energy is converted into electrical energy using turbines and generators. Geothermal energy is a clean, renewable, and inexhaustible energy source.

Geothermal energy used for heating or cooling in greenhouses and residences is also preferred for electricity generation. It can also be said that it is used in many different areas from thermal and health tourism to fishing.

Wave Energy

Tidal movements of waves in the seas and oceans are used to utilize wave energy, also known as tidal energy. Wave generators are needed to convert wave energy into electricity. Thanks to these generators, wave energy is generated from movements on the water surface and at depth. Tidal energy is seen as a clean, renewable, and inexhaustible energy source that does not cause environmental pollution because it arises spontaneously.

Tidal energy can generate enough energy to meet the electricity needs of settlements in coastal areas. Although this system is not yet widely used, it is a promising method as it can provide energy independent of weather conditions.

Nuclear Energy

Unlike many renewable and clean sources, nuclear energy provides 24/7 power generation without regional variations. However, there are opposing views on whether this source is clean or not. In a report published by the IEA (International Energy Agency) in 2019, it was stated that nuclear energy has reduced global energy-related emissions by almost 2 years in the last 50 years. In this context, nuclear energy is considered a clean energy source as it produces no emissions.

This resource, which can help meet energy needs, can allow the same amount of energy production to continue for thousands of years. Because although uranium reserves are limited resources, the amount of uranium to be used for energy production is incredibly low.

In nuclear energy production, which can be done in two separate ways, nuclear fission, and fission, only water vapor is emitted into the atmosphere. There is no emission of any pollutant gas that could cause climate change.

Nuclear energy is used in many sectors from health to construction. It is widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, in the purification of food from harmful substances, in the cleaning of agricultural products from harmful elements such as insects, in the production of construction materials, in the control of oil tank leaks, in space technologies, in the ship and aircraft industry.

Green Hydrogen Energy

Hydrogen and oxygen in water are separated from each other using electric current. The hydrogen obtained after this process, called electrolysis, is used as an energy source. However, for green hydrogen to be considered a clean energy source, the electricity used during the separation process must also be produced through clean energy sources.

Since hydrogen energy is produced in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms, its uses vary accordingly. The gaseous form is used to produce gasoline from coal, inflating a warm air balloon, to produce metals, or to operate furnaces and ovens. The liquid form of hydrogen is used in many fields, from aviation, aerospace, and the gas industry to electric vehicles. The solid form is used for heating and cooling, in the systems of electric cars, white goods, or in the production of rechargeable batteries.

Hydroelectric Power

Turbines generate energy from the force of flowing water. For hydroelectric energy, dams or dikes are built on the flowing water. This energy source obtained by utilizing the power of water is a clean source if there is no emission production.

There is also the possibility of damaging the surrounding forests and biodiversity in the relevant area to build large-scale hydroelectric power plants. For this reason, it is possible to say that hydroelectric energy is a clean or renewable energy source depending on the measures taken during the installation phase of the facility.

Hydroelectric energy is used to meet electricity demand worldwide. It has also been used to irrigate agricultural fields, grind grain, cut timber and produce steel from past to present.

Why are Clean Energy Sources Important?

There are many different advantages of using clean energy sources. We can detail the benefits and importance of these sources as follows:

• Clean energy sources are environmentally friendly and ecological options that reduce carbon emissions as they do not produce greenhouse gases or other pollutant emissions. The absence of carbon emissions helps to improve air quality and reduce the damage caused to the environment by other energy sources. It also indirectly benefits human health as the number of harmful emissions is reduced.
• Natural resources, which are unlimited in nature, can be quickly renewed. In this way, it is possible to continue energy production using clean energy sources without any time constraints.
• Clean energy production facilities create new jobs. As the sector continues to grow, the employment rate increases, and the local economy is revitalized.
• Efficient conversion of animal or plant-oriented wastes into energy can prevent environmental pollution from wastes. For example, biomass energy is a significant resource for both energy production and waste conversion.
• In fossil fuel production, there are risks such as harmful oil and gas leakage and explosion. It is vital for human and environmental health that clean energy sources are preferred over fossil fuels.
• When fossil fuels are used for energy production, approximately 10% of fresh water is needed. This depletes water resources over time and reduces people’s access to safe drinking water. However, the use of clean resources in energy production is extremely important to protect water and not restrict the global population’s access to drinking water.
• It can help countries achieve energy independence. Because clean energy resources can be found all over the planet. Countries can also obtain their energy by using the resources in their regions and end their energy and economic dependence on other countries.

For the future of the earth, wildlife, and human life, it is critical to prioritize the use of clean energy sources. Otherwise, climate change could accelerate, and the world may no longer be habitable for future generations. However, it is possible to build a green and ecological world with clean energy sources, which have numerous benefits from air quality to the local economy, from meeting energy needs to reducing carbon footprint. It is possible to have a better future by starting to use clean energy sources in individual life and especially in industrial sectors.

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