Renewable Energy - Why Should we Use It?

What is 'Renewable Energy'?

Energy that comes from natural sources that can be reused finitely is known as 'Renewable Energy'. Examples of these include solar power, which comes from the sun, wind energy, which is generated through the force of the wind and hydroelectric power which is generated by the force of moving water.

Why Choose Renewable Energy?

I believe that one of the greatest actions we can take, is operating off renewable energy. I will give you three simple reasons why:

1) This energy can be reused multiple times. By choosing this, we can be certain to have a supply which can operate buildings for thousands of years. When using non-renewable energy, a continued supply and continued production is needed for each individual building.

2) Many sources - such as wind energy or geothermal energy - are much cheaper than many other sources.

3) And most importantly this energy is environmentally - friendly!

If we want to stop or prevent climate change, we must stop releasing greenhouse gas emissions, and this is how we do it!

What's the Difference Between Renewable & Non - Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy is totally environmentally friendly, most sources producing 0% emissions. This form of energy can be "reused" multiple times over and over again. Popular sources such as solar power

and wind energy produce 0% greenhouse gases, are easy to generate and install and will help combat climate change dramatically. Most sources are cheaper than non - renewable energy.

Non-renewable energy such as oil, coal and peat has an extremally negative effect on the planet from releasing greenhouse gas emissions to only be used once. However, it is mostly efficiently sourced, fairly cheap and successful in generating electricity.

Today, gas is a dominant source of energy in Ireland accounting for 51% of energy inputs in 2020. This could be because it is cheap and easily transported. However, when it comes to the safety of our future, gas will not be the solution.

Types of Renewable Energy and How They Are Generated:

Solar Power - Solar power is made from the Sun's light and heat. A device, known as a solar panel is place on the roof of a home or building, (see image) and collects the UV rays which come from the sun. The energy that is generated by this solar panel is then used to operate the home or building.

Wind Energy: This form of energy is generated from the force of the wind. There are 5 - 150 wind turbines built over an area, based on the size of the land. This is called a wind farm. Wind energy is collected by a turbine which are big structures whose turbines

spin whenever the wind blows at a certain amount (generally 12-14km/h). This means wind farms must be built in a location where there is a lot of wind - like the coast or out at sea.