When 19-year-old French physicist Edmond Bakerre discovered in 1839 that he could create an electric current by illuminating an electrode embedded in an electric fluid, he did not think that the experiment would become one of the most widely used experiments. Today, renewable energy sources – solar energy.
Solar energy is converted from sunlight to electricity and is one of the six most popular renewable energy sources in the world, along with wind power, hydropower, tidal energy, geothermal energy and biomass energy.
Renewable energy sources come from natural resources and can be replaced in a relatively short period of time, for example, they consume solar energy, which does not consume solar energy. In this way, it differs from non-renewable energy sources in that it consumes untapped natural resources or can take thousands of years to recharge, such as coal, gas and oil.
Non-renewable energy sources have been shown to be hazardous to the environment, and carbon dioxide emissions are released into the atmosphere as waste products. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is trapped in the atmosphere, and as a result it is a major cause of climate change and global warming. Additional damage is caused by methods such as stripping the surface, leaving the landscape deserted and destroying the vegetation in the area and spilling oil.
A surveillance camera was spotted near a coal-fired power plant in Shanghai.
Although there are obvious benefits to using renewable energy rather than fossil fuels, their use worldwide is still less than using coal, oil or other non-renewable sources. According to a January 2020 market report, Germany leads the way in renewable energy, followed by the United Kingdom and Sweden. The US is 10 places behind Australia and Turkey.
“Climate stabilization requires strong, rapid and sustained greenhouse gas emissions and zero-zero carbon emissions. Limiting other greenhouse gases and air pollution, especially methane, will be beneficial to health and the climate,” said Panmao Zai, co-chair of IPCC Working Group I. .
The answer to limiting greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero CO2 emissions is indeed renewable energy. So far, at least 140 countries have pledged to maintain carbon neutrality, most of them by 2050.
To date, two countries, Bhutan and Suriname, have achieved carbon neutrality and are actually considered carbon-negative – meaning they have emitted more carbon than they emit. Uruguay is the next country that promises to do the same in 2030. Finland, Austria, Iceland, Germany and Sweden hope to achieve their goals by 2045 in the near future.
China’s commitment to the world’s largest greenhouse gas emissions and its close monitoring of Saudi Arabia is significant and shows that countries are beginning to make the necessary changes, albeit at a slower pace.
Israel, however, is one of the few countries that has pledged carbon neutrality. By 2050, it plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent. Enough significant.
As mentioned above, the way to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions is by using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, water or tidal.
But how do each of these work?
Solar energy
Solar energy converts sunlight directly into electricity by using solar or photovoltaic (PV) cells made of silicone or other materials. The electricity is then distributed to small houses, businesses, and small businesses through roof panels or solar panels.
Wind power
Wind energy is one of the cheapest sources of renewable energy in the United States. Power is generated by systematic wind turbines in areas with high wind speeds, such as hills or open fields.
Hydro Energy
Following hydroelectric power, the second most commonly used renewable energy and fast-moving water is converted into electricity using a high-speed turbine blade. But hydropower is only renewable if it is made in small quantities. Large hydroelectric plants are considered irreplaceable because they change the natural direction of the water and limit the number of animals.
Storm Power
Tidal Energy is a new type of renewable energy that uses Tidal barges to generate energy in the same way as traditional dams. However, if not done carefully, these methods can cause harm to local wildlife.
According to the website of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, the Earth will have to work at 1.5 cm. Current speed. To do this, they say, depending on the country’s economic situation, by 2030 or 2040, they must stop using coal and increase the use of renewable energy.
“We cannot wait to counter the threat of climate change,” read the COP26 website. “We must work together to protect our planet and our people and ensure a greener and stronger future for all of us.”