Renewable Energy Day: Transition to Sustainable Power

Renewable energy refers to energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed.  The primary sources include:

• Solar Energy as the most abundant, free, and prominent energy resource available globally, generated from the sun and harnessed through technologies such as photovoltaic (PV) panels, which directly convert sunlight radiation into electrical energy using semiconductors, and concentrated solar power (CSP), which utilizes mirrors to focus solar energy into heat for driving a steam turbine that subsequently generates electrical power.
• Wind energy is an energy source derived from the kinetic energy of moving air masses (wind), which is harnessed by wind turbines. These turbines convert the mechanical energy of the rotating blades, driven by the wind, into electrical energy through an internal generator. Considered as a clean and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, its availability varies geographically based on wind patterns and intensity.
• Hydroelectric poweris generated by utilizing the kinetic energy of moving water, typically through the controlled flow of water from a higher elevation to a lower elevation. This movement of water drives turbines connected to generators, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. Hydroelectric power plants often utilize dams to create reservoirs, ensuring a consistent water supply and the necessary head (height difference) for efficient energy generation.
• Geothermal energy is exploiting energy source derived from the Earth’s internal heat, originating from the planet’s formation and the radioactive degradation of materials within its core. This thermal energy is stored in rocks and fluids beneath the Earth’s surface and can be used to generate electricity by drilling wells to access hot water or steam, which then drives turbines connected to generators. It can also be used directly for heating and cooling applications.
• Biomass energy derives from converting organic materials such as plants, agricultural waste, wood, and animal manure into usable energy. This organic material stores energy from the sun through photosynthesis. Biomass can be converted into various forms of energy, including heat through direct combustion, electricity through burning to produce steam that drives turbines, and biofuels (liquid or gaseous fuels like ethanol and biogas) through biological or thermochemical processes. Biomass is considered renewable as long as the organic matter is replenished at a rate comparable to its consumption.
• Ocean energy, also known as marine energy, is a renewable resource obtained from the ocean’s natural movements and temperature variations, encompassing technologies that capture the power of tides, waves, thermal gradients, salinity differences, and continuous currents to generate electricity. These diverse methods utilize turbines, barrages, heat engines, and osmotic processes to convert the ocean’s dynamic forces and properties into a sustainable energy source.

In comparison to fossil fuels, which are products of geological processes spanning millions of years and constitute limit reservoirs, the abovementioned renewable energy sources are characterized by a rate of natural replenishment that highlights them as effectively non-depletable in future.