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What Is Green Power?
Green power is energy harnessed from renewable, clean resources, such as the wind, the sun, and the heat inside the earth, to create electric power.
Green power is fossil and nuclear fuel-free
Green power is reliable and affordable
Green power does not emit environmentally harmful pollution
Green power does not contribute to global climate change
Green power helps keep our air clean. The more green power we use, the less fossil fuel energy we require. In fact, renewable energy displaces fossil fuel generation.
Technologies
Wind: Wind power captures the energy from moving air to create electricity. Wind power is the fastest growing energy source in the world. Over the past decade, global wind energy capacity has increased by more than a factor of 13 and has grown by an average annual rate of nearly 30 percent. The cost of wind-generated power has dropped over 90 percent since 1980, and wind power is now often cost competitive with conventional power sources. In 2003, the total wind energy capacity worldwide grew to 40,290 megawatts, enough to power more than 19 million average European households (Mainstreaming Renewable Energy in the 21st Century, Janet L. Sawin, Worldwatch Paper 169).
A wind farm with 44 1.5-megawatt turbines produces enough energy to:
power 25,000 homes;
prevent 207,972,824 pounds of carbon dioxide per year from entering our skies;
and is equivalent to:
taking 15,000 vehicles off the road; and
planting over 28,000 trees every year.
Solar: Solar power harnesses the heat and light from the sun to create energy. Solar energy is the world's most abundant energy source. It can be derived from the sun through solar panels, which are also known as photovoltaic (PV) cells. Over the past decade, solar power generation has increased seven-fold and since 1975, solar-PV power costs have dropped over 85 percent.
According to the International Energy Agency, buildings in industrialized nations offer enough suitable surfaces for solar PV to generate 15-50 percent of current electricity needs.
Biomass: Biomass is organic matter that includes trees, plants, grasses, and agricultural crops. Electricity generated from biomass, known as "biopower" or "bioenergy," is the largest source of non-hydro renewable power in the U.S. In addition to electricity production, biomass can also be used as a solid fuel or as a liquid or gas to produce heat.
Free Flow Hydropower: Free flow hydropower uses the energy of naturally flowing water, tides or river currents, to create electric power. Like other renewable energy sources, free flow hydropower does not emit pollution or contribute to global climate change. However, large-scale hydro projects can have significant negative environmental impacts, so only small-scale hydropower qualifies as green power.
Landfill Gas (LFG): Landfill gas, mostly comprised of methane - a potent greenhouse gas - is the natural byproduct of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills. In addition to electricity generation, LFG can be used as a direct-use energy source, in co-generation projects, and as an alternative fuel. LFG-to-energy projects are a win-win for the environment, as they prevent the release of methane into the air, while off-setting conventional energy generation. By the end of 2003, approximately 360 LFG energy projects were operational in the U.S.
Geothermal: Geothermal power uses heat inside the earth to generate energy. As groundwater is heated, geothermal energy is created in the form of hot water and steam. In the U.S., geothermal electric power is used mainly in the West, where geothermal energy resources are most abundant.
Photo Credit: Alden Hathaway
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