Sources of clean and renewable energy are gaining popularity for two reasons. First, if you use them to power your household, you will save plenty of money straight into your pocket. Second, using them can be a great help to our environment in mitigating the effects of climate change.
From its financial benefit, renewable energy can significantly lessen our reliance on the traditional power grid, and that means reducing or eliminating exorbitant power costs. Aside from the savings from your power costs, you can also avail incentives from the government.
Tapping into clean, renewable energy sources also minimize our carbon traces which is one of the main reason for the warming of our planet. Indeed, using clean and renewable energy provides plenty of benefits. Here are some ways to use renewable energy to power your home.
Use the Power of the Wind
You will find it amazing and beautiful to look at wind turbines standing high in seawater or on rustic wind farms. But aside from the aesthetic beauty they generate, wind turbines also bring a positive effect on our environment. The good thing is that you can tap the power of the wind to power your household by installing it in your residence. Wind energy is a green alternative if you want to minimize the cost of your monthly power bills as well as preserve the environment. It produces zero emissions of greenhouse gases which is a great contribution to mitigating climate change. You only need to audit your home for the installation of wind turbines. By this, you will determine the required numbers and sizes of your wind turbines for your home.
Opt for Geothermal Energy
You can generate geothermal energy from the hot surfaces of the Earth such as volcanoes, geysers, and hot springs. Geothermal energy is a clean and renewable energy which can power your home with a reliable power supply. Geothermal energy releases little to zero greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when you use it as a power source. The only disadvantage, perhaps, is that only those houses that are near hot springs or geysers can avail of its benefits. But because of technology, you can now tap the power of geothermal energy by putting up a ground source heat pump. Ground source heat pumps generate electricity by extracting the relative average temperature of the planet. Also, ground source heat pumps can last for fifty years, which make them an excellent investment for yourself and the environment.
Go for Micro Hydropower Systems
If your house is near anybody of running water such as stream, lake or river, you can start installing micro hydropower systems. A micro hydropower system, as the name “hydro” implies, taps the capability of running water in converting itself into rotational energy, which then produces electricity. For example, you can utilize powerful rivers or streams near your residence to produce clean and renewable energy to power your home. This power system is more affordable than solar or wind, and is a great alternative for traditional energy sources such as coal. Just imagine giving electricity to a small resort or a two-story home by relying on micro hydropower systems that can generate ten-kilowatts of power. For sure, you not only save money, but you also help save the environment.
Choose Solar Energy
The capability of sun’s energy to put an end to the traditional and harmful use of coal has been the talk for decades now. In fact, there are already many households that use solar power as a green and alternative to the use of fossil fuels. Solar power minimizes and even eliminates your dependence on the power grid. As such, you will be able to save money and help preserve the environment if you install it in your residence.
There are two types of solar energy that you can use to power your home, and they are passive and active solar energy. If you want active solar energy to power your household, you will need to install photovoltaic cells to produce that energy. Of course, you can use it along with a traditional electric grid or utilize it to power your whole house with it. Passive solar energy, on the other hand, utilizes solar energy without installing photovoltaic cells to generate household power. You can tap either the indirect power within the natural heat of the walls or through direct sunlight outside your windows.
Takeaway
It is undeniable that the impact of climate change is all over us. It is the reason why we need to take steps to reduce its impact. By using clean and renewable sources of energy to power our household we already lend a helping hand to the environment.
Asha jadeja is a blogger and an environmental advocate. She writes topics about climate change and the ways on how to mitigate it. In her environmental advocacy, Yassi promotes green alternative options for living such as buying energy-efficient technology to preserve the environment. She browses Store to look for green alternatives for home use.
