What is Renewable Energy
An Overview of Just and Sustainable Energy Options
For too long we have been dependent on fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – whose use results in climate change and whose extraction devastates God’s creation as well as those local communities in surrounding areas.
In order to protect God’s creation from the worst impacts of climate change and ensure God’s people a just and sustainable future, we must shift our energy use to renewable sources that create clean energy and use God’s infinite resources that can benefit all of God’s children.
Types of Renewable Energy:
Wind Power
Wind power is the conversion of the wind into a useable form of energy such as electricity. Traditionally, wind turbines are used to capture this energy and feed it into the electrical grid which connects to our homes and businesses. Wind power is a completely renewable form of energy and has the ability to drastically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuel electricity and can preventing other pollution such as mercury from coal fired power plants.
Solar Power
Solar Power, or solar energy, captures the light and radiant energy from the sun and converts it into electricity that can again be used in our homes or businesses. However, solar energy can also be used to heat water and light our homes when these systems are designed appropriately.
Solar panels are used most commonly to capture the heat/energy from the sun and transfer it into electricity. These panels can be put in place for a single residence on the roof of a house or can be developed on larger quantities to power towns and communities.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal power involves capturing heat from the Earth to regulate temperatures in our homes or buildings. Though heat from the Earth is most often used, heat can also be captured from the atmosphere and the oceans. Geothermal energy has little to no greenhouse gas emission and does not require the purchase of energy once installed.
Methane Capture
Methane released from landfills and cows is far more potent that carbon dioxide. This gas can then be captured and used to generate electricity (in the same way that natural gas is used). This not only prevents methane from entering the atmosphere but also reduces fossil fuel consumption
Tidal Power
Tidal power, also known as tidal energy, captures and converts the energy of tides into usable forms of electricity and other power. This type of energy has been in use for hundreds of years (since the Middle Ages). This type of energy capture and use is currently in the development phase here in the US but European nations are in the process of developing the first commercial tidal power farm.