Renewable energy sources
Renewable energy comes from many sources including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and water. All of these resources are free and endless. Renewable energy can be a key component in fighting climate changes. This is because fossil fuels have a significant contribution to greenhouse gasses, which are causing the current warming.
Biomass is a form of renewable energy that involves converting organic materials like wood, grasses, and other plants into electricity. This process is more efficient and cleaner than burning fossil fuels. Biomass produces electricity at a lower cost than traditional fossil fuels. Biomass can be used to generate renewable energy. It does not emit carbon into the atmosphere which is linked to global warming.
Renewable energy sources' environmental impacts
There are numerous environmental benefits that renewable energy can bring to the world and for us all. Fossil fuel-dominated power generation produces large quantities of carbon dioxide. 40 percent of America's total energy-related greenhouse gases emissions are due to electricity generation. In China, electricity generation contributed to just over two billion tons of CO2 emissions in 2007. Additional to CO2, fossil-fuel burning also emits NOx and other air pollutants. These pollutants contribute to the air pollution problem and can be extremely harmful. These pollutants also place pressure on water resources.
Renewable energy sources not only reduce pollution and emissions but also create jobs and decrease poverty. Renewable energy will provide half of the world's energy by 2050. This is a large number and more than 140 times greater than the world's current energy consumption. Germany's renewable energy industry is an example of a success story, with employment increases of up to 55% since 2004.
Public opinion about renewable energy sources
New research shows that Americans are generally more supportive of renewable energy sources than they are fossil fuels. There are differences in opinions depending on party. Democrats generally support government regulation to promote renewable energy development, while Republicans prefer the free market to drive the transition. Public opinion on renewable energy sources varies by party. However, it is clear that most people support the use of renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels.
According to the study, 72 percent of respondents viewed renewable energy sources positively and 78 percent regarded them as unfavorable. It was significantly higher than that of oil and nuclear respondents to not have any knowledge about renewable energy sources.