Renewable Energy Businesses

 

Renewable energy businesses are growing dramatically, as more and more individuals and companies realize the vast benefits offered. In addition to renewable energy being a great cost cutter, the various sources used promote a healthier and cleaner planet. While some sources of renewable energy have been around since the beginning of time, over the past decade many businesses have come up with new solutions, all being outlined below.

 

Renewable energy businesses are growing dramatically, as more and more individuals and companies realize the vast benefits offered. In addition to renewable energy being a great cost cutter, the various sources used promote a healthier and cleaner planet. While some sources of renewable energy have been around since the beginning of time, over the past decade many businesses have come up with new solutions, all being outlined below.

 

Types of Renewable Energy Business

 

The type of renewable energy business that people are most familiar with is solar power, which comes from the sun. However, wind power, hydropower, geothermal power, and biomass are also excellent solutions that are growing in popularity and demand. Each of these renewable energy business solutions is unique but all provide the same benefits. Thanks to in-depth and ongoing research, renewable energy businesses have been able to develop better solutions that harvest “free energy” within developed, underdeveloped, and undeveloped regions of the world.

 

• Solar Power – The interesting aspect of solar power is that it can be achieved in a variety of ways and on many levels. However, the concept of this form of renewable energy business is that solar cells typically made from silicon, known as photovoltaic cells, are capable of absorbing radiation from the sun. For this to happen, electrons move and become displaced. After radiation has been absorbed it is then stored and transferred into electricity. On a small scale, this form of renewable energy business can be used to run a portion or all of the electrical needs for a small home whereas on a commercial scale, massive generators can be operated as water is heated to maintain high temperatures for the production of steam.

 

• Wind Power – Another type of renewable energy business that has seen a huge increase over the past several years is in the form of wind. As with solar power, wind can be captured and used on both a small and large scale. In fact, people can purchase kits to capture energy in a backyard that helps with electricity for the home but actual wind farms exist whereby gigantic turbines stand towering over the landscape, each operating to capture and store wind that is then used for power. With this type of renewable energy business, the turbine converts kinetic energy of the wind, or movement into mechanical energy that actually produces electricity. This energy goes through a special generator whereby a second conversion process occurs, turning free wind into electricity. Wind farms provide tremendous incentive to the landowner, which is why seeing large turbines in open areas of the country has become common.

 

• Hydropower – With this type of renewable energy business water is used. Hydropower is nothing new although thanks to technology, processes of conversion have become more sophisticated and affordable. Individuals can use hydropower to produce home energy or even operate a vehicle opposed to using standard gasoline but on a larger scale, it can accomplish much more. Although on the grander scheme hydropower technology is still being developed, the future is bright. According to the Energy Information Administration, 73% of all renewable energy business comes from water. In this case, water is forced through a penstock, which is a specially designed pipe. From there, the water converts to electricity. In addition to controlled hydropower, scientists are currently working on methods by which tidal and wave energy from the ocean can be harnessed. Within the United States, a number of large scale solutions exist although hydropower from the Hoover Dam is by far the largest and most impressive.

 

• Geothermal Power – In this case, the renewable energy business works by trapping heat below the ground. From there energy rises to just below the surface in the form of heat, creating either hot water or steam that is harnessed and used for steam turbines as a means of producing electricity. Interestingly, geothermal power has been used since the early 20^th century by the Italians but today, it has captured the attention of many nations, proving to be a viable solution.

 

• Biomass – The last form of renewable energy business is called Biomass, which is actually one of the more versatile solutions. The way this works is that special power plants are developed, capable of burning biomass fuel in massive boilers that are then used to heat water, as well as generate steam that is used to produce electricity. The amazing aspect of this renewable energy business is that all types of things can be used for biomass fuel to include trash that comes from overflowing landfills. In fact, this type of trash is now being converted into methane that results in the production of dry natural gas. Today, several Texas dairy farms are using biomass energy by using cow manure. This form of renewable energy business is incredible with endless possibilities.

 

The Future of Renewable Energy Business

 

The bottom line is that while renewable energy has been used for hundreds of years, new materials, processes, and technologies have increased the level of production and possibilities. Without doubt, as more and more research is conducted, processes for harnessing renewable energy and converting it into usable power will continue to strengthen. Because it has been proven time after time that renewable energy is possible and successful, there is truly no end in sight.