How Do Renewable Energy Plants Work

The world relies heavily on a steady supply of fossil fuels like oil, natural gas as well as coal for its energy, and these unfortunately are dwindling resources; they are non-renewable and require costly explorations. The price of oil is also dependent on certain factors, and political strife creates an energy crises and escalating oil prices. Renewable energy is not vulnerable to political events but can be locally produced. But how do renewable energy plants work in order to convert energy resources like the wind and the sun into electricity?

The sun, wind, hydro-power and biomass are just some renewable energy sources, and with renewable energy plants for instance, wind can be stored for later use. Wind and heat are constantly being replenished and won't run out, they are far cleaner than fossil fuels too, and don't cause solid toxic wastes which lead to a host of respiratory- and other serious illnesses and they also won't do damage to our fragile ecosystems.

Because of the boom in solar energy, power stations around the world are no longer profitable to operate, and renewable energy is beginning to show its strength as fossil fuels decline. Renewable energy plants are low on operating costs in comparison with fossil fuel generators.

Geothermal Energy Produces Electricity

Geothermal energy is about generating electricity from the earth's heat, and although these renewable energy plants have something in common with traditional power-generating stations by using turbines as well as other standard power generating equipment, they use pipes which are buried deep in the earth. How do renewable energy plants work in order to provide the world with electricity? Geothermal heat pump systems consist of a heat pump, duct-work and a heat exchanger. The heat pump removes heat from the heat exchanger, pumping it into the indoor air delivery system.

Underground geothermal reservoirs of hot water are located in Alaska for instance where wells are drilled for the generation of electricity. The Geothermal power plants use steam to drive a turbine to turn a generator in order to produce electricity. The turbine is like a large propeller.

The turbine is attached to an electric generator; a spinning magnet with coils of wire, and when the magnet spins, its magnetic field creates a moving electric current in the wire known as AC or alternative current. This electric current powers buildings.

Renewable Energy like Wind Creates Power for Buildings

Wind turbines generate as much electricity as 8 large nuclear power plants. A large wind turbine can generate up to 1.8 MW of electricity annually, under the right conditions. The main reason for using wind to generate electricity is that it is clean and renewable and it doesn't release harmful gases like CO and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. These wind turbines can bring electricity to remote areas which aren't served by the central power grid.

Modern wind turbines fall into the horizontal-axis variety and the vertical-axis design. The wind turbines are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy with their propeller-like blades which are mounted on a shaft to form a rotor. The turning shaft spins a generator to make electricity. An inverter then converts the electricity from DC to AC. Electricity is connected to the mains power or to the electricity grid.

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