Renewable energy

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Understanding of different renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric and their application in design.

Solar energy: A technology that captures energy from sun rays to generate electricity and heat.
Wind energy: A technology that captures energy from wind to generate electricity.
Bioenergy: A technology that uses biomass (plant matter) to produce heat, electricity or fuel.
Hydropower: A technology that uses moving water to generate electricity.
Geothermal energy: A technology that utilizes the heat from the earth to generate electricity and heat buildings.
Green buildings: A design approach aimed at creating sustainable, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly structures.
Energy efficiency: Practices that reduce energy consumption and waste in buildings and processes.
Energy storage: Technologies that store excess energy produced by renewable sources for use during periods of high demand or low availability.
Microgrids: Small-scale, localized electricity delivery systems that can operate independently or in conjunction with the larger power grid.
Smart grid: An intelligent electricity delivery system that uses advanced technologies to improve efficiency and reliability.
Off-grid systems: Systems that generate and store energy for use independent of the electric grid.
Carbon footprint: The amount of greenhouse gases produced as a result of activities related to a product, service or person.
Life Cycle Analysis: A method of evaluating the environmental impacts of a product or process over its entire lifespan.
Energy policy: Laws, regulations and incentives aimed at promoting the use of renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Green technology: Technologies that create solutions to environmental problems.
Sustainable development: A development strategy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Energy economics: Study of the economic consequences of energy production, consumption, and policies.
Climate change: Long-term shifts in temperature, precipitation, and weather patterns that are influenced by human activities.
Green jobs: Employment opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
Renewable Energy Credits: A system of tradable certificates that represent the environmental benefits of producing renewable energy.
Solar Power: Solar power is the most common form of renewable energy that involves harnessing the sun's energy to produce electricity.
Wind Power: Wind power involves harnessing the power of wind to generate electricity using wind turbines.
Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is a form of renewable energy that involves utilizing the heat from the Earth's core to generate electricity.
Hydropower: Hydropower involves harnessing the power of running water to generate electricity, typically using dams or water turbines.
Biomass Energy: Biomass energy uses organic matter such as plant material and animal waste to generate electricity by utilizing a process called combustion.
Tide Power: Tidal power involves harnessing the kinetic energy produced by tides to generate electricity through the use of tidal turbines.
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) uses the temperature difference between warm surface water and cooler deep seawater to generate electricity.
Hydrogen Fuel: Hydrogen Fuel is a clean energy source with the potential to power vehicles and various other energy applications.
Methane Digestion: Methane digestion is a process that uses bacteria to break down organic waste, producing biogas that can be used as fuel.
Biofuels: Biofuels are derived from organic matter such as plants and animal waste, used in the transportation sector to replace fossil fuels.
Solar Heating and Cooling: Solar heating and cooling systems use solar energy to heat and cool buildings.
Passive Solar Design: Passive solar design involves optimizing the design and orientation of buildings to capture sunlight to reduce the need for artificial lighting and heating.
Energy from Waste: Energy from waste involves converting waste material into energy, either through incineration or through anaerobic digestion.
- "Renewable resources include sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat."
- "Although most renewable energy sources are sustainable, some are not."
- "Renewable energy is often used for electricity generation, heating and cooling."
- "Renewable energy projects are typically large-scale, but they are also suited to rural and remote areas and developing countries."
- "From 2011 to 2021, renewable energy grew from 20% to 28% of global electricity supply."
- "Use of fossil energy shrank from 68% to 62%, and nuclear from 12% to 10%."
- "Power from sun and wind increased from 2% to 10%."
- "The share of hydropower decreased from 16% to 15%."
- "There are 3,146 gigawatts installed in 135 countries."
- "156 countries have laws regulating the renewable energy sector."
- "In 2021, China accounted for almost half of the global increase in renewable electricity."
- "Globally there are over 10 million jobs associated with the renewable energy industries."
- "Solar photovoltaics being the largest renewable employer."
- "Renewable energy systems are rapidly becoming more efficient and cheaper."
- "A large majority of worldwide newly installed electricity capacity being renewable."
- "Many nations around the world already have renewable energy contributing more than 20% of their total energy supply."
- "Some studies have shown that a global transition to 100% renewable energy across all sectors – power, heat, transport, and industry – is feasible and economically viable."
- "Deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies is resulting in significant energy security, climate change mitigation, and economic benefits."
- "Renewables are being hindered by hundreds of billions of dollars of fossil fuel subsidies."
- "In international public opinion surveys, there is strong support for renewables such as solar power and wind power."