Solar, Wind & Hydropower-FAQ
Concerns for the future of our planet have caused a shift in the mentality about sustainability, particularly with the continuous development of new highly efficient sustainable energy.
Solar wind and hydropower can work hand in hand with solar energy to create a truly eco-friendly option for our power needs across the globe.
Wondering how solar, wind, and hydropower work? We’re glad you asked! Our team at Solar Bear Orlando is here to answer all your renewable energy questions.
What Makes These Energy Types “Renewable?”
Renewable energy is any kind of energy that is produced from resources that restore themselves naturally, such as sunlight, wind, water, and geothermal heat.
Being able to capture the energy from those resources and convert them into a usable form of electricity is where the trick occurs. The most common types of renewable energy include solar, wind, and hydropower.
How Does Solar Energy Work?
Solar energy has been around since the 1970s and has gained popularity for residential homes in the last couple of decades, due to its affordability.
Solar panel systems convert the sun’s rays into electricity that can power a person’s home, electric vehicle, or warm their pool.
Here’s a quick solar power 101 lesson. Photovoltaic or PV solar systems are used to harness the energy from the sun. Energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the PV cells inside the solar panel when the sun’s rays shine on the solar panels. This transfer of energy creates electrical charges that move in response to an internal electric field in those cells, causing electricity to flow.
Solar is useful in residential applications as a solar system can be installed on a roof, carport, or even on the ground, and the size of the system can be modified to fit a home’s unique energy needs.
Learn More> PV vs. Thermal Solar Power
How Does Wind Energy Work?
If you have ever driven through the Midwest, you may have seen huge wind turbines dotted across the landscape. These use strong wind and airflow to produce energy. Today’s wind turbines can produce between 600 kilowatts and 6 megawatts depending on the wind speed.
The rated power output increases as the wind speed also increases, and to maximize wind energy technology, these turbines are often grouped in “wind farms.” Usually located in areas where strong winds are the norm like high altitude, large open plains, and offshore of the ocean, in the right location, wind turbines can spin constantly.
The one downside to this renewable energy resource is that it is not consumer-friendly, meaning that you likely won’t see wind turbines in your neighbor’s backyard or at the local park.
How Does Hydropower Work?
There are a couple of different methods that we can use to capture the strength of water including hydroelectricity, tidal power, and wave power.
Tidal energy is created by structures that are similar to wind turbines, but they are inverted underwater. These structures utilize the changing of the Earth’s tides to produce power. This is particularly useful as tides are more predictable than other types of renewable energy.
Wave-generated power is similar, but it is dependent on surface waves.
Hydroelectricity produces power through flowing water. Turbines are installed in structures like dams and turn with the force of the water flowing through them to generate power.
Why is Renewable Energy Important?
It’s simple. Using energy that is generated from renewable resources that produce no greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels can reduce some types of air pollution, diversify our world’s energy supply and dependence on imported fuels, and create stable jobs in the renewable energy sector.
Just think about it, bright sunny skies, strong winds, fast-moving water, and heat from the earth can each provide a vast and renewable supply of energy. It’s just our job to convert it to the energy that we need!
Related Reading> Solar Installation in Florida-The Facts
Choose Renewable Energy with Solar Bear Orlando
If you want to power your home with a renewable and more eco-friendly energy source, you’ve come to the right place! Our team at Solar Bear Orlando is ready to help you install a new roof, a solar panel system, and even help your home use less power and be more efficient with our spray-foam insulation services.
Choose renewable energy and protect the planet! Call Solar Bear Orlando for a quote today; 407-904-7585!