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Solar Power The sun has sufficient helium mass to provide the Earth with energy for another five billion years. It emits enough energy to power humankind for an entire year in 1/816,000th of a second! The Earth receives only one half of one billionth of the Sun;s radiant energy, but in just a few days it gets as much heat and light as could be produced by burning all the oil, coal and wood on the planet. Worldwide, some two billion people are still without electricity. For those populations it is more economically viable to install solar panels than to extend established electricity grids. |
Wind
Power Windturbin esare a modern equivalent of the traditional windmill, harvesting the energy of the wind.Where once used to grind wheat and corn, the kinetic energy of the wind is now used to drive a turbine and generate electric power. Awind turbine installation consisits of the turbine and vanes themselves, mounted upon a tall mast, connected to electromechanical equipment that ensures that the electricity generated is suitable for use. Any energy not used on site can be sold back to the grid. |
Hydro Power Hydropower plants have theadvantage ofproducing power that is both renewableand clean, as they emit less greenhouse gasesthan traditional fossil fuel plants and do notemit polluting suspended particulatematte r. Hydropower plants can also start up and shut down quickly and economically, giving the networ k opertor the vital flexibility o respond to wide fluctuations indemand across seasons and atdifferent timesof theday. | |