Even entire rural communities (in Alaska, Kansas, and Missouri) are relying on renewable energy for heating and lighting.Īs renewable use continues to grow, a key goal will be to modernize America’s electricity grid, making it smarter, more secure, and better integrated across regions. The expansion in renewables is also happening at scales large and small, from giant offshore wind farms to rooftop solar panels on homes, which can sell power back to the grid. Now that we have innovative and less-expensive ways to capture and retain wind and solar energy, renewables are becoming a more important power source, accounting for more than 12 percent of U.S. But over the past 500 years or so, humans increasingly turned to cheaper, dirtier energy sources, such as coal and fracked gas. The sun has provided warmth during the day and helped kindle fires to last into the evening. Wind has powered boats to sail the seas and windmills to grind grain. While renewable energy is often thought of as a new technology, harnessing nature’s power has long been used for heating, transportation, lighting, and more. For example, sunlight and wind keep shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather. Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished. Here’s what you should know about the different types of renewable energy sources-and how you can use these emerging technologies in your own home. Biomass and large hydroelectric dams create difficult trade-offs when considering the impact on wildlife, climate change, and other issues. But not all sources of energy marketed as “renewable” are beneficial to the environment. This means that renewables are increasingly displacing “dirty” fossil fuels in the power sector, offering the benefit of lower emissions of carbon and other types of pollution. American solar and wind generation are breaking records and being integrated into the national electricity grid without compromising reliability. Renewable power is booming, as innovation brings down costs and starts to deliver on the promise of a clean energy future.
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