Solar is one of the first ideas that comes into people’s mind when they think of an eco-friendly energy source, and for good reason. Not only is solar one of the cleanest options we have available, but in recent years the price of solar units and installation has come down significantly so that even those of us on a modest income can seriously consider it as an alternative to an oil-based energy source. For corporations, running solely on solar can be problematic as obviously the sun as an energy source isn’t available 24/7. To bridge this gap overnight, generally a combination of multiple energy sources or a battery system are optimal.
Wind
Wind is another great source of clean, green energy. Due to wind occurring potentially at all times of the day it doesn’t have the same limitations that solar does. Unfortunately though the amount of wind can be sporadic, so while it may continue to provide energy through the night, it can be unreliable based on the weather. Wind is already set up in a range of countries and expanding on this would be a great step to achieving a more eco-friendly energy system.
Hydro
Another great option, although the limitations on this energy source are now due to the terrain and amount of rivers that can be utilized with turbines. Many countries simply don’t have a suitable terrain to be able to generate enough power through hydro alone. The plus side of hydro is that if the terrain is suitable, the amount of energy that can be provided through a single hydro-dam alone is huge.
As we can see, there are some great options to help promote a cleaner method of generating energy in the 21st century. Overall the best method is generally a combination of multiple sources due to the limitations of each particular source, but even a look into a single source can be a huge step towards a cleaner and greener environment for everyone.