Renewable energy commercialization facts for kids
Making Renewable energy widely available and used is called commercialization. This involves many different technologies. Some examples are solar photovoltaics (which turn sunlight into electricity), solar thermal power plants (which use the sun's heat), solar heating and cooling systems, wind power, hydroelectricity (power from water), geothermal power (heat from inside the Earth), biomass (energy from plants and animals), and ocean energy systems. Each of these technologies is at a different stage of development, but the market for many renewable energy sources is growing.
In 2012 and 2013, renewable energy provided 19% of all the energy we used and 22% of our electricity. Both modern renewables (like hydro, wind, solar, and biofuels) and traditional biomass (like burning wood) contributed almost equally to the world's energy supply. In 2013, over US$214 billion was invested globally in renewable technologies. Countries like China and the United States invested a lot in wind, hydro, solar, and biofuels.
Renewable energy sources are found all over the world. This is different from other energy sources, like fossil fuels, which are only found in a few countries. Using more renewable energy and being smart about saving energy helps countries become more energy secure. It also helps fight climate change and boosts the economy. Many people around the world strongly support using renewable sources like solar and wind power. In fact, over 30 countries already get more than 20% of their energy from renewable sources. Experts believe that the market for renewable energy will continue to grow a lot in the next ten years and beyond.
While many renewable energy projects are very large, these technologies are also great for rural and remote areas. In these places, having energy is often very important for human development. Around the world, about 3 million homes get electricity from small solar PV systems. Small Micro-hydro systems, which use water to make power, provide electricity to many villages and towns. More than 30 million rural homes get lighting and cooking fuel from biogas, which is made in small systems at home. Also, 160 million homes use special Biomass cookstoves for cooking.
Why We Need Renewable Energy
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Climate change, pollution, and not having enough energy are big problems. To fix them, we need to make major changes to how we get and use energy. Renewable energy technologies are a very important part of our energy supply. They help make the world's energy supply safer, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and help lower greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Dirty fossil fuels are being replaced by clean, climate-friendly, and never-ending energy sources.
Surveys show that people around the world strongly support using more renewable sources like solar and wind power. They also want power companies to use more renewable energy and want tax benefits to encourage the development and use of these technologies.
Countries in the European Union (EU) have big goals for renewable energy. In 2010, a survey called Eurobarometer asked people in 27 EU countries about a goal to "increase the share of renewable energy in the EU by 20% by 2020." Most people in all 27 countries either agreed with the goal or wanted it to go even further.
By 2011, new information showed that traditional energy sources have many risks. This means we need big changes in the types of energy technologies we use. Several accidents in mines around the world have shown the human cost of getting coal. New rules from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) about air pollution, coal ash, and waste water highlight how coal affects the environment. These rules also show how much it costs to clean up these problems. Events at the Fukushima nuclear plant have made people worry again about how safely many nuclear plants can operate for a long time. The estimated costs for new "next generation" nuclear power plants keep going up. Lenders are not willing to pay for these plants without guarantees from taxpayers.
Other Pages to Explore
- List of renewable energy topics
- Renewable energy commercialisation in Australia
- Renewable energy commercialization in the United States
Images for kids
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Biomass heating plant in Austria. The total heat power is about 1000 kW.
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The 22,500 MW Three Gorges Dam in the People's Republic of China, the largest hydroelectric power station in the world.
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One of many power plants at The Geysers, a geothermal power field in northern California, with a total output of over 750 MW.
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Solar energy technologies, such as solar water heaters, located on or near the buildings which they supply with energy, are a prime example of a soft energy technology.
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Nellis Solar Power Plant at Nellis Air Force Base. These panels track the sun in one axis.
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President Barack Obama speaks at the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center.
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Landowners in the US typically receive $3,000 to $5,000 per year in rental income from each wind turbine, while farmers continue to grow crops or graze cattle up to the foot of the turbines.
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Solar Towers from left: PS10, PS20.
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Neat ethanol on the left (A), gasoline on the right (G) at a filling station in Brazil.
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Information on pump, California
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A Vestas wind turbine
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Monocrystalline solar cell
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Photovoltaic array and wind turbines at the Schneebergerhof wind farm in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz.
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Market share of Germany's power generation 2014
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Projected renewable energy investment growth globally (2007–2017)
See also
In Spanish: Comercialización de energías renovables para niños
