No matter how we produce electricity, it has a negative impact on the environment, whether it is the use of water, the burning of fossil fuels, or the disposal of waste from nuclear power plants. However, the trend of using energy from renewable sources changes that picture and makes our life, which we are used to, unharmful to our environment.
While technological progress in the field of renewable energy enables ever more efficient power generation and ever greater energy independence for consumers - cleanly generated power has never seemed more accessible and cost-effective.
The future is in renewable energy sources
From hydropower plants and tidal turbines, through biomass, wind energy and geothermal energy, solar energy - today there are numerous technologies that produce electricity and heat - with no or very little carbon footprint.
The transformation from fossil fuels to renewable sources is still in its infancy in many parts of the world, and terms such as the democratization of electricity supply are almost unknown to the general public, however, judging by the current situation regarding the supply of fossil raw materials, our future is certainly in renewable energy sources.
Cheaper, cleaner, locally produced electricity
Energy produced from renewable sources such as solar, wind or water or biomass creates over 90% less harmful gas emissions compared to energy produced from coal, and drastically helps to reduce air pollution.
Also, using solar panels or other electricity production infrastructure, consumers today can produce their own electricity for their own needs and thus achieve significant savings in electricity supply costs.
In this way, consumers are increasingly becoming producers throughout Europe and the rest of the world, thereby contributing to a healthier natural environment, their own energy independence, and the stability of the electrical grid.
Is electricity from renewable sources completely clean?
However, installations for generating electricity from renewable sources contain some materials that cannot be completely and easily recycled, such as cadmium, gallium or indium.
Also, hydropower plants can affect natural watercourses and flora and fauna if they are not carefully planned and constructed.
Solar panels are perhaps the most useful solution when it comes to environmental protection, but the public often raises the question of their stability - bearing in mind that they do not generate electricity during the day or when it is cloudy.
Why is it high time to stop pollution?
Global warming as a relatively recent phenomenon threatens to change the environment, raise sea levels and land flooding, changes in precipitation patterns and frequent droughts and floods. Air pollutants, such as the so-called greenhouse gases, have long been known to be responsible for this phenomenon, and the most common source of harmful emissions is the burning of fossil fuels.
What's more, the air we breathe can be harmful to our personal health – and not just to the planet. Chronic diseases such as asthma, strokes and heart attacks are caused by exposure to poor quality air.
In order to live as healthy people on a healthy planet, we need to accept and apply modern knowledge and technologies in the field of energy production from renewable sources. In this way, people around the world can become more independent, save significant money through reduced electricity bills, and help restore this planet.