What is the Most Powerful Source of Renewable Energy?

Today, the subject of renewable energy has never been more important as many governments, businesses, and individuals have started to recognize the need for a more sustainable future. In this article, we are going to discuss the most powerful source of renewable energy as compared to the best sources of energy.

“Sometimes you have to destroy something to create something new.”

It’s needless to say that compared to the massive clouds of pollution emitted by power plants that burn fossil fuels to create energy, renewable energy production is far better for the environment. But are all renewable energy solutions 100% sustainable? Renewable simply refers to the source used for electricity generation, but at times mass renewable energy generation is installed in a way that interrupts the natural eco-system. Is all renewable energy fully sustainable? The short answer to this question is “no”. But as we said, it’s definitely far more eco-friendly than the pollution created by power plants. Are some renewable energy sources better or rather, what are the best and cleanest sources of “clean energy”?

Renewable Energy on The Move

To begin, let’s first take a look at the progress renewable energy has made. According to Inside Climate News, 2019 saw a nearly 10 percent drop in pollution created by power generation while coal, as a power generation method, fell by 18% and has been steadily falling since 2005.

Source: Inside Climate News

“In 2019, renewable energy sources accounted for about
11% of total U.S. energy consumption and
about 17% of electricity generation” – www.eia.gov

Renewable energy, however, has been on a sharp increase over the past decade due to solar and wind power. What’s behind the rise of renewables?

Yes, more people are becoming environmentally aware, which has helped a lot in establishing renewables as a growing source of energy generation. But what are the main driving factors behind renewable energy growth over the last decade?

According to Direct Energy, the growth in renewables is a trifecta of factors:

1. 1. Supporting regulations and policies.
2. 2. Advancing renewable technology.
3. 3. Economics, and by that we mean pricing.

3 Reasons Renewable Energy Grew Rapidly in 2019

The Most Powerful Source of Renewable Energy

If you close your eyes and think “renewable energy” what is the first picture that appears in your mind?

For many people, it’s solar panels, for others, it’s giant wind turbines spinning in the midst of a beautiful field. While both of these have seen terrific growth, the world’s most relied-upon source of renewable energy is in fact water.

In 2019, the world’s hydropower energy generation reached a new record at 1,308 gigawatts. To put this in better perspective, just one gigawatt is enough energy to power 750,000 homes. Power generation throughout the world relies on hydropower to generate electricity because it’s cheap, easily stored and dispatched, and produced with no fuel combustion, meaning no pollution.

Hydropower is not however without negative environmental impact. Large hydropower plants divert large waterways, alter the natural flow of water through the land, and severely impact native aquatic species and their ecosystem.

Rivers in the U.S. flow into and over more than 80,000 dams

What Is the Cleanest Source of Energy?

Wind and solar power are both very clean sources of renewable energy and today, are also the cheapest and most cost-effective sources. Solar, is the fastest-growing source of power in the U.S., with more than 2 million installations as of 2019. However, large solar and wind installations can also start to interrupt with the ecosystem, when seen broadscale.

According to the Time Colonist, the cleanest source of energy is in fact nuclear energy:

“It appears as if the cleanest source of energy is a nuclear plant.
Admittedly, there is a problem disposing of the spent fuel, but
we can expect that problem to be solved reasonably soon.”

You’re Home and Business and Renewable Energy

A lot of the information in this article refers to the larger picture of energy production. But when it comes to the home or business owner – you – and renewable energy, solar power is the most cost-effective and efficient way to reduce your energy costs.

Solar power has seen a very sharp decrease in pricing, with the cost of generation falling well below that of energy generated by coal. As you’ll see in the below chart, solar power has now become the cheapest source of electricity generation, period.

If you’re looking for better energy rates or a way to lower your energy costs, solar panels provide a very cost-effective way to pay less for energy.

As one of the leading energy consulting firms in North America, we work to offer a variety of renewable energy and solar solutions for businesses of all kinds. While most people think of solar as solar panels on a roof, we also provide business with direct access to renewable energy generation through renewable energy certificates and can also help you attain all the benefits of solar power, through connection with local solar farms. Whatever your business model is, whether you own your building or not, there is a renewable energy solution that can help you not only find better energy pricing and reduce your energy costs but also reach your organization’s sustainability goals. For more information, CONTACT US to speak to a Professional Energy Manager.

James Lightning
Senior Editor, Energy Professionals
info@energyprofessionals.com
(844) 674-5465