What Is Sustainable Energy?

 

A recent survey shows that 85% of Americans support the ongoing use of sustainable energy for generating electricity.

The other 15% have concerns about how effective it is or aren’t sure what it’s all about.

Are you among those who are still wondering, ‘What is sustainable energy and why do I need it?’. Keep reading to find out more about renewable energy sources and sustainable energy.

What Is Renewable Energy?

We use the terms ‘renewable’ and ‘sustainable’ in the same context because there are many similarities between the two. Yet they’re not quite the same thing.

Renewable energy comes from resources that can regenerate fast enough to meet our current energy needs.

Sustainable energy systems can meet our needs without compromising future generations.

The main types of renewable and sustainable energy are geothermal, wind, hydro, and solar resources. So, it’s easy to see why we use the terms interchangeably.

Energy from biomass sources is renewable, but it has a high carbon footprint, so it’s not sustainable.

What Is Sustainable Energy Used For?

Wind and solar farms generate electricity much as regular power plants do. When you flip the switch in your home, you won’t know the difference between this type of energy and the fossil-fuel-derived kind.

You can also install solar panels and wind turbines in a residential setting to generate electricity. This can eliminate or reduce your electricity bill.

While these measures involve a high upfront cost, they typically pay for themselves within 20 years.

You can also combine these initiatives with geothermal and biomass systems for heating and cooling. Together, these sustainable sources of energy can cut down your home’s carbon emissions to almost nothing.

Why Is Sustainable Energy Important?

The Earth’s reserves of coal and oil won’t last forever, and it takes millions of years for these fossil fuels to regenerate. Burning these resources to generate electricity also pumps high volumes of carbon into the Earth’s atmosphere.

This excessive carbon is the reason for the global warming that’s disrupting the weather lately. Global warming disturbs seasonal climate patterns and causes extreme weather events across the globe.

If we don’t cut down on the carbon we’re emitting into the atmosphere soon, these events will become the norm. That means certain starvation for mankind as our crops start to fail, year after year.

Apart from implementing alternative power sources, it’s also vital to cut down our electricity consumption as much as we can.

We can achieve this with effective insulation, decreasing usage, and installing power-saving appliances. View this post for some more ideas.

Getting on Board With Sustainable Energy

Are you ready to stop asking, ‘what is sustainable energy?’ and get on board with these environmental measures. There are plenty of federal, state, and local initiatives to help you save money in the process.

Do a little research about the savings available in your area, and it might surprise you how affordable it is to harness the power of green energy.

You can also browse our blog for more ideas on how to save energy and money while you go about your daily routine.