Renewable energy is the first step towards a future of clean energy, allowing us to minimise our impact on the environment and keep costs down without compromising on quality. Depending on your property specifications, requirements, budget and location, there are many different renewable energy generators that you can choose from. All of these allow you to lower carbon emissions and other gases that are polluting the planet. So if you are considering making the switch to a more environmentally friendly way to power your property, we have come up with a guide to the different sources, along with the advantages of renewable energy.
A Guide To The Different Sources & Advantages Of Renewable Energy
The first step to understanding how renewable energy can benefit you is to know what renewable energy actually is. Renewable energy is often referred to as ‘clean energy’ due to the fact that it comes from natural sources or processes that are continuously being replenished. Some examples of these sources include sunlight and wind, which utilise solar panels and wind turbines to convert into energy. The energy created through these natural resources can be used to power any electrical installation or appliance, such as your heating, lighting and even hot water supply.
While the cost of electricity has gone up, using renewable sources to produce your energy can save you a considerable amount of money. Not only does it benefit your home, but it also helps to keep the planet clean and lowers pollution. There are a number of ways that renewable energy can benefit both your everyday life and the world around you. To help you begin your journey to a renewable future, let’s take a closer look at the following:
Types Of Renewable Energy
With many different renewable energy sources to choose from, you most definitely won’t be short for ways to power your home. With technological advancements continually advancing, we are now able to collect energy from a variety of different resources that come naturally to us. From solar energy to hydroelectric power, it is guaranteed that you will find a form of renewable fuel that works perfectly for your home or business energy.
Solar Energy
Solar energy refers to the power generated by capturing sunlight on solar panels, which are usually installed on the roof of your property to allow you to make the most out of daylight. This energy can then be used to generate electricity, hot water and solar cooling. Solar panels are by far the most popular choice for those hoping to take advantage of renewable energy.
A common myth regarding solar panels is that your solar-generated energy is only accessible throughout the day when the light is beaming onto the panels; however, this most definitely isn’t the case. Your panels will capture and generate as much energy as possible then store any excess power for the evening using a smart battery. As official partners of Moixa, Ampower can not only arrange solar panel installation but also supply a smart battery, allowing you to maximise your renewable energy usage.
Although installing solar panels may be a slightly more expensive investment at first, there are now government incentives which will allow you to save money. In July 2020, the government introduced the new Green Homes Grant, which offers £5,000 to £10,000 worth of vouchers to put towards energy-saving renovations. You can find more information regarding solar panel funding options on Green Match.
Wind Energy
Wind energy has, in fact, been used throughout history through the use of windmills, which were used across the nation for various agricultural needs. Today, a newer take in windmills has been introduced, otherwise known as wind turbines. Modern wind turbines can be as tall as a skyscraper and produce a vast amount of energy, which can then be used for your electrical and heating needs. The process of generating energy through the wind is fairly self-explanatory - the wind turns the turbine and electrically charges a generator within the turbine, which then distributes energy. Much like solar panels, this energy is stored then supplied to your home or business, regardless of how heavy the winds may be.
Being one of the cheapest ways to produce energy, the wind has become an increasingly popular method of generating power through natural means. It is also an unlimited source which means that it is unlikely that you will ever have to worry about prices going up due to lack of supply, making it a fantastic way to produce electricity and heat for your home. For a full guide to wind power generation in the UK, take a look at The Switch.
Hydroelectric Power
One of the largest renewable energy sources comes from hydropower, also known as hydroelectric power, which is used worldwide to produce power for both homes and businesses. Much like the way that wind turbines use the wind to generate energy through the movement of the blades, hydropower uses water to achieve the same effect. Hydropower operates by using fast-moving water, such as rivers, and converts this into electricity through spinning a generator’s turbines. Although this is the most used form of renewable energy, it can be slightly more costly than wind turbines as it can often require maintenance to comply with health and safety regulations.
The advantage of using hydropower to generate electricity is that your energy source will not run out, and it uses the naturally formed flow of water to produce your energy. This form of renewable energy can be used worldwide as there will always be some form of a dam or river to implement hydropower.
Advantages Of Renewable Energy
Making the switch to renewable energy comes alongside a wealth of benefits for both your home and business. And even better, it couldn’t be easier to make the transition. Here at Ampower, we have put in place a process that makes switching to renewable energy as straightforward as possible, allowing new customers to get a quote in as little as 60 seconds. This is not only available for home energy but also business gas and electricity, helping the nation to take the first steps to lower their carbon footprint. To begin your journey to making greener lifestyle choices, let’s take a closer look at the advantages of renewable energy and then get in touch with Ampower!
Low Environmental Impact
As renewable energy uses only natural sources, it has a low impact on the environment; therefore, leading the way to a more sustainable future. Fossil fuels, the conventional source of power (coal, oil shales, petroleum, etc.), emit harmful gases into the atmosphere, polluting the air and making them the leading contributor to global warming. Renewable energy, on the other hand, uses the natural flow of organic, clean sources to produce power. All of these natural generators of energy make a positive impact on the environment, helping us to save the planet.
Switching to renewable energy is vitally important, now more than ever when global warming is a concern that requires immediate action to rectify. Traditional forms of generating energy produce excess carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions that trap heat, not only negatively impacting our environment but also our health. The extreme heat contributes directly to cardiovascular and respiratory disease, the likelihood of natural disasters is heightened and much more. For more information on how climate change affects health, take a look at the World Health Organization website.
Saves Time & Money
When you have solar panels installed on your home or any other natural energy source, there is little to no maintenance required. In return, you will save a considerable amount of time. Not only will you no longer have to worry about maintaining your electricity, but you won’t have to liaise with suppliers. Eventually, you should get to a stage where you will not need to rely on the grid, making you completely energy independent, generating your own power and then storing it for when it is next required.
Besides saving time, opting for renewable energy will also save you a considerable amount of money in the long run. While solar panels, for example, may seem like an expensive investment in the short term, in 9 to 10 years, you would have recuperated the money and can begin making dramatic savings.
Never A Shortage Of Sources
We are all more than aware that fossil fuels are running out; in fact, it is estimated that by 2060, our supply would have been depleted. This means that there will come a time where we will have no choice but to switch to renewable power sources. Why? Because renewable energy uses only natural sources which are continuously being replenished, meaning that it is impossible for them to run out. The sun will still continue to shine, the wind will be blowing, and oceans will flow, regardless of what we do as humans, allowing us to future proof our power supply for generations to come.
The beauty of using naturally occurring power generators is that, as the demand will never fluctuate, your bills will remain almost the same. You may have found that over the past ten years your energy bills have skyrocketed year on year, and the main reason for this is because the fewer fossil fuels we have, the pricier it will become for suppliers to get hold of their share. They will increase your tariff ever so slightly each year to meet demand, meaning that by making the switch, you can be guaranteed to enjoy saving money. In fact, by switching to Ampower and taking advantage of our renewable energy plans, you could save yourself up to £250 on your energy bills!
Works Alongside Other Eco-Friendly Improvements
Once you have made the first step towards lowering your carbon footprint, you most definitely won’t be short for more ways to make your home or business more environmentally friendly. Your energy supply is the foundation of your property, which can then be used alongside other lifestyle improvements.
By far, one of the most popular transitions that our clients make after switching to renewable energy is investing in an electric vehicle. Unlike traditional cars, EV’s are powered by a battery pack, fuelled through electricity. They do not use petrol or diesel, meaning that you will not be emitting any harmful gases into the atmosphere, again, helping to protect the planet. If you already rely solely on renewable energy at your home or workplace, then this supply can be connected to your EV charging unit, helping you to lower your carbon footprint dramatically. Much like installing solar panels, you can also take advantage of a government grant to help to fund your charging point installation. For more information on electric vehicles, take a look at our previous article.
Alternatively, if you are looking for more ways to save energy, we have put together a guide to the best energy saving technology.
Switch To Renewable Energy & Begin Saving The Planet
We are not unfamiliar with the news that climate change is having an immense impact on the planet, and in less than 100 years, we will no longer have non-renewable energy to rely on. This means that if you haven’t already, it is time to switch to natural energy sources. With the abundance of benefits that come alongside renewable energy, there is no doubt that is it the best solution to resolve our problems with fossil fuel-related pollution. If you have any further questions regarding switching to renewable energy or would like a quote, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Ampower.
