What ARE green Energy sources?
Green energy sources are natural resources eg.:
- Nuclear fission
- Wind
- Water
- Sunlight
- Biofuels
- Geotherms
Why should we use green energy?
Our planet’s climate has been sent into a downward spiral due to humanity realising more and more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. Undoubtedly if this trend continues the climate crisis that we are facing right now, will destroy our planet.
Power production releases 210 grams/kWh in Greece and 758 grams/kWh in Poland (of CO2). Changing our infrastructure to accommodate the sustainable energy production is arguably one of the easiest ways to drastically decrease our carbon footprint.
Pros & Cons of different green power plants
Solar Farms
Pros
- Unlimited power from the nuclear fusion of hydrogen
- No pollution
Cons
- Does not generate power at night
- Takes up relatively a lot of space per kWh production
Water Turbines
Pros
- No pollution
- Does not require a lot of maintenance
- Are relatively expensive
Cons
- Depends on environmental conditions
- Is a noise pollutant
- Can endanger the lives of wildlife?
- Takes up a lot of space
Atomic fission reactors
Pros:
- Does not require a huge amount of area
- Are electrically efficient
- Reliable; are not dependant on environmental factors
- Depending on the material used, are less prone to malfunctions
Cons:
- They produce nuclear waste
- Thorium and Uranium are technically non-renewable
Biomass powerplants
Pros:
- Produces a lot less pollutants in comparison with fossil fuels
- Can be used without consideration of environmental factors
Cons:
- Pollutes the air
- Uses up a lot of energy when producing energy
- Can be dependant on the season
Energetic Situation in Greece
In Greece
wind power is one of the most attractive forms of producing energy in Europe. In
huge part of the country the average wind speed is 8 m/s throughout the vast
amount of the year. Solar energy is used substantially, due to Greece’s daily
exposure to the sun. photovoltaic panels are put on roofs of single family
houses and are used for the needs of the tenants
Energetic situation in Poland
Currently in Poland the use of alternative energy sources is steadily increasing. Albeit at a rate two times slower than the European average, but we have to remember that the polish economy? Was founded on coal and its not that easy to change the usage? of this fuel.
In Poland the fastest growing type of green energy are wind turbines, with the most of them being in Pomorze voivodship, due to its flat terrain and close proximity to the Baltic Sea. Solar energy in Poland is used in trace amounts, mostly due to the geographical location of Poland. A similar situation is with hydroelectric turbines where building them is hard because Poland lacks high mountains with big rivers.
As of writing this article, in Poland there are no atomic powerplants, although there are plans of building one in the 2020-2030 years.
