Why is renewable energy so important and what is renewable energy?
The benefits of Renewable energy and its positive impact on the environment are hot topics. Not only because it is at the forefront of many political and social conversations worldwide, but it is also a topic so many people feel passionate about.
What is renewable energy anyway? Renewable energy is energy that is collected from natural sources that cannot be depleted such as sunlight, wind, and hydropower. Since these natural sources are not going anywhere anytime soon, using them to generate power is not only reliable but it is also eco-friendly. Plus, alternative energy sources do not typically produce any negative byproducts like those produced when burning fossil fuels to produce electricity, which causes serious harm to our environment.
Of course, we’ve all heard that renewable energy is important and that we should be using it instead of fossil fuels, but why?
Why is renewable energy important for our future?
The answer is as simple as it is complex: It is important because, without it, we will run out of ways to power our world.
While this may sound a bit dramatic, it is quite true. If we do not start to replace the unsustainable methods, we currently use to generate electricity with more sustainable ones, we will run out. Many experts estimate that we could run out of fossil fuels within the next 100 years, and burning other materials for energy, such as our own trash and trees, will only be able to take us so far.
Another reason using renewable energy sources is so important is that all nonrenewable sources harm the planet when they are converted into energy, polluting the air, and making the world a more difficult place to live for plants, animals, and humans alike. Air pollutants and smog hanging over our cities cause allergies, symptoms of asthma, and even lung disease. Climate change, acid rain, and physical damage to the environment are also major negative impacts caused by our continued reliance on fossil fuels.
Why is the development of renewable energy sources so important?
According to experts, we may only have until 2040 to reverse the effects of climate change before irreparable damage is done. Here is why:
Fossil fuels will run out – experts believe we have between 53 and 110 years before nonrenewable sources will be scarce and therefore unable to power our world.
Sustainable energy sources are much more affordable – they pay for themselves over time (both financially and environmentally!), and that means cheaper electricity for the consumer.
Renewable energy infrastructure creates jobs – in 2019 alone, 12,000 new jobs were created across all 50 US states thanks to wind energy.
Plus, clean energy reduces the risk of respiratory health problems. According to the World Health Organization, household and ambient air pollution caused 7 million deaths globally in 2016. About 94% of these deaths occurred in low- and middle‐income countries, with Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific regions bearing most of that burden. These and other health issues could be drastically reduced if we were more reliant on energy sources that did not involve the burning of fossil fuels.
Our goal at ABEST is to serve New York residents with renewable electricity to help reduce their carbon footprint. Our focus has been to educate and help individuals do their part too and help fight against climate change by offering eco-friendly products and services. Renewable energy helps to reduce emissions by creating a way to move away from fossil fuels, which contributes to greenhouse gases.