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Green energy is chosen by countries, cities, companies and citizens. We tell how renewable sources are moving from the category of alternative to the main ones, how they are developing in Russia and the world, and what future awaits them

What are alternative energy sources
Alternative energy sources are renewable energy resources that are obtained through the use of hydropower, wind power, solar power, geothermal power, biomass and tidal energy. Unlike fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, coal and uranium ore, these energy sources do not deplete, which is why they are called renewable. In 2019 alone, renewable energy sources (RES) facilities with a total capacity of 200 GW were installed around the world.

1. Solar energy
The sun is the main source of energy on Earth, because about 173 PW (or 173 million GW) of solar energy hits our planet every year, which is more than 10 thousand times higher than the global energy needs. Photovoltaic modules on the roof or in open areas convert sunlight into electrical energy using semiconductors – mainly silicon. Solar collectors generate heat for heating and hot water production, as well as for air conditioning.

Solar panels can generate energy in cloudy weather, and even in snowfall. For the greatest efficiency, they should be installed at a certain angle – the farther from the equator, the greater the angle of installation of the panels.

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2. Wind power
Using the wind as a driving force is a long tradition. Windmills were used for grinding flour, sawmilling) and as a pumping or water-lifting station. Modern wind turbines generate electricity from wind energy. First, they convert the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy of the rotor, and then into electrical energy.

Wind power is one of the fastest growing renewable energy technologies. According to the latest data from IRENA, over the past two decades, global onshore and offshore wind power generation capacity has increased almost 75 times, from 7.5 GW in 1997 to about 564 GW by 2018.

3. Water energy
Even in ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire, water energy was used to drive working machines, including mills. In the Middle Ages, water mills were used in Europe at sawmills and pulp and paper mills. Since the end of the 19th century, water energy has been actively used to generate electricity.

4. Geothermal energy
Geothermal energy uses the earth’s heat to produce electricity. The temperature of the subsoil allows heating the upper layers of the Earth and underground reservoirs. They extract the geothermal energy of the soil with the help of small wells – this does not require large investments. It is especially effective in regions where hot springs are located close to the surface of the earth’s crust.

5. Bioenergy
Bioenergy is universal. Heat, electricity and fuel can be produced from solid, liquid and gaseous biomass. At the same time, plant and animal wastes are used as renewable raw materials.

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6. Ebb and flow energy
Tides and waves are another way to get energy. They make the generator rotate, which is responsible for generating electricity. Thus, to generate electricity, wave power plants use hydrodynamic energy, that is, energy, pressure drop and temperature difference between sea waves. Research in this area is still underway, but experts have already calculated that only the coast of Europe can annually generate energy in the amount of more than 280 TWh, which is half of Germany’s energy consumption.

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