The Best Environments to Harvest Green Energy

Green Energy comes from Many Different Places

Some places are better for harvesting green energy than others. While it is true that you can generate your own electricity by pedaling a connected bicycle, you will run out of energy long before you are able to produce enough to keep the lights on in your apartment. Fortunately, energy companies are able to go through third-party providers of green energy, who then turn to producers of clean, renewable energy. Providers are go-betweens for energy companies and energy farms, making deals to purchase the power and services of the energy famers. Farmers, though, find that some areas are better than others to start and maintain their energy farms.

Windy Areas for Wind Turbines

Chicago, The Windy City, is relatively flat, and at a low elevation. The city could potentially be a great place to harvest wind energy, considering the high-speed winds, but the idea has not yet caught on. Other cities, though, have found a way to utilize their wind power possibilities. The largest wind farm in the United States is  in Kern County, a county in Central California. Turbines are situated along flat land, and on hills. Another impressive wind farm is in Northern California, near a city called Livermore. The wind farm in Livermore produces around 1 terawatt of power per year, enough to power several hundred million homes.

Flat, South-Sloping for Solar Panels

In order to capture as much sunlight as possible, solar panels are light-absorbing black, and placed on roofs and in fields. Solar farms, likewise are usually large expanses of flat land with little to no water. Once in place, approximately three acres of solar panels can provide enough energy for ten to fifteen homes, depending upon each home’s energy consumption habits. The two largest solar power plants are located in Southern California, and together produce approximately 1100 megawatts of power each year, or enough to power for several hundred homes.

Quickly Flowing Water for Hydroelectric Dams

Hoover Dam is a national landmark in the United States, and a source of renewable energy. The Hoover Dam once produced enough power for over 500,000 homes, but with changing times and a sky-rocketed demand for more and more energy, that number has fallen to roughly 350,000. Today, the largest producer of hydroelectric power is the Grand Coulee Dam, which produces enough power for 2.1 billion people, assuming that everyone uses energy at the rate of the average American in 2008, an amount of energy that has risen since then.

Outside of Populated Areas for Geothermal Energy

There are few strategic locations for geothermal energy plants. Geothermal energy is produced by the heat naturally manufactured by the earth. Like wind and hydroelectric, a generator is powered by the rotation of a metal piece that produces power. Clean and renewable though it is, geothermal energy also relies on the presence of water because steam is what powers the generator. Unfortunately, some geothermal plants must have water brought in to be fed close enough to the magma underneath the surface of the earth to produce the necessary steam. This can be a challenge, but more research will find better ways to make this source more viable for widespread use.

Green Energy is a Fascinating Way to Save Money

With the power of wind, water, the sun, and the earth, it is possible for you to lower your bills, and to be kinder to the environment.