Green energy options are limited for the individual householder, due to both the lack of suitable products and the regulatory framework which governs their use. The options for communities and metropolitan areas are a lot greater, depending on the will of the government which has responsibility for the area and on the financial implications of employing each specific type of technology. The two most common choices, wind and solar power, are each capable of energizing entire nations, but they will work best within an integrated system which considers the local environment.
Solar power has the greatest potential of all green energy techniques, and it can be effective at all levels. There are solar panels which work effectively on private houses, and solar panels which can be used to form giant installations to power major cities. For any city which is next to a hot desert area, such as Phoenix, Arizona or many cities in northern Africa, the possibility exists to erect a network of solar panels which could theoretically power the entire city. In practice, this type of installation should be used in conjunction with individual housing installations, and also still with the grid connection to provide the necessary degree of safety.
The option to base a country’s energy system on solar power is not such an obvious choice in the northern climates. Solar technology will still work, but it will obviously not produce electricity in the same quantity. Most countries in northern Europe have an extensive coastline, and there are strong winds for most of the year. This makes the terrain ideal for offshore wind turbines, which can be erected in extensive farms covering large areas of space. Offshore wind has a far greater potential than onshore wind, and is also less unsightly. Onshore wind is needed, though, as a temporary measure to develop the technology.
There are other green energy options which can be used in certain circumstances, but they are more suited to local power generation than to any large scale operation. Water power can be generated from turbines located in rivers which have a strong current, and this can be used to provide power to a nearby village or to a manufacturing plant in the vicinity. Geothermal power is another option, but it will also depend entirely on the terrain in the surrounding territory. These minor options are good for saving money in the long term.
All renewable energy sources have one major fault, and that is they can only generate electricity intermittently. Solar power will not be generated at night, and wind power will not function on a perfectly still day. To get around this problem, it is best to have more than one source of supply. It is also necessary to be able to store electricity so that it can be used whenever it is needed. The best system for doing this is hydrogen, and this in itself is an option for powering vehicles. There are already hydrogen powered buses and trucks on the market, even if they are not yet priced competitively.
Taking all of the green energy options into account, it online study obvious that the best system is a combination of wind and solar power, with solar also being used on individual buildings to generate power locally, plus an other system which is rendered effective by the local terrain. Hydrogen technology needs to be developed as the system of storage for electricity. If these measures are put into place, there will be a move towards sustainable power which will always be available in the future. They represent the most effective green energy options.