green energy conversion essay

Search the United Nations

• What Is Climate Change
• Myth Busters
• Renewable Energy
• Finance & Justice
• Initiatives
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Paris Agreement
• Climate Ambition Summit 2023
• Climate Conferences
• Press Material
• Communications Tips

Renewable energy – powering a safer future

Energy is at the heart of the climate challenge – and key to the solution.

A large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat.

Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are by far the largest contributor to global climate change , accounting for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.

The science is clear: to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050.

To achieve this, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable.

Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.

Fossil fuels still account for more than 80 percent of global energy production , but cleaner sources of energy are gaining ground. About 29 percent of electricity currently comes from renewable sources.

Here are five reasons why accelerating the transition to clean energy is the pathway to a healthy, livable planet today and for generations to come.

1. Renewable energy sources are all around us

About 80 percent of the global population lives in countries that are net-importers of fossil fuels -- that’s about 6 billion people who are dependent on fossil fuels from other countries, which makes them vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and crises.

In contrast, renewable energy sources are available in all countries, and their potential is yet to be fully harnessed. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90 percent of the world’s electricity can and should come from renewable energy by 2050.

Renewables offer a way out of import dependency, allowing countries to diversify their economies and protect them from the unpredictable price swings of fossil fuels, while driving inclusive economic growth, new jobs, and poverty alleviation.

2. Renewable energy is cheaper

Renewable energy actually is the cheapest power option in most parts of the world today. Prices for renewable energy technologies are dropping rapidly. The cost of electricity from solar power fell by 85 percent between 2010 and 2020. Costs of onshore and offshore wind energy fell by 56 percent and 48 percent respectively.

Falling prices make renewable energy more attractive all around – including to low- and middle-income countries, where most of the additional demand for new electricity will come from. With falling costs, there is a real opportunity for much of the new power supply over the coming years to be provided by low-carbon sources.

Cheap electricity from renewable sources could provide 65 percent of the world’s total electricity supply by 2030. It could decarbonize 90 percent of the power sector by 2050, massively cutting carbon emissions and helping to mitigate climate change.

Although solar and wind power costs are expected to remain higher in 2022 and 2023 then pre-pandemic levels due to general elevated commodity and freight prices, their competitiveness actually improves due to much sharper increases in gas and coal prices, says the International Energy Agency (IEA).

3. Renewable energy is healthier

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 99 percent of people in the world breathe air that exceeds air quality limits and threatens their health, and more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, including air pollution.

The unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide originate mainly from the burning of fossil fuels. In 2018, air pollution from fossil fuels caused $2.9 trillion in health and economic costs , about $8 billion a day.

Switching to clean sources of energy, such as wind and solar, thus helps address not only climate change but also air pollution and health.

4. Renewable energy creates jobs

Every dollar of investment in renewables creates three times more jobs than in the fossil fuel industry. The IEA estimates that the transition towards net-zero emissions will lead to an overall increase in energy sector jobs : while about 5 million jobs in fossil fuel production could be lost by 2030, an estimated 14 million new jobs would be created in clean energy, resulting in a net gain of 9 million jobs.

In addition, energy-related industries would require a further 16 million workers, for instance to take on new roles in manufacturing of electric vehicles and hyper-efficient appliances or in innovative technologies such as hydrogen. This means that a total of more than 30 million jobs could be created in clean energy, efficiency, and low-emissions technologies by 2030.

Ensuring a just transition , placing the needs and rights of people at the heart of the energy transition, will be paramount to make sure no one is left behind.

5. Renewable energy makes economic sense

About $7 trillion was spent on subsidizing the fossil fuel industry in 2022, including through explicit subsidies, tax breaks, and health and environmental damages that were not priced into the cost of fossil fuels.

In comparison, about $4.5 trillion a year needs to be invested in renewable energy until 2030 – including investments in technology and infrastructure – to allow us to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The upfront cost can be daunting for many countries with limited resources, and many will need financial and technical support to make the transition. But investments in renewable energy will pay off. The reduction of pollution and climate impacts alone could save the world up to $4.2 trillion per year by 2030.

Moreover, efficient, reliable renewable technologies can create a system less prone to market shocks and improve resilience and energy security by diversifying power supply options.

Learn more about how many communities and countries are realizing the economic, societal, and environmental benefits of renewable energy.

Will developing countries benefit from the renewables boom? Learn more here .

What is renewable energy?

Derived from natural resources that are abundant and continuously replenished, renewable energy is key to a safer, cleaner, and sustainable world. Explore common sources of renewable energy here.

Why invest in renewable energy?

Learn more about the differences between fossil fuels and renewables, the benefits of renewable energy, and how we can act now.

Five ways to jump-start the renewable energy transition now

UN Secretary-General outlines five critical actions the world needs to prioritize now to speed up the global shift to renewable energy.

What is net zero? Why is it important? Our net-zero page explains why we need steep emissions cuts now and what efforts are underway.

• What is climate change?

Our climate 101 offers a quick take on the how and why of climate change. Read more.

How will the world foot the bill? We explain the issues and the value of financing climate action.

Climate issues

Learn more about how climate change impacts are felt across different sectors and ecosystems.

It’s time to stop burning our planet, and start investing in the abundant renewable energy all around us." ANTÓNIO GUTERRES , United Nations Secretary-General

Facts and figures

• Causes and effects
• Myth busters

Cutting emissions

• Explaining net zero
• High-level expert group on net zero
• Checklists for credibility of net-zero pledges
• Greenwashing
• What you can do

Clean energy

• Renewable energy – key to a safer future
• What is renewable energy
• Five ways to speed up the energy transition
• Why invest in renewable energy
• Clean energy stories
• A just transition

Adapting to climate change

• Climate adaptation
• Early warnings for all
• Youth voices

Financing climate action

• Finance and justice
• Loss and damage
• $100 billion commitment
• Why finance climate action
• Biodiversity
• Human Security

International cooperation

• What are Nationally Determined Contributions
• Acceleration Agenda
• Climate Ambition Summit
• Climate conferences (COPs)
• Youth Advisory Group
• Action initiatives
• Secretary-General’s speeches
• Press material
• Fact sheets
• Communications tips

• school Campus Bookshelves
• menu_book Bookshelves
• perm_media Learning Objects
• login Login
• how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
• hub Instructor Commons

Margin Size

• Download Page (PDF)
• Download Full Book (PDF)
• Periodic Table
• Physics Constants
• Scientific Calculator
• Reference & Cite
• Tools expand_more
• Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

15.6: Green Technology for Energy Conversion

• Last updated
• Save as PDF
• Page ID 285394

• Stanley E. Manahan
• University of Missouri

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

Green technologies have much to do with the important processes by which energy is converted between various forms. Some of the more important aspects of such conversions are discussed here.

Energy Conversion Efficiency

Energy is best conserved by efficient energy conversion. Vastly improved energy conversion efficiencies have been achieved in heat engines such as automobile engines and gas turbines by higher combustion temperatures made possible by improved materials and heat-resistant lubricating oils. Computerized design and operation of engines enabling optimum ignition timing, valve timing, and fuel injection have made possible extremely efficient engines.

As noted in the discussion of the Carnot equation above, heat engines typically dissipate more than half of the energy in fuel as heat. A small fraction of this heat is used by heaters in automobiles. In stationary power plants much of this energy can be reclaimed for heating buildings or chemical processes with combined power cycles . as illustrated in Figure 15.7. Typically, in combined power cycle installations gas or fuel oil is burned in a turbine engine that is much like the engine of a turboprop airplane, and the rotating shaft of this engine is coupled to a generator to produce electricity. The hot exhaust gases from the combustion turbine can be injected into a boiler where their heat turns liquid water to steam. This steam can be run through a steam turbine coupled to a generator to produce more electricity. Steam leaving the steam turbine still contains a lot of heat, and can be conveyed to homes and other structures for heating. The water condensed from this steam is pure and is recycled to the boiler, thus minimizing the amount of makeup boiler feedwater, which requires expensive treatment to make it suitable for use in boilers. Such a system as the one described is in keeping with the best practice of industrial ecology. Heating with steam that has been through a steam turbine, a concept known as district heating , is commonly practiced in Europe (and many university campuses in the U.S.) and can save large amounts of fuel otherwise required for heating.

Conversion Efficiency of Chemical Energy

In some cases a need exists to convert chemical energy from one form to another so that it can be used in a desired fashion. The generation of hydrogen gas from fossil fuels is an important chemical energy conversion process that may become much more widely practiced as fuel cells, which use elemental hydrogen as a fuel, come into more common use. Hydrogen can be obtained from a number of sources. The cheapest and most abundant raw material for hydrogen generation is coal and the same general processes can be applied to other carbon-containing materials, especially renewable biomass. When carbon-based materials are used to generate hydrogen, the hydrogen actually comes from steam. In this process, known as coal gasification part of the coal is burned in an oxygen stream,

\[\ce{C(coal) + O2 \rightarrow CO2 + heat}\]

leaving a solid residue of very hot carbon from the unburned coal. This material reacts with water in steam,

\[\ce{C(hot) + H2O \rightarrow H2 + CO}\]

to generate elemental H 2 and CO in a reaction that absorbs heat. The CO can be reacted with more steam over an appropriate catalyst,

\[\ce{CO + H2O \rightarrow H2 + CO2}\]

to increase the ratio of H 2 to CO.

The reactions shown above for the generation of elemental hydrogen from coal and water have been used for well more than a century in the coal gasification industry. Before natural gas came into common use, steam blown over heated carbon was used to generate a synthesis gas mixture of H 2 and CO that was piped into homes and burned for lighting and cooking. The mixture burned well, but, in addition to forming treacherous explosive mixtures with air, it was lethal to inhale because of the toxic carbon monoxide. But the process may have a future for the generation of elemental hydrogen for use in fuel cells. By using pure oxygen as an oxidant, it raises the possibility of producing greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in a concentrated form that can be pumped underground or otherwise prevented from getting into the atmosphere. Retention of carbon dioxide in this manner is called carbon sequestration and is the subject of some intense research.

The synthesis gas mixture of H 2 and CO 2 is a good raw material for making other chemicals, including hydrocarbons that can be used as gasoline or diesel fuel. Combined in the correct ratios over a suitable catalyst, these two gases can be used to make methane, the main constituent of natural gas:

\[\ce{CO + 3H2 \rightarrow CH4 + H2O}\]

Transitioning to green energy is key to both tackling climate change and creating sustainable economies. Here's why

Collective action on green energy transition is good for protecting democracy. Image:  Unsplash/Noah Buscher

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Edward B Barbier

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Climate Crisis is affecting economies, industries and global issues

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, climate crisis.

Listen to the article

• Climate change and the decline of democracy are two global crises that have come to a head in recent years.
• Transitioning to green energy is key to both tackling climate change and creating sustainable economies.
• Collective action on a green energy transition is thereby not only good for the climate but also vital for protecting democracy.

Two global crises have come to a head – climate change and the decline of democracy.

If global warming is to be kept below 1.5 o C, the world must act now to reduce carbon emissions. Achieving this objective requires substantially lowering fossil fuel use through a clean energy transition.

Have you read?

Preparing the world for a sustainable energy transition, why the global energy transition must be just and equitable, these are the countries best prepared for the global energy transition.

For the past 15 years, democracy has been in decline worldwide . To protect and promote freedom, leading democracies must strengthen their economies and safeguard liberty.

These two aims are not mutually exclusive but complementary. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to low-carbon alternatives also make democratic economies more sustainable. Major democracies should work together to achieve these two goals.

Democracy and green energy transition are linked

Evidence for 83 advanced, emerging market and developing countries indicates that in recent years democracies have been more willing to adopt green recovery policies, lessen fossil fuel dependency and reduce the underpricing of these fuels (see table).

Those countries that have made steps to green their economies in recent years are largely free and democratic, whereas those who have not are typically less free and more autocratic.

But it is among the world’s richest and largest economies – the Group of 20 (G20) – where the association between freedom and greenness is most striking (see figure). G20 countries with greater political rights and civil liberties tend also to have greener policies and economies. In comparison, countries that are less free are “browner”.

This relationship between democracy and greenness matters, as what happens in G20 economies has important implications for the future of the world economy, including curtailing climate change and other global environmental risks .

A clean energy transition led by major economies is essential for attaining net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 , and any delay in progress over the coming years could make this target unattainable.

In addition, sacrificing further progress toward a low-carbon economy could put democracies in greater economic peril, not less. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought renewed focus on this economic weakness.

A collective strategy for democracies for a green energy transition

For the US, the EU and other major democracies to reduce their economic vulnerability, they must act collectively to foster a green transition. Such a strategy should have three key elements.

First, leading democracies should agree to end the underpricing of fossil fuels, which is the principal factor preventing a clean energy transition . The underpricing associated with producing and burning coal, oil and gas amounted to $5.9 trillion in economic costs in 2020 . Nearly a quarter of these losses – $1.45 trillion – occurred in 48 major and smaller democracies.

The leading democracies of the G20 should collectively commit to phasing out cost and tax breaks for the production and consumption of fossil fuels. They should also phase in more efficient pricing of fossil fuels through taxes or tradable permits to cover the costs of local air pollution, global warming, and other economic damages.

The G20 democracies should invite other major and smaller democracies to follow suit, with the aim of eventually encouraging all countries to adopt similar policies.

Second, to encourage compliance by other countries, G20 democracies should join the EU in adopting a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). A CBAM imposes a tax on carbon-intensive imports to reduce the risk of unfair competition for their domestic industries and to deter companies from relocating overseas to avoid compliance at home. It should also induce other economies to reform their underpricing of fossil fuels to avoid the penalties imposed by the policy.

Third, major democracies need to recycle the revenues saved or raised through reforming fossil fuel markets to fund additional green innovation, investments and protection. Support for green R&D is urgently needed in major democracies, as their economy-wide green innovation is falling well short of the level necessary to generate a transition from reliance on fossil fuels . Public investments should also target “smart” electrical grid transmission systems, charging station networks, and making cities more sustainable.

Moving to clean energy is key to combating climate change, yet in the past five years, the energy transition has stagnated.

Energy consumption and production contribute to two-thirds of global emissions, and 81% of the global energy system is still based on fossil fuels, the same percentage as 30 years ago. Plus, improvements in the energy intensity of the global economy (the amount of energy used per unit of economic activity) are slowing. In 2018 energy intensity improved by 1.2%, the slowest rate since 2010.

Effective policies, private-sector action and public-private cooperation are needed to create a more inclusive, sustainable, affordable and secure global energy system.

Benchmarking progress is essential to a successful transition. The World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition Index , which ranks 115 economies on how well they balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability, shows that the biggest challenge facing energy transition is the lack of readiness among the world’s largest emitters, including US, China, India and Russia. The 10 countries that score the highest in terms of readiness account for only 2.6% of global annual emissions.

To future-proof the global energy system, the Forum’s Centre for Energy & Materials is working on initiatives including Clean Power and Electrification , Energy and Industry Transition Intelligence, Industrial Ecosystems Transformation , and Transition Enablers to encourage and enable innovative energy investments, technologies and solutions.

Additionally, the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP) is working to assemble public and private partners to further the industry transition to set heavy industry and mobility sectors on the pathway towards net-zero emissions. MPP is an initiative created by the World Economic Forum and the Energy Transitions Commission.

Is your organisation interested in working with the World Economic Forum? Find out more here .

Finally, additional measures may be necessary to offset any adverse income or employment effects of a clean energy transition. This could include reducing payroll taxes, paying annual dividends, raising the minimum wage, compensating or retraining displaced workers, and allocating child tax credits to vulnerable households.

By delaying a clean energy transition, leading democracies are making their economies more vulnerable through continued reliance on fossil fuels. Collectively acting to foster a green transition is not only good for the climate but also critical for protecting democracy.

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Related topics:

The agenda .chakra .wef-n7bacu{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-weight:400;} weekly.

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

.chakra .wef-1dtnjt5{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;} More on Climate Action .chakra .wef-nr1rr4{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;white-space:normal;vertical-align:middle;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:0.75rem;border-radius:0.25rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;line-height:1.2;-webkit-letter-spacing:1.25px;-moz-letter-spacing:1.25px;-ms-letter-spacing:1.25px;letter-spacing:1.25px;background:none;padding:0px;color:#B3B3B3;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;}@media screen and (min-width:37.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:0.875rem;}}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:1rem;}} See all

Climate anxiety is on the rise — here's what we do about it

Britt Wray and Kyle McKinley

May 31, 2024

Is public mobility the next public transport revolution?

Lars Christian Grødem-Olsen and Nils Fearnley

May 30, 2024

Frugal innovation: 3 principles to help improve food production

Navi Radjou

May 29, 2024

Post breakthrough: How AI can lift climate research out of the lab and into the real world

Joe Wegener, Mehdi Ghissassi and Hamid Maher

'Every fraction of a degree matters': Why climate action needs a new narrative

May 27, 2024

How MENA’s biggest actors can help the region’s suppliers and SMEs to decarbonize

Akram Alami and Kelsey Goodman

News from the Columbia Climate School

Stop Calling Green Energy ‘Clean’

Cayte Bosler

I wake at a destined deathbed. Unheeded truths hang like a pall in the air.

At first I smile, cradled in a dusty tent, surrounded by the wintering grounds that belong to the many beings of Thacker Pass in Northern Nevada. Meadowlarks perform their morning songs: pure whistles that descend to gurgling warbles. I delight in how they greet the sun that is sending its first showers over the snow-laden Santa Rosa mountains. The century-old sagebrush becomes more upright; their fragrant wands drink in the slanted light. Spiders, who make a living when night pours in, find sleep in the shrubby branches. Pronghorn antelope nurture their yearlings, cloaked in the flowering mountain faces where golden eagles nest into the certainty of stone. This vitality beckons the dawn of day. Each morning is new, fresh, and full of wildlife conspiring to live.

But thoughts of death are never far. The meadowlarks’ songs will be lost to the whir of machines.

Under the steppe is one of the largest known lithium resources in the world, enough to account for an estimated one-fourth of the global demand. The mining company Lithium Americas is permitted by the Bureau of Land Management to extract the material needed to power electric cars . Lithium, referred to as “white gold,” is essential to the fabrication of “green” technologies, and extracting it enacts as much devastation as harvesting fossil fuels . The 18,000 acres of Thacker Pass is considered a sacrifice zone — the beings who depend on it, can no longer.

Look across the sagebrush and you’ll see the first scars of a test pit, no more than a quarter of an acre across, but already in jarring contrast to the sea of green. The disturbance area will cover 5,000 acres. It will include an approximately 2.3-mile-long open-pit mine, up to 400 feet deep, and an on-site sulfuric acid plant.

This area is “the last large sagebrush piece left for animals in Thacker Pass,” Terry Crawforth, former director for the Nevada Wildlife Department, shared with me from his porch. He lives in a nearby ranching community where he says at least one neighbor has already moved rather than face the repercussions of the mine. “They’ll remove it and with it a lot of critters. That’s the last critical winter range.” He looked out across the mountains where previous “sleeper” mines are concealed, abandoned and still toxic — “when ducks fly over and touch down, they’re dead the next morning.” He said he fears more of the same. “The way the mine is designed right now, it will destroy the local culture especially if they suck up all the water and pollute it.”

Opponents fear the cocktail of emissions and hazardous materials that would imbue the air from machinery, engine exhaust and the sulfuric acid plant where the lithium is separated from the ore.

Lithium Americas has stated that “Thacker Pass is designed to meet or exceed all state and federal requirements during construction, operation and reclamation,” including limitations on air and water pollution. But to me and the activists that I met during a recent reporting trip at Thacker Pass, even if the company meets those requirements, it is not good enough. “Sustainable” mining is an oxymoron. There is no way to convert a living land base into products and protect its unique biodiversity and cultural value. There is no clean way to dig into the Earth, “backfill it,” and try to return the ecosystem to its natural state, which took hundreds of years to develop. If we actually want a chance for a livable planet, we must stop the poisoning before it happens, not tolerate the amount corporations are permitted to poison, or sacrifice what remains of the natural world for a “greater good” — a faulty pretense.

This beautiful land was once inhabited by the Paiute, who were massacred by American soldiers in the 1800s. Lithium Americas has announced that it will begin “mechanical trenching” operations at seven undisclosed sites to search for cultural artifacts, but the details of the digging are considered confidential by the Bureau of Land Management. Elders say they fear the bodies of their ancestors who died resisting the military forces could be unceremoniously dug up. Descendants of the Paiute and Shoshone tribes were relocated at Fort McDermitt, a reservation named for an American military commander, whose air and water are now threatened by the mine — yet another assault on a community still recovering from a surge in cancer after the Cordero Mine, a mercury mine, operated above their reservation until 1970.

Environmental activists, acknowledging this plight, camp out on the proposed mining site. Their campaign, gaining national attention, goes by ‘Protect Thacker Pass’ and is led by Will Falk, environmental lawyer and author of How Dams Fall , along with Max Wilbert, organizer and author of Bright Green Lies . “We’ve been here for over 100 days, and we’re not leaving until this project is canceled,” Wilbert tells me. “If need be, this will come down to direct action.”

This is the new frontline in the ongoing energy wars. But now the same old destructive actions of the people leading these corporations are masked in bright green.

Allied with ranchers, the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes, and other opponents, the campaign is designed to educate the public about the dark side of “green energy” extraction. Their outreach includes facts about the devastation to land, water and natural communities caused by the mining processes and the use of sulfuric acid. “Lithium Americas will surely point out that electric cars, and the batteries fueling them, produce less greenhouse gas emissions than vehicles powered by fossil fuels,” wrote Falk in his essay Why I Protect Thacker Pass . “This may or may not be true when you consider the entire production process of new electric cars and the installation of new infrastructure that will be required to power them. That argument, however, assumes that humans need cars and they certainly do not. In other words, it is wrong to destroy the lives and homes of all these creatures for luxuries humans do not, in fact, need.” This conflict lays bare a clash of worldviews and divides the environmental movement.

“Environmentalism is about defending the wild from industrial projects, not sacrificing places like Thacker Pass to make car batteries,” said Wilbert. “The mainstream climate movement has truly lost its way.”

Lithium America’s Alexi Zawadzki wrote a public letter on April 28 called “Lithium Nevada Corp’s CEO explains the benefits of the Thacker Pass Lithium Project.” He claims that lithium mining will “support the U.S. target to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 50 to 52 percent by 2030.” The Center for Interdisciplinary Environmental Justice’s analysis, however, shows that national emissions would reduce only by 6% with the electrification of cars, in part because these vehicles still rely on electricity generation, roughly 60% of which comes from gas, oil, and coal.

Zawadzki ends with, “As President Biden said recently, ‘This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.’ Together, we will help position American workers and industry to do just that.” The mine would directly release the equivalent of 152,713 tons of carbon dioxide each year, equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of a small city, according to the federally issued final environmental impact statement.

The activists camping out at Thacker Pass potentially face state-sanctioned force and legal repercussions now threatening others throughout the United States who protest extractive projects. Bills to increase punishment for impeding the operations of extractive infrastructure are sweeping the country in response to a public surge of resistance and protest, like the opposition to the proposed expansion of the Line 3 pipeline, which marshals oil from Canada’s tar sands to the United States.

To those I speak with at the camp, it’s worth the risk to fight for a place the greater culture has sacrificed. The ecologies and wildlife corridors for rare birds, mountain lions, porcupines and many more remain intact — a rarity, given that we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction driven largely by degraded and ruined habitat. The planet loses an estimated 200 species a day with no signs of this hemorrhaging slowing down.  Extractive industries like mining account for 80% of species loss .

Part of the problem is when harms are concealed in premises about the “greater good.” To be clear, the greater good at Thacker Pass is a big batch of electric cars for the privileged, at the expense of safe drinking water for animals, Indigenous and ranching communities and anyone in proximity. Over its projected 46-year span, the mine is expected to draw billions of gallons of groundwater in an already water-stressed region, potentially contaminating it with metals including antimony and arsenic, according to the final environmental impact statement. The study also shows the mine would likely exceed Nevada state limits for water pollution .

As is standard across energy extraction projects, the harm is rationalized as necessary “costs” for the “greater good.” Unfortunately, well-meaning environmentalists have glommed onto this self-deceptive thinking, too. This is dictated by the framework of environmental economics, which is based on incentivizing environmental care by assigning utilitarian values to “services” from ecosystems — like valuing trees for their “climate regulation” — and then providing a disincentive for destroying these resources by fining such “externalities.” For example, charging a mining company for poisoning a river. If we actually want a chance for a livable planet, we must stop the poisoning before it happens at all, not tolerate the amount corporations are permitted to poison.

When I discuss industry rationales with campaign leader Falk, he retorts, “Dear sage-grouse, everything has its cost. Dear Indigenous folks, everything has its cost. Dear future generations, everything has its cost.” He adds, “We want to protect what’s left of the natural world. So-called environmentalists who support the mine only want to protect the material comforts rich humans have grown to expect.”

Corporations do backflips to cover their tracks by issuing “sustainability reports” and environmental impact statements, which ultimately reminds me of an abuser bringing flowers to his victim. What they leave behind is death and destruction as they generate material wealth to insulate unsustainable levels of consumption elsewhere. Who bears the cost are the people and organisms who do not hold the power to make decisions for their daily well-being. The actions and reasons for destroying natural habitats are shrouded in “utility,” that oft-used term wielded like a hidden dagger that eviscerates life. We must see through false accountability and consider where the responsibility to save nature actually lies.

After investigating the “cost” of clean energy , namely the people and animals sacrificed for products and energy sources, I am worried by how many environmentalists have been hoodwinked. Many have adopted the shadowy rhetoric of “green energy,” granting these processes the color of life when in turn they will vanish the actual living green of old sagebrush and all the creatures who depend on it — all the beings who cannot speak in words to ask why sustainability does not include them. Their silence will speak loudly of our failure. “Languages older than words,” as author Derrick Jensen calls them, will be amongst the terrible debris strewn by our species’ dangerous, unexamined ideas ferried forth by that interminable, fortressed word: progress.

Maybe some people do not care about animals. Maybe many have resigned themselves because there are always “costs” and “tradeoffs” when it comes to sustaining human activities and luxuries. Maybe the majority are content to accept the unexamined premises slid by when corporations name violence as externalities — which we know to be the murder of the natural world and its creatures, the scalping of mountains, the poisoning of air and water, the gaslighting of local communities who will suffer. Maybe you think you’ll never see your own backyard bombed and gutted. Or that the failure of green technology to save the planet won’t settle over us all, leaving us to wish we’d acted when we could have to defend what we loved.

As long as we consider the rights of corporations to destroy natural and land-based communities as valid, no one who cares about living in a world rich in birdsong, rich in healthy connection to the planet and to each other, is safe. Livable futures are being stolen in the name of green energy under the false narrative of sustainability and security. The least those who condone and profit off of this new era of energy extraction can do is have the dignity to call “green energy” what it is: more death and destruction.

Cayte Bosler is a 2021 graduate of Columbia University’s M.S. Sustainability Management program. She researches biodiversity in protected areas across the world. Her journalism exposes links between human development and ecological abuse. She is a fellow of the Explorers Club, where she serves on a committee to support women in science and exploration.

Views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Columbia Climate School, Earth Institute or Columbia University.

Related Posts

From Sustainability Mirage to Sustainability Management

Rivers Exposed by Glacier Retreat Fuel Competition Between Mining Industry and Salmon

From Fission to Fusion: A Sustainability Student’s Quest for a Greener Future

Recent record-breaking heat waves have affected communities across the world. The Extreme Heat Workshop will bring together researchers and practitioners to advance the state of knowledge, identify community needs, and develop a framework for evaluating risks with a focus on climate justice. Register by June 15

It’s devastating. As much as I try to understand why we need so much stuff, I simply cannot. What will we do when it’s all gone? It’s absolutely horrific and there are alternatives. That I know. Thank you for writing this.

What’s devastating is watching the west die due to climate change and then burn. That much land burns every day near Sedona AZ. There are alternatives? Such as? We have 10 years to drop CO2 50%! Time is up.

The lithium at Thacker Pass would also go into making utility-scale storage batteries which exist only as justification for other “green” energy projects like wind/solar facilities which extract huge conservation dues on hundreds of thousands of acres of forest, agricultural and residential lands across the continent.

Again implicit climate denial. If not tell us how we drop CO2 by 50% by 2030. Power on 1/2 a day? Extreme gas rationing?

You engage in implicit extinction crisis denial. The simple way to drop CO2 by 2030? stop burning it. Oh, what you are asking is how we continue every comfort, convenience and consumption we currently engage AND drop CO2. There are other ways. You could do nuclear. But either way, you are denying the extinction crisis that is caused by habitat destruction globally and is a co-equal threat to humanity by focusing only on climate change.

Thank you for writing this. Is there a place where I can go to get more information and learn about what is planned to fight this?

First visit areas of the west impacted by this catastrophic climate change caused drought. Watch eco systems like this burn day after day, watch the red wood forests burn to the sea, watch old towns consumed one by one. Then ask yourself if you really want to obstruct dealing with climate change, knowing anything you “save” is only going to be destroyed by obstructing climate solutions.

this article mostly uses misinformation by a small group of extreme environmentalists and ignores all the scientists and geologists studied the area for over 10 years. One small example: Glenn Miller, a founder of Great Basin Resource Watch, one of the environmental groups suing over the mine in federal court. Earlier this month, Miller resigned from the group’s board of directors. Miller, who spent much of his career criticizing the mining industry, said he supports the mine because the U.S. needs a domestic supply of lithium to address climate change, which he views as the most serious environmental threat facing the globe. Compared to mining methods used for gold, he argued that the processes Lithium Americas plans to use are far more “benign.” -https://thenevadaindependent.com/ The world will mine lithium whether it is here or the rest of the world. And here we have the highest environmental standards.

Glad to hear it.

What “misinformation”? I think claiming there’s misinformation in an article without backing up your claim with examples is a clear example of misinformation.

The worst climate denial is the denial that says nothing about climate. It instead obstructs every attempt to do something. CO2 is invisible, but I invite you to go to Sedona to see it for yourself. Watch eco systems like this burn, thousands upon thousands of square miles of them.

“In the coterminous United States during the pre-industrial period (1500-1800), an average of 145 million acres burned annually.” How many acres burned last year? About 10 million.”

https://web.archive.org/web/20111015083335/https://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/Policy/FederalWildlandFireManagementPolicy_2001.pdf

This is exactly what I have been saying for a long time, but if you believe the people who fly private planes to global warming conferences, then you will not listen to facts. Thanks Justin!

I sincerely hope that as a human species we have enough awareness to find the best solution for progress but also for nature conservation.

solar + batteries = 200-300g CO2 kWh and ecocide.

we must reduce energy consumption. reduce 100 times cars amount. they stand idle 95% of time. share it instead after 100 times reduction.

use legs for walking and cycling for longer distance, without battery. we don’t need batteries at all.

Thank you, Ms Bosler, for your cogent and urgent plea to restore sanity to the ridiculous climate debate. I believe in intelligent design in our universe and with the miniscule bit of knowledge that overwhelms me after decades of study, I am always awed at the rhythm of life and how we are sustained here on this speck of a planet. Al Gore’s hubris be damned but we have been blessed with the knowledge to survive. Go Nuclear. It’s every bit as natural as anything else in the cosmos.

Get the Columbia Climate School Newsletter

Energy Conservation Essay for Students and Children

500 words energy conservation essay.

Energy conservation refers to the efforts made to reduce the consumption of energy. The energy on Earth is not in unlimited supply. Furthermore, energy can take plenty of time to regenerate. This certainly makes it essential to conserve energy. Most noteworthy, energy conservation is achievable either by using energy more efficiently or by reducing the amount of service usage.

Importance of Energy Conservation

First of all, energy conservation plays an important role in saving non-renewable energy resources. Furthermore, non-renewable energy sources take many centuries to regenerate. Moreover, humans consume energy at a faster rate than it can be produced. Therefore, energy conservation would lead to the preservation of these precious non-renewable sources of energy.

Energy conservation will reduce the expenses related to fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are very expensive to mine. Therefore, consumers are required to pay higher prices for goods and services. Energy conservation would certainly reduce the amount of fossil fuel being mined. This, in turn, would reduce the costs of consumers.

Consequently, energy conservation would strengthen the economy as consumers will have more disposable income to spend on goods and services.

Energy conservation is good for scientific research. This is because; energy conservation gives researchers plenty of time to conduct researches.

Therefore, these researchers will have more time to come up with various energy solutions and alternatives. Humans must ensure to have fossil fuels as long as possible. This would give me enough time to finding practical solutions.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Another important reason for energy conservation is environmental protection. This is because various energy sources are significantly harmful to the environment. Furthermore, the burning of fossil fuels considerably pollutes the atmosphere. Moreover, nuclear energy creates dangerous nuclear waste. Hence, energy conservation will lead to environmental protection.

Energy conservation would also result in the good health of humans. Furthermore, the pollution released due to energy sources is harmful to the human body. The air pollution due to fossil fuels can cause various respiratory problems. Energy sources can pollute water which could cause several harmful diseases in humans. Nuclear waste can cause cancer and other deadly problems in the human body.

Measures to Conserve Energy

Energy taxation is a good measure from the government to conserve energy. Furthermore, several countries apply energy or a carbon tax on energy users. This tax would certainly put pressure on energy users to reduce their energy consumption. Moreover, carbon tax forces energy users to shift to other energy sources that are less harmful.

Building design plays a big role in energy conservation. An excellent way to conserve energy is by performing an energy audit in buildings. Energy audit refers to inspection and analysis of energy use in a building. Most noteworthy, the aim of the energy audit is to appropriately reduce energy input.

Another important way of energy conservation is by using energy-efficient products. Energy-efficient products are those that use lesser energy than their normal counterparts. One prominent example can be using an energy-efficient bulb rather than an incandescent light bulb.

In conclusion, energy conservation must be among the utmost priorities of humanity. Mahatma Gandhi was absolutely right when he said, “the earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs but not every man’s greed”. This statement pretty much sums up the importance of energy conservation. Immediate implementation of energy conservation measures is certainly of paramount importance.

FAQs on Energy Conservation

Q1 state one way in which energy conservation is important.

A1 One way in which energy conservation is important is that it leads to the preservation of fossil fuels.

Q2 Why energy taxation is a good measure to conserve energy?

A2 Energy taxation is certainly a good measure to conserve energy. This is because energy taxation puts financial pressure on energy users to reduce their energy consumption.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Green Energy Conversion Systems

• First Online: 12 August 2022

Cite this chapter

• Anand Kumar 5 , 6 ,
• Sachin Kumar 5 ,
• R. K. Saket 5 ,
• R. Rajendran 7 &
• Saeid Eslamian 8  

251 Accesses

This chapter develops a technological solution for waste management at the source. A device containing a soil microbial fuel cell (MFC) is designed for reliable renewable energy production using kitchen waste. The innovative methodology and constructed green energy conversion system produces ‘eco-friendly’ electricity by capturing energy produced by naturally occurring microbial metabolism of organic materials such as food scraps, manure and plant waste. Biomass that may be used includes municipal solid waste and agricultural by-products. The electricity generated by soil MFCs can be utilized immediately by USB devices. The developed system removes and sequesters carbon dioxide and methane gas, creating a clean, environmentally responsible supply of multiple power types. The overall process provides an option for current power generation and alleviates the need for fossil fuels. Green energy conversion systems enable domestic power generation and create the possibility for reduced dependence on imports for energy needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Innovative Design and Development of Biological Fuel Cell-Based Energy Conversion System

Electricity production using food waste: a review

Bioelectricity Generation in Soil Microbial Fuel Cells Using Organic Waste

Bond DR, Holmes DE, Tender LM et al (2002) Electrode-reducing microorganisms that harvest energy from marine sediments. Science 295:483–485. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1066771

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Bond DR, Lovley DR (2003) Electricity production by Geobacter sulfurreducens attached to electrodes. Environ Sci Technol 69(3):1548–1555. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.69.3.1548-1555.2003

Borole AP, Hamilton CY, Vishnivetskaya T et al (2009) Improving power production in acetate-fed microbial fuel cells via enrichment of exoelectrogenic organisms in flow-through systems. Biochem Eng J 48(1):71–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2009.08.008

Du Z, Li H, Gu T (2007) A state of the art review on microbial fuel cells: a promising technology for wastewater treatment and bioenergy. Biotechnol Adv 25:464–482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2007.05.004

Hai FI, Yamamoto K, Fukushi K (2007) Hybrid treatment systems for dye wastewater. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 37(4):315–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643380601174723

Kim BH, Chang IS, Gadd GM (2007) Challenges in microbial fuel cell development and operation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 76:485–494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-1027-4

Kumar R, Singh L, Wahid ZA (2016a) Exoelectrogens: recent advances in molecular drivers involved in extracellular electron transfer and strategies used to improve it for microbial fuel cell applications. Renew Sust Energ Rev 56:1322–1336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.029

Kumar R, Singh L, Zularisam AW et al (2016b) Potential of porous Co3O4 nanorods as cathode catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cells. Bioresour Technol 220:537–542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.09.003

Lee M, Kondaveeti S, Jeon T et al (2020) Influence of humidity on performance of single chamber air-cathode microbial fuel cells with different separators. PRO 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8070861

Logan BE, Regan JM (2006) Electricity producing bacterial communities in microbial fuel cells. Trends Microbiol 14(12):512–518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2006.10.003

Lovley DR (2006) Bug juice: harvesting electricity with microorganisms. Nat Rev Microbiol 4:497–508. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1442

Moat AG, Foster JW, Spector MP (eds) (2002) Microbial physiology, 4th edn. Wiley, New York

Google Scholar  

Mulyadi, Arsianti RW (2018) Low power electrical generator from soil microbial fuel cell. 2018 Electrical Power, Electronics, Communications, Controls and Informatics Seminar (EECCIS). https://doi.org/10.1109/EECCIS.2018.8692948

Nicholls DG (1982) Bioenergetics – an introduction to the chemiosmotic theory. Academic Press, London

Potter M (1911) Electrical effects accompanying the decomposition of organic compounds. Proc R Soc Lond B 84:260–276. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1911.0073

Article   Google Scholar  

Rabaey K, Boon N, Siciliano D et al (2004) Biofuel cells select for microbial consortia that self-mediate electron transfer. Appl Environ Microbiol 70(9):5373–5382. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.70.9.5373-5382.2004

Reguera G, Nevin KP, Nicoll JS et al (2006) Biofilm and nanowire production leads to increased current in Geobacter sulfurreducens fuel cells. Appl Environ Microbiol 72(11):7345–7348. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01444-06

Ren L, Ahn Y, Logan BE (2014) A two-stage microbial fuel cell and anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (MFC-AFMBR) system for effective domestic wastewater treatment. Environ Sci Technol 48(7):4199–4206. https://doi.org/10.1021/es500737m

Sedighi M, Aljlil SA, Alsubei MD et al (2018) Performance optimisation of microbial fuel cell for wastewater treatment and sustainable clean energy generation using response surface methodology. Alex Eng J 57(4):4243–4253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2018.02.012

Shantaram A, Beyenal H, Veluchamy R et al (2005) Wireless sensors powered by microbial fuel cells. Environ Sci Technol 39:5037–5042. https://doi.org/10.1021/es0480668

Shukla A, Suresh P, Berchmans S et al (2004) Biological fuel cells and their applications. Curr Sci 87:455–468

CAS   Google Scholar  

Truong VM, Duong NB, Wang CL et al (2019) Effects of cell temperature and reactant humidification on anion exchange membrane fuel cells. Materials (Basel) 12(13):2048. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12132048

Yangyue J, Xu Y, Yang Q et al (2014) Power generation using polyaniline/multi-walled carbon nanotubes as an alternative cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells. Int J Energy Res 38:1416–1423. https://doi.org/10.1002/er.3155

Yong XY, Feng J, Chen YL et al (2014) Enhancement of bioelectricity generation by cofactor manipulation in microbial fuel cell. Biosens Bioelectron 56:19–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2013.12.058

Wetser K, Sudirjo E, Buisman CJN et al (2015) Electricity generation by a plant microbial fuel cell with an integrated oxygen reducing biocathode. Appl Energy 137:151–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.10.006

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Anand Kumar, Sachin Kumar & R. K. Saket

Electrical Division, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Anand Kumar

Propulsion Division, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

R. Rajendran

Department of Water Engineering, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

Saeid Eslamian

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anand Kumar .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Royal Geographical Society, (with the Institute of British Geographers), London, UK

James N. Furze

Department of Water Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

Control and Systems Engineering Department, University of Technology-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq

Safanah M. Raafat

Tiputini Biodiversity Station College of Biologicaland Environmental Sciences, University of San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Ecuador

Kelly Swing

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Kumar, A., Kumar, S., Saket, R.K., Rajendran, R., Eslamian, S. (2022). Green Energy Conversion Systems. In: Furze, J.N., Eslamian, S., Raafat, S.M., Swing, K. (eds) Earth Systems Protection and Sustainability. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98584-4_6

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98584-4_6

Published : 12 August 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-98583-7

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-98584-4

eBook Packages : Earth and Environmental Science Earth and Environmental Science (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Peer-reviewed Essays

When it comes to writing a green energy essay or any kind of essay at all, peer-reviewed articles should be your primary source of information. This is because they are more authoritative, making it easy for you to include only factual information in your essay.

Generally, peer-reviewed essays or articles are considered reliable hubs of information in the academic field since they have been closely reviewed by a panel of experts who have provided feedback on the ideas and research methods employed in the essay.

However, finding these top-tier essays can be a little difficult if you’re trying to find it on your own. Most websites offer only the abstracts of these articles which isn’t enough for you to write a comprehensive essay . An easy way to find peer-reviewed articles is by using your university’s library website or database to search for them.

Print or online textbooks

If you’re trying to write an essay, a renewable energy one in particular, textbooks are also great resources that could help you write a detailed work. Although these sources are not as reliable as peer-reviewed journals (for obvious reasons), they can be a comprehensive hub of information as well.

Fortunately, it’s easy to find a wide range of textbooks about green energy. All you have to do is search in your school library or do a quick Internet search for textbooks relevant to your essay. For instance, if you’re writing an essay on biorefinery, you could use a relevant textbook such as Biorefinery by Juan-Rodrigo Bastidas-Oyanedel and Jens Ejbye Schmidt .

However, when choosing a textbook, it’s important to choose the one that’s in line with your academic level. For instance, if you’re in high school, don’t use a textbook made for fourth graders or professors. The former will be too simplistic for your essay while the latter may be too advanced for you to understand.

Internet sources

The Internet is one of the most popular sources of information. Most students often run to the internet when confronted with a difficult assignment or task. This is mainly because it’s easy to find any answer you need in just a few clicks. Whether you’re trying to find a picture of a grinning Cheshire cat or get information for an essay on clean energy, this serves as a great option.

However, the Internet is not so reliable since everyone can easily plaster their opinions online without providing evidence to back up their claims. As such, when using online websites or search engines to look for information, it’s advisable to always double check or filter what you see. You can review the information with your teacher or compare it with peer-reviewed journals and textbooks. This way, you can avoid including misinformation in your essay.

Tips for Writing a Comprehensive Essay on Green Energy

If you’re looking to write a winning essay on green energy, here are some tips to guide you:

1. Narrow down your topic

Clean energy is a wide, ambiguous field. If you try to write a generic essay on this field, you’ll most likely get overwhelmed or end up writing an entire book. To make the writing process easier, narrow down your topic to a specific niche. For instance, instead of writing an essay titled “Green energy”, you can whittle it down to the environmental impact of clean energy conversion or its benefits.

2. Come up with an interesting thesis statement

Your thesis statement forms the basis of your entire essay. As such, it’s important to make it clear, arguable and interesting. You should also ensure that it clearly demonstrates your stance on the subject matter.

3. Use examples

When writing your essay, you should back up every claim or topic sentence with alternative energy examples. This way, your audience – and teacher – will know that you have sufficient knowledge about the subject matter.

For instance, if you write a sentence that says “ Many companies are now utilizing green energy conversion to help in IT modernization “, don’t just stop there. Add real-life examples to substantiate your claim, such as: “ For example, Netimpact Strategies, an IT service provider, recently launched ….”

This will lend your paper more credibility and authenticity.

Final Thoughts

Writing an essay on green energy is easy enough once you have the right resources. In this article, we’ve outlined the best resources you can use for writing a winning, comprehensive essay. Good luck!

Social Share

About Amanda Dudley

2 responses to 3 resources students can use for writing a green energy essay.

Pingback: Cheap Writing Service for Student Needs | BioEnergy Consult

Pingback: 5 Actionable Tips to Use More Renewable Energy

Share your Thoughts Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Site Search

Popular articles.

• How Eco-friendly Batteries Can Benefit From Biomass Energy?
• The Need for Speciality Membrane Covers
• Reasons to Recycle Used Coffee Grounds
• The Technology Revolutionizing Commercial Waste Management
• How Bugs Turn Your Food Waste into Fuel
• Food Waste Management – Consumer Behavior and Food Waste Disposers

Follow on Facebook

Newest Articles

• How Truck Dispatching Services Improve Fleet Management
• Quantum AI: The Solution for Automated Compliance?
• Are You Ready To Invest In Crypto? Check Out 5 Reasons Why You May Not Be!
• Adoption of Cryptocurrency into World Markets and Role Played by Government Regulations
• Why Has Armenia Invited Crypto Mining and Installation of Coin Minting Hardware
• Solar-Powered Pumps are Game-Changing for Agriculture
• How Can Renewable Energy Companies Increase Their Recognition and Reach?
• Composting with Worms
• 3 Ways Zero Valent Iron Can Help in Environment Protection
• Agricultural Sector and Environmental Laws in New Zealand?
• Quick Hacks to Keep Your Emergency Products Kit Compact and Complete
• Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Have a Dehumidifier at Home
• 11 Ways College Students Can Save Paper
• 5 Creative Ways to Repurpose Used Auto Parts
• Facts About Cleaning Solar Panels

Subscribe to Articles

Join 15,591 other subscribers

Email Address

Privacy Overview

Sample IELTS essay about green energy

Home  »  IELTS BAND 9 ESSAYS  »  Sample IELTS essay about green energy

Nowadays most green energy is becoming evermore prevalent in both developed and developing countries. Some argue they greatly reduce costs and are better for the environment, others believe they are a serious threat to energy security. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

The world today uses more renewable energy than ever before since it contributes to the preservation of the environment and is economically sound; however, some argue that green energy could undermine the reliability of the global supply as a result of its dependency on climatic and meteorological phenomena. This essay will examine both views, but personally, I strongly advocate the adoption of renewable sources of energy.

On the one hand, opponents of renewables claim that the world could face disruptions to the power supply should they be fully adopted. This is largely due to the fact that many green energy technologies currently in use depend on changeable and unpredictable phenomena such as wind, rain and cloud cover.

To take the fastest growing sector as an example, solar panels can only be used in the presence of strong and direct sunlight, and although the problem of directness has already been somewhat solved with moving panel arrays, a cloudy few days could still result in a blackout if we depended entirely on solar power; something that is unlikely to occur today given current oil stockpiles.

However, fossil fuels are a larger threat to energy security since they are certainly finite in quantity, whereas renewable energy is effectively infinite; once the Earth’s oil is depleted, there will be no energy security without green energy technologies.

Furthermore, problems of unpredictability can be mitigated by improving battery technologies (to create a larger buffer), building more renewable energy generators (to increase supply during ideal conditions) and improving current technologies (to increase efficiency), such as in the moving solar panel example. Proponents of renewables therefore claim that they are the most economically sound option.

To conclude, while many may believe that green energy technologies are a threat to energy security, the fossil fuels they frequently promote are a greater threat, and renewables are in fact the only sound option, both economically and environmentally.

More help for IELTS exam

For a FREE ebook of our top 10 sample task 2 essays, click here!

For more help with your IELTS task 2  preparation, take a look at our tutorials to help prepare for the  IELTS exam .

• IELTS writing task 2 questions
• Get ideas for your task 2
• Full guide to academic collocations for task 2
• How to start your agree/disagree essay
• Useful sentences for IELTS writing task 2
• IELTS writing task 2 tips
• Free Essay Band Score Evaluation
• Sign up to claim your free IELTS materials
• Jump to Band 7 or it’s Free
• IELTS Writing Evaluation
• IELTS Band Score Calculator
• Book Your Online IELTS Test
• Sample Topic Answers
• Useful Sentences
• Sample Task 2 Questions 2022
• Introduction to Paraphrasing
• Model Band 9 Essay
• Five Band 9 Words
• Model Band 7 Essay
• Differences Band 9 vs Band 7 Essay
• Band 6.5 Essay
• Academic Collocations
• Topic Sentences
• Discuss Both Views
• Tutorial: To What Extent Essays
• Paraphrasing Introductions
• Essay Structures
• Essay Plans
• Describe a Pie Chart
• Using Percentages
• Map Vocabulary
• Describe Flow Charts
• Describe a Bar Chart
• How to get Band 9
• AT 1 Sample Questions 2022
• Describe a Graphic
• GT Task 1 Questions 2022
• IELTS Vocabulary
• Google Play / Podcasts
• Apple Podcast
• Android App
• Task 2 Sample Questions
• AT 1 Questions

Company addresses: HK Office: BW ENGLISH SERVICES HK Ltd, Unit 2512, 25/F, Langham Place Office Tower, 8 Argyle Street, Mongkok, Hong Kong UK Office: BW ENGLISH SERVICES, 120 High Road, East Finchley, N29ED, London, England, United Kingdom ​+44 20 3951 8271 ($1/min).

• Reference Manager
• Simple TEXT file

People also looked at

Editorial article, editorial: recent development in energy conversion systems.

• 1 Department of Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria
• 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
• 3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
• 4 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria
• 5 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
• 6 Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
• 7 Department of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa

Editorial on the Research Topic Recent development in energy conversion systems

In this industrial and technological age, energy plays a principal role in sustainable development. This is connected to Research Topic regarding availability, production processes, utilization and environmental impact. Due to the increasing population growth rate, the global energy demand will get to an unsustain level shortly if serious measures are not initiated to address the situation, especially from research and development perspectives. “None of the millennium development goals (MDGs) can be completed without considerable improvements in the quality and quantity of energy services in developing countries,” according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Based on this fact, UNDP is making efforts, especially in developing countries, to ensure people have access to sustainable sources of clean, reliable, and affordable energy since this vital resource impacts every aspect of human development.

The available energy conversion systems have limited efficiencies, high operating costs, and environmental effects. Sustainable energy systems are expected to minimize the environmental impact during their design and operation, to provide economically affordable energy to maximize their benefits to a large population and help mitigate emissions to the environment. Based on the above, the Frontiers in Energy Research Journal agreed to host a Research Topic about Recent Developments in Energy Conversion Systems. This Research Topic collects articles that examine research and development towards achieving sustainable energy conversion systems. Nearly 29 papers have been submitted to this Research Topic, and 10 have been finally accepted, including 4 original research papers and 6 review papers. This Research Topic received very positive and supportive responses from various stakeholders globally. Since it began in 2022, there were 22,020 total views; 21,001 article views; 4,428 article downloads, 1,019 Research Topic views as of 30 January 2024. Ten articles published within this Research Topic can be found at: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/39922/recent-development-in-energy-conversion-systems .

The first paper on this Research Topic was by Ogbonna et al. The review study centres on piezoelectric materials to better understand the properties of different piezoelectric materials (ceramic) when placed under mechanical stress or vibration and electrical field during energy harvesting using transducer devices. The study concludes that lead-free piezoelectric materials, such as zinc oxide and barium titanate, remain the best conducive piezoelectric material over lead zirconate titanate, which affects the human environment due to its toxicity.

The second paper on this Research Topic by Alao et al. carries out a comprehensive review on the utilization of green inhibitors as a sustainable corrosion control method for steel in the energy (oil and gas) industries. This study elaborates on the inhibitory mechanism of organic inhibitors, mainly plant extracts, amino acids, drugs, and biomass waste. The study reveals that the phytochemicals generated from plant derivatives, the amino group (NH 2 ) present in the molecular structure of amino groups and drugs’ molecular weights, and the shielding effect of biomass wastes are the major inhibitory properties of these organic inhibitors against corrosion. It was observed that some organic inhibitors could thrive under any circumstances (temperatures, pressure, and other parameters), whereas others may not sustain their inhibition at specific parameters. Therefore, the study concludes that judicious parameters should be considered before selecting and using any organic inhibitor as a corrosion inhibitor for different pipeline steel.

The third paper is by ( Awelewa et al. ). The authors present a hybrid estimator that combines the extended Kalman filter (EKF) and sliding mode observer (SMO) via a switching function and tracking closed loop to achieve the qualities of noise cancellation and disturbance rejection. The study demonstrates the quality of the hybrid technique in estimating multi-cell lithium-ion batteries. It offers more research opportunities to design adaptive estimators for complex disturbances from other battery types.

The fourth paper on this Research Topic by Babayomi et al. reviews renewable off-grid mini-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study evaluates the current status of the level of deployment of off-grid mini-grids. Multi-criteria decision-making models were considered for optimizing engineering, economics, and management interests in mini-grid siting and design in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It covers current research and technological developments, policy tariffs, design techniques, and energy justice in SSA’s off-grid mini-grids. The review indicates that solar PV is the most common and easiest renewable to deploy for mini-grids in SSA.

Alabi et al. review “Materials for Electrocatalysts in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell”. This review study highlights recent research efforts to replace platinum and carbon support with other cost-effective and durable materials in proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrocatalysts. Overview of promising materials such as alloy-based (binary, ternary, quaternary and high-entropy alloys), single atom and metal-free electrocatalysts were discussed, as the research areas are still in their infancy and have many open questions that need to be answered to gain insight into their intrinsic requirements that will inform the recommendation for outlook in selecting them as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

“Flexible Dielectric Polymer Nanocomposites with Improved Thermal Energy Management for Energy-Power Applications” is authored by Uyor et al. The study investigates the poor thermal energy management and low energy density of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) while maintaining its flexible property using low content of hybrid carbon nanotubes (CNTs–0.05wt%, 0.1wt%) and boron nitride (BN–5wt%, 10wt%) nano-reinforcements. It was noted that adding the CNTs and BN to the PVDF matrix improved its melting and crystallization temperatures, enhancing thermal properties. This was attributed to the high thermal energy required to decompose the bond between the polymer matrix and the nanoparticles. Therefore, the polymer dielectric nanocomposites developed in this study can find advanced applications in the energy-power sector owing to their enhanced performances.

In “Functional Materials for Solar Thermophotovoltaic Devices in Energy Conversion Applications: A Review”, Dada et al. conduct a thorough investigation of solar thermophotovoltaic devices and the high-tech materials used in solar thermophotovoltaic systems as a solution to the conversion challenges encountered in conventional conversion methods. The study reveals that nanomaterials as advanced functional materials can enhance the efficiency of solar thermophotovoltaic devices.

The eighth paper on this Research Topic by Dada and Popoola is on high-entropy nanomaterials for energy storage and catalysis applications. The paper discusses the production of high entropy alloy nanoparticles (HE-NPs) and the impact of synthesis on the structure of the resulting nanomaterial for newly emerging components like HEA-NPs. The study reveals that the linkages between synthesis, structure, and property are essential for creating HEA-NP-based applications for energy storage applications, requiring the creation of a fundamental protocol to enable their mass manufacture and efficiency in service. Moreover, the study presents a straightforward review of high entropy alloys, recent advances in high entropy nanoparticles and their various syntheses for energy and catalysis applications.

Attabo et al. present “Assessment of the Wind Energy Potential and Economic Viability of Selected Sites Along Nigeria’s Coastal and Offshore Locations”. The wind energy potential and the economic viability of using wind turbines to generate electricity in some selected sites along Nigeria’s coastline and offshore locations were evaluated. Using the statistical two-parameter Weibull probability density function method, wind speed data retrieved from an indigenous oceanography company and global information system (GIS) were analyzed for wind energy harvest. The energy output, unit cost of electricity generated by three commercially available wind turbine models (3 MW, 4 MW, and 6 MW), net present value (NPV), and payback period were evaluated. Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) sensitivity to the discount rate, foundation cost, and turbine lifespan were also examined. The study reveals that the offshore sites have four times greater wind power potential than the coastal sites. It is also noted that discount rates and foundation cost reductions positively affect the LCOE.

The last article on this Research Topic, “Optimal design and control of permanent magnet assisted dual rotor motor” is authored by Kong et al. They examine a method to reduce the cogging torque of the permanent magnet rotor of the permanent magnet-assisted double rotor motor. By analyzing the motor power equation, it is concluded that the pole arc coefficient, the magnetic steel’s thickness, the air gap’s length, and the stator’s slot width have four influences on the teeth’s rotor. For the parameters of the slot torque, the upper and lower limits of the parameter value are obtained according to the size of the motor. The study further designs a fuzzy controller based on granular functions, and the fuzzy rules of the fuzzy controller are to perform feature sampling and fit the response function, eliminating fuzzification and defuzzification, improve the response speed of fuzzy control, and simplifying the control system.

In summary, the collective knowledge and research on this Research Topic provide valuable insights and motivation for ongoing endeavours toward a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.

Author contributions

SO: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision, Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. FA: Investigation, Project administration, Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. OA: Investigation, Methodology, Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. OS: Investigation, Methodology, Writing–original draft. D-AB-T: Methodology, Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. AP: Investigation, Supervision, Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing.

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Keywords: energy systems, energy optimization, design, thermodynamic analysis, sustainability

Citation: Oyedepo SO, Abam FI, Ajayi OO, Samuel OD, Borca-Tasciuc D-A and Popoola API (2024) Editorial: Recent development in energy conversion systems. Front. Energy Res. 12:1385470. doi: 10.3389/fenrg.2024.1385470

Received: 12 February 2024; Accepted: 29 February 2024; Published: 08 March 2024.

Edited and reviewed by:

Copyright © 2024 Oyedepo, Abam, Ajayi, Samuel, Borca-Tasciuc and Popoola. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Sunday O. Oyedepo, [email protected]

This article is part of the Research Topic

Recent Development in Energy Conversion Systems

Green energy conversion & storage for solving India's energy problem through innovation in ultra large scale manufacturing and advanced research of solid state devices and systems

Ieee account.

• Change Username/Password
• Update Address

Purchase Details

• Payment Options
• Order History
• View Purchased Documents

Profile Information

• Communications Preferences
• Profession and Education
• Technical Interests
• US & Canada: +1 800 678 4333
• Worldwide: +1 732 981 0060
• Contact & Support
• About IEEE Xplore
• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Nondiscrimination Policy
• Privacy & Opting Out of Cookies

A not-for-profit organization, IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. © Copyright 2024 IEEE - All rights reserved. Use of this web site signifies your agreement to the terms and conditions.

• CBSE Class 10th
• CBSE Class 12th
• UP Board 10th
• UP Board 12th
• Bihar Board 10th
• Bihar Board 12th
• Top Schools in India
• Top Schools in Delhi
• Top Schools in Mumbai
• Top Schools in Chennai
• Top Schools in Hyderabad
• Top Schools in Kolkata
• Top Schools in Pune
• Top Schools in Bangalore

Products & Resources

• JEE Main Knockout April
• Free Sample Papers
• Free Ebooks
• NCERT Notes
• NCERT Syllabus
• NCERT Books
• RD Sharma Solutions
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Admission 2024-25
• NCERT Solutions
• NCERT Solutions for Class 12
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11
• NCERT solutions for Class 10
• NCERT solutions for Class 9
• NCERT solutions for Class 8
• NCERT Solutions for Class 7
• JEE Main 2024
• MHT CET 2024
• JEE Advanced 2024
• BITSAT 2024
• View All Engineering Exams
• Colleges Accepting B.Tech Applications
• Top Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Engineering Colleges Accepting JEE Main
• Top IITs in India
• Top NITs in India
• Top IIITs in India
• JEE Main College Predictor
• JEE Main Rank Predictor
• MHT CET College Predictor
• AP EAMCET College Predictor
• GATE College Predictor
• KCET College Predictor
• JEE Advanced College Predictor
• View All College Predictors
• JEE Advanced Cutoff
• JEE Main Cutoff
• JEE Advanced Answer Key
• JEE Advanced Result
• Download E-Books and Sample Papers
• Compare Colleges
• B.Tech College Applications
• KCET Result
• MAH MBA CET Exam
• View All Management Exams

Colleges & Courses

• MBA College Admissions
• MBA Colleges in India
• Top IIMs Colleges in India
• Top Online MBA Colleges in India
• MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Score
• BBA Colleges in India
• XAT College Predictor 2024
• SNAP College Predictor
• NMAT College Predictor
• MAT College Predictor 2024
• CMAT College Predictor 2024
• CAT Percentile Predictor 2023
• CAT 2023 College Predictor
• CMAT 2024 Answer Key
• TS ICET 2024 Hall Ticket
• CMAT Result 2024
• MAH MBA CET Cutoff 2024
• Download Helpful Ebooks
• List of Popular Branches
• QnA - Get answers to your doubts
• IIM Fees Structure
• AIIMS Nursing
• Top Medical Colleges in India
• Top Medical Colleges in India accepting NEET Score
• Medical Colleges accepting NEET
• List of Medical Colleges in India
• List of AIIMS Colleges In India
• Medical Colleges in Maharashtra
• Medical Colleges in India Accepting NEET PG
• NEET College Predictor
• NEET PG College Predictor
• NEET MDS College Predictor
• NEET Rank Predictor
• DNB PDCET College Predictor
• NEET Result 2024
• NEET Asnwer Key 2024
• NEET Cut off
• NEET Online Preparation
• Download Helpful E-books
• Colleges Accepting Admissions
• Top Law Colleges in India
• Law College Accepting CLAT Score
• List of Law Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Delhi
• Top NLUs Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Chandigarh
• Top Law Collages in Lucknow

Predictors & E-Books

• CLAT College Predictor
• MHCET Law ( 5 Year L.L.B) College Predictor
• AILET College Predictor
• Sample Papers
• Compare Law Collages
• Careers360 Youtube Channel
• CLAT Syllabus 2025
• CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
• NID DAT Exam
• Pearl Academy Exam

Predictors & Articles

• NIFT College Predictor
• UCEED College Predictor
• NID DAT College Predictor
• NID DAT Syllabus 2025
• NID DAT 2025
• Design Colleges in India
• Top NIFT Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in India
• Top Interior Design Colleges in India
• Top Graphic Designing Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in Delhi
• Fashion Design Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Interior Design Colleges in Bangalore
• NIFT Result 2024
• NIFT Fees Structure
• NIFT Syllabus 2025
• Free Design E-books
• List of Branches
• Careers360 Youtube channel
• IPU CET BJMC
• JMI Mass Communication Entrance Exam
• IIMC Entrance Exam
• Media & Journalism colleges in Delhi
• Media & Journalism colleges in Bangalore
• Media & Journalism colleges in Mumbai
• List of Media & Journalism Colleges in India
• CA Intermediate
• CA Foundation
• CS Executive
• CS Professional
• Difference between CA and CS
• Difference between CA and CMA
• CA Full form
• CMA Full form
• CS Full form
• CA Salary In India

Top Courses & Careers

• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
• Master of Commerce (M.Com)
• Company Secretary
• Cost Accountant
• Charted Accountant
• Credit Manager
• Financial Advisor
• Top Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Government Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Private Commerce Colleges in India
• Top M.Com Colleges in Mumbai
• Top B.Com Colleges in India
• IT Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• IT Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
• MCA Colleges in India
• BCA Colleges in India

Quick Links

• Information Technology Courses
• Programming Courses
• Web Development Courses
• Data Analytics Courses
• Big Data Analytics Courses
• RUHS Pharmacy Admission Test
• Top Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Pharmacy Colleges in Pune
• Pharmacy Colleges in Mumbai
• Colleges Accepting GPAT Score
• Pharmacy Colleges in Lucknow
• List of Pharmacy Colleges in Nagpur
• GPAT Result
• GPAT 2024 Admit Card
• GPAT Question Papers
• NCHMCT JEE 2024
• Mah BHMCT CET
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Delhi
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Hyderabad
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Maharashtra
• B.Sc Hotel Management
• Hotel Management
• Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology

Diploma Colleges

• Top Diploma Colleges in Maharashtra
• UPSC IAS 2024
• SSC CGL 2024
• IBPS RRB 2024
• Previous Year Sample Papers
• Free Competition E-books
• Sarkari Result
• QnA- Get your doubts answered
• UPSC Previous Year Sample Papers
• CTET Previous Year Sample Papers
• SBI Clerk Previous Year Sample Papers
• NDA Previous Year Sample Papers

Upcoming Events

• NDA Application Form 2024
• UPSC IAS Application Form 2024
• CDS Application Form 2024
• CTET Admit card 2024
• HP TET Result 2023
• SSC GD Constable Admit Card 2024
• UPTET Notification 2024
• SBI Clerk Result 2024

Other Exams

• SSC CHSL 2024
• UP PCS 2024
• UGC NET 2024
• RRB NTPC 2024
• IBPS PO 2024
• IBPS Clerk 2024
• IBPS SO 2024
• Top University in USA
• Top University in Canada
• Top University in Ireland
• Top Universities in UK
• Top Universities in Australia
• Best MBA Colleges in Abroad
• Business Management Studies Colleges

Top Countries

• Study in USA
• Study in UK
• Study in Canada
• Study in Australia
• Study in Ireland
• Study in Germany
• Study in China
• Study in Europe

Student Visas

• Student Visa Canada
• Student Visa UK
• Student Visa USA
• Student Visa Australia
• Student Visa Germany
• Student Visa New Zealand
• Student Visa Ireland
• CUET PG 2024
• IGNOU B.Ed Admission 2024
• DU Admission 2024
• UP B.Ed JEE 2024
• LPU NEST 2024
• IIT JAM 2024
• IGNOU Online Admission 2024
• Universities in India
• Top Universities in India 2024
• Top Colleges in India
• Top Universities in Uttar Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Bihar
• Top Universities in Madhya Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Tamil Nadu 2024
• Central Universities in India
• CUET DU Cut off 2024
• IGNOU Date Sheet
• CUET DU CSAS Portal 2024
• CUET Response Sheet 2024
• CUET Result 2024
• CUET Participating Universities 2024
• CUET Previous Year Question Paper
• CUET Syllabus 2024 for Science Students
• E-Books and Sample Papers
• CUET Exam Pattern 2024
• CUET Exam Date 2024
• CUET Cut Off 2024
• CUET Exam Analysis 2024
• IGNOU Exam Form 2024
• CUET PG Counselling 2024
• CUET Answer Key 2024

Engineering Preparation

• Knockout JEE Main 2024
• Test Series JEE Main 2024
• JEE Main 2024 Rank Booster

Medical Preparation

• Knockout NEET 2024
• Test Series NEET 2024
• Rank Booster NEET 2024

Online Courses

• JEE Main One Month Course
• NEET One Month Course
• IBSAT Free Mock Tests
• IIT JEE Foundation Course
• Knockout BITSAT 2024
• Career Guidance Tool

Top Streams

• IT & Software Certification Courses
• Engineering and Architecture Certification Courses
• Programming And Development Certification Courses
• Business and Management Certification Courses
• Marketing Certification Courses
• Health and Fitness Certification Courses
• Design Certification Courses

Specializations

• Digital Marketing Certification Courses
• Cyber Security Certification Courses
• Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses
• Business Analytics Certification Courses
• Data Science Certification Courses
• Cloud Computing Certification Courses
• Machine Learning Certification Courses
• View All Certification Courses
• UG Degree Courses
• PG Degree Courses
• Short Term Courses
• Free Courses
• Online Degrees and Diplomas
• Compare Courses

Top Providers

• Coursera Courses
• Udemy Courses
• Edx Courses
• Swayam Courses
• upGrad Courses
• Simplilearn Courses
• Great Learning Courses

Energy Conservation Essay

When people think about conservation, they often think about protecting the environment from human exploitation. However, conservation is a concept that encompasses many facets, including health and beauty, animal welfare and natural resources. Here are some sample essays on energy conservation.

100 Words Essay On Energy Conservation

Conservation is an important factor in maintaining the balance of life on earth. Human lives and industries depend on energy, so conservation is necessary for the continued existence of mankind. Furthermore, energy conservation promotes sustainable development. This means development that respects the environment and promotes healthy ecosystems instead of harmful ones.

Energy conservation helps protect the environment from harmful industrial processes like carbon dioxide emissions. Energy conservation has become an increasingly important issue as the world population continues to grow and our energy resources dwindle. We must use energy more efficiently if we are to preserve our planet and ensure that future generations have access to the resources they will need.

200 Words Essay On Energy Conservation

Energy is essential to our daily lives. Energy conservation is one of the most important topics when discussing environmentalism and sustainable living. It encourages sustainable development while protecting the natural environment. After all, without energy we couldn’t power our homes, run our businesses or get from A to B.

How To Save Energy

As our world becomes increasingly more digitalised, it’s important that we start to think about how we can conserve energy in our everyday lives. Here are a few tips on how you can start saving energy today:

Turn off electronics and appliances when you’re not using them. This includes your TV, computer, game consoles, lights, etc.

Unplug chargers for devices that aren’t in use. Even if they’re not turned on, they’re still using up energy.

Invest in energy-efficient appliances. Look for the Energy Star label when you next need to buy a new fridge, washing machine, etc.

Use natural light as much as possible during the daytime. Open up your curtains and blinds to let in some sunshine!

Dress appropriately for the weather. In winter, wear layers of clothing instead of cranking up the heating. In summer, wear loose fitting clothes and turn on a fan rather than using air conditioning.

500 Words Essay On Energy And Conservation

Energy is used to power transportation, communication and heating homes. Because of this, we should conserve energy whenever possible. Doing so helps the environment and our economy. Energy saving refers to efforts to reduce energy consumption. The energy on earth is not infinite. Also, energy can take a long time to recover. This undoubtedly makes saving energy imperative. Most notably, energy savings can be achieved by using energy more efficiently or reducing service usage.

What Is Energy And Conservation?

Energy is the ability to do work with any form of fuel. It is essential for living creatures and the environment. Conservation is the conscious management of energy. There are various sources of energy such as solar, wind, water, geothermal and biomass. Conservation is crucial in determining the state of our world.

What Is Physical Energy?

Physical energy is the power generated by bombardment, combustion or movement. All electric and mechanical engines consume energy, and it is converted into motion. The human body needs physical energy to survive and carry out daily tasks. Energy also powers weapons and tools used in warfare, agriculture and industry. Energy is also used to power your car or bike while you drive or ride.

Why Energy Conservation Is Essential?

First of all, energy saving plays an important role in saving non-renewable energy. Furthermore, non-renewable energy sources take many centuries to regenerate. Since humans consume energy faster than they can produce it, therefore, saving energy will lead to the conservation of these valuable non-renewable energy sources.

Energy conservation is essential in a growing economy. People use a lot of energy every day. This includes household and business energy usage. Everyone needs to make careful decisions about which energy sources to use and how to use them. This helps the economy grow without destroying or depleting the natural environment.

How Can We Conserve Energy?

Consumers can also help conserve energy by making smart choices. Replacing old appliances with more efficient models helps lower consumption as well as emissions. Many people don't realise that they're wasting power when they leave their lights on or their car running outside. In general, making simple choices saves a lot of energy.

Governments play an important role in promoting energy conservation. They issue laws regarding what resources can be used in vehicles and factories. They also regulate production and consumption of various energy sources such as coal, oil, natural gas and electricity. This ensures that all nations use the same standards for resource conservation and consumption alike. It ensures that everyone uses resources effectively and conserves energy at the same rate.

Energy conservation will lower the costs associated with fossil fuels. The extraction of fossil fuels is prohibitively expensive. As a result, consumers must pay higher prices for goods and services. Energy conservation would almost certainly decrease the amount of fossil fuel mined. This, in turn, would lower consumer costs.

Energy conservation is an essential way to run a sustainable economy. Consumers can save money by making smarter choices when using energy resources. Governments promote conservation in many ways to ensure everyone uses resources effectively and conserves energy wisely. Energy conservation is a vital part of modern life!

Applications for Admissions are open.

Aakash iACST Scholarship Test 2024

Get up to 90% scholarship on NEET, JEE & Foundation courses

ALLEN Digital Scholarship Admission Test (ADSAT)

Register FREE for ALLEN Digital Scholarship Admission Test (ADSAT)

JEE Main Important Physics formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Physics formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

PW JEE Coaching

Enrol in PW Vidyapeeth center for JEE coaching

PW NEET Coaching

Enrol in PW Vidyapeeth center for NEET coaching

JEE Main Important Chemistry formulas

As per latest 2024 syllabus. Chemistry formulas, equations, & laws of class 11 & 12th chapters

Download Careers360 App's

Regular exam updates, QnA, Predictors, College Applications & E-books now on your Mobile

Certifications

We Appeared in

The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

• About EcoWatch
• Contact EcoWatch
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy

Learn About Solar Energy

Indoor gardening could help boost immune systems, study finds, nasa launches satellite to predict climate change by studying earth’s poles, mexico braces for its ‘highest temperatures ever recorded’, wwf sues norway over approval of deep-sea mining in arctic waters, a ‘surprisingly good’ beer made with wastewater , alaska youth on the ‘front lines of the climate crisis’ sue to stop lng pipeline, the next great human migration: abrahm lustgarten on america's future climate, 'it's got to be a fight': author adam welz on surviving climate breakdown and saving species of a 'tarnished eden', sounds right recognizes nature as musician, with royalties going to environmental causes, new pbs documentary focuses on a more hopeful future, 'we have just arrived': author rick bass on writing and activism in montana, new documentary explores climate breakdown and 'protectors' fighting to adapt, 4 must-read graphic nonfiction books about the environment, birding 101: everything you need to know, learn about deregulated energy, learn about windows.

How to Get Children Interested in Renewable Energy

SDI Productions / E+ / Getty Images

Kids are the ones that will be inheriting the world from us. Getting them invested early in protecting the environment will ensure that their curiosity and interest will live on once they become adults.

Figuring out how to introduce the concept of renewable energy to kids can be tricky. The more significant challenge comes down to getting kids interested and excited versus putting them on the receiving end of another lecture.

It will take a bit of planning and creativity, but there are ways to get children interested in renewable energy even at a young age.

What to Explain

The concepts you plan on teaching children should be age-appropriate. An elementary schooler doesn’t need to know the inner complexities of thermodynamics. Start small and slowly build into the topics you want to cover.

Start With Sustainability

Leaping straight into renewable energy is a quick way to lose a kid’s interest. If you start throwing around terms they don’t understand, they will quickly tune out. Depending on their age, you may even get an eye roll.

Sustainability means something can continue to exist for an indefinite amount of time. Gardening is an easy example to present to children for this concept. If a tomato is grown, that tomato contains seeds. Those seeds can be replanted, and the cycle will continue.

Once they understand the concept of sustainability , you can move on to the next step.

Continue With Energy Sustainability

Now that sustainability is a familiar concept, start leading them into how it applies to energy.

Most, if not all, children today know the basics of electricity as it applies to charging items they interact with, like tablets or even smartphones. Explaining to them that energy is where electricity comes from shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.

If you want to continue the gardening analogy for continuity’s sake, it’s adaptable. Using energy sources like natural gas, fossil fuels, and oil, you will still get tomatoes. However, these tomatoes don’t have seeds. Eventually, you won’t even be able to grow tomatoes due to a lack of seeds.

Other ways of explaining it may be easier depending on the children. The key factor they need to learn is that the current energy sources are not sustainable.

End With the Types of Renewable Energy

There are five primary renewable energy types, but you don’t want to introduce them all to kids in one go. Be sure to fully explore all of them so the kids can grasp how and why each one is an option.

The primary types of renewable energy to include in your discussion include:

• Solar – solar energy is one of the most popular forms of renewable energy and one of the easiest to teach kids about. Turning the sun’s rays into electricity is sure to catch their interest. Teach them about how solar panels capture the heat and light (even on cloudy days) and convert all of that into usable energy. You can even describe how astronauts in space rely on solar energy on the International Space Station.
• Hydro – this is another easy renewable energy to explain. It’s a rare child that hasn’t interacted with a creek or river at some point. Explain that the constant movement of the water from the current can be converted into usable energy.
• Wind – show a child a picture of those massive wind turbines and they’re bound to be curious. The wind turns the blades of the fan, much like a pinwheel, which then creates energy that we can use. Really get them thinking about the world around them and how something as simple as the wind can be turned into energy. Some states that allow you to pick your energy provider, also allow you to pick renewable plans that include wind.
• Geothermal – geothermal energy may require a bit of extra explanation if the children haven’t learned about the earth’s core and how hot it is. If they already know about that, then you can show them how pipes that go deep into the ground run steam from this heat up into plants that turn it into electricity.
• Biomass – biomass renewable energy is as simple as burning a source of fuel, so most of this explanation will be what they set on fire and how do they get it. The fuel for these fires comes from byproducts of plants and animals . Manure, crops, and other waste can all apply here.

How to Explain It

Stanislaw Pytel / Stone / Getty Images

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to pass that on to the kids. The big question is, how are you supposed to make all of this sound cool enough to get the kids interested in renewable energy?

Online Resources

Kids tend to be more into visual learning, so just telling them about these concepts isn’t going to make anything stick.

There are a plethora of options online that can help teach children about renewable energy. Educational games are a great pick to get them interacting with the information, but YouTube videos or simple animations can do the trick as well.

You can use these resources to help kids understand the big picture. Or, you can find videos and games revolving around specific steps like how exactly river currents can provide energy or why fossil fuels aren’t sustainable.

DIY Projects

This is one of the best options you can choose to teach kids about renewable energy. Helping them create a science project to test out an aspect of renewable energy will be sure to hold their interest. A hands-on approach always helps with getting the information to stick.

Try these projects for an immersive adventure in alternative energy:

• Build a mini water wheel – the water wheel has been used throughout history, and having kids build their own is a great way to teach how hydropower is created. It can be as simple or as complex as you want, but used popsicle sticks can be turned into a wheel in a pinch. Having a nearby creek or river will be the most immersive way to test this project, but using the water in your sink will get the job done.
• Purify water – this is an effortless multi-day project to set up and will help you explain how versatile the heat from solar energy is. All you need is two containers (one smaller than the other), some water, food coloring, plastic wrap, and a rock. Long story short, the sun’s heat will cause condensation and create a container of purified water. Bonus points if you can show the same results with your stove to show that the energy used naturally is more sustainable.
• Build a wind turbine – while you won’t be able to make it as large as actual wind turbines, this is still a sure way to show how efficient it is to harness the wind’s power. The items you use to build this can vary greatly but cut-up plastic water bottles tend to make solid fan blades. Once you and the kids have created the wind turbine just take it outside and watch the wind spin it around! A pinwheel works if you’d just rather explain with an example, but the act of building the wind turbine will work wonders.
• Cook using a campfire – this may sound more like a leisurely activity than a science experiment, but that was before you told the kids about using biomass for renewable energy. Unless you have casual access to manure, the fuel can just be dead branches and leaves you might find lying around. As you use the fire’s heat to cook (something that requires electricity with the stove) you can show that the fuel to provide the heat came from dead plants that will eventually regrow the lost leaves and branches used. However, be sure to point out the smoke caused by the fire and how any fuel source that creates too much of that can be harmful to people and the planet.

Take a Field Trip

Field trips don’t just have to be school-organized. See if you can find a day to take your child (or students) to a nearby renewable energy plant . Many of these locations are willing to give tours or educate interested people about what they do there.

This is also an excellent way to get free knowledge directly from the experts. They can answer any questions your kids may have that you would need some extensive researching to answer. It’s also engaging for the children to directly see the process that they’ve been learning about.

Show the Impact of Non-Renewable Energy

This is far more effective when the children in question love animals and nature, but it can be useful regardless. Showing them videos of how things like pollution and global warming negatively impact nature can inspire them to start learning about renewable energy to help prevent it.

Be a Role Model

Kids do quite a bit of learning just from observing what the adults in their lives do. How you utilize energy in your day-to-day life can greatly help or hinder the learning process for the kids around you.

It’s not an option for everyone, but many people are beginning to have solar panels installed on the roof of their house. Explaining to kids that their phones charge by way of the power of the sun is sure to get them interested in the overall process.

One way anyone can be a role model is to conserve energy where they can. Once your children know that most energy comes from non-renewable sources, they will realize why you always want lights off when not in use or when you try to keep your energy bills low (besides money).

How to Keep Them Interested

JGI/Jamie Grill / Getty Images

Now that you have the children interested in renewable energy, you’ll have to make sure that interest continues to grow as time goes on. Unless they completely fell in love with the concept, they may start to forget important information if you don’t keep them engaged.

Have a Weekly Theme

This has the dual purpose of keeping children interested and getting them to look forward to learning.

Give each week a theme that you can base activities and games around. Wind Week could involve some time at the park messing around with kites, or Hydro Week could be learning new aspects of hydroelectricity like how the tides can be used as well.

Home Improvement Projects

You shouldn’t trust a group of young ones to go and install solar panels on the roof, but there are smaller projects around the house or classroom that you can do with them so that they feel they are directly contributing to using clean energy.

These projects don’t even have to be big ones. It could be as simple as swapping out your current light bulbs for more energy-efficient ones. The key is to make children feel involved in the process and let them know exactly how these projects are helping.

One of the best ways to get children interested in anything is to make a game of it.

Whether it’s at home or in the classroom, a game will get them involved in an activity that could continue to teach them about renewable energy. It could be as simple as a made-up card game or as complex as setting up stations around the yard and have them decide which energy would work best at each station.

Some kids also enjoy incentives, so don’t be afraid to offer some sort of prize or reward if they do well in the games.

Keep Your Kids Invested in Clean Energy

It can be a challenge teaching complex concepts to kids, especially if you want them to take an interest in it. Start by breaking down the basic concepts so that you can have good conversations with them about renewable energy.

Kids learn best from visuals and by hands-on learning. Showing them videos, designing and creating projects, and even taking them to a renewable energy plant are all great ways for them to learn. Just remember, they also need a role model to look up to if they are going to take a true interest.

They may stay interested on their own, but there are ways that you as a parent or teacher can help that along. Creating fun ways to bring the subject back around like setting up games, projects, or weekly topics can go a long way towards keeping them interested and invested in renewable energy.

• 5 Ways to Teach Children About Climate Change - EcoWatch
• Renewable Energy Could Power the World by 2050 - EcoWatch
• Renewable Energy - EcoWatch
• 7 Facts That Prove the Renewable Energy Revolution Has Arrived ...
• 11 Best Books About the Environment [Including Kids Books] - EcoWatch

Half of Pasture Lands on Earth Degraded by Climate Change and Overuse, Threatening Food Supply of Billions: UN Report

Climate change costs the world 12% in gdp losses for every 1°c of warming, report says.

Green Chemistry

Reactive direct air capture of co 2 to c–c coupled products using multifunctional materials †.

* Corresponding authors

a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Advanced Energy Systems, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA 99352, USA E-mail: [email protected]

Current direct air capture (DAC) approaches require a significant amount of energy for heating CO 2 -sorbed materials for regeneration and for compressing CO 2 for transportation purposes. Rationally designing materials offering both capture and conversion functionalities could enable more energy and cost-efficient DAC and conversion. We have developed a single sorbent-catalytic (non-noble metal) material for the Integrated Direct Air Capture and CATalytic (iDAC-CAT) conversion of captured CO 2 into value-added products. Solid sorbents are integrated with catalytic components to first capture CO 2 from air. Subsequently, captured CO 2 , with renewable H 2 co-feed is converted into olefins and paraffins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first proof-of-concept demonstration for production of C 2 products such as olefins from captured CO 2 . Among the different sorbent-catalytic materials studied, Fe/K 2 CO 3 /Al 2 O 3 showed the best performance for integrated CO 2 capture and conversion to C 2 products. CO 2 capture capacity of 8.2 wt% was achieved under optimized capture conditions at 25 °C, and a conversion of >70% to paraffins and olefins was achieved at 320–400 °C. The hydrogenation of captured CO 2 was facilitated by the in situ formation of Fe 3 O 4 and Fe 5 C 2 species. The proximity between K and Fe was identified to be critical for producing C 2 products from the captured CO 2 . The preliminary technoeconomic and life-cycle assessments suggest that the cost of the DAC can be considerably decreased by adopting the suggested iDAC-CAT technology, while renewable olefins could potentially be produced with negative greenhouse gases emissions.

• This article is part of the themed collection: Green Chemistry Emerging Investigators Series

Supplementary files

• Supplementary information PDF (1391K)

Article information

Download Citation

Permissions.

Reactive direct air capture of CO 2 to C–C coupled products using multifunctional materials

S. S. Satter, J. Saavedra Lopez, M. L. Hubbard, Y. Jiang, R. A. Dagle and J. Kothandaraman, Green Chem. , 2024, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D4GC01244E

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence . You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content .

Social activity

Search articles by author.

This article has not yet been cited.

Advertisements