Examples of new renewable resources
Here are some examples of new renewable resources that are being developed and implemented:
- Tidal Power: Harnessing the energy of ocean tides to generate electricity. Examples include the MeyGen tidal array in Scotland and the Rance Tidal Power Station in France.
- Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS): Producing energy from biomass (e.g., crops, waste) and capturing the carbon dioxide emissions, storing it underground. This can be net negative emissions.
- Geothermal Power: Using heat from the Earth's interior to generate electricity. New technologies are being developed to access deeper, hotter reservoirs.
- Saline Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (SATES): Storing thermal energy in underground saline aquifers, which can be used to generate electricity or provide heating and cooling.
- Floating Offshore Wind (FOW): Installing wind turbines on floating structures in the ocean, allowing for wind energy generation in deeper waters.
- Space-Based Solar Power: Collecting solar energy in orbit around the Earth and beaming it back to the planet as microwave energy.
- Bio-based Hydrogen: Producing hydrogen from biomass (e.g., algae, agricultural waste) for use in transportation, power generation, or industrial processes.
- Advanced Biomass Conversion: Converting biomass into various products, such as biofuels, biochemicals, and bioplastics, using new technologies like gasification, pyrolysis, and biochemical conversion.
- Urban Algae Farms: Growing algae in urban areas for biofuels, animal feed, and other products, reducing transportation emissions and creating new economic opportunities.
- Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC): Harnessing the temperature difference between the warm surface waters and cold deep waters of the ocean to generate electricity.
- Landfill Gas-to-Energy: Converting methane emissions from landfills into electricity, heat, or biofuels.
- Bio-based Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU): Capturing CO2 from industrial sources and converting it into valuable chemicals, materials, or fuels.
- Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS): Using enhanced geothermal systems to access hotter, more consistent heat sources, increasing the potential for geothermal energy generation.
- Tidal Stream Power: Harnessing the kinetic energy of ocean tides using underwater turbines or other devices.
- Bioenergy with Carbon Utilization (BECCU): Producing energy from biomass and utilizing the CO2 emissions to create valuable products, such as chemicals, materials, or fuels.
These are just a few examples of the many new renewable resources being developed and implemented. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative solutions emerge.