What is Green Energy?
Green Energy means a way to make power without polluting the atmosphere. Most power plants today use coal and gasoline to generate electricity. When they burn coal and gasoline, it creates Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which is a Greenhouse Gas. This means that it traps the Sun’s energy in the atmosphere and makes the planet hotter. This causes the North and South Pole ice caps to melt. Because of the melting of the ice caps, means that the sea levels will rise. Climate Change will also wipe out a lot of animals. This is a very big problem, so we are turning to Green Energy! Scientists are still working on creating more Green Energy sources, but these are the main sources.
Solar Cells
Solar Cells are a sheet filled with hundreds of tiny receptors that are sensitive to the Sun’s energy. The Solar Cells use these receptors (Photovoltaic Receptors) to create electricity with the Sun’s light. The Sunlight is very hot, which means that a the Solar Cells can harness that energy for power! This is one example of Green Energy.
Wind Turbines
Wind Turbines are large structures that have sails on them and catch wind to generate electricity. When wind blows, the sail (Long part sticking out) spins around. This spinning causes a turbine at the back end of the wind turbine to spin and generate electricity. This is done without the use of nasty Fossil Fuels. This is the second example of Green Energy.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is when a fast-moving water moves through a turbine and spins it. The spinning of the turbine makes electricity! Hydroelectricity stations are placed near or on top of fast-moving bodies of water like rivers.