Previously on the TechnologyCatalogue.com blog, we talked about the importance of selecting the right kind of technology for a business. We discussed, for example, how small operators are limited by budget and thus usually follow tried and tested solutions, while big operators have the option to explore out new technologies. Each company approaches tech adoption at the pace best suited to it.
At the end of the day, however, adapting to new tech is inevitable for any business. As carbon emissions regulations become more strict, companies big and small will be forced to transition into renewable technology. Below, we analyse different types of renewable energy sources, and why it's so important for a company to find the right option.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydroelectric plants use massive amounts of water flowing through turbines to generate electricity. It's the most efficient source of electric energy, but unfortunately can't be built just anywhere. According to Wired, enormous reservoirs have to be constructed at a certain height in order to make turbines work. Despite the geographic limitations, there are plenty of hydroelectric plants built around Europe and long networks transporting the electricity long distances, making it an easy alternative for carbon emission reduction.
Biomass
Many industries produce organic rubbish in the form of pieces of plants, lumber scraps, and human waste. Biomass plants can produce biofuel, or choose to ferment the material, or dry and burn it to produce heat or electricity. Companies that produce big amounts of organic waste have the option to build plants and give a second life to their residues. They can then either obtain some revenue from their biofuel sales or use the resulting power to reduce their energy consumption.
Geothermal Energy
When plants dig deeply into the earth's surface, temperatures can rise considerably. This type of energy can be efficiently harvested at the border of tectonic plates or in countries where the earth's heat is closer to the surface. Geothermal energy can be used to heat buildings, but it can also be transformed into electricity. This didn't go unnoticed by one of the biggest purchasers of renewable technology. Intel used a combination of solar, wind, and geothermal energy sources to meet 100% of their electrical power demands in the U.S.
Wind Power
The increasing availability and size of wind farms has made it easy for companies to connect to one of these grids. Google, for example, signed a deal that allows it to power their data centre in Council Bluffs with wind energy. As one of the biggest investors in renewable energy solutions in the world, Google's choice to turn to wind power is an important indicator for other companies to consider a similar approach.
Solar Panels
In the last couple of decades solar panels have become extremely efficient and easy to install. Hoymiles reports that most recent sets can also be monitored remotely and are so reliable that they come with warranties of up to 25 years. This has led to a significant increase in the adoption of this type of technology. A thousand of Kohl's stores use on-site solar panels, which contributed to the company becoming carbon neutral as early as 2014. They have reduced their emissions by 50% since then.
Why Go Renewable
Advances in renewable technology have made it more efficient and accessible than ever. Companies can easily install their own solar panels, for example, or simply connect to an existing source of green energy. As green energy technology becomes more widespread, it becomes an excellent alternative to reduce costs and carbon emissions significantly. Making the decision to go green could be the key to companies staying competitive.
Article solely for the use of TechnologyCatalogue.com
By Jesnie Charm
Sources:
Selecting the Right Technology to Improve Business Performance. (2020, November 11), from https://www.
This Dam Simple Trick Is a Big Green Energy Win. (2021, November 16), from https://www.wired.com/story/
Google Moving Workloads Between Data Centers to Use Greener Energy. (2021, May 18), from https://datacenterfrontier.
Smart energy for a smarter business. (2021, October 28), from https://www.hoymiles.com/
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Discover and deploy technological innovations to accelerate energy transition. That’s the objective of TechnologyCatalogue.com. With over 800 technologies and 70,000 unique users of the platform, TechnologyCatalogue.com supports the energy transition by providing a platform that bridges the gap between technology suppliers, end-users and experts, and facilitates technological innovations towards a more sustainable energy sector.
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