Solar power and emissions

Climate change has become one of the biggest issues mankind must face in the near future. We are emitting greenhouse gases at an alarming level that is endangering life on earth. Greenhouse Gases or GHG’s are those noxious gases that exist in our atmosphere that contribute to global climate change, either directly or indirectly by trapping the earth’s heat and making our planet hotter. Although some of these greenhouse gases occur naturally within the atmosphere, the result of human and industrial activity on the earth has increased their size and alters the atmospheric balance.

Greenhouse gas emissions are hazardous for life on the planet

Earth naturally experiences a mild greenhouse effect keeping the temperature at the surface just right, that is not too cool, and not too hot. This allows humans to live comfortably on the planet and just as important, for much of the water at the surface to retain liquid form.

The two primary gases in the earth’s atmosphere are Nitrogen (N2) and Oxygen (O2) which we breathe, but themselves do not absorb infrared radiation or play any major role in establishing the temperature of the planet so are therefore not classified as a greenhouse gas.

In addition to Nitrogen and Oxygen, there are small amounts of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and water molecules in the atmosphere which affects global warming but typically these are regulated by the earth’s annual cycle and temperature. However, due to man’s burning of fossil fuels over the last decades, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has climbed, which raised the global temperature.

Lowering our carbon footprint is extremely important now

Fossil fuel burning to generate electricity has caused a major increase in coal consumption thereby increasing our carbon footprint and increasing our cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases. So in order to cut the quantity of greenhouse gas emitted daily into our atmosphere, we must reduce the combustion of fossil fuels by improving how we burn fossil fuels. An increase in fossil fuel efficiency will help in reducing greenhouse gases, but these are inherently polluting sources and can't be expected to burn cleanly. Don't listen to those who say coal can be "clean."

The industrial sector will have to play a major role in reducing its harmful gas emissions by increasing the efficiency of their production processes making them a cleaner, less energy consuming process which will help reduce the amount of electricity being produced to meet the demand. In addition, we need to install energy-efficient machinery or use more effective energy sources or find alternative energy sources which when burnt create or emit little or no carbon gas.

In addition to the ignition of traditional fossil fuels, the burning of methane which is a component of natural gas produces even more greenhouse gases as during combustion the methane combines with oxygen to form water, heat and carbon dioxide. Also, methane as a gas is more effective than carbon dioxide at catching heat within the atmosphere and contributing to the overall global warming problem.

However, methane (CH4) obtained from burning biomass and biomass resources such as landfill solid waste, agricultural activities, animal manure, etc, generates biogas via a process known as anaerobic digestion, which is categorized as renewable.

Large amounts of gases have been prevented by renewable sources of energy

Globally, huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions have been prevented by the development of waste-to-energy facilities compared to open landfills and the recovered waste gases and biofuels are used in the generation of energy in the form of heat, electricity, or combined heat and power has become a more effective way of dealing with unwanted waste producing no greenhouse gases or other atmospheric pollutants.

Sea levels have risen globally approximately six to eight inches in the last hundred years. Some of this rise is a direct result of the melting of mountain glaciers and the polar ice-caps. Some has resulted from an expansion of oceanic waters that have happened from the warmer ocean temperatures. What is becoming increasingly clear is that the chemical composition of earth’s atmosphere is changing and we must accept renewable energy solutions that don't cause more harm to the planet.

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