Local Renewable Energy Benefits and Resources

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Overview

Local governments can dramatically reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing or directly generating electricity from clean, renewable sources.

The most common renewable power technologies include:

• Solar (photovoltaic, solar thermal)
• Wind
• Biogas (e.g., landfill gas/wastewater treatment digester gas)
• Geothermal
• Biomass
• Low-impact hydroelectricity
• Emerging technologies - wave and tidal power

Local governments can lead by example by generating energy on–site, purchasing green power, or purchasing renewable energy. Using a combination of renewable energy options can help meet local government goals especially in some regions where availability and quality of renewable resources vary.

Options for using renewable energy include:

• Generating renewable energy on-site using a system or device at the location where the power is used (e.g., PV panels on a state building, geothermal heat pumps, biomass-fueled combined heat and power).

• Purchasing green power through a green power procurement process that involves the generation of renewable energy certificates (RECs).

• Purchasing renewable energy from an electric utility through a green pricing or green marketing program, where buyers pay a small premium in exchange for electricity generated locally from green power resources.

Benefits of Renewable Energy

Environmental and economic benefits of using renewable energy include:

• Generating energy that produces no greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and reduces some types of air pollution
• Diversifying energy supply and reducing dependence on imported fuels
• Creating economic development and jobs in manufacturing, installation, and more

Learn how to quantify the multiple benefits of renewable energy with our Guide, or using our benefit evaluation tools.

Implementing On-site Renewable Energy Projects

On-site power generation provides local governments with the most direct access to renewable energy. In addition to the overall benefits, on-site projects also provide a hedge against financial risks and improve power quality and supply reliability.

However, local governments considering on-site generation may face possible technical, financial, and regulatory challenges. To overcome these challenges, local governments can:

• Assess the availability of local renewable resources
• Consider the costs of different renewable technologies
• Examine the aggregate costs and benefits of on-site green power
• Consider permitting requirements for locations where the facility could be sited
• Involve local stakeholders, particularly concerning siting
• Assess available sources of financing and other incentives

Tools and Resources

Most Efficient Renewable Energy Sources

When it comes to powering the world we live in, there are countless ways to generate energy: some are simple to generate but damage the environment while others are easy to generate but expensive to maintain. When we’re dealing with renewable energy sources, the main goals are to offset the release of CO2, save money, and supply energy efficiently.

It’s easy to assume that because they’re better for the environment, renewable sources of energy are also more efficient, but that may not always be the case. Here, we’ll explore some of the many renewable energy sources and how efficient they are.

What is the efficiency of renewable energy?

When it comes to energy efficiency, renewable energy is generally more efficient than non-renewable energy. The energy we get from wind, the sun, and hydro turbines can be reused without relying on an exhaustible or finite element.

We then have to factor in the product after the electricity has been produced. Non-renewable energy sources result in the waste of coal or natural gas. This requires additional energy and environmental mitigation. For this reason, the efficiency of usable energy for the least efficient source of energy — coal — comes in at a meager 29% of its original energy value. Wind, on the other hand, provides an impressive 1,164% of its original input of energy!

Scientists and environmentalists are hopeful that more environmentally friendly energy options will continue to be developed. The hope is that in time we will not need to rely on fossil fuels.

What type of renewable energy is the most efficient?

It is generally believed that wind is the most efficient way to harness renewable energy. Because windmills can be placed in open areas also used for farming, they offer flexibility. Generally, rows of wind turbines are constructed along coastal areas where nothing can hinder the flow of wind. It is estimated that this industry could make up as much as 35% of US electrical production in 20 years’ time.

As well as being able to physically fit the infrastructure into areas on land and sea, wind energy is drought-proof. The manufacturing and distribution of wind turbine parts have no relationship with water itself, and, once built, wind turbines do not require any fuel to function. In drought-prone or low-income areas, this is vital as a row of wind turbines could make the difference between free, sustainable energy and expensive, non-renewable energy.

When it comes to the top five most efficient energy sources available, geothermal energy, hydroelectricity, nuclear, and solar power come after wind power.

What is the least-efficient renewable energy source?

The least efficient renewable energy source is solar thermal energy. This is different from the solar power we normally think of that converts the sun’s rays into energy. Solar thermal energy uses the sun’s heat to create steam, which then turns a turbine to generate electricity. It requires the use of water (in the form of steam), so is much less efficient than other forms of renewable energy.

Is renewable energy more efficient than non-renewable energy?

This depends on the specific energy source we look at, and when and where in the world it is being used. For example, solar power can be extremely efficient in certain parts of the US, particularly the areas that are exposed to long daylight hours with intense heat levels. As you’d expect, solar panels are also at their most effective during the summer months. But in countries such as Norway and Iceland, which may experience as few as two daily hours of daylight during certain times of the year, solar panels may not be the most efficient energy source.

And when it comes to countries that are landlocked, they do not have the option of setting up offshore wind turbines, and certain countries are not yet developed enough to afford solar panels and geothermal energy plants.

On the whole, though, renewable energy is far more efficient due to the simple fact that it doesn’t have to be extracted from the earth and transported elsewhere for use. We all know that much of the world has relied on the Middle East for oil for decades, and that oil has to be transported (hence why we experience oil spills that damage entire ecosystems). Clearly, that is much less efficient way of creating energy than solar panels.