Clean Energy in Brief
Clean energy uses renewable resources to create electricity and heat for everyday use. The term "renewable" means that these resources are continuously available (like energy from the sun) or can be regenerated quickly (like plant matter used in bioenergy). It also means that these resources are used much more efficiently than fossil fuels - oil, coal, and natural gas - and can help reduce environmental problems like climate change and poor air quality. Clean energy has security and economic benefits as well, and is already being developed around the world and in Massachusetts.
Where does clean energy come from?
Clean energy technologies generate electricity using a number of renewable fuels:
Solar: Solar photovoltaic panels use the energy carried by sunlight to produce electricity.
Wind: Wind turbines use the force of the wind to turn their blades and produce electricity.
Fuel Cells: Fuel cells use the chemical creation and breakdown of hydrogen to efficiently produce electricity and heat.
Bioenergy: A variety of technologies use renewable bioenergy, or the energy embodied in forest and agricultural byproducts, as fuel for electricity.
Hydropower: Turbines attached to dams use the power of river flows to produce electricity.
Ocean Energy: These technologies harness the power of waves, tides, and ocean temperature changes to create electricity.
Why is clean energy important?
The development of clean energy offers a range of benefits to the environment and our economy:
Environment: Greater use of clean energy can reduce air pollution, slow global warming, and protect the environment and our health.
Energy Security: By developing clean energy technologies, we diversify the Massachusetts energy supply and reduce reliance on oil, coal, and natural gas that must be imported into the state from other parts of the country and world.
Economy: Clen energy creates new jobs in many Massachusetts industry sectors including manufacturing, distribution, and construction.
Are there other technologies that can help provide these benefits?
A number of other techniques and technologies can contribute to these benefits. Energy efficiency and green buildings play significant roles in reducing energy use and emissions. They also offer significant cost savings. You can learn more about these techniques here.
There are also several technologies that use renewable and efficient fuels to produce heat rather than electricity. While we focus mainly on electricity-producing clean energy technologies, you can start learning about these additional technologies here.
Is clean energy ready for use today?
Our nation already produces enough clean energy to power all the homes in New England. While we have a ways to go in developing clean energy projects, almost all of the clean energy technologies discussed in these pages are ready for use today. Browse our project search database to see the diversityy of projects the Trust has supported.
How can I get involved in clean energy?
There are many things that you can do to support clean energy and energy-saving projects. From installing clean energy to purchasing green power through an electricity supplier, every consumer can make an impact. Community groups, teachers, building industry professionals, developers and policy advocates also play significant roles in making clean energy happen. Visit the What You Can Do section to learn more.
What else can I learn through this site?
It provides you with suggestions for how you can help advance clean energy in Massachusetts. This includes How-To Guides to installing clean energy and a Guide to Teaching Renewable Energy and Global Warming with curriculum materials and educational materials about renewable energy.
If you want to learn more about energy and electricity basics before getting started, you can visit our Science of Electricity section for a general overview.
Because the mission of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Renewable Energy Trust focuses on the use of clean energy technologies to produce electricity, we emphasize these technologies on our website. However, we cover other topics as appropriate and provide several links to sites on energy efficiency, transportation, and green buildings. For example, in the What You Can Do section, we provide advice on how you can save energy and money at home through energy efficiency measures.
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