Every passing year finding new ways that we can obtain energy that helps power our society is at the forefront of political agendas and the minds of community members alike. We utilize energy for almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives that we take for granted such as lighting, the internet, or even heating. For most people, their relationship with their energy needs is as simple as paying their utility/electric bill each month and not really giving much more thought as to how that energy is being sourced.
Within the United States our power grid has relied on technology that has been around for roughly 100 years. This, in many aspects, can be considered outdated from a global standpoint, especially when considering the growing number of alternative energy sources that prove to be a viable means of meeting our growing energy needs. For most Americans, their energy primarily comes from either natural gas, or coal powerplants in which these ‘fossil-fuels’ are burned in large quantities to help generate high-pressure steam that in turn spins a turbine connected to a generator. Although this has been a relatively cheap and practical way to generate energy in the past, as we move forward to the future and global stockpiles of these non-renewable energy sources dwindle, it is becoming more important than ever to reconsider how we are going to continue powering our country for generations to come.
This is where new players within the energy sector come into the mix, including the likes of renewable energy companies like Sunrun are revolutionizing how we think about energy. Sunrun is a residential solar and battery storage provider that designs, installs, and maintains solar systems on people’s homes with little to no upfront cost for the consumer.
Essentially companies like these are leasing solar panels to homeowners and allowing them to buy power through PPAs, (Power Purchase Agreements), at a lower cost than typical market rates offered by utility companies. Although it is not a perfect solution to the growing energy crisis at hand, it proves to be one of many potential solutions for Americans as we move forward into the future and finding ways to produce cheap, and clean energy is becoming ever more important.
Outside of solar energy, some other renewable energy sources that have proved promising for widespread commercial use include the likes of Wind, Tidal, Hydro, and Nuclear Energy. All in which despite their high upfront costs, have proved to be effective through long-term use and have the potential to pave a path towards a brighter and greener future.
Currently as community members, the most important thing that you can do is to keep yourself informed regarding your personal energy use and ensure that your local politicians line up with your personal goals and values moving forward to the future as we all strive to move away from unrenewable resources for energy use and transition towards cleaner, and safer means of obtaining energy.
Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at daniel.a.[email protected].
