What Is Clean Energy? Benefits, Types, and Examples

When talking about clean energy, you might be familiar with its pairing with green energy, renewable energy, and accessible energy. Yet, what is clean energy?

Clean energy includes sources of technology and energy with less environmental impact, especially the impact of pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and so on.

This article discusses clean energy and the reason this energy is crucial for a sustainable environment. Thus, read this article until the end!

What Is Clean Energy?

Clean energy is a technology and energy source that has less impact on the environment. This means that energy and technology used produce less pollution and carbon emissions.

The energy aims to reduce carbon emissions, hazardous air pollution, and dependence on nonrenewable resources. Some examples of this energy are nuclear energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, wind energy, and hydro energy.

Clean energy is also often paired with renewable energy. Clean and renewable energy comes from natural resources that can be renewed. This energy is more sustainable and environmentally friendly than fossil energy, which can run out at any time.

On the other hand, clean energy is also paired with accessible energy. Accessible and clean energy is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) developed by the UN.

This energy prioritizes accessible, eco-friendly, and reliable energy for all people. It also aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Moreover, clean energy is paired with green energy. Green energy is part of clean energy including natural renewable energy (wind, hydro, and solar energy).

In conclusion, these three energies have one similar goal of using renewable natural energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, making it more environmentally friendly.

The Examples of Clean Energy

There are various clean and renewable energy you can use to be an alternative to fossil fuels, such as:

1. Wind Energy

Wind energy is energy generated from wind power plants (PLTA). Usually, PLTA is in the form of a turbine driven by the wind that generates electricity. Wind power can be accessed easily by anyone in the world.

2. Hydro Energy

Hydro energy comes from hydropower, which you can find in rivers or dams with hydro turbines. The turbines generate electricity channeled to certain areas. This energy is suitable for areas with proper hydro resources.

3. Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy generates electricity from geothermal power plants. Usually, the power plant is located in close to a mountain with high volcanic activity.

4. Solar Energy

Solar energy is generated from the sun through solar panels. This energy can be accessed almost all over the world for free and is also environmentally friendly.

Solar panels convert solar energy into electricity and store it in batteries. Solar energy is also cost-effective even when used in the long term. Moreover, it can be used in almost all climates. Maintenance is also easier and more durable.

The Advantages of Clean Energy

For a more sustainable environment, switching from fossil fuels to clean energy is important. This energy has various advantages, such as:

1. Reducing the Dependence on Fossil Fuels

The first benefit is reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. Clean energy is derived from renewable natural resources, like wind, hydro, and solar. On the other hand, fossil fuels are from nonrenewable, scarce, and expensive energy.

2. Environmentally Friendly

Clean energy also produces fewer carbon emissions and reduces hydro, air, and land pollution, making it a more environmentally friendly energy source option.

3. Encouraging Technology Innovation

Clean energy can be developed using technology, providing a positive impact on technology, the economy, and the environment.

4. Reducing Energy Cost

This energy can reduce production costs because it is easily and freely available. Some energy sources do not require complicated maintenance and can be used long-term, making them more cost-effective.

The Government Effort to Implement Clean Energy

To support the implementation of clean energy, the Indonesian government planned some strategies and initiatives, such as:

Increasing the use of renewable energy: The Indonesian government has set a target for the use of renewable energy, such as hydro, wind, and solar energy.
Reducing carbon emissions: The Indonesian government has set a target of reducing carbon emissions by 29% by 2030 and increasing the use of sustainable transportation.
Providing access to eco-friendly and affordable energy: The Indonesian government has a program to equalize energy access, such as the Program Listrik Masuk Desa (PLMD), so that all Indonesian people can utilize it.
Increasing energy efficiency: The Indonesian government is promoting energy efficiency by using more efficient technology and vehicles.
Educating the society: The government educates the public to make them aware of the importance of this energy and its benefits for the environment and health.

Regarding those efforts, Chandra Asri Group also supports them by doing initiatives to reduce the emission levels due to operational processes. Not only that, but Chandra Asri Group’s subsidiary, Krakatau Chandra Energi, provides solar panels installments as an effort to utilize renewable energy.

There are three methods of installing solar panels that can be done, namely On-Grid Solar Panels, Off-Grid Solar Panels, and Hybrid Solar Panels.

Currently, there is a solar floater innovation, where solar panels are installed above the water, such as in ponds, lakes, or dams. This innovation certainly does not take up more land, reduces water evaporation, and can maintain the temperature of the solar panels.

Those are information about clean energy that you need to know. For the earth to be healthier and the environment to be more sustainable, now is the time for us to switch from nonrenewable natural resources to renewable ones.

In addition to being easier to obtain, renewable natural resources do not emit as much carbon emissions as fossil fuels, avoiding air, water, and soil pollution.

In this regard, Chandra Asri Group as a leading energy, infrastructure, and chemical solutions company in Southeast Asia, also supports the sustainability of clean energy by contributing to the implementation of solar panels and reducing the emission levels from operational processes.