As a small business owner, you want to save on all your expenses as much as possible so as to reach your set goals faster and expand your business. There are actually quite a few ways for putting some money aside from all your monthly payments and fees. One of these is going green and switching to renewable energy sources.If your company starts running on a renewable energy source, you won’t only be able to save thousands of dollars but will also live and work in a much cleaner environment without any harmful greenhouse gas emissions or other chemical waste. Renewable energy sources are absolutely clean energy alternatives that will not only be a beneficial choice for you but for the place you live in and our planet in general.
Apparently, before going green, you, as a small business owner, want to know more details about renewable energy, its advantages, benefits, costs and much more. We have made a list of the most frequently asked questions about renewable energy to help you in your search for the best way of becoming energy efficient.
What is Renewable Energy?
any type of potential energy that can be replenished after use is itself renewable energy. When we say that renewable energy is an infinite source of energy and can be replenished, we obviously, mean it on a human timescale (e.g., sun might not be there forever but at least for the coming few billion years it will warm the humanity up).
How Does Renewable Energy Work?
There are many types of renewable energy that have come to successfully replace the traditional sources of energy. Each of these renewable energy types uses different natural sources for generating power and covering all your energy and water usage needs. Find the more detailed descriptions of the way they function below
Solar Energy
Solar power is pretty much one of the most common types of renewable energy. Having a solar panel installed at your company, you will be able to cover your air and water heating needs. Another solar technology are the solar photovoltaic systems that use solar cells for turning sunlight into electricity. Solar panels are installed on unshaded, pitched roofs and don’t require much maintenance.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is taken from the heat that’s stored under the earth’s surface. It can also be captured from the absorbed heat present in the atmosphere and oceans. In short, the earth’s heat is turned into electricity by means of geothermal energy.
Wind Energy
The kinetic energy of the wind is processed into mechanical energy and electricity. The technologies used for getting wind energy are wind turbines which are small single building applications to large onshore or offshore wind farms. Wind energy could be a good idea for those businesses that possess a large unused space for installing the wind turbines.
Hydropower
Water also comes with kinetic energy that can be turned into electricity. In this case, the water flow is sent to turbine blades that spin making the electrical generator attached to the turbine spin as well thus generating electricity.
- Hydropower: Water also comes with kinetic energy that can be turned into electricity. In this case, the water flow is sent to turbine blades that spin making the electrical generator attached to the turbine spin as well thus generating electricity.
- Biomass Energy: This type of renewable energy is generated from organic materials such as wood, straw and other crops. The energy is generated by burning these materials. Biomass is considered renewable because its inherent energy is extracted from the sun, besides it can be replenished within short time periods. When trees are burned, they emit the same amount of carbon dioxide as when they die naturally. Thus, using biomass energy, you will not harm the environment in any unnatural or additional way.
Why is Renewable Energy Important?
Now that you know how different renewable energy sources work and what natural riches they make use of, it’s high time to look at their benefits and advantages. The latter are obviously the main factors that make renewable energy important:
- Cleaner and Greener Environment: Renewable energy usage will greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come with the traditional energy sources. The environmental impact of renewable energy sources is close to none. Why not invest in living on a better planet?
- Infinite Energy Source: With renewable energy you can be sure that you are providing the coming generations not only with a better environment but also with an energy that will hardly ever run out. Besides, as noted above, it keeps getting cheaper which means that your grandchildren will have a chance of paying close to nothing for the electricity they use.
- Economy: Renewable energy sources function on certain facilities (solar panels, wind turbines, etc.) that require well-thought workmanship. This means that the higher the demand for renewable energy sources, the more new jobs will be created for people who create these facilities and install them. Besides, the economy also grows as the US sells renewable energy systems overseas as well.
- Fight against Global Warming: As more and more people start using renewable energy, the biggest threat of our era – global warming might start its retreat. With the help of clean energy you will be able to contribute to climate change in a positive way. .
What are the Benefits of Using Renewable Energy for Small Businesses?
The next important question that arises in your mind is how your small business will benefit from investing in a renewable energy source and going green. We already mentioned that your business will become much more energy efficient and you’ll save lots of money. Let’s have a close-up look at this and other benefits of renewable energy for your small business:
- Lower Energy Bills: This is probably the main reason why your business should go green. Instead of paying thousands of dollars for your monthly electricity bills, you can pay much less if you convert to a renewable energy source.
- Tax Credits: Your company can get tax incentives from the local government as a reward for your green initiative. Besides, you might also be able to cover at least 30% of your renewable energy system installation with the help of these incentives.
- Improved Reputation and More Customers: People will highly appreciate your step toward reducing your carbon footprint and going green. It will make them feel that you care about them and the environment which will highly increase the possibility of many customers choosing your services over others. This will earn you a good reputation and possibly increase your sales. Besides, conversion to a renewable energy source will have your employees stay with you longer and be loyal to the goals of your company.
- Healthier Environment for You and Your Employees: And last but not least, having a renewable energy source at your company will make it a cleaner place for long and loaded working days. Reducing your carbon footprint, you will have a positive effect not only over the whole environment but also on a smaller scale, on the office you are working at. Don’t harm the health of your employees by sticking to the traditional energy sources which are going to run out sooner or later.