NATURE PRODUCES RENEWABLE ENERGY — LET’S CAPTURE IT!
Transitioning away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy is a hot topic right now. Well, natural processes harvest renewable energy all the time, and release it in excess to be recycled! When the focus is on stacking functions and transforming waste into resources, this becomes apparent–a concept we are intimate with as permaculturists.
Let’s cover some sources of renewable energy that haven’t been given as much media coverage as solar and wind have. Some of these methods can be implemented on the small scale of a single family homestead, others are more well suited for larger farms or entire urban areas and high-population density cities.
OCEAN ENERGY: MECHANICAL AND THERMAL
Capturing energy from the oceans, which provide numerous ecosystem services as it is, is a way of further stacking functions while going with, rather than against, the grain of nature’s rhythms.
Thermal energy from the heat of the sun and mechanical energy from the tides and individual waves can be captured from the ocean. This is a way of gathering energy which is already being generated, and represents permaculture principles on a larger scale.
Mechanical Energy from Tides and Waves
The rhythmic pull of the moon, along with random yet potent gusts of wind, harness the power of the tides and waves as mechanical energy. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management reports that “while ocean currents move slowly relative to typical wind speeds, they carry a great deal of energy because of the density of water. Water is more than 800 times denser than air. So for the same surface area, water moving 12 miles per hour exerts the same amount of force as a constant 110 mph wind.” While numerous concerns are still being addressed and the technology needs further development, it has potential for passively collecting energy in a way that does not poison the environment or harm marine life, if done mindfully.
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